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Short Takes and Reviews

Adam Kim Voynar My immediate reaction to this was to roll my eyes and inwardly groan at the set-up that this film was going to be about a magical differently-abled person who shows a "normal" person some wonderful and mysterious things about life through his different perspective, thus teaching her important life lessons she couldn't have learned had she not met him. Which it kind of is, and kind of isn't, but the opening set-up isn't the only problem the film has.
211:Anna Kim Voynar 211: Anna, a documentary by Italian directors Paolo Serbandini and Giovanna Massimetti, has an interesting subject but unfortunately fails to shed much new light on the life and death of its subject, murdered Russian political journalist Anna Politkovskaya.
The Vicious Kind Kim Voynar Lee Krieger's second feature, The Vicious Kind, is a tale of forgiveness and redemption told through the character of Caleb Sinclaire (Adam Scott), an intensely unpleasant construction worker whose bitterness and misogyny masks a deeply wounded man whose outward anger acts as a shield against the world.
You Won't Miss Me Ray Pride There are quietly sophisticated elements throughout, from the pacing of Shelly's moods and sometimes-brutal confrontations with female friends as well as her young dates (scruffy bedheads to a man) she admires or wants, to a compositional motif of triangular elements (a ladder on a mostly-bare stage, a clock's hands at 3:40, hands raised above heads) that imply a constant danger of an emotional folding-in.
Motherhood Kim Voynar Katherine Dieckmann's Motherhood, a tale about a harried stay-at-home mom having a very bad day, may officially be the first "mommy blogger" movie.
Grace Kim Voynar

... I decided at the last minute to catch Paul Solet's Grace instead, having heard from my good friend and horror buff Scott Weinberg that he liked the film and thought I would find it interesting.

Interesting? Oh. My. God.
Peter and Vandy Kim Voynar Peter and Vandy, the feature writing and directorial debut by Jay DiPietro, follows the love story of one couple through the ups and downs of their relationship. It sounds simple -- and it is -- but the beauty of this film is in the execution.
The Winning Season Kim Voynar Feels a bit like The Bad News Bears meets A League of Their Own: a rag-tag, disorganized group of girls who have little chance to win at all, much less have a winning season, pull together to win enough games to qualify to play at sectionals.
An Education Kim Voynar An Education, Lone Scherfig's much-anticipated film about Jenny (Carey Mulligan), a British schoolgirl in the 1960s who gets swept off her feet by an older man (Peter Saarsgard) is beautifully directed, smart and engaging -- and one of the best films at Sundance thus far.
Adventureland Kim Voynar Adventureland, the newest feature by Greg Mottola (Superbad), is a fun trip back to the '80s, when glamour-rock, mall hair and blue eyeshadow were cool.
I Love You Phillip Morris Gregg Goldstein There’s nothing that can prepare you for I Love You Phillip Morris, a con-man, gay-romantic, prison-escape, sex-farce comedy-drama (based on an unbelievable true crime story… or was it?) which defies any expectations you bring to it.
Cold Souls Ray Pride Eccentric without ever becoming unduly whimsical, Sophie Barthes' surrealism-lite Cold Souls (which she co-film-bys with cinematographer-partner-soul mate Andrij Parekh) pirouettes near Charlie Kaufman's dance floor.
Paper Heart Kim Voynar Artist and comedian Charlyne Yi puts a spin on the quest-for-love story in which she plays herself filming a documentary about her search for the meaning of love.
Moon Kim Voynar Jones has made a remarkably well-directed first feature; the script, written by newcomer scribe Nathan Parker off a story idea by Jones, has some minor issues, but certainly nothing insurmountable.
Big River Man Kim Voynar Another doc that falls into the realm of a fascinating subject not exceptionally well-executed, Big River Man follows world-famous endurance swimmer Martin Strel on his historic swim down the length of the Amazon river.
Humpday Kim Voynar Director Lynn Shelton has made a surprisingly insightful indie character drama about male relationships, what adulthood means, and the ways in which we compartmentalize our lives.
Rough Aunties Kim Voynar The result isn't the most beautifully shot theatrical doc you'll ever see, but these strong, feisty women are inspiring as they work to help the young victims who come into their care.
Lymelife Kim Voynar Derick Martini's Lymelife, whose international rights were just picked up by Cinemavault on the eve of its Sundance debut, is one of those indie dramas at Sundance that mostly hits all the right notes.
Thriller in Manila Ray Pride Thriller From Manila is an exactingly made documentary made to fulfill a pre-determined thesis: Ali bad, Frazier good.
Mary and Max Kim Voynar For those who like their serious themes addressed in interesting, even quirky ways, Mary and Max is a departure from the same-old, same-old, and the ending sneaks up and touches the heart unexpectedly.
     
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 Voynar