I've seen 62 movies in the theater at Tribeca. I offer this not to show off but to prove conclusively that I was frequently dropped on my head as a child and suffer some form of brain damage. If you need further proof of this illness understand that when I went home from the theater this past week I sat at home and watched more Tribeca titles on line thanks to the Press and Industry library. This allowed members of the press to screen some films more easily.
I've already spoken about some of the shorts I saw, but I haven't spoken about the features
PLEASE, NANCY is an okay film. Its about a man who moves in with his girlfriend only to realize he's left something with his ex. It wasn't my favorite. I thought it was too much trying to be like many other independent films. It never seemed to be it's own film rather cobbled together from other, better films.
JACKPOT was high on my list of must see films. Things happen and I didn't see it pre-festival and I managed not to see it during the festival. The film has one hell of a beginning, with our hero and some friends going into a bar just as all hell is breaking loose. He is found under a dead body holding a shot gun. Its a truly classic sequence. I wish the rest of the film was like that. A weird comedy crime action thriller, the film apes the style of vintage Guy Richie. Unfortunately it never really works outside of the odd sequence. A large part of the problem is the humor seems forced---and unfunny. Perhaps if it didn't try so hard it would have worked.... now it's just a miss.
BALLROOM DANCER follows Slavik Kryklyvyy as he tries to make a comeback in the world of dance. Complications are numerous, not the least of which is that he's partnered with his lover. If you like dance you really should see this film. For me, I can see it's really good, but the subject is not one I'm really interested in, so my attention wandered.
There's more to the library so expect more reports over the next couple of days.
i agree with you entirely about Jackpot. just watched it from the online collection, the comfort of my couch suiting me better than going out to any screenings after a very tiring week. I felt the same way that it is not so much recalling, but rather 'aping' (as you said) the style of those 90s madcap crime movies. Part of the problem being, those IMO are not far enough in the past or all that worthy of paying homage to. There is some fun action. There is a hint of a character's journey and transformation, but it is so silly shock-value in nature and very hollow. This stands in stark contrast to Headhunters, also from Norway,which is equally wild and twisted but shows a character actually achieving something of a transcendence from where he was at the beginning of the movie. Give yourself a nice post-fest treat by kicking back and enjoying that movie down at the Landmark Sunshine Cinemas.
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