On the Horizon: Food, Inc.

Did you know there are only 13 slaughterhouses in the United States, down from thousands that operated several decades ago? Meat consumption hasn't decreased at that rate, so what gives - and what does that mean about the meat we're all eating? Hmm...

Food, Inc. attempts to answer such questions by pulling the veil back on America's food industry to expose food corporations as monopolies that control our mind, body, and soul (at least that's what I gathered when the word "evil" flashed on the screen). It's not a "do you know where your food comes from?" scolding, but a "here's why it matters" explanation.

Equal parts Fast Food Nation, The Corporation, Super Size Me, and Enron: The Smartest Guys In the Room, Robert Kenner's Food, Inc. is perhaps most similar to a certain Oscar-winning, action-stirring documentary starring Al Gore. Think of it as An Inconvenient Food, healthy living recommendations before the end credits included.

(Disclaimer: I'll make no effort to hide the fact that I'm automatically in the tank for everything Participant Productions churns out. Founded by eBay magnate Jeff Skoll just about five years ago, Participant produces films with the implicit purpose to inspire social change (check out their TakePart blog in the "Do" section of my sidebar). Recent films include The Soloist, The Visitor, Standard Operating Procedure, and Charlie Wilson's War, but looking back a few years you'll find Fast Food Nation, An Inconvenient Truth, Murderball, North Country, Syriana, Chicago 10, The Kite Runner, Darfur Now, American Gun, and Good Night, and Good Luck.)

Make sense why I'm a big fan? Then check out the trailer for Food, Inc., or watch the first three minutes here:

Food, Inc. will be shown at MSPIFF this Friday, 4/24, and Sunday, 4/26. Because Minneapolis goes ga-ga for all things "green" and because the film is co-produced by Minneapolis-based (Bill Pohlad) River Road Entertainment, I will go ahead and guarantee a sellout for both shows. Get your tickets now.

Watch this space for my full review of Food, Inc. prior to its Minneapolis opening on June 19. In the meantime, visit TakePart's website for all kinds of good stuff related to the film, including a preview screening schedule and a laundry list of action items.

MSPIFF Weekend Roundup

The first few days of MSPIFF delivered in promising fashion; a few great movies down, a lot more to come this week and next. Since moving back to MN it's my first year attending as a paying customer instead of a volunteer, so I'm having to be a little more selective...or at least that's what I tell myself, though I'll spend close to $200 before this is over with.

Friday night's Film Goat gathering was a great way to kick-start the festival, so thanks to all those who showed up, including local media notables and also Louis Lapat, director of Win or Lose (which I will be reviewing soon). The Pracna patio was packed and the lines were out the door on what felt like a warm summer evening. I think we're on again for this coming Friday night, but as I'm hoping to see Letters to the President at 5:10 PM, I've got to talk to Kathie about maybe doing this one post instead of pre. More details to come on Thursday, when I'll make my recommendations for Week 2.

In the meantime, here's a quick rundown on the four that I saw over the weekend (none of which were on Friday; I made sure to see Hunger at the Walker before it's gone).


Munyurangabo (Liberation Day) (A-)
Rwanda (2007); Directed by Lee Isaac Chung

Somewhere in the second half of this movie I thought, "Man, this really feels familiar." A young teen in a war-torn African country who is seeking to avenge his father's death? Ah yes, it was the Chadian film Dry Season, reviewed in this space as part of MSPIFF last year. It's terrible that these stories are so prevalent in African cinema, but they reflect the reality of many of the continent's cultures struggling to recover from atrocities like the Rwandan genocide, and if nothing else they should serve as urgent reminders to those still involved with similar acts these days. Interestingly, Munyurangabo was not made by a Rwandan but by an American (who I found out later on Saturday is an acquaintance of my sister), and for his debut feature, Lee Isaac Chung appears to have been a deserving 2008 Independent Spirit Award nominee for the Someone to Watch award (that went to Ramin Bahrani - it's bizarre to think he was so unknown just a year ago). I'm considering a full review of Munyurangabo so I haven't said much here, but needless to say, I recommend catching it its second showing, Thursday, 4/30 at 5:45 PM. (Tickets)


Rumba (B)
Belgium/France (2008); Directed by Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon, & Bruno Romy

The only film from the weekend that didn't live up to my expectations was this tragi-comedy about a pair of schoolteachers/moonlighting Latin dancers. A few set pieces are terrific and the stars/co-directors Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon are perfectly wacky in their roles. But too many of the silent scenes dragged on for 10, 15, even 30 seconds too long, and the comedic momentum really never carried me from one gag to the next. It seemed as if they were short on jokes so they just stretched out each one they had as long as possible. Don't let this deter you from seeing it, however, if you appreciate physical comedy in the style of Mr. Bean. Rumba is light, harmless fun, but even at 77 minutes it seems a bit thin. One of the few comedies at MSPIFF, it will have its second showing Monday, 4/20, at 9:00 PM. (Tickets)


Blind Loves (A-)
Slovakia (2008); Directed by Juraj Lehotsky

One of the most utterly absorbing documentaries I've seen in recent years, Blind Loves is a fascinating profile of blind Slovakians and their experiences with love, life, and family. It won the C.I.C.A.E. Award at Cannes last year, and though I don't know what that means, let's assume it just means "excellent work". Describing this film is a challenge for a few reasons, but suffice to say it was not what I expected and it I'm glad for that. There is no narration or explanation; just observation, made incredibly engrossing because it's done with a steady camera, not the shaky hand-held video utilized in most documentaries. Were some scenes thus staged? Possibly, probably, but these four vignettes aren't meant to be records of events so much as they're meant to be character studies. I think Blind Loves deserves a full review, so watch this space, and in the meantime make sure to see it at its second showing, Sunday, 4/26, at 10:15 PM. That's pretty late, but it's only 77 minutes long and I'm not sure if this will have a wider release, so best see it while you can. (Tickets)


Lion's Den (A-)
Argentina (2008); Directed by Pablo Trapero

Argentina's Oscar submission from last year is a taut and emotionally charged drama boasting an incredible performance by Martina Gusman, who, shockingly, has only one other screen credit to her name. Gusman plays Julia, a twenty-something woman sent to prison on a murder charge following a bloody fight at the the apartment she shared with two men. She's pregnant by one of them, a fact not made clear until we realize that she has been placed in a cell block with other women and, disturbingly, their young children (unless mine eyes deceive me, it's evident Gusman was actually pregnant and had a child during production). It's a horrifying sight to see toddlers using prison cell doors as a jungle gym, but eventually it becomes a new normal both for them and for us. To that end, one of my two complaints is that I felt like a voyeur peering in at the situation, instead of a character actually experiencing it. Nonetheless it was still tense throughout, even through an ending that I didn't particularly care for. Lion's Den does not play again at the festival, but due to the positive reactions to both screenings over the weekend, try to see if it's chosen as one of the "Best of the Fest" held over to the first week of May.

MSPIFF: What to See in Week 1

If you still haven't worn out your highlighter and given yourself a headache in trying to figure out what you're going to see at MSPIFF over the next few days, save yourself some trouble and consider my recommendations below. Also, don't forget to join Kathie Smith and I at our inaugural Film Goat get-together tonight at Pracna at 5:30 PM. I've got curly black hair; Kathie says she'll be wearing a blue T-wolves cap. Maybe we'll be sitting outside in the nice weather...

(The Necessities of Life, Il Divo, & Lion's Den)

Many of these are playing more than once, so refer to the schedule if you can't make it on the day listed. Also, click on the "tickets" link and buy in advance so you can save a dollar.

Please note that I've only see the ones I've reviewed...

Friday, 4/17 (tickets):

Win or Lose: A Summer Camp Story
- Director Louis Lapat asked me to review this prior to its screening but I couldn't do it in time. Louis has agreed to provide a screener; watch for a review in the coming weeks. Louis will be at the screening.

Is Anybody There?
- Charming dramedy starring Michael Caine. Opens in Minneapolis on May 1, if you can't make it.

Surveillance
- Indie thriller directed by David Lynch's daughter. That alone should make it somewhat interesting.

Just Another Love Story
- Indie thriller from Denmark. Sounds like you could be forgiven for getting this confused with Surveillance.

Horn of Plenty (2/4 stars)
- This Cuban film didn't do much for me, but it's the only real comedy of the group. Read my capsule review here.


Saturday, 4/18 (tickets):

The Necessities of Life (4/4 stars)
- Moving drama about an Inuit hunter recovering from TB in 1950's Quebec City. Read my capsule review here.

Liberation Day
- Drama about reconciliation in post-genocide Rwanda. Sign me up.

Pachamama
- Drama about about a boy biking across Peru.

Song From the Southern Seas (3.5/4 stars)
- Bizarre dramedy about a Russian couple living in Kazakhstan. Read my capsule review here.

Il Divo
- Drama with overtones of The Godfather about an aging Italian mob boss. Originally I thought this was a doc about the opera boy band/singing group. I'll see this on one Monday night.

Rumba
- European, near-silent comedy about quirky Belgians who like to dance.

The King of Ping Pong
- Napoleon Dynamite-ish dramedy from Sweden. Can't count anything out from that country after Let the Right One In.

Lion's Den
- Argentine thriller that I wasn't sure about until three local sources all gave it A's and/or four stars. Not sure how I'm going to see this one but will hopefully squeeze it in late Sunday night.


Sunday, 4/19 (tickets):

Trust Us, This Is All Made Up
- Documentary about the Second City improv group in Chicago. Director present.

Living In Emergency: Doctors Without Borders
- Documentary about doctors working abroad, presumable living in emergency.

Fados
- Performance film illustrating Portuguese culture through music and dance. Also plays next Thursday, 4/23, at the Walker - free admission.

The One Man Village
- Docudrama about a Lebanese man committed to living in his war-torn village after everyone else leaves.

Letters to the President
- Documentary about Iran.

Blind Loves
- Documentary exploring the love between blind couples and families.

American Violet
- Drama based on a true story of an African-American woman mistakenly arrested on drug charges.


Monday, 4/20 (tickets):

Heart of Fire
- Drama about child soldiers in Eritrea.


Tuesday, 4/21 (tickets):

The Secret of the Grain
- Drama about food and family, over 150 minutes long and sure to make you hungry.

Shakespeare and Victor Hugo's Intimacies (3/4 stars)
- Documentary about a mysterious artist/serial killer in Mexico City. Read my capsule review here.

Somers Town
- Dramedy about two teens forging an unlikely friendship in London, from the director of This Is England.


Wednesday, 4/22 (tickets):

The Infinite Border
- Documentary about Guatemalans crossing into Mexico. Probably a nice supplement to Sin Nombre, opening this week.

The Biggest Chinese Restaurant in the World
- Documentary about, you know.

Los Bastardos
- Thriller following a day in the lives of two L.A. day laborers who take a messy job.

Tricks
- Charming Polish comedy about a kid dreaming of a better life, this also played at BBFF last month.

That's it for the first week of MSPIFF! If you for some reason don't want to see any of these, check out new releases like State of Play and Sin Nombre, or Hunger at the Walker (where I'll be tonight), or classics like Cinema Paradiso at the Parkway and Rear Window at the Riverview.

300 Words About: State of Play

I've been itching a little bit to write more words about several new releases, but in writing 100-word reviews for MSPIFF films for the Strib a couple weeks ago, I'm still "thinking small" about crafting reviews (plus I'm perpetually short on time this spring). This will probably remain true for a while since I'm going to see about 10 movies a week for the next two weeks, but as with the films I highlighted from the Beyond Borders Film Festival two weeks ago, I hope to expand some of the MSPIFF write-ups/festival reports to full reviews before select films have their wide releases later this year.

In the meantime...

Why do we trust star investigative reporters to organize details when they can't even find a stapler on their desk?

Like a paper clip that's twisted one too many times, State of Play eventually snaps apart, unable to regain its form and sending you into your desk drawer, or rather film library, for a new conspiracy thriller. It's certainly taut and tense, but almost to its own detriment. From the jarring opening scene to the roaring climax, we're hardly given a moment to stop and consider what these characters are doing and, more importantly, why. Directed by Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland) but heavily influenced by the typically overambitious writing of Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton, Duplicity), it's full of memorably witty "gotcha" lines, but empty, for the most part, on thought-provoking insights.

Attempting and mostly succeeding in masking the blubbering writing (the characters are mostly relegated to shouting in newsrooms or mumbling into cell phones) is a high-caliber cast highlighted by Helen Mirren, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels, and, incredibly, Ben Affleck's mid-Atlantic/Philly accent. Less excellent but still decent are Russell Crowe (who evidently is embracing his newfound role as Hollywood's favorite "misunderstood yet resolutely righteous" schlub), Rachel McAdams, Viola Davis, and Robin Wright Penn, the last three of whom all deserved more screen time.

Moving on, I must declare that I'm becoming increasingly intolerant of manipulative, Michael Clayton-ish percussive sound effects and musical scores. Chases through dark alleys and parking garages are - or should be - harrowing enough without ominous musical blasts (evidence: 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days). If the characters are well developed and the urgency of their plight is properly illustrated, crutches like shaky cameras and menacing music can actually end up detracting from the suspense, in my opinion.

I haven't seen the BBC miniseries on which State of Play is based, but I can see why it received critical and popular acclaim, as it touches on controversial and relevant issues involving everything from the death of newspapers to the birth of mercenary private defense contractors. But therein lies the problem - State of Play ends up only "touching" on these topics, compromising in-depth examinations of them for the sake of cheap suspense and a happy ending. It should say something that instead of discussing these controversial issues, my friends and I ended up talking about the overreaching coincidences and gaps in logic.

Call it a decent little thriller hiding a missed opportunity.

It's Feeding Time, Twin Cities

I know I'm doing a lot of local plugs in the last month, but it's only because there's so much going on 'round here (my apologies to readers outside of the Twin Cities). Just in the next few days you can continue to see Hunger in its exclusive engagement at the Walker Art Center (notable because concessions are prohibited in theater...get it?), North by Northwest at the Heights (if you got in before it sold out!), and of course any of the 140+ movies playing at MSPIFF, beginning Friday evening.

There are a few updates and an invitation I'd like to share specifically about MSPIFF...

Film Goats Grazing Hour: Join Kathie Smith and me for an informal happy hour/gathering this Friday night, April 17, from 5:30 PM-7:00 PM at Pracna on Main, which I didn't realize until this moment is the oldest restaurant in Minneapolis. It's also, depending on where you sit, about 15 feet from the ticket counter at St. Anthony Main, where many of us will be waiting in line over the next two weeks.

Join us for food, drink, and/or just conversation. We hope to do this again during the festival but will try to get a feel of what people's preferences are for times. Anyone reading this is invited and encouraged to bring friends. No RSVP necessary and it doesn't even matter if, like me, you don't happen to be seeing one of the MSPIFF movies on Friday night. Kathie and I are excited about the festival and we'd really like to connect with some of our readers or other bloggers or people who are neither but happen to be sitting next to us on Friday.

And kudos to Kathie for the name of our little group. We, the Film Goats, are hungry for all things film, and we're going to do a lot of indiscriminate grazing over the next two weeks. Join us!


Opening Night: Last week it was announced that the Sundance darling 500 Days of Summer will open the festival tomorrow night. Starring rising star Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Stop-Loss, Brick, The Lookout) and tinkerbell Zooey Deschanel (Yes Man), it proves to be a watchable if not altogether original romantic comedy. A couple of the supporting actors are supposed to be present at the screening. It looks like I might miss it this week, but this will be a must-see for me when it opens later this summer.


Tickets: $15, plus options for entrance to the Opening Night Gala following the movie (note that this screening is at Block E, not St. Anthony Main)




Closing Night: Another American independent film will close the festival - The Brothers Bloom, written and directed by Rian Johnson. I'm skeptical that it will be as original as his last film, Brick, but it's supposed to be a rousing comedy and features a nice cast - Adrien Brody, Rachel Weisz, and Mark Ruffalo. This will also be followed by a Closing Night Party at Seven Sushi. There will even be free food, but I can tell you from last year that it goes quickly, so don't dawdle in the theater after the credits roll!


Tickets (coming soon): $15, plus options for entrance to the Closing Night Party ((note that this screening is also at Block E, not St. Anthony Main)




Finally, here is a link to the full MSPIFF catalog. It's a big 'ol pdf file but it's your best option since you probably won't get your hands on a hard copy until you show up this weekend.

See you on Friday!

First, You Need a Crime...A Hitchcock Retrospective

Fresh off the heels of his film noir series in February and March, Barry Kryshka of Take-Up Productions presents a new six-pack for Twin Cities film buffs that really can't be missed: "First, You Need a Crime...Six From Hitchcock".

This is a chance for you to not only see six classics from The Master of Suspense on the big screen, but at a pair of really nice independent theaters - The Heights and The Riverview.

Here are the vital details:

First, You Need A Crime: Six From Hitchcock

Starts April 16 at The Heights
(3951 Central Ave NE)

continues Monday nights at The Riverview
(3800 42nd Ave S)

All shows at 7:30
Tickets: $8 (Take-Up discount tickets: 5/$25)

It's blondes, blood and blackmail as Take-Up presents our first series at the Riverview Theater!

April 16: North by Northwest (1959)

“I’m an advertising man, not a red herring!” “Crop dustin’ where there ain’t no crops,” the art auction disruption/ escape, the Mount Rushmore duel, the train going into the tunnel: the classic Hitchcock set pieces just keep on coming as Cary Grant finds a simple case of mistaken identity snowballing into a breakneck chase across the country, menaced by James Mason and his two-man goon squad (including Martin Landau), and alternately aided, teased and thwarted by Eva Marie Saint’s double — or is she a triple? — agent.

Buy advance tickets online. (ALMOST SOLD OUT!)

April 20: Rear Window (1954)

Laid up with a broken leg in his two-bedroom apartment in the West Village, news photographer James Stewart wiles away the sweaty summertime hours between visits from gal-with-her-eyes-on-marriage Grace Kelly by zeroing in, via telephoto lens, on the human comedy across his apartment courtyard — but, hey, what’s Raymond Burr up to? From a story by suspense titan Cornell Woolrich (aka William Irish), this is one of the Master’s greatest successes, not only an edge-of-your-chair (in Stewart’s case, wheelchair) entertainment but also a technical tour de force and a meditation on the voyeurism of both filmmaker and audience.

Buy advance tickets online.

April 27: Rope (1948)

Hitchcock’s boldest technical experiment ever, shot in a claustrophobic single set, as a murder by effete, thrill-seeking rich boys Farley Granger and John Dall (as characters based on the real-life Leopold and Loeb) is exposed by Professor James Stewart. Shot in continuously moving ten-minute takes, with mid-reel cuts cleverly masked, the entire film seems to be composed of only four shots (count ’em).

buy advance tickets online.

May 4: Strangers On A Train (1951)

Suave demento Robert Walker (“makes Norman Bates look positively well-adjusted” – Time Out London) offers to switch murders with tennis pro Farley Granger, suggesting that he kill Granger's troublesome wife in return for the murder of his own disapproving father. Granger laughs it off as a sick joke; until Walker fulfills his part of the bargain, that is, dragging the hapless sportsman in to a web of deceit. Screenplay by Raymond Chandler.

Buy advance tickets online.

Read my review of Strangers on a Train here.

May 11: To Catch A Thief (1955)

As jewel robberies proliferate in the south of France, les flics start to look into ex-cat burglar Cary Grant’s supposed “retirement,” but he’s more interested in fireworks over Cannes with fire-and-ice Grace Kelly. Perhaps Hitchcock’s most beautiful-to-look-at work, with ravishing Riviera locations in color, the two stars at their most glamorous, and a “zingy air of sophistication” (Pauline Kael).

Buy advance tickets online.

May 18: Vertigo (1958)

Acrophobic ex-cop James Stewart, hired to shadow seemingly death-obsessed Kim Novak, saves her from drowning in the shadow of the Golden Gate bridge, but not from a fall off a Mission steeple. But then he meets her again... or does he? One of the screen’s most wrenching treatments of loss and — in Stewart’s tormented performance — of sexual obsession.

Buy advance tickets online.

Now, my guess is that it's not a coincidence Barry is kicking this series off on opening night of MSPIFF; I suggest weighing your options on the three conflicting nights and try to support both events at least once - we need both to succeed!

10 Favorite Characters (but not really) Meme

Another meme, another mad dash to think about all the movies I've enjoyed over the years, this time courtesy of Jason (The Cooler) and Miranda (Cinematic Passions). It's a bit of a tricky one because you have to separate character from actor from quality of performance.

Since memes have pretty flexible rules, I'm going to take a different spin on this one: five of my favorite movie characters, and three movie characters I hate to love. The second group may be despicable or possibly deranged, but there's something about them that makes me want to get to know them better.

Five random favorites...

Ellis Boyd 'Red' Redding - The wisest man in Shawshank State Prison was a quiet leader who knew the ways of the world without having lived in it for decades. He also had a fascinating outlook on life ("Hope is a dangerous thing.") and could read other people extremely well. Red was never one to stand out in the crowd, but if you got to know him, you can be sure you'd never forget him.


Andy Dufresne - The smartest man in Shawshank State Prison was a quiet leader who knew the ways of prison life without ever having set foot in one. He also had a fascinating outlook on life ("Get busy living, or get busy dying. ") and could read other people extremely well. Andy was never one to stand out in the crowd, but if you got to know him, you can be sure you'd never forget him.


Celine - She's worldly and brilliant, yet humble and curious, open to new ideas and the spontaneity of deep conversations. I also love her keen sense of self-awareness: "Each time I wear black, or like, lose my temper, or say anything about anything, you know, they always go, 'Oh it's so French. It's so cute.' Ugh! I hate that!"


Amélie Poulain - Hmm, something about French female characters, I guess, though Amélie is in many ways the complete opposite of Celine. She likes "to look for things no one else catches." She's innocent yet mischievous, ditzy yet deceptively smart, vulnerable yet confident, charming, curious, and I guess above all else, just plain cute.


Jason Bourne - All he ever wanted to do was serve his country. When it betrayed him, he didn't seek revenge but justice, wanting only to clear his name. I find some nobility in that. Plus, he can do a lot of awesome things I can't do, like jump across balconies and blow things up using items like toasters.

Three random favorites I hate to love (and would love to know better)...

Biff Tannen - Kind of an amalgamation of characters in three different centuries, Biff was always one of the most magnetic characters on the screen, a dopey, mostly harmless villain whose quirky lines and oafish mannerisms always made for great entertainment.

Tyler Durden - When he's not drinking, smoking, lying, stealing, fighting, or generally wreaking havoc, he's waxing philosophic about the ills of society. And I love it:

"We're consumers. We are by-products of a lifestyle obsession. Murder, crime, poverty, these things don't concern me. What concerns me are celebrity magazines, television with 500 channels, some guy's name on my underwear. Rogaine, Viagra, Olestra.

Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need. We're the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War's a spiritual war... our Great Depression is our lives. We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won't. And we're slowly learning that fact. And we're very, very pissed off.

In the world I see - you are stalking elk through the damp canyon forests around the ruins of Rockefeller Center. You'll wear leather clothes that will last you the rest of your life. You'll climb the wrist-thick kudzu vines that wrap the Sears Tower. And when you look down, you'll see tiny figures pounding corn, laying strips of venison on the empty car pool lane of some abandoned superhighway."


Hans Gruber - The most dastardly of this group, Hans always got me with a line that showed he wasn't just in it for himself:

Hans: "The following people are to be released from their captors: In Northern Ireland, the seven members of the New Provo Front. In Canada, the five imprisoned leaders of Liberte de Quebec. In Sri Lanka, the nine members of the Asian Dawn movement..."
Karl: [mouthing silently] Asian Dawn?
Hans: [covers the radio] "I read about them in Time magazine."

So that was a quick, somewhat thoughtless go at it. Your turn, Fletch (Blog Cabins), Craig (Living in Cinema), Scott (He Shot Cyrus), Alexander (Coleman's Corner in Cinema), and Ibetolis (Film for the Soul). And of course anybody else.