MSPIFF 2025 - Part Two

 This is part two of my coverage from MSPIFF 44 wrapping up another year of mainlining international new releases as long as my schedule and body permits. Please do check out part one for an introduction, more capsule reviews, and a brief nod towards seeing Ang Lee speak as part of the festivities.

I was starting to flag a bit in the second week but I still turned up most days to fit at least one film in. I also thought the films were really excellent in the second week and I had a chance to finally check out some things that debuted at Cannes last year (just as this year's lineup was being announced). One thing I'm really happy about this year is that the weather held out reasonably well so I was able to bike to the theater most days and even walked all the way down on Saturday. I did take the bus a couple of times but a biking/transit/walking film festival is undoubtedly the best kind of film festival and I was feeling very fortunate about that.

Day 6

Undercover (2024) - A stylish Spanish police thriller with some profoundly stunning location footage (mostly in and around San Sebastian). Much of Undercover seemed to be occurring in wintertime and cold beach/coast has to be one of my all-time favorite ecospheres. I had not heard of Undercover before it was announced for MSPIFF but I was instantly excited for it. I love that some of these more classic film genres are still thriving in various international markets. While Undercover nails the aesthetics and contains an excellent lead performance - the political themes seem desperately undercooked. It's adapted from actual events of a young woman who went...undercover...and infiltrated the ETA. I am in no way an expert on the ETA, Basque sovereignty, or Spanish politics in general - but I don't think I'm that much better informed from this film. It's a snapshot containing elements of terrorism, state sponsored violence, systemic misogyny, cultural identity, and political liberation - but it doesn't have much to say about any of it and the final message feels muddled at best. Really cute cat, though.

Day 7

I needed a break and took this night off.

Day 8

Misericordia (2024) - This was a film I had heard great things about following its early festival rounds and one of the first things I reserved a ticket for when I was granted a pass. I think it's easiest to describe Alain Guiraudie's latest as a mystery - or at the very least; mysterious - though it is one less concerned with "who" and more focused on "why" Misericordia features exquisite autumnal French village atmosphere and a genuinely fantastic central performance from Félix Kysyl. It reminded me of Patricia Highsmith in some ways with this elusive, seductive main character but it's a far stranger affair than a Ripley story. There is a darkly humorous streak that runs through the entire film but it feels wrong to describe it as a comedy - it both contains one of the most hilarious scenes I saw during the fest and one of the most brutally horrific. The title is derived from the Latin word for mercy and there are some (very French) discussions around crime and punishment but I am still ruminating over how that theme is reflected throughout the film. This one beguiled me and I'd absolutely recommend it even if you don't find yourself as transfixed as I did.

Day 9

Caught by the Tides (2024) - Another Cannes standout. Narratively abstract and aesthetically chaotic - I can understand that Caught by the Tides will be a challenging watch for some (apparently at least one walkout during the screening I caught). I was absorbed by it, though. Tides is largely assembled from existing B-roll footage from Jia Zhang-ke's previous works. I am not familiar enough with Zhang-ke's filmography to spot where different segments of Tides was cribbed from, but I still loved the clash of formats and styles - careening from flat, digital industrial footage to grainy, low res night scenes to lush 35mm landscapes. It's impressive how this film is utilizing older footage, going back decades in some cases, but still manages to speak to recent history (albeit through a lens many of us are unfamiliar with). I know that travelogue is not sufficient to make a film compelling, but I thought there was significant value in this sprawling window into Chinese life. Hopefully this gets a wider release here and people can give it a shot. Definitely better to see it in a theater.

Day 10

We Can Be Heroes - Shorts Program - I didn't have anything planned out for the afternoon so I thought I would check out some shorts. Of all festival programming, short films truly are the most ephemeral and frequently the hardest to see outside of a fest environment. These were short documentaries covering subjects ranging from tattooing to puzzles to an elaborate corporate prank. Arguably the most moving of the bunch was How to Care (which sadly does not appear to be listed on IMDB or Letterboxd at the time of writing). It's focused on the life of Dan, a septuagenarian living with cerebral palsy, and the community of caregivers that help support him. It's a subject I have some personal experience with and I understand how critical those assistance and enrichment programs are. Dan and crew were also in attendance for the screening which was extremely cool to see. 

I'm guessing Adidas Owns Reality is the program selection that will have the best chance of life outside of the festival circuit. It documents an elaborate corporate hoax perpetrated by the Yes Men who are well known for culture-jamming hijinks largely at the expense of the wealthy and powerful. This particular prank involves a fake "co-CEO" of Adidas and a Berlin fashion show meant to confront the realities of sweatshop labor. The film is infuriating and funny and their cause is a righteous one. I hope this lands in front of more eyeballs.

Mr. K (2024) - Though I am not particularly familiar with the work of writer/director Tallulah Hazekamp Schwab, Mr. K was another festival selection that I was highly anticipating. Anything starring Crispin Glover was bound to interest me and it's also good to see something unapologetically weird. Ultimately, I think my anticipation was rewarded. Schwab apparently spent years developing K and it's certainly noticeable in the production design. Glover's awkward, nervous magician becomes trapped in a bewildering, labyrinthine hotel populated with frequently hostile (or creepily familiar) denizens who never seem to go outside. The hotel and it's myriad rooms, kitchens, stairways, and closets are impeccably rendered and filled with the kinds of aesthetic touches that would reward repeat viewings. I don't think there's anything terribly groundbreaking in this Kafkaesque conspiracy tale but I still think Schwab mostly nails the tone and the delivery. I found myself repeatedly noting what were likely influences but also connections to other films and filmmakers. The ending didn't land with everyone I saw the film with, but things took a strange enough, gross enough turn beforehand that I was satisfied. 

Day 11

Odd Fish (2024) - An Icelandic film ostensibly about two old friends and co-workers in a remote fishing village where one comes out as trans to the other (and her community). I say ostensibly because though there is an excellent and courageous performance from Arna Magnea Danks, the film spends less time on her transition and far more on the identity crisis of her middle-aged, cis-dude friend. As a cis-dude fast careening towards middle age - I would have been much more interested in a film driven by Danks' character. Still, this is a good natured film and it is filled both with some lovely coastal scenery and largely takes place in a rustic seafood restaurant that looked absolutely incredible. For her part, Arna Magnea Danks has mostly worked as a stunt and fight coordinator but absolutely has the goods as an actress. I'd love to hear more about her real life story.

Kill the Jockey (2024) - Luis Ortega is a filmmaker who landed on my radar largely thanks to his 2018 film, Angel, loosely based on the real life exploits of Argentine serial murderer - Carlos Eduardo Robledo Puch. Jockey is not remotely based in reality and is much lighter film in content - something in the vein of mildly surreal crime-adjacent flicks like the cinema du look movies. It's an incredibly stylish film utilizing some excellent long takes, some inventive POV work, and beautiful integration of pop music. Another strong lead performance, this time from Nahuel Pérez Biscayart. Biscayart is a handsome actor but Ortega manages to present him oddly enough to remind me of someone like Denis Lavant. Jockey starts in a heightened reality but only gets stranger and harder to hang onto (narratively) as the film progresses. It does deliver some lovely twists along the way and I will likely want to revisit it upon wider release. 

I had planned to see another movie but I was going to have to wait an hour and then stay up for another two hour film and I was running out of steam. Jockey was a terrific note to end on though and sometimes it's best to quit while you're ahead. I had a great time at MSPIFF this year, they put on a wonderfully run festival, and I can't thank the film society enough for granting me accreditation again. There were a few new wrinkles that I appreciated this year - though I only attended one screening, I really do like the preview idea for passholders. I'll have to take better advantage of that if its offered again. I also like the fact that I saw more familiar faces this year. Some of that is a matter of connecting with friends and some of that is due to my involvement with MNFCA. There's a certain comradery with regular attendees and I've had great conversations with total strangers in line, in the theater, and even on the bus ride home. Still, it's nice to have some friends around. The last thing is that I'm so happy that the Cabana Club opened just down the street from the theater. Great bar, good food, and staff that was very understanding that I might have to move quickly to see my next film. Highly recommended for a pre or post movie beverage the next time you're at the Main. 

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MSPIFF 2025 - Part One

Back for its 44th year, the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival presented by the MSP Film Society is the largest film event in the Upper Midwest and something I look forward to every springtime. Last year I was only able to attend a couple of screenings due to travel, but this year I'm in town, I'm ready, I'm willing, and I've been very generously accredited for a press pass from the organizers once again. Programming is king when it comes to good festivals and MSPIFF remains committed to showing a wide range of films and perspectives from all over the world that include a lot of smaller films. I noticed quite a few titles that haven't necessarily gotten an overabundance of attention at the larger, market festivals. It can make it a bit challenging to parse the schedule, but the freedom of the pass allows for me to take a few chances. 

The thing that more than endears me to the festival in recent years is that it's mostly concentrated at The Main Cinema across the Mississippi River from downtown Minneapolis. MSP Film Society runs programming at The Main all year round, but it's a tremendous central location for a festival that I can bike or bus to easily. It's in a great neighborhood and it's no problem to find food or coffee or even walk along the river in-between films (provided I give myself some time to do so). An especially exciting development this year is that I feel like I know more people at the festival and have had the good fortune of scheduling some viewings with friends and even running into old pals unexpectedly. 

I think the format I used in 2023 was a good one, so I'll be doing the same this year: Capsule reviews of everything I see and broken out into two parts. I think this will give people a good idea of the variety of films on offer and my hope is that you might see something interesting in this entry that compels you to attend MSPIFF while it has another week left.

Day 0

I already wrote about Bushido in my March entry so I won't go into details here. I like the preview screening idea, though. I hope that continues next year.

Day 1

Free Leonard Peltier (2025) - Opening night shindig and three sold-out screenings of this latest Leonard Peltier documentary. The history of the American Indian Movement, the arrest and conviction of Peltier, and the absolute chicanery on the side of the FBI are important stories to tell and MSPIFF accorded the event with the appropriate deference. There was a performance from local indigenous people, and invocation in Lakota, and then a zoom call from Peltier himself! I only wish I liked the film better. It functions well enough to convey the history but the film starts to meander somewhere in the midpoint. There is also the deeply unfortunate choice to bolster the archival footage with AI enhanced digital sequences. It's so unnecessary and I can't even say it's very effective. I wasn't positive at first but when I looked into the filmmakers, it became apparent that one of them is an enthusiastic generative AI adopter. It's hard not to contrast this film to Michael Apted's Incident at Oglala which I think is a much stronger feature. Thankfully, Peltier has finally been released from prison which does provide a moving coda for the film and serves as a testament to keeping the faith in the face of injustice.

Day 2 

The Friend (2024) - This other Sigrid Nunez adaptation from 2024 (the first to hit our shores was Pedro Almodovar's The Room Next Door) features Naomi Watts as a Manhattan writer who must come to terms with both the loss of a friend and mentor, the aftermath of the relationships left in his wake, and (most critically) the inheritance of his 150lb Great Dane. I know I'm not supposed to give credence to the concept of "guilty pleasures" but I really do feel guilty at how much I enjoy watching erudite, literary, essentially affluent people running around New York doing New York stuff. I can't help it and it may be a sickness, but I still think The Friend is pretty good. Watts is actually terrific and Murray delivers some brutally funny (if nihilistic) lines. I am uncertain of animal "performances" but I actually believed this dog to be in mourning for his person. What a good boy. Speaking of which, the film was co-introduced by Karl and his owner/trainer and it appears that I'm easily taken with gigantic dogs in indoor spaces. 

The Wailing (2024) - Not to be confused with the Korean folk horror/thriller of the same title. This Wailing is a largely Spanish production about different generations of women being haunted by a mostly unseen force. I am loathe to actually list this one as I was getting tired, it was late, and I still had to bike back home. I'm afraid I bailed about halfway through and didn't give The Wailing an entirely fair shake. It felt like a tepid mixture of YouTube creepypasta videos and tropes that were wearing thin in J-Horror 20-30 years ago. In fairness, I have a potent aversion to films filled with people doing things on phones and laptops - I don't like being subjected to text messages and IMs in real life. Why would I want to deal with it in film?

Day 3

LUZ (2025) - Given my expressed distaste for digital spaces, Flora Lau's use of a virtual reality game as a framing device for her intergenerational, bi-national film could have flopped instantly for me. Instead, I found myself absolutely taken with its gorgeous photography and meditation on how we build relationships. As mentioned, it's beautifully shot - contrasting a neon, nighttime Chongqing with a distinctly old-world version of Paris. The characters in Chongqing are unapologetically 21st century - watching livestreams and playing the titular VR game. In Paris, Isabelle Huppert's Sabine lives a largely analog life of books, art, records, and face to face relationships. The two worlds mirror each other throughout a few scenes and then begin to overlap - both aesthetically and due to the game. 

I'm not certain that LUZ (the film) is looking to admonish modern society (though it does take some beats to illustrate how dumb we look plugged into our devices) but it does seem to encourage life affirming, non-virtual connections. When Sabine's step-daughter explains that the virtual world is better than the physical one, Sabine flatly responds "I don't even know what that means." The goal of LUZ (the game) isn't rendered meaningless but my sense is that Flora Lau is reminding us that connectivity we effortlessly achieve virtually should be a means to strengthen our real world relationships.

The Surfer (2024) - When films and filmmakers make intentional nods to grindhouse cinema - the results are often mixed at best. Self aware attempts to be bonkers are usually injected with unwelcome comedy or an assault of film homage so that you can rest easy knowing the director watched the same grimy films you now own on 4K Ultra Hi-Def disc. I think Lorcan Finnegan has largely struck the right tone with this quasi-psychedelic throwback to the 70s/80s Ozploitation boom. Nic Cage is the right man for the job of both being incomprehensibly stubborn and the object of torrential abuse and humiliation. Crazy Cage done correctly is a joy on the screen. The Surfer is not exceptionally violent (all things considered) but it is visceral and contains more than enough stomach churning, wince inducing moments to make up for its relative bloodlessness. 

Day 4

Unholy Communion (2025) - I make it a point to see any crime films playing at MSPIFF since I've kind of made that my beat in the last year or two. I'm not going to pick on Unholy Communion too much as it's a small, local production though it does co-star one of the more notable actors to emerge from Minneapolis - Vincent Kartheiser. Communion is competently done but ultimately comes off as bland.  Everyone involved seemed very nice and I do think that Mancini's in St. Paul deserves more screen time in more movies.

Meet the Barbarians (2024) - Julie Delpy's satire of French xenophobia and intercultural relations is ultimately a very gentle one, but it still remains funny and insightful. It's no surprise that the overwhelming pleasures to be found here are in the performances from an excellent ensemble cast. They manage to make the village residents heartfelt enough that you can become invested in the local melodramas. Also, some gorgeous footage of Brittany doesn't hurt. I only wish that the reality presented here seemed more plausible compared to the rising tide of right wing nationalism felt all over Europe and the US.

The Wedding Banquet (2025) - Andrew Ahn's reinterpretation of Ang Lee's 90s indie classic could have gone terribly wrong and yet, I feel like I'll be recommending this one broadly. I haven't seen the original in ages (and now I'd very much like to revisit it), but Ahn's interpretation feels like it lives very much in its own space. The cast is truly excellent - though they are so good that Bowen Yang's comparative lack of expressive depth is noticeable. He's still hilarious when called upon and there are so many funny moments in this. It's easy to describe Ang Lee's films as gorgeous or luminous or whatever your preferred adjectives for "very pretty" are - Ahn is working in a different register but it's still lovely. Elegant compositions and some terrific location footage - especially multiple sequences in what I believe is Discovery Park. 

Friendship (2024) - I finished my fourth day with a raucous, sold out screening of Andrew DeYoung's buddy comedy starring Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson. There are some gut busting gags in Friendship and (because I'm a simple person) a lot of my favorites were pure physical tomfoolery. That said, I think the film was losing steam and losing me somewhere towards the middle. Tim Robinson's Craig says "I'm all out of ideas" before embarking on a toad fueled psychedelic experience and I felt that the movie was talking directly to us at that point. I don't think it's too much of a spoiler to mention that Conner O’Malley has a small cameo in the film. Some guy behind me roared "Let's Goooooooo!" the minute O'Malley turned up. That's absolutely the target market for this one.

Day 5

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) - I remembered being distinctly dubious when I went to see this when it opened. I considered myself some kind of Hong Kong cinema aficionado and was NOT impressed with various Hollywood attempts at importing Wuxia stylings (I was kind of dickhead as young men often are). Also, Ang Lee didn't do martial arts movies so what did he know? Lee's film shut me up so quickly and I was duly chastened. It had been a few years since I revisited Tiger so I was very much reliving that same thrill during the opening brawl between Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi. I couldn't help but think how deprived we are of action this virtuosic since the balance has tipped towards digital effects even in Asian cinema. What a joy to see action and adventure at this scale shot on film. Also, the inn scene/send up of heroic fiction is still beyond hilarious. The guy with the iron abacus kills me every time.

My next MSPIFF stop wasn't a film but a conversation and Q&A with the man himself, Ang Lee. He spoke for around an hour with a moderator and I feel like I could have listened to him all night. Ang Lee was incredibly humble about what he's been able to achieve and yet not overly demure. He's clearly passionate, perceptive, and possessed of a certain eloquence though he constantly deprecates his English. Great event and I was very grateful to some of my fellow MNFCA folks who waved me over to a good spot

Việt and Nam (2024) - Ang Lee went on to present a screening of Brokeback Mountain which was no doubt tremendous. I opted instead to see this Vietnamese film that interestingly shares some thematic, contextual connective tissue to Brokeback. Việt and Nam entered my consciousness when it made John Waters' annual "best of" list and this was arguably going to be my only chance to see it. The movie is utterly stunning. Each frame is beautifully composed with an incredibly rich film grain and even some print artifacts. I understood that it was shot on 16mm, but I have to wonder if director Truong Minh Quy used an older film stock as well to achieve the look. It's a far more abstract film than I expected and even though I was engaged - fest life caught up to me and I conked out for the last bit. Not my finest festival moment but it really had been a long few days. I am hopeful Việt and Nam gets distribution somewhere or maybe a Mubi deal? My lack of stamina notwithstanding, I think this one is worth your time especially if you know what you're getting into.

That's it for Part 1 of my MSPIFF coverage this year. I will be posting a Part 2 early next week. There are still many screenings and multiple opportunities to see international films at this years fest. I'd highly recommend making time for it and if you see me at the fest, please say hello!

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Demonic Invocations, Live Witch Trials, and Simian Surgery - The Super Spook Show Spectacular 2024!

 Last year around this time I wrote glowingly about Cinema of the Macabre's first Super Spook Show Spectacular and wished sincerely that this would become an annual event. The FORCES OF DARKNESS (Tim and CotM) apparently heard my plea and the Twin Cities was fortunate enough to see a repeat this year. For the uninitiated, the Super Spook Show Spectacular is essentially a horror movie mini-marathon consisting of four mystery films. While some marathons focus on things like exhibiting on film or especially spooky venues - CotM's event leans heavily into the spook show/ghost show traditions of live hosts, "shocking" rituals, monstruous surprises, and some seriously cool swag. Programming-wise, Tim and Co. so far have been eschewing more obvious horror/Halloween hits in favor of selections decidedly in the cult/psychotronic vein which really suits the overall vibe of the show. They do not offer pre-show clues or categories of what the films will be but it looks like the first two events follow a loose pattern and I'll write more about that

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The 2023 Spook Show featured a vaguely medical theme with spooky nurses in attendance and a vomit bag containing a certificate offering fright insurance upon entry. This year the atmosphere took on more of an occult aspect - blank faced minions distributed contracts to relinquish audience members' souls in the event they departed during the proceedings. Our host, resplendent in ritual garb, introduced the event and informed us that this year they would be summoning an actual demon - Togroth, Devourer of Souls - to appear within the theater by the end of the show. The summoning rite would be a multi-part affair requiring participation from everyone in attendance. Phase one was an esoteric invocation lead by the minions - though they forgot their ancient tome and this chant definitely felt a little improvised. Trailers for The First Power and Q: The Winged Serpent led us into the first film.

God Told Me To (1976) - Larry Cohen's occult, sorta conspiracy, profoundly weird, gritty NYC crime thriller opened up the show. It's been a few years since I've seen GTMT, I'd never seen it on a big screen before, and I was legitimately excited for it. Regular readers of this blog are (maybe painfully) aware of my enthusiasm for New York films of this era and Cohen captures the city unlike just about anyone else. His run and gun, guerilla attitude towards coverage leads to such a visceral hurtling through the streets and captures a genuine candidness that bigger productions struggle to achieve. It's more than obvious that some sequences involve non-acting New Yorkers reacting to situations thrust upon them by Cohen and his crew - sometimes in surprise and more than often with total indifference. I will say that the day that seems to begin at the St. Patrick's Day Parade and finishes at the Feast of St. Gennaro rubs me slightly the wrong way - but seasonal continuity is probably the least reality bending facet of a film featuring hippie messiahs, mass mind control, corporate occultism, and alien insemination. I always recall how weird GTMT winds up but I forget the most of it is a (relatively grounded) police procedural that's propulsive in its own right. Tony Lo Bianco was a king of NYC crime drama at the time and Sandy Dennis also delivers an excellent performance that ads plausibility even as the plot skews increasingly bizarre. Terrific way to start things

Burn, Witch, Burn (1962) - An authentic witch was required for the next phase of the demon summoning ritual so some audience members volunteered to participate in a series of challenges - trials, if you will - to determine if any of them were truly a witch. It was close but a witch was eventually identified, given a prize package, and then led out to the parking lot to be burned at the stake. We salute their sacrifice! The leading trailers for the next movie were The Witches and City of the Dead so I absolutely knew we were going to watch Night of the Eagle/Burn, Witch, Burn. Coincidentally, I had just recommended all three films to someone looking for witchcraft movies. I have written a full-length review of Eagle on this site so feel free to check that out if you're interested. I had never seen it on the big screen though and those eagle scenes absolutely deliver. It's a terrific October choice and just a film I have a great deal of affection for. I suspect it's one that not a lot of folks in the audience had not seen and I'm beyond stoked for them to be introduced to it like this. 

The Sect (1991) - In a semi-return to the previous year's medical theme, the third part of the ritual required the heart of a baboon. Unfortunately only a gorilla was available but our intrepid cultists forged onward in some seriously suspect surgery. The necessary organs were removed but there may have been some primate rampaging to follow. Nothing entertains quite like someone in a gorilla suit causing mayhem in a crowded theater. My mind is blanking on the trailers leading up to this one but they were a couple of grindhouse flicks I actually had not seen. Regardless, we found ourselves thrust into Michele Soavi's surreal, occult nightmare - The Sect. I know The Sect is rarely anyone's favorite Soavi feature, but I think it holds up well. I already had a copy and skipped over the recent Severin release and it had been a few years since I last watched it. I had indelible images in my memory (channel surfing bunny, satanic face transplant, monster bird humping) but couldn't recall exactly how they all tied together. In fairness, it's not the most cohesive conspiracy story ever told and some of the ideas maybe should have hit the cutting room floor (why the Rolling Stones are invoked repeatedly is the real mystery). However, Soavi delivers on nightmarish imagery and stylish camera work like few others. It's not as outrageously bonkers as some of the favorite 80s-90s Italian nonsense flicks, but it's still a powerful, dreamy spectacle that I can get into.

Black Roses (1988) - I came in a little late from the break and caught the penultimate piece of the demon summoning ritual in progress. I believe the devotees were consuming ceremonial blood to prepare their voices for demonic invocation which they gamely provided. The trailers leading up to the final film were Demon Wind and Trick or Treat which I'm relatively certain have both screened before in the very theater we were sitting in. Much like last year, the final movie was a goofball 80s musically themed horror and much like last year it was the only one I had not seen before. I've been meaning to catch Black Roses for ages so I was happy to have it finally foisted upon my eyeballs with an unsuspecting audience. Roses opens really strong with a fully monstrous band playing to a crowd of fanatics but then things slow down for a while when the band inexplicably arrives at a small Canadian town to kick off their world tour. This hits a lot of 80s sweet spots - hair metal, ancient teenagers, lambos, demon puppets, mustaches, and boobs. I thought it was a lot of fun and a great way to cap off the show. I confess, I'd love to have more of that demonic band causing mayhem in the streets but some of the set-pieces (speaker monster, especially) are well worth the price of admission. 

Following the final film, we were favored with an appearance by THE Togroth, devourer of souls. I'll leave some mystery around that but it was a great bit. I'm not sure anything will touch Edgar Allen Poe's appearance last year, but that felt like it was written with me specifically in mind. Regarding film categories/patterns - last year featured a 70s cult classic in Tourist Trap, a black & white 60s horror in Spider Baby, some absolute Italian nonsense in Luigi Cozzi's, Edgar Allen Poe's The Black Cat, and an over-the-top 80s musical horror in Slumber Party Massacre II. So we hit on some analogous selections this year as well. Not sure if that will be "the" categories moving forward but the continuity is pretty cool either way. What I can say is that I imagine the Super Spook Show Spectacular will continue as this year seemed bigger and more well attended. It's been a real pleasure to see Cinema of the Macabre and Tape Freaks develop such a devoted fanbase over the last couple of years, especially. Like I said in last years' write-up, I respect and appreciate the overnight horrorthons out there but the Spook Show is way more my speed - keeping the focus more on having a good time than sheer mental and physical fortitude. If I could buy my tickets for 2025 today, I would. Huge shout-out of course to Cinema of the Macabre and Emagine Willow Creek for putting on such a quality event. If you attended this year, let me know what you thought either here or on IG, and please come back when I post my October Best-Of/Horror Gives Back article at the end of the month!

Thanks to Bronson for the Poster Pic!

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Spirits Rise, Screams Fill the Theater, and a Dead Body Finds a New Home - The Super Spook Show Spectacular 2023

 Things have been a little quiet on the blog front but that's only due to things being anything but quiet on the life front. It's October which means I'm watching at least 31 horror movies (and contributing to Horror Gives Back), there are no shortage of seasonal spooky activities, and we decided to finally make the pilgrimage to Salem which is essentially the Halloween capital of the US and therefore the Halloween capital of the universe (we had an amazing time). Increasingly, October is also the season for horror movie marathons. There are some legendary ones like the Exhumed Films 24 Horror-Thon in Pennsylvania, The Music Box of Horrors in Chicago, and even our very own Trylon Cinema Horrorthon - now in its seventh year. I love the excitement that these events generate but I confess that the long/overnight nature of them has held me at arm's length for the most part. I'm a veteran of many a double or triple feature and my keister has proven itself up to twelve hours of movie marathon-ing, but I just can't deal with overnights. So I was thrilled to learn that Tim and Cinema of the Macabre were holding a shorter event with four secret films and assorted surprises, swag, and giveaways. 

I had the sense from CotM's social media posts that The Super Spook Show Spectacular was definitely leaning into the Midnight Ghost Show/Spook Show/Monster Show vibes for this event and that was evident as soon as I arrived at the theater. Some spooky decorations adorned the outside and inside and I was greeted by a friendly nurse and given a promotional vomit bag filled with fun stuff including a fright insurance certificate. It was not a sold out show but I bought tickets late enough that I had to park myself either in the first or second row. Luckily Emagine Willow Creek has fully reclinable seats (positively luxurious compared to some of the creaky theater seats I've endured for longer events) and I would be closer to the spook show action once things kicked off. There was already some fun, thematic stuff playing on the screen that I think was from one of the Something Weird discs, essentially advertising classic Ghost/Spook Show offerings like the monsters loosed on the audience or decapitation of the staff. Eventually Tim took the floor as the afternoon's Ghostmaster and we launched into the first movie. 

Tourist Trap (1979) - I had a fleeting moment of dread when I saw the Full Moon Productions logo flash on the screen but that gave way to audible enthusiasm from the crowd when we realized we were going back to an early Charles Band production. I adore Tourist Trap and it had been a few years since I'd last watched it. Chuck Conner's unhinged performance is what I always remember most about it but I was struck at both how unhurried the pacing is for such a bonkers movie and how fantastic Pino Donaggio's score really is. I don't tend to find psychic psychopaths terribly scary but the roadside wax museum (courtesy of Texas Chainsaw art director Robert. A. Burns) is such an intensely weird and creepy setting and director David Schmoeller allows for time to let the space and that creepiness permeate everything. In a clue that felt tailor made for me, internet nightmare fuel Tara the Android made a brief cameo appearance in the pre-show and I referenced her specifically in my Tourist Trap Letterboxd review from a few years back.

The Black Cat (1989) - I new exactly what we were in for when Tim mentioned that this film would be more nonsensical than the first and it was ostensibly based on a work by Edgar Allen Poe. Speaking of the American master of the macabre, he was invoked and joined us for a moment to address the fidelity of Luigi Cozzi's adaptation. This was my favorite bit from the event and I could listen to Poe expound on the virtues of Taylor Swift all night. Cozzi's Black Cat is a piece of dream programming for me. It may be the apex of 80s Italian nonsense filmmaking and 80s Italian nonsense sequel-ization. It is somehow a spiritual sequel to Suspiria/Inferno, an actual entry into the legendarily convoluted Demons series, as well as (not really) interpreting Edgar Allen Poe's The Black Cat. It offers a phantasmagoric mess of primary colors, slimes, exploding torsos, lasers, Bang Tango jams, and a few nice shots of cats. A friend of mine in attendance had actually seen Bang Tango perform and we were all terribly jealous.

Spider Baby (1967) - Have I seen Spider Baby many times before? Yes. Have I seen Spider Baby in a theater in October before? Also yes. Does this in any way diminish my appreciation for it? Hell no. It's just too damn good. The opening song is amazing, Lon Chaney Jr. is so wonderful and gives this genuinely humane performance, and the kids - played by baby Sid Haig, Beverly Washburn, and Jill Banner are both incredibly fun and tragic. Also, Jack Hill can shoot the hell out of a movie with very little budget to work with. This was a perfect choice for the spook show vibe and also led to a bit where mad descendants of the Merrye family ransacked the theater in the dark. Great stuff.

 

Slumber Party Massacre II (1987) - The final entry opened with some audience participation as an impromptu screaming contest was held. I get very nervous in front of crowds and am not much of a screamer so I very much commend the brave souls who went for it (and they got cool stuff!). The final film of the day was one I had never seen before which made me happy. I went in completely blind and Slumber Party Massacre II not only had me questioning my own sanity but also my recollection of Slumber Party Massacre which I watched both on late night cable and revisited some years back. I don't love it when a sequel plays the greatest hits from the previous entry to set up the action, but SPMII makes the baller decision to play back events before the movie that definitely did not happen in the first entry. Instead of a more pedestrian maniac killer with a drill, SPMII introduces a quasi-Krueger rockabilly maniac with a drill guitar who appears seemingly at will and terrorizes a new group of kids. There are some excellent physical gore effects, an abundance of 80s meets 50s rock n' roll numbers, conspicuous product placement, and no rules that I could comprehend to any of it. I probably never would have picked a movie like this to watch on my own and that's the joy (and occasionally suffering) of these secret screenings.

Everything wrapped up with a raffle and some seriously cool stuff was given away. The number adjacent to mine was called and I experienced momentary heartbreak, but I was also really stoked for the winners. As advertised, someone did leave with a dead body. I'll keep some mystery around the details but know that The Super Spook Show Spectacular delivers on its promises. I thought this was a terrific event. It ran smoothly, the programming was excellent, and the crowd was into it. Huge thanks to everyone who helped put this together. The Emagine theater is very comfortable and you got TEN glorious minutes between each film so there was considerably less panic to hit the bathroom, get a drink, say hi to people, grab a smoke, etc. I very much appreciate the horror movie events that focus on all-film formats or extra-spooky venues, but this event was truly highlighting fun and it showed. I do not know if this will happen next year, but I will prioritize attending if it does and would absolutely encourage you to do the same. I always tell people how ridiculous the cinema scene is in the Twin Cities compared to the size of the metro and I hope we just added a new tradition we can look forward to.

Lumières Françaises 2023

 

Every year around Bastille Day the MSP Film Society hosts their Lumières Françaises Festival du Cinema - it's a showcase for French and francophone films focusing largely on newer releases with the occasional rep feature. I've caught a screening here and there during previous festivals but this year I wanted to make it out for a more significant chunk of the fest. Some of that is driven by my enthusiasm for what's going down at the Main Cinema these days but the film selections were also intriguing. I managed to catch five movies over the weekend and wanted to do some write ups for anyone interested. Most importantly, the festival is through July 19th, so if you're local to the Twin Cities you absolutely still have a chance to head out and get your French film fix. Whether you're interested in romance, zombies, or the greatest film of all time - there's something of interest for just about anyone this year.

Freestyle (2022) - I was very impressed with Marina Foïs' performance in The Beasts which I saw during MSPIFF back in April. I didn't have much other than that and a brief plot synopsis to go on but that was sufficient to get me to check out Freestyle. The feature debut of director Didier Barcelo has Foïs playing a woman suddenly and acutely possessed by a neurosis that keeps her from leaving her automobile. Stuck in a carpark after running out of gas, the situation gets more complicated when a thief (Benjamin Voisin) attempts to steal the car with Foïs still inside. The two initially struggle against each other but eventually become unlikely allies in a bizarre cross-country journey. Freestyle is frequently funny, touching, occasionally melancholy, and primarily a solid platform for Voisin and Foïs. Being trapped in a car for even 89 minutes is a personal nightmare, but the charm and chemistry between the two leads was enough to keep me invested even if things do start to meander a bit towards the end. Recommended for some solid character work and one of the best scenes of backseat psychoanalysis at gunpoint I've witnessed.

The Innocent (2022) - I wrote about The Innocent back in May when I picked it as one of my favorite new-to-me films of the month. I liked it well enough that I jumped at the chance to see it theatrically. It's become an impossibly easy recommendation to make to people due to its earnest, entertaining blend of heist and romantic comedy genre elements. It doesn't hurt that the soundtrack is overflowing with cool needle drops from a combination of movie soundtracks and 80s/90s europop. Louis Garrel and Noémie Merlant are excellent together and the supporting cast are terrific. Definitely catch this either in the theater (Stelvio Cipriani and Gianna Nannini jams via surround sound are where it's at!) or check it out on Criterion.

Scarlet (2022) - A lush, fable-like story set in post WWI France. Scarlet features some gorgeous compositions, stylistic flourishes, and what appears to be restored/colored footage from the period. Pretty pictures aside, I found Raphael Thierry's performance as a wounded vet returning from war only to learn that he's both a father and a widower to be worth the price of admission alone. It's hard not to make comparisons to Michel Simon and though the films are very different I couldn't help but be reminded a little of Panique. Juliette Jouan acquits herself well and I was happy to see more of Louis Garrel, but honestly missed Thierry's presence when he wasn't on the screen. I'm going to have to hunt down more of his work. The plot trajectory gets a bit murky in the final third or so but there's enough intrigue and magic to make Scarlet worthwhile if you can appreciate something closer to a fairy tale than a realistic drama.

La Syndacaliste (2022) - For fans of realistic dramas, La Syndicaliste is based on actual events. Isabelle Huppert stars as a hardnosed union rep for a nuclear power conglomerate in France. She discovers some clandestine dealings with China that could put the careers of her fellows in jeopardy and starts making waves. I don't want to give away too much of the plot as I truly found myself on a journey while watching this, unsure which way the film was headed. It's a bit of political intrigue, true crime procedural, and genre thriller. Huppert is naturally superb and she gets to share some screentime with Marina Foïs which I enjoyed tremendously. 

Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) - I'm certain that in a fit of hyperbole I've said something to the effect that I'd gladly watch Delphine Seyrig peel potatoes. Thanks to Chantal Akerman's most famous film, you can experience the joy of Seyrig preparing spuds, mixing meatloaf, and washing dishes along with a myriad of other daily rituals. I've seen Dielman before but never theatrically and I felt that amongst the other dedicated souls who turned up for an 11am screening that I must be among my people. It is a fascinating, engrossing, intimate, frustrating, and somehow still surprising work. I don't know that I could successfully watch it at home again so being forced to sit with it in the dark, with no pauses or smartphones available to me was a genuine treasure. It's not going to be for everyone but if you have an inkling to see it, I can't recommend it enough. I'm half tempted to take some time off of work to see it again on Wednesday.

MSPIFF - Part 2

This is the second part of my reviews of films featured at the MSP International Film Festival as organized by the MSP Film Society. If you enjoy looking through these, please go check out the first part for more of an introduction to the festival and more capsule reviews. I knew that my day job and other obligations were going to start interfering with my ability to attend screenings, but I think I made a decent effort. As in the first part of this coverage, I'm providing reviews of everything I saw rather than focus on favorites to hopefully give you an idea of the sheer scope of what's on offer. Also, I'd like to thank the MSPIFF and MSP Film Society for providing me with a press pass which made attending more films possible (and for organizing a terrific festival)

Somewhere in Queens (2022) - Ray Romano's directorial debut does not offer much in the way of surprises - Romano plays a husband and father with a large Italian-American family that argues relentlessly and sticks by each other with equal fervor. A significant helping of sports movie cliches (and references to Rocky) added to the family drama framework did not imbue the film with real originality, but it's all done with enough charm and heart that I found myself largely along for the ride. I like New York movies, I like ensemble pieces, I like character actors, and these are places where Somewhere in Queens succeeds. I was hoping that Laurie Metcalf would get more of an opportunity to shine in this - the accent wasn't doing her any favors - but the Russo family manages admirably in the multiple large dinner and party sequences. There are a few gags where Romano tunelessly sings radio hits and I couldn't help but be reminded of the old Pete Holmes bit, "Romano Sings!" I don't think you can rip off another comedian's bit if that bit was an impression of you in the first place - it's funny either way.

The Night of the 12th (2022) - Dominik Moll's latest thriller isn't exactly deconstructed - it employs familiar beats from the opening with a statement regarding unsolved cases that could be from the latest Law and Order spinoff - but it is very aware of its milieu. The plot of The Night of the 12th largely follows the investigation of the brutal murder of a young woman, the film also investigates a society in which women are in harm's way as well as why our systems fail both to protect us or bring guilty parties to justice. It's an unsubtle film both in its messaging and visual metaphors but it avoids  simplistic answers to the questions it raises which adds some depth to the overall project. I thought both Bastien Bouillon and Bouli Lanners were excellent as flawed investigators with good intentions who have to come to grips with some classically French existential issues. It's not the most engaging police procedural (by design) but it is stylish and willing to look at some of the more troubling aspects of a society obsessed with violence - particularly violence towards women.

Birth/Rebirth (2023) - I feel like I haven't included much about horror movies in the blog lately so I absolutely made sure I had a chance to see Laura Moss' medical horror riff on Frankenstein (produced in partnership with Shudder, no less). I wasn't aware at the time that the director would be in attendance, so I'm even happier I was able to make it out. The scares in Birth/Rebirth are somewhat subdued but there's a deeply unsentimental streak in the film regarding the human body, reproduction, and ultimately motherhood that achieves a properly dark tone for what is otherwise a compelling portrait of two women who find themselves with more in common that one would think. Marin Ireland is terrific as Rose, a pathologist turned resurrectionist who's commitment to her work also presents a barrier when connecting to other people. Judy Reyes manages to balance the empathy of a grieving mother with a pragmatism that lends some believability to her eventual collaboration with Rose. I confess I'm not always enthusiastic about new horror films, but Birth/Rebirth looked great, had some fantastic music, and I thought the principal characters were genuinely interesting. Admittedly, it could have gone harder (I do like things to get aggressively weird) but then again that restraint might be part of why I came away from this with such a positive impression. I know that this one will be more widely released this year and eventually make its way to streaming so I would keep an eye out for it.

Next Sohee (2022) - Another compelling drama in the thriller milieu, this time from Korean director: July Jung. The structure of Next Sohee is split between an introduction to the teenaged Sohee (Kim Si-eun) and the investigation into her untimely death by Yu-Jin (Bae Doona). Jung pulls no punches in detailing the machinery of the Korean education apparatus and how it hurls young people into the uncompromising world of exploitative corporations. Sohee is hardworking but also demonstrates a spirited nature that is inherently at odds with the dehumanizing systems she is increasingly subjected to. Yu-Jin's investigation reveals the complicity of different individuals serving the various functions of these systems but also illustrates how bureaucracy allows those individuals to absolve themselves of responsibility. It's important that the real beneficiaries of capitalist excess are never shown - the focus is kept on the middle managers or the lower level supervisors and never the CEOs. The head exploiters remain faceless while everyone points hopelessly at the metrics that determine their less than humane actions. Next Sohee does run a bit long at 135 minutes, but I felt it was earned through the characterizations and the investigative details. I also appreciated that Jung didn't feel compelled to make this a mash up of several genres and just executes the drama and the police procedural with skill.

Medusa Deluxe (2022) - I was genuinely prepared to love Thomas Hardiman's debut film about a murder mystery during a hairdressing competition and I think this film will ultimately find its audience - but I'm afraid I was a bit underwhelmed. No small part of that is the "one shot" structure which I've never found terribly interesting and am only further perplexed by its persistence. If you like scenes of people walking through hallways or up and down stairwells - Medusa Deluxe more than delivers on that front. There are some terrific moments and performances, particularly from Clare Perkins, but this never came together for me as a whole.

Four Little Adults (2023) - Selma Vilhunen's distinctly Nordic, but relatable (I think) exploration of polyamory. Juulia is an up and coming liberal politician who discovers that her husband, Matias, is having an affair with a woman he also loves. Rather than issue an ultimatum of divorce or ending the affair, Juulia proposes she and Matias proceed with an open relationship so long as they are honest with each other. It's not long afterwards that Juulia meets and falls for a performer, Miska, and the two begin a romance even though Miska has another partner. I can picture a version of this story that focuses on jealousy or anger and Vilhunen doesn't shy away from those topics completely, but it's only a part of how these intertwining lives become complicated. There is almost as much attention paid to time management (very Nordic) and the impact of how other people perceive Juulia and Matias. I'll admit that I'm probably missing some important cultural and political context to this, but Matias is a practicing priest and it's made absolutely clear from both his father (also a priest) and his predecessor that an open marriage is a career ending event should anyone decide to make a complaint about it. Juulia's career ascent and personal discovery paints and interesting picture as well as even though she is a member of a progressive political party, she feels the need to be delicate about what she discloses. It's a thoughtful film and while it's not personally revelatory or shocking in any way, I can't help but recognize how regressive American public life is compared to what's being depicted here.

Love Life (2022) - As I sat down for Koji Fukada's family drama, I had to ask myself whether the title was a noun or an instruction. I think it works either way but by the end I was feeling more aligned with the latter. It's hard to talk too much about some of the plot points without spoiling anything, but it's a film very much dealing with grief and how we cope with or process profound loss. I think you could be forgiven if you find the film slow or visually disinteresting but I truly loved the pacing and even though this largely takes place in a suburban apartment complex - I thought Fukada composed some beautiful shots. I'm a little embarrassed to write this, but one of the more compelling elements of Love Life is that there's a major character with a disability (deafness) and that character possesses the same if not more complexity as the rest of the ensemble. He is neither pitiable nor is he heroic and he isn't even portrayed very sympathetically all of the time. There's a deep humanity on display here and it's extended to everyone on screen. I think that's something that shouldn't seem as exceptional as it does, but well worth applauding in this case.

L'immensita (2022) - It's funny, of all the films I watched during the MSPIFF, L'immensita is the one I keep coming back to. It's not because of the complexity of the themes - though they are present - rather it's because there are all of these cultural touchpoints in the depiction of 70s Italy that I wasn't already familiar with. I find myself listening to the music featured in the film or trying to find some of the television performances that the characters watch - it's been interesting. Luana Giuliani performs admirably as Adri/Andrea, a young teenager coming to terms with how to express their gender identity in a time and culture that was not well equipped to do so. Unsurprisingly, Penelope Cruz brings much of the on-screen charisma as Andrea's mother who has significant struggles of her own. After seeing their mother cat-called on the streets of Rome, Andrea exclaims "They're all assholes and you're too beautiful, could you try not to be so beautiful?" Of course, this isn't possible for Cruz and her glamour serves her well when L'immensita occasionally breaks reality for a musical number. Unfortunately, the stylization of the film is less successful when conveying the depth of drama I think is meant to be invoked. For a story tackling gender dysphoria, unhappy marriage, and mental illness - L'immensita comes off as a breezy affair. Still, I'm susceptible to style and characters who lean into pop culture fantasies to help transcend their realities will forever be relatable to me. 

Sadly, I had to truncate my time spent at this year's fest due to travel but I had a wonderful time and got to see a nice variety of films from different countries and perspectives. The fest was run beautifully and all the staff and volunteers I talked to were terrific. Having so much of the festival concentrated at the Main Cinema and the St. Anthony Main area is tremendous - I was able to use public transportation primarily and take walks along the river during downtime as well as being nearby to some excellent food (and coffee!). Hopefully next year I'll be able to take some time off from work so that I can attend more of the festival be it screenings, events, or just time spent with fellow film enthusiasts. 

MSPIFF - Part One

Now in its 42nd year, Minneapolis is host to the MSP International Film Festival as organized by the MSP Film Society. For 2023 the festival is featuring 190+ films and events from at least 70 different countries and also includes special guests throughout. I've attended many MSPIFF screenings during my time in Minneapolis but when all of our theaters were shuttered, I made myself a promise to attend more festivals and show up for more films. This year, I threw my hat into the arena and was beyond stoked to receive a press pass to MSPIFF. The pass enables me to truly dig into the films and I really can't thank the MSP Film Society and MSPIFF enough for the chance to do so. Outside of my day job responsibilities, I have been doing my level best to hurl myself into as many of the festival offerings as I can ( primarily at the Main Cinema in Minneapolis). This blog space generally follows whatever whims have been striking me, but I would say that the overall trend is towards older films and more genre films than what's represented at MSPIFF. The festival films are newer releases and frequently ones that have really only seen the festival circuit so far - be it TIFF, Venice, Sundance, or others. It's an interesting contrast for me and I'm enjoying seeing, engaging with, and ultimately writing about movies outside of my usual beat. I had considered doing a "best of" collection of capsule reviews, but in the end I've decided to write about everything I see during the festival. I think this better captures the depth and variety of the programming and because the fest goes until the 27th - maybe it will better encourage local readers to come down and check it out.

Day One

Tori and Lokita (2022) - The latest film from Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Palme d'Or nominee is the story of two young people who have formed an intense bond following their journey to Belgium from Africa. Masquerading as siblings in an attempt to improve Lokita's chances of gaining permanent asylum, they are partners in life (and in crime) facing obstacles from the Belgian immigration authorities, the petty crook/restaurant chef they hustle for, and the smuggling ring who helped bring them into the country. I haven't seen as much of the Dardenne's expansive filmography as I'd like, but the naturalistic tone and camerawork were expected and very much appreciated. What I did not anticipate was how much Tori and Lokita leaned into the crime aspects of the story. The feeling of threat and dread is palpable - exacerbated due to the youth of the protagonists - and while I would not begin to describe this as a genre piece, the suspense was genuinely effective. The Dardenne's have made an angry film and a heartbreaking one - the resolution is both disturbing and perhaps inevitable. It was quite a start to my festival experience.

Dreamin' Wild (2022) - Bill Pohlad's latest feature was the "official" festival opener and there was a bit of fanfare associated with it. There was an opening reception, free snacks and drinks, and introductions from both MSP Film Society folks and the director himself. The film was a return to the music biopic for Pohlad (Love & Mercy), this time focusing on the rediscovery of the Emerson Brothers whose independently produced 1979 album, Dreamin' Wild, became something of a sensation after being rereleased by Light in the Attic records in 2012. Casey Affleck gives a fine performance as Donnie Emerson and I can appreciate Pohlad's continued narrative deconstruction - flashing the story backwards, forwards, and even overlapping in time and memory - but I ultimately didn't find the hook for the film. It seemed underwritten to me and while Affleck brings credible anguish to his portrayal - the reasons for that tension aren't well developed. The rest of the cast make for a good ensemble but their characters lacked depth - essentially being perfectly patient and supportive while Affleck lashes out around him. 

Day Two

Nayola (2022) - On the second day I had planned to start with a different film, but life intervened. I enjoy animation and am tangentially familiar with Angolan history so I decided to give Nayola a shot - and I'm so glad that I did. It's an absolutely gorgeous feature that alternates between a more painterly animation for events taking place during the Angolan Civil War and a cell-shaded animation for the more modern sequences. Nayola is in no way an attempt at a strict history of the war but offers impressions of both the war and its aftermath through anecdotal episodes of the three women it focuses on. I expected it to get fairly grim, but I'm not sure I understood how surreal it would become - towards the end there are sequences that (if anything) recall early Lynch or the darker moments of Miyazaki's work. I thought it lost a little narrative thrust somewhere in the middle but it never stops being a joy to look at. One of the things you have to love about festivals is taking a chance on something you know so little about and this is one I'll definitely be recommending to people.

Showing Up (2022) - Kelly Reichardt's latest was one of the tickets I prioritized when planning my fest. I've long admired Reichardt's work even if I'm not a total devotee. I appreciate the elegance of her unhurried, naturalistic compositions though I'm not always deeply affected by them. Showing Up managed to hit me squarely in the funny, sad, neurotic sweet spot and I was totally taken with it. Michelle Williams works again with Reichardt playing an anxious, sometimes prickly, intense artist, Lizzy,  who is working on sculptures for her next show. Lizzy also works at a private art college (and for her mother) while renting an apartment from a fellow artist and school alumni (Hong Chau). There is an immaculate sense of place and community established in Showing Up that is certainly due to the incredible ensemble but is also deeply indebted to the location work - especially the former campus of the Oregon School of Art and Craft. Reichardt's caring familiarity with these oddballs allows her to find the humor in them but never with derision and her patient attention reveals both the frustration and the triumphs of the creative process. The finale nearly lands in screwball comedy territory - which I loved - but Reichardt reels it in to strike a more reflective tone very much in concert with her previous films. Showing Up is probably a movie you don't need me to nudge you towards, but I offer the nudge all the same.

Kokomo City (2023) - Essentially a talking heads documentary focusing on black transgender women who also happen to be sex workers. There's an earnest attempt at a more energetic style of documentary here, but I honestly thought the interviews with the women were more than enough to sell this picture. They are all excellent raconteurs with a great deal of insight not only into their own lives, but the community around them. I think first time filmmaker D. Smith's choice to feature women from at least a couple of different cities was a good one and helps broaden the perspectives on offer. There are also several interviews with men and while I see the larger point in doing so - I found them much less successful. Kokomo City is crammed with an eclectic selection of music and I have to give a shout out to the Stelvio Cipriani track showing up out of nowhere.

Day Three

The Beasts (2022) - A beautifully performed slow burner that is evocative of other rural/urban conflict films but never fully indulges in some of the more well-trod tropes. Denis Ménochet shines as Antoine - a relative newcomer from France to a remote Galician village where he and his wife (the also excellent Marina Foïs) are attempting to live off the land. The film opens with existing tension between Antoine and his neighbors over whether they should sell their properties to developers looking to build wind turbines where the village stands - and things only escalate from there. Antoine's primary antagonist is his closest neighbor Xan, who is played to such chilling effect by Luis Zahera that I continually expected things to get far uglier than they do. Despite this restraint, the sense of dread is pervasive and the threat is impactful when it does ratchet up. There is a significant structural shift later in the film that may or may not succeed with everyone and definitely contributes to the 137 minute runtime - this didn't bother me at all but I was hoping for a more emphatic finale. Going in, I did not realize that The Beasts was loosely based on actual events in Galicia and I can also recommend the 2016 documentary Santoalla as a follow up if you're curious.

I Like Movies (2022) - Very funny, uncomfortably relatable coming-of-age tale set in the Toronto suburbs in the early 00s. I Like Movies is centered on a film-obsessed, socially awkward teenager - Lawrence brought to life by Isiah Lehtinen - who is navigating his last year in high school and harboring dreams of attending NYU film school. After multiple attempts, Lawrence is finally able to get a job at his local video store where he forms a kind of friendship with his older manager, played by Romino D'Ugo. I Like Movies is very much a comedy but writer/director Chandler Levack is not afraid to get dark and Lawrence says some absolutely brutal things to the people around him in the way only teenagers can (and garners some brutal responses as a result). I was not Lawrence as a 17 year old and I came of age in a different time and place but it's hard not to find pieces of this that relate to my own experience. My understanding is that Levack transposed parts of her own life onto Lawrence and perhaps that will help a wider swath of audiences recognize themselves in the character. Of all the films I've seen so far at MSPIFF, this is the one that I think will demand an immediate re-watch from me just to catch more of the movie references that every scene is bursting with. I loved seeing the employee picks wall covered in Vinegar Syndrome releases including Beyond the Door III, Olivia, Dominique, and others. 

The Origin of Evil (2022) - I have sadly not seen Sébastien Marnier's previous feature but the comparisons to Chabrol and Bong Joon-Ho Origin of Evil was already garnering were more than sufficient to draw me to it. The comparisons are apt - it's a sumptuously shot, well performed, twist laden, and (naturally) class conscious thriller that definitely recalls both auteurs. I would also say that I caught some restrained De Palma vibes beginning with the Carrie-esque opening locker room scene to Marnier's use of split screens. There's a lot to like here and while I don't think Origin climbs the heights of something like Parasite or La Cérémonie - it's still incredibly entertaining and kept my tired brain engaged despite the late hour. Laure Calamy is excellent as a working class woman ostensibly looking to reconnect with her estranged, fabulously wealthy father only to find him surrounded by other influential women with their own agendas. In the end, I felt like some of the character motivations were unclear to me, but I still had a blast watching those motivations and machinations unfold. I'll certainly be tracking down his earlier work, but Marnier is officially on my radar as a creator of sophisticated, thoughtful genre pieces and that's something I could definitely do with more of.

Day Four

My Sailor, My Love (2022) - By Sunday, I was winding down a bit and decided to just go for a quick double feature beginning with this Finnish/Irish co-production. I confess a weakness for virtually any film shot in the coastal regions of Ireland and My Sailor is no exception. It features stunning photography of Achill Island, multiple rich golden hour moments, and aerial footage that manages to dispense with that overly-floaty drone feel that often makes modern films look like YouTube videos. My Sailor is also a solid family drama tackling the complexities of grown children and their (frequently) unresolved issues with aging parents. Veterans James Cosmo and Brid Brennan deliver admirable performances as two people finding each other later in life and the film is anchored by Catherine Walker who plays Cosmo's long suffering daughter. I'd only previously seen Walker in the very different film - A Dark Song - which I thought she was also excellent in. My Sailor does lean into the sentimental and I felt like the script was easily the weakest aspect, but everything else was done so competently that I couldn't help but appreciate it.

Mamacruz (2022) - Another Sunday matinee confronting the challenges of aging. While Mamacruz also deals somewhat in unresolved issues between parents and children, it's primarily about unsatiated sexual desire. Prolific actress and Almodovar collaborater, Kiti Mánver, plays the role of Cruz - a devoutly catholic grandmother who is coming to grips with her inner passions. She manages to accidently stumble across some internet porn and (rather conveniently) a therapy group for women looking for increased sexual satisfaction. These experiences help her put words and actions towards what she's feeling as she comes more into herself as a sexual being despite her deep religious convictions. Mamacruz isn't coy about its subject matter and yet it felt rather chaste to me for a film featuring genitalia covered in chocolate sauce or emitting glowing auras. I found it light and charming and particularly enjoyed the support group ensemble. 

I think that's more than enough for a part 1 of festival coverage, but I will be continuing to see more films throughout the week and will have at least a second part forthcoming.