Wrinkles (2011) d. Ferreras, Ignacio (Spain)
Based on the graphic novel Arrugas by Paco Roca, this animated dramedy (about a former bank manager relocated to a retirement home by his frustrated offspring) packs a surprising emotional punch within its two-dimensional world. As a chapter closes and a new one begins for Emilio (voiced by Álvaro Guevara), we experience not only his frustrations as body and mind slowly lose their former vigor, but also his warm companionship with newfound fellow “inmates” who intrinsically understand what the outside world cannot. Expertly executed, eloquently communicated.
Il n'y a pas de rapport sexuel (2011) d. Siboni, Raphaël (France)
“There is no sexual rapport.” A rambling, amusing and occasionally poignant examination of one man’s career as a director/performer of pornography. This behind-the-scenes look at the skin flick trade and its prominent purveyor Hervé P. Gustave, who goes by the moniker HPG, reveals the trials and tribulations that go hand in hand (or shaft in slot, as the case may be) with the creation of said material, such as getting money shots, shooting around anatomy for soft porn gigs, and coaxing reluctant amateurs to perform as the clock is ticking. Culled from 10 years of oh-so-very-unerotic footage, renowned visual artist Siboni shapes an intriguing portrait, one that never glorifies or condemns its subject or his chosen profession.
Painted Skin: The Resurrection (2012) (1st viewing) d. Wuershan (China)
Opulent on every level, this epic Asian fantasy film is gorgeous to behold but perhaps commits the sin of taking itself too seriously for a story concerning fox and bird demons infiltrating a warrior princess’ court. A few judicious trims and a lighter touch overall couldn’t have hurt, but with spells casting, swords flashing, giant bears’ teeth gnashing and romance everlasting, it’s hard to complain too much. An in-name-only sequel to Gordon Chan’s 2008 smash Painted Skin.
We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists (2012) d. Knappenberger, Brian (USA)
The internet collective Anonymous is given a face behind its ubiquitous Guy Fawkes mask, with director Knappenberger tracking the group’s evolution from merry pranksters to controversial purveyors of protest, targeting heavyweight institutions such as the Church of Scientology, PayPal, Sony, and the Egyptian government. While they are portrayed as a force for “chaotic good,” their facelessness presents the frightening side effect that they can launch attacks on anyone, at any time, for any reason. If I have any complaint, it’s that the film gives only the vaguest lip service to innocent bystanders caught in the cyber crossfire. True, the organization has accomplished heroic deeds, but with great power comes great responsibility, as the saying goes, and it quickly becomes clear that not everyone involved is interested in being responsible, mature or in anything other than sticking it to The Man...whomever the all-too-subjective Man may be.
Alter Egos (2012) d. Galland, Jordan (USA)
Writer/director Galland’s amusing meditation on the superhero mythos, watching the spandex suit set deal with ordinary problems such as girlfriend trouble, insufficient government funding, and where to store those civilian duds when fighting crime…as well as the occasional supervillain menace. Kris Lemche stars as ’Fridge (short for Refrigerator), currently going through an ice-slinging midlife crisis, with Cabin Fever’s Joey Kern (as C-Thru) and Brooke Nevin (attractive if uncooperative hotel clerk) lending solid support to a silly, silly cause.
Vulgaria (2012) d. Pang, Ho-Cheung (Hong Kong)
Strapped for cash and with alimony/child support debt mounting, film producer of low budget schlock (Chapman To) is forced to join forces with a twisted, bestiality-loving gangster who wants to produce a sequel to his favorite childhood porn film, 1976's Confession of a Concubine (a real film whose real star, Susan Shaw, appears here as herself 35 years later). A zany, raunchy satire of the filmmaking world, where one-of-a-kind characters (like comely Popping Candy, whose fellatio techniques include a mouthful of Pop Rocks) run wild and CGI is put to its most bizarre use yet. Amidst all this obscenity and insanity, Pang’s film is a sweet, sentimental tale of a family man just trying to get through the day, a dick joke flick with heart.
Toy Masters (2012) d. Lay, Jr., Roger (USA)
A documentary that nails the nostalgic sweet spot of any kid who grew up in the '80s, a sweet remembrance to Mattel’s line of toys, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, as well as the television shows, ill-fated feature film and paraphernalia spawned in its wake. The behind-the-scenes drama over who actually created the musclebound plastic hero is engaging at first, but as the same ground gets traveled over and over, it becomes a little tedious. This being the world premiere (Fantasia 2012), I suspect/hope that future iterations will be trimmed somewhat; considering that the filmmakers reportedly have an interview scheduled with Dolph Lundgren (star of the 1987 feature), this is clearly not the final cut. With a little tightening, this will likely prove a hit on the doc circuit.
Jackpot (2011) d. Martens, Magnus (Norway)
When Kyrre Hellum and his ex-con co-workers go in on a soccer pool ticket together…and then shockingly win an enormous pile of cash, the phrase “No honor among thieves” explodes into sharp focus. Hammers are put to savage use, bodies are fed into recycling center processors and strip clubs turn into shooting galleries. Based on a story by crime writer Jo Nesbo (who also wrote the source material for Morten Tyldum’s superb HeadHunters), blood and beer flow freely in a black comedy cavalcade, with Martens marshalling his superb cast of ne’er do wells and the sharp police detective (Henrik Mestad) determined to unearth the truth, no matter how bizarre it might be. Whatever is in the water up Norway-way, keep drinking it, guys. Skol!
Despite the Gods (2012) d. Vozniak, Penny (USA)
A superb examination of the herculean task of making any feature film, coupled with the culture clash of seeing an American woman (in this case Jennifer Lynch) trying to direct a Bollywood fantasy/horror film called Hisss. Lynch is no shrinking violet in the face of adversity, and while she occasionally comes off a little coarse and ballsy, she’s never portrayed as an Ugly American or straight-up beyotch. She’s understandably frustrated by the lack of preproduction machinery in place (days before she is scheduled to start shooting), and with an angry producer breathing down her neck and a huge cast awaiting her signals, our heart goes out to her while she struggles to gain her footing. Vozniak isn’t afraid to show her subject as a vulnerable but strong female who is human in her mistakes and in her emotions, making the battles lost and won that much more compelling.
Carre Blanc (2011) (2nd viewing) d. Léonetti, Jean-Baptiste (France)
When I first saw this in April at the 2012 Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, there were no English subtitles on the print screened, so I figured I might have been missing some of the finer points of this dystopian effort about a young boy trained from an early age to be a behavioral instructor for a mysterious governmental organization. As it turns out, the cryptic approach persists even when one does understand what’s being said, as there are few answers as to who the mighty Orwellian conglomerate is, what its employees actually do, and why breeding and croquet are so important to the culture at large that reports on both regularly interrupt omnipresent music programs. Even so, writer/director Léonetti’s sober film (whose title translates to “white square”) holds the attention with tense scenes of violence and, as the adult version of the lad, Sami Bouajila’s commanding screen presence is well put to use as the inscrutable tool of the corporate machine. It’s a head scratcher and a discussion starter, which is what I think Léonetti was going for.
