Possible Worlds Festival: Drinking Buddies (2013)

Year: 2013
Running Time: 90 minutes
Director: Joe Swanberg
Writer: Joe Swanberg
Cast: Olivia Wilde, Anna Kendrick, Jake Johnson, Ron Livingston

Drinking Buddies screened as the closing film for the 2013 Possible Worlds Festival of American & Canadian Film. Also screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival on the 27th of July and 7th of August 2013.

 Drawing completely on improvisation, Drinking Buddies truly is art reflecting life.

There is something so incredibly charming about this film in the way that it is connects with you on a personal level by how real the characters and their situations are. The technique of having no script and instead complete improvisation allows for the actors to completely immerse themselves in the situation and makes the film so realistic. The result of this technique may make Drinking Buddies slow and uneventful for some, but for others, they will understand how the result is more like watching life than watching a film and be charmed.

Kate (Olivia Wilde) and Luke (Jake Johnson) are co-workers at a beer brewing company who are as close as close can be and on the borderline of becoming more than friends. That would be the case if Kate didn't have Chris (Ron Livingston) and Luke didn't have Jill (Anna Kendrick). When the two couples take a weekend away together, Chris and Jill share a stolen kiss and suddenly everything changes.

Everything changes when Chris and Jill kiss, but not in the dramatic fashion in which such a kiss would change everything in a typical film. In Drinking Buddies, we see life in motion on screen. All the signs that point to the way each of the characters feel about each other are there, but they are all so subtle. The camera catches all these little hints of attraction between the characters and the signs of secrets being kept, but without the help of the camera you may not have been able to pick them up in all their subtlety. This is what makes the film so beautiful as it shows how all this would happen in life, without the over-exaggeration normally administered in your typical romantic comedy film.

It is interesting as well how with the film being told in conversation style, the humour also changes. It feels like it is easy to laugh at the things the characters say as if you were there with them and sharing a personal joke with them. There are some very funny one-liners in the film, which don't seem particularly funny when put on paper and taken out of context, but are so funnily appropriate in the film.

Drinking Buddies also does give you some things to think about as far as relationships are concerned, particularly about the moments that define your perfect soul mate. The film doesn't click into cliché mode and as a result there is a sense of suspense as to what is really going to happen between these four people.

While some people will be in awe of the result of this film in the knowledge that it is improvised, it still may not be everyone's cup of tea. Some people will find it quite uneventful and tedious in parts as a result of how subtle it is. Drinking Buddies is not a typical rom-com where the romance and comedy are overemphasised and it is just like watching regular people in regular situations on screen. So for some it may not be as entertaining as they may like it to be.

The four lead actors seem to strive in their roles under Joe Swanberg's direction. Olivia Wilde is absolutely wonderful as Kate and this is her best performance to date. She is so natural and her character is so real and full of personality. Wilde is also very convincing and wonderfully funny. Anna Kendrick is also wonderful and while her Jill doesn't seem as though she is a very complex character, she is a joy to watch. Jake Johnson is so incredibly likable as Luke. Although it is Wilde who is the star, Johnson is such a joy on screen and his Luke is perhaps a tad more likable than Kate.

Drinking Buddies is a great example of art reflecting life. The fact that it is purely improvised makes the film all the more likable. As has been said by many who have seen the film, best to be viewed and enjoyed with a beer in your hand.

7.5/10


 

You may have also seen Olivia Wilde in......
TRON Legacy as Quorra

You may have also seen Anna Kendrick in.....
Up In The Air as Natalie

Possible Worlds Film Festival: It Felt Like Love (2013)

Year: 2013
Running Time: 82 minutes
Director: Eliza Hittman
Writer: Eliza Hittman
Cast: Gina Piersanti, Giovanna Salimeni, Ronen Rubenstein

It Felt Like Love will be screening at the  2013 Possible Worlds Festival of American & Canadian Film at 6:30 on the 17th of August 2013 at the Dendy Opera Quays. For information on tickets, please see here

While a visually beautiful film with incredible cinematography, It Felt Like Love is extremely confronting and often uncomfortable to watch. However, the way it springs your mind into action afterwards in worth the unsettlement you feel.

The all too familiar issue of girls wanting to grow up too fast is brought to the forefront in Eliza Hittman's debut feature film. It is almost an assault on your emotions as you painfully watch while innocence is destroyed in a brutally sexually confronting fashion. While feeling uneasy about the subject matter, there are some incredibly beautiful landscape shots which provides a calming aspect to the film.

Fourteen year old Lila (Gina Piersanti) is lonely and awkward within herself during a Brooklyn summer. As she see's those around her having romantic ventures, she longs to have that herself. When she meets an older thug at the beach, she invents a sexual history for herself to make herself seem more mature and experienced which leads to her landing herself in a vulnerable and dangerous situation.

Although very confronting and often uncomfortable, It Felt Like Love has so many layers that challenge you to rethink they way you thought about certain issues such as the destruction of innocence. In a world where people are quick to point out what the things that celebrities do that make them a bad role model to children, maybe there really is a lot more to it than that. Lila wants to grow up quickly for many reasons and not one of them is to be like her favourite singer or actress. She is a lonely girl who wants the same company that she see's other people around her have. She is quite obviously bored at home by herself and wants to be out with other people and she finds that inventing this history is a way to keep people interested in her. It also doesn't help that her best friend is older and exploring sexual territory, which she openly shares the details with Lila about. Lila, being younger and wanting to fit in, mimics Chiara's (played by Giovanna Salimeni) words and actions as younger people to do those they look up to.  In saying this, Lila is still so young and innocent that she doesn't completely understand what Chiara is saying or the complexity of it. It Felt Like Love encourages us to ponder what really destroys innocence. Is it external influences such as people like Rihanna or Miley Cyrus, or those around us, or is it more a cause of internal issues such as loneliness and wanting to become someone else?

The cinematography of the film is breathtaking. It takes you on a journey of the outer areas of Brooklyn and New York that are not normally shown on screen and makes that area of the world almost unrecognisable. The scene in the marshes is very impressive and as said before, makes you forget the intensity of the issues and instantly calms you. The shots at the beach are also quite beautiful. The ferris wheel scene is also wonderfully filmed and intriguing to watch.

The first shot of Gina Piersanti as Lila is so memorable and absolutely perfect. Her face tells a million stories and you learn more about her character just from this facial expression than you learn from other characters over a whole film. You instantly know how lonely and awkward this girl is and her face begs you to feel for her and be her friend. Piersanti is just wonderful in the whole film, but it is the first minute of her that leaves the biggest impression on you.


It Felt Like Love is incredibly powerful. So powerful when it comes to the corruption of innocence in girls that many people may not enjoy being so unsettled during the film. Yet, it is a real beauty in the way it subliminally approaches current society issues and the visuals are exquisite.

7.5/10



The Possible Worlds Festival of American & Canadian Cinema will run from the 8th-18th of August 2013 at Dendy Opera Quays and Dendy Newtown in Sydney. Please see the official website for more details.

Frances Ha (2012)

Year: 2013
Running Time: 86 minutes
Director: Noah Baumbach
Writers: Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig
Cast: Great Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Adam Driver, Michael Zegan

Frances Ha will be showing at the Melbourne International Film Festival on the 8th and 10th of August 2013. Please see here for times, venues and tickets. Will also be showing at the Possible Worlds Festival of American & Canadian cinema at 6:30pm on the 9th of August 2013 at Dendy Opera Quays. Please see here for further details.

Frances Ha opens in Australian cinemas on the 15th of August 2013 and is distributed by Transmission Films.

Frances Ha is a charming tale of one girl's quarter life crisis in motion.

There is something so magical about Frances Ha. It almost feels like a New York fairy tale, yet there is nothing to suggest that it is so besides the charmed feeling you get after you have seen it. However, it is also harshly real and will strike a chord with many twenty-somethings who are experiencing what Frances is in the film.

Frances (Great Gerwig) and Sophie (Mickey Sumner) and two best friends in their late twenties living in Brooklyn. In Frances' words, they are the same person with different hair, as they both have big dreams but lack the motivation to make those dreams happen when they are just enjoying being alive. When Sophie breaks the news to Frances that she is moving out and starts becoming a real adult, Frances starts to realise that she isn't quite an adult herself at 27 with no real job and is seemingly "undateable".


















Frances Ha is a completely relatable film for the twenty-somethings of today who are trying to find their way in the world. For those who are, it is quite confronting to watch at times as there are many qualities in Frances that people can relate to. At the beginning of the film, Frances seems like the type of person we would all love to be like. She seems so free and in love with love as she enjoys the simple of pleasures of pretend fighting in the park, dancing like no one is watching and laughs with her best friend over the simplest things. However, as the film goes on, you worry and become embarrassed about the decisions she is making and the place where she could end up as a result. It will definitely hit those who are in a similar situation hard, but does provide a generous ending to show that the storm passes. It is a real coming of age film for the older young generation.

The screenplay, written by director Noah Baumbach and star Greta Gerwig, is wonderful. The dialogue is just divine and so real, but the best thing about the film is that so much is told without the use of dialogue. Not once does Frances actually talk about the inner turmoil she is going through, but you can tell exactly the way she is feeling. She learns so much from what is going on around her both in her own situation and other peoples situations, but the beauty of it is that even though her character is so upbeat, you can tell what is going on in her head and how torn she is feeling.

The film has been likened to earlier Woody Allen films as New York itself is a living, breathing character in the film. The choice to film the movie in it's entirety in black and white adds to the charm of the city. It is enough to make or rekindle anyone's love for the city. The soundtrack for the film is also perfectly fitting. David Bowie's "Modern Love" is the perfect theme song for the character of Frances and adds to the brilliance of the continuity in the scene where Frances is running down the streets of New York dancing. The cinematography and editing of the film is also wonderful.

Greta Gerwig is incredible. This movie has absolutely been her moment to shine. Not only has she co-written this film, but she is so charismatic as Frances. She makes the audience become her friend with her likability and takes them on her journey with her. Although the character can almost become irritating with how she doesn't want to seem to help herself at times, you still want her to succeed and be happy. There is so much character development and growth throughout the film and Gerwig completely personifies this. In a film where so much if unspoken, she does incredibly well to allow everyone to see how she is feeling in the most subtle fashion. Mickey Sumner also does well as Sophie, but it is Gerwig who is the star and scene stealer.

Frances Ha is a film which many people can relate to and is confronting in the most subtle way. Sweet, sad and uplifting.

8/10




The Melbourne International Film Festival will run from the 25th July-11th August 2013. Please see the official website for more information.
The Possible Worlds Festival of American & Canadian Cinema will run from the 8th-18th August 2013. Please see the official website for more information.

You may have also seen Greta Gerwig in.......
Arthur as Naomi

Possible Worlds Film Festival: Gimme The Loot (2012)

Year: 2012
Running Time: 81 minutes
Director: Adam Leon
Cast: Tashiana Washington, Ty Hickson, Zoe Lescaze, Meeko, Sam Soghor
Gimme The Loot will be showing at this year's Possible Worlds Festival of American & Canadian Cinema at 6:30pm on the 11th of August 2013 at Dendy Opera Quays. For information on tickets, please see here

Gimme The Loot gives an insight into the less glamorous face of New York while telling a glistening story about two young people trying to find their way.

In a time where many films fail to make character development one of their priorities, Gimme The Loot makes us feel as though we have known these two teenagers and have seen them grow for years rather than an 80 minute time period. It allows a unique look into the raw, urban side of New York City which we don't normally see on the big screen in a wonderfully directed and written film by Adam Leon.


Two teen graffiti artists, Sofia (Tashiana Washington) and Malcolm (Ty Hickson) hatch a plan to get revenge on a rival graffiti gang who have buffed their latest work. The two decide that they are going to tag the New York Mets Home Run Apple in their baseball stadium. In order to do so, they need to obtain $500 as quickly as possible over a summer weekend in New York. It's a weekend which will see them grow and learn about life, respect and trust.

Straight off the bat, Gimme The Loot is an exceptionally rare and unique film. It is unpredictable, incredibly creative and captivating from beginning to end. However, the film  is not suspenseful, emotional or exceptionally confronting, but neither is it supposed to be. The perfect slogan for this film is that it is all about the journey, not the destination, as watching how these two characters learn from this quest is just great fun. These two are streetwise and have speak with colourful, witty and often very funny dialogue.

Wonderfully directed by Leon, the streets if the Bronx are brought to life and the audience immediately becomes familiar with how it would feel to be on these streets. The landscape of the Bronx is harsh, yet so very interesting to see with it's street stalls and water towers. The soundtrack is absolutely perfect for the film and most enjoyable.

Tashiana Washington and Ty Hickson have an incredible amount of chemistry on screen. Their truly platonic relationship changes throughout the film as the two gain respect for each other and themselves in a way they didn't have to begin with. Their ease of  conversation and continuous banter is humorous and enjoyable to listen to. The two seem so natural in their roles, especially Washington who makes Sofia such a strong character with evident soft undertones.

Gimme The Loot is an enjoyable film which many bigger budget films could learn about creating true characters from.

7/10




Gimme The Loot is the 2012 winner of the SXSW Film Festival and Adam Leon won the title of Someone To Watch at the 2013 Independent Spirit Awards. Also Official Selection at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.

The 2013 Possible Worlds Festival of American & Canadian Cinema will be running in Sydney from the 8th-18th August at Dendy Opera Quays and Newtown. Please see the official site for more information.

On a side note.....
For those of us who are not New York Mets fans or live in New York or the USA, I had to find out more about this apple that rises up when the team hits a home run. I was sure it didn't look as strange as what it sounded during the film.

I have actually been to see the New York Mets play once when I was in New York back in 2008, but alas, nobody hit a home run so I was unable to witness this apple rising up. So I asked my friends who are big Mets supporters and attend many of the games and they were able to help me out with my apple enquiries.

It made a great deal more sense when I learnt a bit more about it. Of course, the apple is a symbol of New York being "The Big Apple". The original apple which was at Shea Stadium was moved when the Mets changed grounds to Citi Field Stadium and now sits out the front. Please see this article at Gothamist website for a look at where the original apple now sits, and here is a YouTube clip of the old apple in action!


Thannkyou to my friends and New York Mets fans Michael and Hanna Thompson for their help with this article.

Introduction to the Possible Worlds Festival of American & Canadian Cinema 2013

Just as the Melbourne International Film Festival is wrapping up down south, the Possible Worlds Festival of American & Canadian Cinema is just starting in Sydney!

The 8th annual Possible Worlds Festival will be running from the 8th-18th of August 2013 in Sydney at Dendy Opera Quays and Dendy Newtown. The festival will also move from Sydney to Canberra for the 21st-23rd of August at the ARC Cinema. This year's festival contains 20 official entrants, ten of which are from the United States and ten from Canada. Presented by The Festivalists and Cosmos Tours, the festival showcases films from both The United States and Canada and the awards include the Audience Award for Best Film presented by World Movies.

Movie Critical will be reviewing several of the films which are part of this years Possible Worlds Festival in Sydney. Remember to follow us on Twitter and Facebook to keep up with all the reviews as they happen and all the latest news from the Possible Worlds Festival in Sydney.

For more information on the Possible Worlds Festival of American & Canadian Cinema please visit their Official Website for the 2013 schedule, program guide and ticket information.

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