2013 Twin Cities Film Fest: A BETTER LIFE, THEY WILL OUTLIVE US ALL

Here are two more reviews from the 2013 Film Festival. One short film and one film that is short. Both of which could easily be expanded into longer movies.

A BETTER LIFE
Director: Conor Holt
Starring: Aimee Klein, Hardy Koenig, Bill Siderski

Diane (Klein) can't seem to let go of her husband as she must face some life alternating decisions. Bill (Siderski) is now in a comatose state and time will only tell when and if he shall awake. In a radical new medical breakthrough, she decides to have a chip implanted into his brain that can control his motor skills. She has control of his movements via a remote in hopes that activity and movement may wake him up.

A Better Life is the third short film I saw that was presented at festival. The film poses some interesting medical and ethical questions regarding loved ones that are faced with a family member in a comatose state. The marriage shifts for Diane and Bill as the line between treating him like a husband instead of a robot starts to get blurry. Sometimes short films try to cover too much ground in such a short time period where it in turns feels rushed and chaotic. Even by telling the story in a non-linear style, Holt is able to keep it tight and on point. He knows exactly what part of this story he wants to tell. There is enough material that the film could easily be expanded into a full feature. The ending leaves you wanting more after a shift in events makes wonder what could happen if this carried on. What would happen to Bill and Diane after a few months? Years? What would the people in Diane's life have to say to her about her choice?

RATING: **** (4 out of 5 stars)

A Better Life - Trailer from Conor Holt on Vimeo.

THEY WILL OUTLIVE US ALL
Director: Patrick Shearer
Starring: Jessi Gotta, Nat Cassidy, Alyssa Simon

I was pleasantly surprised to see quite a few horror films in the line up for the 2013 Twin Cities Film Fest. After a lukewarm response to We Are What We Are and the wretched Truth or Dare, I was skeptical about seeing another amateur horror flick. Margot (Gotta) and her good friend Daniel (Cassidy) are living in a rundown Brooklyn apartment in a post-Hurricane Sandy world. Three people have mysteriously died in their apartment and something seems to be severely wrong with their superintendent. During another one of the movie nights, the power goes out and a giant cockroach decides to pay them a visit. It is Brooklyn after all. Like a bunch of hurricanes are going to stop those little critters.

Shearer's film really feels and looks like a low budget amateur horror comedy. Don't roll your eyes quite yet. The film has a lot of potential, but feels a bit incomplete at its present state. Gotta's screenplay is a mixed bag of comedy moments and campy horror. There is some fun banter between the two characters in their discovery that something bizarre is happening in their apartment. You can tell there is a friendship and history between them. The giant cockroaches are somehow funny and gross at the same time and adds some good physical comedy routines for Margot and Daniel. While the ground work is here, neither the comedy nor the horror is strong enough at this point. I am curious if there will be any more life to this film later on. At only 73 minutes long, I wonder if they would expand the story and flesh it out more with a bigger budget.

RATING: ** 1/2 (2.5 out of 5 stars)

2013 Twin Cities Film Fest: GHOST LIGHT, THE SEARCH FOR SIMON

I mentioned in a previous post, I have thoroughly enjoyed attending the 2013 Twin Cities Film Fest. It has gives great exposure to a wide variety of films ranging in style, budget, subjects, and genres. You name it. Many of these may or may not get a wider release than playing at various festivals. My plan is to write some mini-reviews showcasing some of the films I have seen. Days 4 and 5 of the Fest brought these two delightful little films.

GHOST LIGHT
Director: John Gaspard
Starring: Dietrich Poppen, Dawn Brodey, Austan Peterschick, Joel Raney, Kelli Gorr

After a performance of “The Importance of Being Earnest” goes a bit off track, the cast is determined the ghosts of the theater are playing pranks on them. They decide to spend the night in the theater in hopes of finding more signs of paranormal activity. What they don’t know is that their fellow technicians overheard their plan and are concocting a plan of their own to sneak in and create some scares for them.

Do not be fooled as this is not really a movie about old theater superstitions or the spooky things that can be found in an old historic theater. I expected a fun little tale of the haunting that can happen in some theaters, but I was pleasantly surprised the core of the film has some deeper meaning and heart to it. The all-night shenanigans give these actors a chance to open up to each other about their lives, their regrets, troubles, hopes and dreams. One actor is planning on moving to Los Angeles to have a crack at the film industry. Another opens up about the partner he lost long ago who he still mourns over.

The film was shot at Theatre in the Round in Minneapolis which provides the perfect setting as there are so many nooks and crannies for the actors and technicians explore. Gaspard wisely uses all of the spaces from the costume shop, rehearsal space, prop storage, and of course the stage. There is a fun bit as two actors run around trying on various costumes and acting them out. As an actor who has performed in that exact space, it brought back numerous memories of the show I did there. I even noticed a poster for “Harvey” in the background during one of the shots. Gaspard and co-writer Mary Kaeding have written a clever script that not only has those touching moments, but has quite a bit of fun with the technicians as comedic foils to the actors. This film is clearly a love letter to not only the Minneapolis theater scene where it originates but also to the love many of us have of theater and the special meaning it has to each of us.

RATING: **** (4 out of 5 stars)



THE SEARCH FOR SIMON
Director: Martin Gooch
Starring: Martin Gooch, Noeleen Comiskey, Carol Cleveland, Millie Reeves

I was warned going in there would be some "Dr. Who" references. I felt doomed as I have never seen an episode in my life. I know I know I know. It's on my to-do list. I may have missed a reference or nod to Tardis, but it did not stop me from laughing at this little gem. David Jones (Gooch) is told by his father that his brother Simon "went away with his alien friends". Thirty years pass and David still believes aliens have abducted his brother. He even creates his own vlogs for his "The Search for Simon" foundation. He Skypes with other UFologists and goes globe trekking for clues. On one of his trips to Denmark he meets psychiatrist and author Eloise Eldritch who helps him out, but in turn uses him as material for her own book. His obsession has cost him his friends and has hurt his relationship with his mother (Cleveland) even though they live together. All of this won't stop him from trying to find his brother.

The movie is billed as a "Foc-U-Mentary" (Film and Documentary) on its website which I find hilarious. Gooch writes, directs, and stars in this light sci-fi comedic gem. Like I mentioned earlier, I am not as versed in British sci-fi/fantasy culture like I probably should be. Even without that background, the film is quite enjoyable. The story is a silly little madcap romp as you watch David float around in a pretty delusional state. He even tries to get a job at the British AeroSpace Technology and Research Development Division, aka B.A.S.T.A.R.D.D. The pacing gets a bit slow at times, and the film is a little bit too long. There was one point where I thought it was going to end and have this sweet little ending, but then it kept going in a different direction. I would be curious to see what kind of reception this would get in a wider release. It definitely has appeal and there is an audience base that would highly enjoy it.

RATING: *** 1/2 (3.5 out of 5 stars)