REVIEW: “A Chance Encounter” (2022)

February 22, 2024 by Keith Garlington

It may be tempting to instantly dismiss “A Chance Encounter” as another warm and fuzzy romance, especially after the meet-cute between the film’s two protagonists, elegantly framed by the scenery of the gorgeous Italian countryside. While there is undoubtedly a tender component to its story, writer-director Alexander Jeffery steers clear of the overly sweet and syrupy. His interests lie elsewhere, namely in his two wandering artists and their struggle to find the courage to believe in themselves.

Hal Flynn (Paul Petersen) is a talented writer who owns a print shop with his brother in Iowa. He’s an aspiring poet but his lack of confidence in his own abilities leads him to keep his work to himself. After being left a sizable sum of money by his late mother, Hal decides to travel to Sicily in hopes of finding inspiration and to help cope with his loss.

In the cozy tourist town of Taormina, Hal has the titular ‘chance encounter’. He meets a fellow American named Josie Day (played by singer Andrea von Kampen in her acting debut). Josie is a famous-ish folk singer from Minnesota who’s having a hard time putting together songs for her sophomore album. So she strolls through town with her Martin acoustic guitar, singing and playing whatever comes to mind.

I won’t spoil the details of their meeting but there is clearly some chemistry between them. The two meet up several times over the next few days, just walking and talking (think Richard Linklater but with lighter and less existential musings). As they do, Jeffery treats us to a buffet of captivating locations including historical landmarks, quaint parts of town, and stunning vistas that highlight Italy’s beauty.

The more time Hal and Josie spend together the more they begin opening up to each other and us. We learn they both have secrets that they’re not quite ready to share and insecurities that are weighing them down like an anchor. Yet they find solace in each other’s company. Things really accelerate after Josie invites Hal to come stay with her in her lavish villa. Nothing romantic she insists. “A writer’s retreat.”

Of course we can tell they’re avoiding the obvious. Jeffrey (who co-wrote the script with Peterson) lures us into wondering if the same lack of confidence that keeps them from pursuing their art will also keep them from admitting their feelings for one another. To his credit he avoids the temptation to go the conventional route. And there’s something refreshing about a relationship that remains mostly platonic, which allows the characters to grow naturally rather than by some by-the-book genre blueprint.

The story gets needlessly complicated by the introduction of another American tourist whose sole purpose seems to be a hurdle. There are also times where the lack of acting experience from the two leads is pretty evident. But there’s so much to like in this sincere and engaging indie drama. Von Kampen’s soulful original music, the choice to shoot on location, the willingness to explore a relationship beyond what we have come to expect from these films – just some of the strengths that make this such a treat to watch.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

First Glance: “Borderlands”

February 21, 2024 by Keith Garlington

Video games have a history of not translating well to the big screen. But that hasn’t stopped gaming studios from taking their cinematic swings. The latest to try is the popular action looter-shooter “Borderlands” from Gearbox Software. This wacky looking adaptation is directed and co-written by Eli Roth and features a truly bonkers ensemble. There’s certainly lots of potential. But much like the video game series, there’s also a lot of question marks.

Set within a space-Western sci-fi fantasy world, “Borderlands” follows a ragtag team of misfits that includes Cate Blanchett as a bounty hunter named Lilith, Kevin Hart as a mercenary named Roland, Jack Black as wisecracking robot named Claptrap, Jamie Lee Curtis as a mad scientist named Tannis, Ariana Greenblatt as an explosives guru named Tiny Tina, and Florian Munteanu as Tina’s musclebound protector Krieg. They set out to rescue the daughter of a gangster (Edgar Ramirez) on the most dangerous planet in the galaxy. Again, lots of potential, but just as many ways for it to go off the rails.

“Borderlands” is coming soon to theaters. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “Lisa Frankenstein” (2024)

February 21, 2024 by Keith Garlington

There’s a morbidly funny idea hidden somewhere inside of “Lisa Frankenstein”. Unfortunately it never rises to the surface in what turns out to be a messy, rhythmless, and forgettable horror-tinted romantic comedy. Pulling from the Mary Shelley literary classic and countless teen comedies that came before it, “Lisa Frankenstein” attempts to meld its multiple inspirations into something playful, ghoulish, and original. But the movie flatlines early and never is able to gain any kind of momentum.

The film is the feature-length directorial debut from Zelda Williams who shows off some occasional flash. But the bigger surprise (or should I say disappointment) is that it’s written by Academy Award winner Diablo Cody. This is Cody’s first script since 2018 and it’s a far cry from the much lauded work that launched her career. In fact, it’s the script that weighs things down. Williams makes some vain attempts to energize the movie. But the story sputters, the characters go nowhere, and the humor consistently falls flat.

Among the few bright spots is lead actress Kathryn Newton. She does what she can with the character Lisa Swallows, a socially awkward outcast trying to fit in at a new high school. Many of her problems stem from her difficult past, most notably her mother being killed by an axe murderer. In the years since, her father Dale (Joe Chrest) has remarried. Lisa’s insufferable new step-mother Janet (Carla Gugino) gave her a new stepsister, the shallow, sometimes snobby, but oddly sympathetic Taffy (Liza Soberano).

To find solace, Lisa spends her free time in the old abandoned Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery where she takes a special liking to a young man’s Victorian-era grave monument. But then something happens that alters the course of Lisa’s life. Lightning strikes the young man’s grave somehow reanimating his corpse (science I guess). In a number of ways that defy belief, Lisa keeps her new zombie beau (played by Cole Sprouse) hidden, slowly growing closer to him in the process.

I suppose there are a few paper-thin coming-of-age themes and the movie has a little to say about self-discovery. But those kinds of things feel like afterthoughts. The film has no real convictions of any kind. It has nothing much to say about anything. You could make a case that it tries. But its efforts are so lackadaisical that any message is easily lost as you slog through the unfunny antics, the flat dialogue, and the uninspired characters. Lisa (thanks to Newton) is the exception. She’s someone we really want to root for, but unfortunately the material doesn’t let us.

“Lisa Frankenstein” wraps up with a truly awful ending that falls somewhere between crude absurdity and lazy predictability. It pretty much kills any sympathies you may have held onto. It’s the final straw for a movie that never seems sure of itself, wastes so much potential, and squanders a gothic horror-comedy idea that could have been a slam-dunk. It even fails to tap into the nostalgia of its late 1980s setting. Altogether it left me with a lot of frustration and one big sigh of relief once the final credits started to roll. “Lisa Frankenstein” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

EDFF REVIEW: “Tapawingo”

February 20, 2024 by Keith Garlington

I’m guessing few people expected 2004‘s oddball comedy “Napoleon Dynamite” to go from a low-budget indie debuting at Sundance to the absurdly funny and infinitely quotable cult classic it is today. The film made a star out of its lead, Jon Heder who over the years has helped nurture the film’s vocal and devoted fan base (I have several fellow card-carrying “Napoleon Dynamite” enthusiasts in my family including a cousin who actually ventured to the small town of Preston, Idaho just to visit the shooting locations).

Now 20 years later we see Heder tapping back into that successful formula with “Tapawingo”, a proudly and profoundly offbeat feature film that recently screened at the El Dorado Film Festival. While the comparisons to “Napoleon Dynamite” are inescapable, “Tapawingo” isn’t some shameless clone. Director Dylan K. Narang (who also wrote the script along with Brad DeMarea) has plenty of his own comic twists up his sleeve.

“Tapawingo” has a uniquely zany brand of humor, and much like its comedic kin “Napoleon Dynamite”, it probably won’t click for everyone. But what can I say – it’s my kind of comedy. Yes it’s incredibly silly and utterly preposterous. But it’s also meticulously made, with funny bits scattered everywhere. Narang finds the means to make us laugh in nearly every facet of the filmmaking – the dialogue, the costumes, the camerawork, the editing, the music, even the production design.

Heder plays a small town oddball named Nate Skoog (what a great name). When he and his best friend Will (Jay Prichard) aren’t cruising around in Nate’s dune buggy or killing a few hours playing bingo at the Elk’s Lodge, they’re training to one day become high-paid mercenaries (yep, you read that right). “High risk, high reward.”

Nate still lives at home with his mother Ramona (Amanda Bearse) who has an annoying new boyfriend, Tom (John Ratzenberger) who’s always hanging around their house. As far as a job, Nate works in the mailroom at Amalgamated Insurance where he’s routinely hounded by an overly flirtatious co-worker (Gina Gershon). He’s also tasked with picking up his boss’ geeky son Oswalt (Sawyer Williams) after school.

One day while dropping off Oswalt, Nate gets a glimpse of the tough-as-nails Gretchen (a really good Kim Matula). He’s instantly smitten but their interactions are hilariously awkward due to his inability to communicate. Over time they slowly warm up to each other and soon sparks begin to fly (at least the best way they can in a movie this goofy).

But things take a turn when Nate and Will upset a local hoodlum named Nelson Tarwater (Chad Dukes) after rescuing Oswalt from Nelson’s two dimwitted younger brothers (played by Jacob Tyler Kemp and Ariel Flores). This sets off a chain of events that ultimate leads to Nelson calling in his big brother, Stoney (a subtly hilarious Billy Zane who’s given no dialogue and whose only task is to look menacing). A showdown is all but inevitable.

Narang and DeMarea’s script is the biggest reason “Tapawingo” works so well, but there are so many other key ingredients. First is the top-to-bottom game cast. Heder is no stranger to kind of material so it’s no surprise he nails it. But everyone else seems to be on the same wacky wavelength. And I haven’t even mentioned George and Paul Psarras who play self-proclaimed martial artists and mustachioed twin brothers Glen and Ben.

There’s also the DP Jarrod Russell’s fabulous cinematography that cleverly incorporates a variety of snap zooms, camera whips, and cross-cuts among other things. It works especially well alongside the outstanding production designs and costumes. Then there’s the synthesized percussive score laced with countless killer needle-drops from Quiet Riot, Pat Benatar, Kiss, and ELO among so many other.

“Tapawingo” is still working out distribution so there is no concrete date for its official release. But keep an eye out, especially if your a fan goofy self-aware comedies. Dylan Narang and his talented cohorts have made something right up my alley. Not all of the gags land as intended and occasionally a side character is pushed a little too far. But for the most part Narang is able to wrangle everything together into a fun and cohesive movie full of big-time laughs. “Tapawingo” recently screened at the El Dorado Film Festival.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

EDFF REVIEW: “Shudderbugs”

February 19, 2024 by Keith Garlington

Johanna Putnam’s elegantly made and emotionally layered psychological drama “Shudderbugs” embodies much of what is both special and essential about independent cinema. It’s the kind of movie that comes from a filmmaker who only has to answer to herself. No pressure from producers, no big studio meddling, no demand to make something more digestible for mainstream audiences. Putnam and her small but cohesive team of collaborators had the freedom to make the movie they wanted. And the results are pretty special.

“Shudderbugs” recently had its Arkansas premiere at the El Dorado Film Festival where it took home the Pam Callaway Spirit of the Festival Award. Filmed in 2020 at her parents’ farm in upstate New York during the COVID-19 lockdown, “Shudderbugs” tells a deeply resonating story about coming to grips with loss and trying to move forward. It’s a story that’s rich with feeling, full of evocative imagery, and driven by an aching and soulful lead performance from Putnam herself.

Putnam plays Samantha Cole who returns to her family’s rural farm house following the unexpected death of her mother Elizabeth. Sam’s father, a beloved local historian, drowned two years ago in their small pond. So that leaves Sam, an only child, to handle her mother’s affairs. Over the course of her stay, Putnam patiently yet methodically lets us in on the family’s history, mostly through Sam’s memories and discoveries. Dreams, flashbacks, phone calls, etc. – these devices and more help the audience fill in the lines.

But Putnam also keeps us feeling a bit off balance. “Everything seems off,” Sam says at one point and we sense the same thing. There are a handful of mysteries that spring up and Putnam throws us a few curveballs that make us question what we see and think we know. For example, what was Sam’s mother’s cause of death? And what’s with the creepy neighbor named Noah (Brennan Brooks, also the film’s DP) who lives in the basement of a dilapidated yet character-rich old house down the road?

Adding to the subtle sense of unease is the sublime sound design. At times it seems as if everything we hear is amplified – the squeak of a screen door, the wind chimes on the porch, the creaking stairs, the buzz of mosquitoes. It can be eerie, haunting, and even hypnotic. Yet as with everything it’s very controlled and never overpowering. That’s a testament to Putnam’s keen direction and particularly her terrific management of tone. You see her confidence in her determination to stick with her vision, and maintaining the right tone is essential to that vision.

Putnam makes so many good choices both as the film’s director, writer, and star. It’s hard not to be swept away by her mesmerizing drama, from its compelling setup straight through to its fittingly poignant final frame. You could say the film is a tad longer than it needs to be and that’s one thing that will likely trip up the aforementioned mainstream crowds. But I’ll happily accept that if it means getting something as genuine, as original, and as alluring as “Shudderbugs”.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

REVIEW: “Land of Bad” (2024)

February 15, 2024 by Keith Garlington

Director William Eubank ventures to the Philippines (as portrayed by Australia) in the awkwardly titled “Land of Bad”, a somewhat conventional yet meticulously crafted military movie set in South Asia’s Sulu Sea. While the basic outline of the story will feel pretty familiar to anyone who has watched thrillers of this kind, Eubank shows a great eye for action. From setting it up to its execution, he and cinematographer Agustin Claramunt put together some stunning combat sequences that more than make up for the flaws.

The story (co-written by Eubank and David Frigerio) unfolds on two fronts that gel together pretty well despite one being significantly more compelling than the other. At Palawan Air Base in the Philippines an antsy 27-year-old JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller) officer named Kinney (Liam Hemsworth) preps for his first field mission with fellow soldiers. He’ll be joining a trio of highly trained Delta Force operatives that includes team leader Sugar (Milo Ventimiglia), Abel (Luke Hemsworth), and Bishop (Ricky Whittle).

The four HALO jump down to an island occupied by extremist militants. Their mission is to rescue a captured CIA asset who was gathering intel on a Russian arms dealer named Alexander Petrov. Meanwhile at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, a crusty drone pilot who goes by Reaper (Russell Crowe) along with his partner Nia (Chika Ikogwe) will be providing them surveillance and air support from a remote controlled MQ-9 drone up above.

After navigating through the dense jungle the team arrives at Petrov’s base and begin preparing to go in. The time and level of detail Eubank puts into their precise and by-the-numbers reconnaissance adds to the realism and does a good job building tension leading up to the inevitable action. But the team’s mission immediately goes sideways following the unexpected arrival of a brutal terrorist named Saeed Hashimi (Robert Rabiah). Soon bullets are flying as the team finds themselves fighting for their lives.

Following the overwhelming chaos of battle (and the first of several great action set pieces), Kinney ends up alone in the enemy infested jungle with only Reaper on the radio and his drone in the air to guide the young soldier to his extraction point. But once Kinney arrives, Eubank hits us with his second big set piece – a fiercely intense and visually jaw-dropping sequence that sets the story on an entirely different trajectory.

While chunks of the story may feel familiar, Eubank’s keeps things moving at a propulsive pace, specifically when on the ground in the Philippines. The scenes back in Vegas are a lot shakier. The attempts at adding tension and drama at the airbase mostly fall flat and distract from the actual mission. Crowe’s Reaper spends as much time arguing with his Commanding Officer over basketball and complaining about the disorder of the kitchen’s coffee cabinet than in his chair trying to guide Kinney to freedom.

There’s also not a lot of depth when it comes to its characters. They try with Reaper who we learn is on his fourth marriage and has a pregnant wife at home who could go into labor at any second. But none of it leaves much of an impressive. There are also a few odd choices that don’t work at all. Take later in the film where we get a whimsical sequence in a grocery store intercut with a much more serious torture scene in the field. It’s a jarring contrast that doesn’t have whatever effect Eubank was going for.

Yet even with its story-based issues, “Land of Bad” kept me glued to my screen. As a pure military action movie, it hits its marks. Firefights, hand-to-hand combat, air strikes – we get it all and Eubank shoots it as well as anyone you’ll see. The performances are solid especially from Liam Hemsworth and Crowe (despite the material letting down the latter). A tighter script with less crass military speak and more investment in the characters would have done wonders. Still, “Land of Bad” has the edge-of-your-seat thrills and the immersive detail to keep us engaged. “Land of Bad” hits theaters February 16th.