SUNDANCE ‘09: Friday, January 16th
As expected, I’m already finding it nearly impossible to write full reviews of films I’ve seen. While I figure out how to make that happen, I thought I would post brief, harried, morning-after pieces mentioning the previous day’s film(s) that struck me the most. Full reviews are to come. Here are yesterday’s standouts:
Rough Aunties — Kim Longinotto’s latest doc is another superb immersion into a troubled community. In Durban, South Africa, a group of women who call themselves Bobbi Bear devote their lives to protecting abused children. In this particular community, that just so happens to be a tragically full-time job. Seriously, what is wrong with people? If it’s not a stranger, it’s a neighbor. And if it’s not a neighbor, it’s a family member. While the film begins as an inspiring expose of the work these women do, how their tireless devotion and boundless love helps these poor, helpless victims, the film takes a turn for the crushingly personal around the midway point. This only reaffirms just how special these women are. Their commitment is desperately needed to combat the sickening corruption and abuse that torments these children every single day of their lives.
Humpday — Wow, this movie is entertaining! If Hollywood made romantic comedies this smart, the world would be much, much better place. While the low-budget aspect allowed Lynn Shelton and her team the freedom to develop such a potentially one-note concept into something so much more, the fact that Shelton is a female telling this story cannot be ignored. There is a thoughtfulness at work here that might not be overtly, distinctly feminine, but that energy is in there, and, boy, does it help. As usual, Mark Duplass is phenomenal, but it’s the character that Joshua Leonard plays that enriches the film more deeply. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’d love to see Shelton get her hands on a future Apatow project. Much more to come on Humpday, but suffice to say, so far, Lynn Shelton has scored the breakout hit of this year’s Sundance.
— Michael Tully
Post a Comment
