Every year, I post a summary of the movies that I saw at the annual Traverse City Film Festival. I just returned from a week of great movies, panel discussions, beaches and pie.
The Traverse City Film Festival (TCFF) celebrated its 10th anniversary this year - 10 years of Just Great Movies. Founded by Michael Moore and a host of Traverse City residents, the focus has always been on bring independent, foreign and otherwise overlooked small movies to a part of the country that is dominated by multiplexes. Micheal also spearheads a movement to bring back the main street theater that sit empty or under-utilized in so many towns and cities. The State Theater was one of those theaters, but due to the combined efforts of the community, it now thrives as a true community gathering place and was recently named by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) as the best theater in the US for watching movies. Here's a link to the website: TCFF
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For the 10th anniversary this year. TCFF went on the road for a week of movies across the state, all in theaters that have been re-opened and restored. There were sell-out crowds in Frankfort, Manistee, Suttons Bay, Elk Rapids and other cities to welcome great movies in a way they were intended to be soon - on a big screen in a crowd of movie-lovers.
One of the coolest things happened when Michael announced that he was contributing $250,000, the last money from Roger and Me, to the TCFF so that the State Theater can become the hub for beaming independent and foreign movies to other theates. Similar to the way the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts its performances around the world, the State Theater will send movies to other theaters, including discussions with the filmmakers. This way, people that are looking for quality entertainment can assemble in their local theater and share in the TCFF experience.
I was able to pack in a lot of movies in five days, and following is the TCFF summary of those movies with my commentary.
5 to 7
Maybe there are some people you are meant to love, and some you are meant to marry—this idea, and the French “cinq à sept” affair (liaisons scheduled during that hazy time between leaving work and arriving home) are explored in this gloriously romantic, Audrey Hepburn-esque love story. After Bérénice Marlohe (“Skyfall”) and aspiring writer Anton Yelchin (“Star Trek”) fall in love at first sight, it takes time for him to accept the open relationship she has with her husband, but soon he’s attending the married couple’s dinner parties with the husband’s mistress in attendance, too. His parents (Glenn Close and Frank Langella) are memorably slower to accept the concept, and eventually, he has to decide if the 5 to 7 window is enough. A funny and earnestly sentimental crowd pleaser, “5 to 7” has the power to change the way we think about relationships.
This was a beautiful movie, and the ending was very un-Hollywood, which made it even better. Anton Yelchin was a revelation as he stepped out of his Star Trek persona as Checkov.
Al Helm: Martin Luther King in Palestine
Offering a fresh perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, “Al Helm” (Arabic for “The Dream”) follows an African-American Christian gospel choir as they team up with a troupe from the Palestinian National Theater to perform a play about Martin Luther King, Jr., and spread the concept of equality through non-violence to the people of the West Bank. Filmmaker Connie Field captures the power of art to change the way people think as both the Americans and Palestinians find they have much to learn from each other in this unique cultural exchange, providing new insight into life in Palestine under occupation and how a young generation is changing the political conversation through non-violent acts of protest.
Given the current situation in the Middle East, this was a refreshing look at how people can still work for peace in a very tense environment.
Blue Ruin
Dwight lives a peaceful existence as a beach bum in a Virginia resort town, scraping by on food scrounged from dumpsters and generally avoiding confrontation with the locals while sleeping in his beat-up Pontiac. But his life is given renewed purpose when he receives word that a man with whom he has a score to settle is set to be released from prison. Dwight is spurred into action as a hapless assassin with the will and motivation—but not necessarily the resources—to exact revenge. His ineptitude as a killer sets off a chain of events that leaves him in a desperate fight to protect his family. An award winner at Cannes, director Jeremy Saulnier’s masterful revenge thriller is rife with blackly comedic moments and heart-pounding thrills.
This was billed as a black comedy, but it was mostly dark. I didn’t find enough to laugh about to consider this a comedy. Someone in the line for the restroom after the movie started humming the signature tune for “Deliverance” and it was spot on.
Coherence
When four couples meet for a dinner party on the night Miller’s comet is due to pass close to Earth, they couldn’t have anticipated the astrological anomaly causing a disruption of the evening’s affairs. But after the power goes out, internet and phone service shut down, and all the lights in the quiet suburb go dim—save one eerily similar house a few blocks away—their evening takes a decidedly mind-bending turn. As the group scrambles to make sense of the bizarre turn of events, they argue over ever-wilder theories as to what sinister forces lie in wait outside the confines of the house. A heady mix of quantum physics and mystery, “Coherence” is a clever and original low-budget sci-fi flick that emphasizes storytelling over flashy effects, and is sure to be one of the most talked about genre films of the summer.
This was pretty good, but it had a couple gaps in the plot, which is crucial in a very complicated story. Two sisters saw a very similar movie “The One I Love”, and it sounded like a better telling of an alternate reality story.
Dinosaur 13
In the Badlands of South Dakota in the summer of 1990, a team of amateur paleontologists led by Peter Larson made the discovery of a lifetime: the world’s largest and most complete T. Rex fossil, which the team named “Sue” after the volunteer who first spotted the dinosaur. But Larson’s joy was short lived- an epic legal battle soon began over the rights to Sue, with Larson’s team, the US government, and Native American tribes each claiming ownership of the fossil. Director Todd Douglas Miller’s compelling documentary follows this stranger-than-fiction David vs. Goliath story over the course of a decade, as working class dreams are attacked by governmental and corporate powers.
I love Sue the T-Rex, and there is something very compelling about her when you see her at the Field Museum. This was a great story, and very eye-opening about how Sue got to the Field. The film-maker and a major character were at the festival, and they were very generous with their time.
The German Doctor
A fictionalized account of a missing chapter in the life of one of the 20th century’s most notorious war criminals, this gripping drama opens in a German community in Patagonia in 1960. Josef Mengele (the “Angel of Death”) is hiding there following revelations of the cruel and inhumane experiments performed on concentration camp inmates at his behest. We meet Mengele through the eyes of twelve-year-old Lilith, whose family is unknowingly hosting the fugitive in their hotel. During their time together, Mengele takes a sinister interest in naïve Lilith, who proves a willing party to his new experiments to help make her taller. Argentina’s submission for Academy Award Nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, “The German Doctor” is a provocative thriller tinged with mystery and suspense.
Oooh, creepy. Mengele was a genuine monster, but the surprise for me was the extent to which Nazi culture has penetrated Argentina. I don’t know how much of that was made up for the story, but it was surprising to see the Argentine people speak German and salute the Nazi symbols.
The Gilded Cage
A box office smash in France, this delightful comedy follows a working-class Portuguese immigrant family in Paris headed by Maria, the concierge at a ritzy apartment complex, and José, the hardworking foreman at a prominent construction company. In their 30-odd years in France, they’ve made a modest but comfortable life in the service of others—so much so that when they inherit a winery back in their native Portugal and have their lifelong dream tantalizingly within reach, everyone they’ve worked for starts scrambling to find ways to keep them from leaving. As the son of Portuguese immigrants himself, writer-director Ruben Alves delivers a keenly observed comedy that satirizes stereotypes along cultural and class lines—a warm-hearted look at family and what it means to belong in society.
Really fun movie - I loved watching this family navigate a garden of good choices and still keep their perspective on what’s really important.
Land Ho
After being forced into retirement, Mitch, a cheeky sweetheart of a man, convinces Colin, his gentle soul of an ex-brother-in-law, to join him on an impromptu holiday to Iceland to get their septuagenarian groove back. The result is a joyously entertaining and thoughtfully humorous journey of rediscovery. Together, they take on the hottest nightclubs, swankiest spas, and finest restaurants in Reykjavik before exploring the gorgeously filmed vast vistas and natural wonders of the countryside. Part exhilarating travelogue, and part road-tripping buddy comedy, the incredible comedic chemistry and refreshingly old-fashioned regard for characterization make this touching look at friendship and aging a sure-fire TCFF hit. You’ll leave the theater smiling uncontrollably with the overwhelming sense that their adventures, and yours, are just beginning.
A different kind of buddy movie, where two men spend time in Iceland. The actor who played Colin came for a Q&A, where I learned much of the movie was improvised.
Life of Crime
We are thrilled to present the US premiere of “Life of Crime,” the best adaptation we’ve seen of a novel by “the Dickens of Detroit,” Elmore Leonard. John Hawkes and Mos Def star as low-level criminals who kidnap a corrupt Detroit real estate developer’s wife for ransom (the couple is played by Tim Robbins and Jennifer Aniston). While Aniston attempts to improve her position, two very different kinds of sleazeballs up the ante in an escalating sequence of double crosses and plot twists, all set in 1970s Detroit to a great soundtrack of Top 40 hits and lounge tracks. Based on Leonard’s 1978 novel “The Switch,” director Daniel Schechter’s (“Supporting Characters,” TCFF ‘12) comedy brilliantly captures the look and feel of inexpensive 70s caper cinema, from the opening copyright to the vintage jacket Aniston wears.
This was a great role for Jennifer Aniston, and a good re-telling of an Elmore Leonard story. Tim Robbins was great, and the music was outstanding.
Meet the Patels
Fresh off a breakup that leaves his heart and head spinning, first-generation Indian-American Ravi Patel has had enough of contemporary courtship and starts to consider finding a wife the old-fashioned way- by enlisting the help of his matchmaking parents. As he embarks on a cross-country dating odyssey, Ravi’s sister joins him to document the matrimonial conventions, awkward setups, and surprising twists along the way. Without a doubt one of the most laugh-out-loud and joyous documentaries we’ve seen this year, Ravi’s sweetly-meddling, advice-spouting, larger-than-life parents (who upon first arriving in the US landed in Houghton, MI) will delight you with their bighearted embrace. But behind its light tone, the film is not only a testament to the travails of modern love, but also a universal look at the struggle between upholding tradition and forging our own paths.
LOVED this movie, and it was voted for the Audience Award. The Patel parents are unintentionally funny, and the children are charming. This movie has not gotten a distribution deal (although Michael is calling everyone he knows) and I hope it does get a deal so everyone can see this wonderful movie about family and the real meaning of tradition.
Mitt
Allowed unprecedented access to Michigan-native Mitt Romney on the campaign trail—and complete creative control over the resulting documentary, provided no footage was released until after the 2012 presidential election—filmmaker Greg Whiteley delivers an amazingly candid portrait of the life of a major presidential hopeful. With a fly-on-the-wall approach, this fascinating documentary downplays the politics in favor of showing the man behind the public figure, capturing small moments between Romney and his close-knit family with home movie-like intimacy over the course of six years and two failed campaigns- from his besting at the primaries by John McCain in 2008 to the eventual loss to Barack Obama in 2012. Both revelatory and humanizing, this absorbing documentary will show you Mitt in a whole new light.
I was curious to see this movie, because presidential candidates rarely show the real person. Mitt Romney is very intelligent and often could see the reality of his situation before his “handlers” but it seemed like the handlers were so invested in their position that they couldn’t listen to him.
Playing Dead
This witty, Agatha Christie-style whodunit stars Belgian-born François Damiens as a wisecracking, likeable lug of the Vince Vaughn variety. Damiens is divorced and broke, eeking out a living acting in ads for diarrhea medicine, but over 20 years ago, he won the coveted César award for Most Promising Actor. He’s talented—he just annoys everyone by turning each role into an elaborate method acting exercise. Then he lands a job in the French Alps playing the victims in a homicide reenactment (French courts use reenactments to test the plausibility of case facts). While working the new gig, he falls for the attractive, no-nonsense magistrate in charge, and stumbles into helping her solve the crime he’s there to reenact. This smart, frequently funny caper comedy is the complete package: great acting, beautiful scenery, and a playful score.
My siblings and I love French romantic comedies, so this movie was an “all go” for us. Unfortunately, it was just OK. We’ve seen so many excellent ones hat maybe our expectations are unrealistic, but this was a bit disappointing.
Snowpiercer
In the not-so-distant future, failed efforts to halt global warming have left the Earth frozen in a second ice age. Thanks to the vision of a benevolent billionaire, the last surviving members of the human race are confined to a state-of-the-art train that acts as a sort of Noah’s Ark, kept on a perpetually speeding journey around the globe. The train’s first class passengers enjoy all the luxuries of a lavish life; for the lower-class workers trapped in the rear of the train, things aren’t quite so rosy. Tired of being confined to the bottom caste, Curtis (Chris Evans) rallies his ragtag comrades to rebel against the ruling class, which is led by an evil prime minister tasked with maintaining the status quo (Tilda Swinton, in a scene-stealing role). One of the best sci-fi films in years, the first English-language film from Korean director Bong Joon-ho (“The Host,” TCFF ‘07) is a thrilling, action-packed dystopian vision.
This was already in theaters, but I wanted to see this at the State Theater in Traverse City, and I’m so glad I waited. Really gripping story, with excellent acting. Interesting to see Ed Harris as the omniscient overseer, just like in The Truman Show. Tilda Swinton was sublime – you got the sense that she just relished her character.
Star Wars IV: A New Hope
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, George Lucas created a film that would change cinema forever and launch an unstoppable pop-culture juggernaut that has survived both Jar Jar Binks and a very “special” Christmas special. Luke Skywalker, a farm boy from the planet Tatooine, begins a hero’s journey that takes him across the galaxy to rescue Rebel Alliance leader Princess Leia from the clutches of the evil Darth Vader. Along the way, he joins a colorful cast of characters including the sage Obi Wan Kenobi, roguish Han Solo, steadfast Chewbacca, neurotic C-3PO, and trusty R2-D2 in the fight against the Galactic Empire. Whether for the first or 500th time, don’t miss your chance to experience this ultimate classic for the whole family like never before—on a 65-foot screen beneath the stars. May the force be with you as surprises await potential Jedi padawans at this special People’s Choice winning screening.
One of the best things about TCFF is the free outdoor movies, and this was our choice. It’s shown on a 65-foot inflatable screen, and there are people in costumes, picnics, and fun everywhere. I’ve seen this movie dozens of times, but every time I’m enchanted all over again.
Summer of Blood
Part Woody Allen-esque self-deprecator, part schlubby-but-loveable Judd Apatovian man-child, writer-director-star Onur Tukel is a force to be reckoned with in this outrageously hilarious and goofy comedy. Tukel plays Eric, an egotistical and unambitious complainer who doesn’t have the good sense to say yes when his far-too-good-for-him girlfriend proposes. With limited career prospects, an inability to commit, and severe shortcomings in the bedroom, Eric is just about every Match.com-er’s worst nightmare. But just when our bumbling antihero seems to have hit rock bottom following a bizarre encounter one night, he wakes up with a new lease on life—and an insatiable thirst for blood. Transformed into a literal lady-killer, Eric embarks on a quest to win back the one that got away in this freewheeling Brooklyn love story.
Very silly and funny, but it could have been better. Onor spent so much time showing us the unlikeable aspects of his character, that I really disliked him and didn’t care what happened. It was a self-indulgent sexist movie whose primary goal seemed to be to get Onor into bed with three beautiful women.
Two Raging Grannies
Who would have thought that one of the best explanations of modern day capitalism would come from two women who grew up during the Great Depression? Armed with curious minds, common sense, and the audacity to ask straightforward questions, Shirley (90) and Hinda (84) set out on their scooters to journey across the USA from Seattle to Wall Street, aiming to figure out how we got into the current financial crisis and just how messed up our economy really is. With humor, heart, and a fair amount of friendly bickering, “Two Raging Grannies” follows their search for answers (in plain English!) as they meet every one from economists to homeless people to investment bankers, asking whether our current model of perpetual economic growth is sustainable.
I love Shirley and Hinda! What remarkable women. Hope everyone gets to see this.
Virunga
The home to the world’s only remaining population of wild mountain gorillas lies in Virunga National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site deep in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In this most precious of places, it’s no surprise that corruption and greed threaten destruction and death, as many forces vie for control over the lucrative natural resources underground. The last line of defense against these devastating forces is a group of fiercely dedicated park rangers and journalists who stand guard over the park and its inhabitants, wielding guns, hidden cameras, and the mighty pen to protect the park’s precious and delicate ecosystem. Director Orlando von Einsiedel shows us the park when Congo’s largest rebel group declares war on the government, just one of the dangers posed by the ongoing political and environmental crisis in Congo.
Gosh, I loved this movie. I didn’t know anything about Virunga, and very little about the situation in Congo, so I’m so glad I saw this.
The Volcano
From the team that brought you the TCFF ’10 favorite “Heartbreakers” and the TCFF ’12 sensation “The Intouchables” comes a zany and entertaining story of a bitterly divorced couple (Valerie Bonneton and French megastar Dany Boon) who inadvertently cross paths while traveling to Greece for their daughter’s wedding. As if sharing airspace on the same 747 isn’t bad enough, even though she’s in first-class, and he’s in coach, the eruption of a certain famously unpronounceable Icelandic volcano (Eyjafjallajokull, for inquiring minds) grounds their flight plans. So the polar opposites must swallow their pride and work together to make their way, “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles”-style, from Paris to Greece. It’s got irresistible chemistry, lively antics, scenic settings, and a raucously playful road-tripping premise—what more could you ask for in a great romantic comedy?
THIS was the French romantic comedy that we love, but unfortunately I was the only one who saw it. This was funny and lovely and loving.
Yesterday and Tomorrow in Detroit
Take a stroll through the streets of Detroit as they once were when Rick Prelinger presents his program of educational, industrial, and home movies made in Detroit from 1925-1976. The San Francisco-based archivist, filmmaker, and educator will moderate interactive screenings of the program during which audiences are encouraged to yell out when they recognize specific locations or when they have hints that can help date films. Audience members will also be asked to let him make copies of home movies or other films they may have for his Detroit-based films collection. The Traverse City Film Festival screenings feature some works from Prelinger’s past compilations (including a priceless reel of a man’s walk past Grand River businesses in the early 1950s) and many new finds, including several home movies from Motown neighborhoods, and a short film about the city’s renaissance made by the City of Detroit circa 1968.
I saw about 30 minutes of this during one of the panel discussions, and I understand the entire 70+ minutes is available online with the permission of the filmmaker. The format was great for seeing this – we were all encouraged to comment during the movie, and many members of the audience found familiar locations – one person saw the house of his mother’s doctor.
Zombeavers
This is it: the movie TCFF midnight fans have been waiting for—a horror comedy so outrageously fun, its trailer is already an internet sensation. Sure, the story may seem familiar: a group of beautiful college students head to a secluded cabin for the weekend only to have their hedonistic plans sidetracked by unexpected terrors. But this time the biting horror is brought to you by a rampaging, ravenous, rabid pack of toxic-waste-mutated Zombeavers (that’s Zombie Beavers for you laymen). So much more than another “Sharknado”-style gimmicky premise, the lovingly handcrafted effects make “Zombeavers” a winning tribute to D-movie creature features. With a first-rate cast of complete unknowns including Jake Weary- no actor has chewed through more scenery since Al Pacino in “And Justice for All” –this “Citizen Kane” of Zombie Beaver movies may just be the best DAM movie we’ve seen all year.
Nothing is more TCFF than a Saturday midnight movie at the State. I’ve seen so many excellent ones – Let the Right One In, Dead Snow, Air Guitar Nation, Tucker and Dale vs Evil, but this was so stereotypical and unfunny. The zombie beavers were worth a laugh, but everything else was cliché.