Angeliki Antoniou’s Green Sea is a worthwhile film filled with beautiful themes and a story about memories.
Courtesy of NashFilm
By now, if you haven’t noticed I love international cinema whether that is Latin America, Europe, Asia, or any other region that holds some sort of cinematic industry. I love being able to watch stories told through a lens I know nothing about. When it comes to these films they are usually crafted differently which interests me so much as a fellow filmmaker. I just can’t get enough of these movies and I wouldn’t stop watching them even if I tried. Of course, the next film I would discuss would be an international film so lets get to it shall we!
Green Sea looks at the journey of a woman going through a rough case of amnesia as she begins to work at a seaside restaurant where she expertly crafts food for customers. Throughout her time at the restaurant, she befriends people and enters the lives of those around her all while trying to recover her memories before she suffered this bout of amnesia. The film is written and directed by Angeliki Antonio and is inspired by the novel, Gia Na Dei Ti Thalassa by Evgenia Fakinou. The film stars Angeliki Papoulia (Dogtooth and The Lobster), Yannis Tsortekis, Tasos Palatzidis, and Meletis Georgiadis.
The film is a solid attempt from an interesting concept that works most of the time. One thing is certain about this film and it is that the cast works so well together. You can feel the chemistry between all of these people and every performance felt so genuine in this. Of course, Papoulia is marvelous in this role and has the viewer just invested in her character from the get go, My main problem with the film derives from the pacing which I felt dragged so much in the second act. Our first half of this film is so strong and once we hit the second half it is just not as strong. If we had spent just a bit more time in that third act instead of dragging out the first two we could have a really strong film on our hands. I also felt that a lot of what is being presented swiftly gets forgotten in the third act in order to wrap things up.
Overall, this is a very enjoyable experiences that explores beautiful themes such as love and friendship. I’m not sure when this one will be available to watch publicly but I would definitely recommend people to watch it!
52nd NFF (2021) Capsule Feature Film Reviews: Part 1
The 2021 Nashville Film Festival is coming to an end, and as to no surprise it has been an incredible experience; and I was only at the virtual event, imagine the in person experience. I want to thank the Nashville Film Festival committee for allowing myself and The Nerd Corps to join it, and although it hasn’t ended yet it’s still a grateful thanks. I’ll write an overall review of the event when it ends but I want to leave a couple of capsule reviews early for our viewers so they start to be interested in these upcoming films.
Now if you are not familiar with what a capsule review is it’s simple; it’s about a paragraphs worth of my opinion on certain films I’ve seen in the event without spoilers, using too much detail, etc. These are private/ payed for events and as a press visitor I am not allowed to speak of them in the forms mentioned above. Now on to these films!
Courtesy of NFF
The Murder Podcast
Directed and written by William Bagley, this isn’t what I expected looking at the name but it was not the worst thing I’ve seen. Its comedic tones were wacky and its supernatural wasn’t a Blumhouse production, but that isn’t a problem it just goes to show to never judge a book by its cover or synopsis. As I mentioned, the comedic tone was wacky but it works in favor of what I believe was meant by William and the overall film. It honestly reminded me of the older live action Nickelodeon movies I used to watch or even an AwesomenessTV film. Now it’s no jab, although it’s not my cup of tea it did give me a handful of laughs and not to forget it did have some great shots in the film.
The Murder Podcast = 1.5/5Stars
Courtesy of NFF
7 Days
Directed by Roshan Sethi and written by Roshan Sethi and Karan Soni. Overall being the second film I watched I loved every aspect of it, not to mention the two main actor/actress duo. With an oversimplified synopsis by myself, it’s a film dealing with two characters being stuck together for 7 days with the COVID-19 lockdown at its peak start and everything about it works. The writing is amazing and the execution by the talents were 10 out of 10 giving this a romance drama, not the usual romantic comedy. The film is heart warming and I’ll be watching it again whenever it becomes available to the public.
7 Days = 5/5 Stars
Courtesy of NFF
Poser
Directed by Ori Segev & Noah Dixon and written by Noah Dixon. At first glance and viewing you would think this film was made under A24, but that isn’t the case. The cinematography is beautiful and incredible and like I said I’m surprised it isn’t a A24 film or a Neon film, as the pacing, lighting, frames, and story reminds me very much of them. One could say it’s even incredibly artistic or artisan for films with its use of color and lighting and the sound design works well to give more feel to the film. It’s just such a beautiful piece of art and I enjoyed my time watching and will probably rewatch in the future if possible.
Poser = 5/5 Stars
Courtesy of NFF
See You Then
Directed by Mari Walker and written by Kristen Uno and Mari Walker. The film tells a story of the characters without telling you a narrative of for either character, giving subtle nods at what each meant. Although the biggest was making sure you knew one character had gone through a transition, it gives insight into the Trans community which is lovely to see. The music and sound design is soothing to say the least but overall the story and the film itself reminded me of the Before Trilogy. The way the story is told isn’t all new but that doesn’t mean the story itself isn’t new. Although its pacing was like the said trilogy above, instead of leaving for hope and romance, this film works as if oil was left boiling and nearing the climax someone threw a cup of cold water in the pot, causing a huge spiraling fire. Nonetheless, it was a wonderful watch and although it felt a bit slow at times it was enjoyable.
See You Then = 4/5 Stars
Courtesy of NFF
Ludi
Directed by Edson Jean and written by Edson Jean and Joshua Jean-Baptiste. The story is well written along with the tone and leading ending gave way to something we don’t see much of in film, the telling of the Latin culture coming to look for a “better” life in the US. Although some scenes felt like it was meant for a film, the writing wasn’t bad at all and its comedic timing and sass was nice to see. Its pacing did seem to fall off at times but what I believe to be the use of this was to give emphasis to the ending and character development. I was surprised to have it capture so many things immigrants come here to find only finding hardships most of the time and it was nice to see it shown to us, the viewers.
Ludi = 4/5 Stars
Courtesy of NFF
Hard Luck Love SOng
Directed by Justin Corsbie and written by Justin Corsbie and Craig Ugoretz. The film is nicely paced for its 1 hour and 40 minute runtime, and it tells a story without telling it directly to the viewers about the characters. Its nice tones and the main protagonist’s cheerful and nice personality sets up for a lovable character with a semi mysterious past. The music and its sound design is also a major help in the story telling and fits incredibly well to say the least. Although it’s nothing out of the ordinary realm it’s definitely a film for anyone wanting or looking for something new to watch once it goes to the public.
Nana Mensah’s directorial debut is full of potential and shines a light on the immigrant experience.
Courtesy of NashFilm
Nashville Film Festival 2021 is finally here! I am so excited to be able to write tons of reviews for you all and tell you all about the films I am watching on my Twitter and Letterboxd. As you can see, I started my coverage a little early with my review of the music documentary, The Fable of a Song. Before the festival started I looked through the guide and pinned down which films would interest me to write a review on because I doubt I can write one for every single film that premieres here plus I need to share this space with Brad and Luis. Queen of Glory caught my attention instantly because of its beautiful poster, but as I read the synopsis I was intrigued. Let me tell you that this movie did not disappoint at all.
Queen of Glory focuses on Sarah, played by Nana Mensah (The King of Staten Island, Bonding, 13 Reasons Why) a Ghanaian American woman who is planning to move to Ohio with her secret lover. Life seems to be moving quickly and all of a sudden Sarah’s life is struck with a family tragedy. This tragedy leads to Sarah exploring her options and what she really wants out of her life. Along with having to confront her relationship with her estranged father. Through its runtime we are dissecting this character study and a portrayal of the immigrant experience.
Courtesy of NashFilm
Nana Mensah who serves as our writer, director, and main actress crafts a beautiful film about loss, identity, and the immigrant experience. Right off the bat, this film is beautifully crafted with its cinematography by Cybel Martin. There are some very pleasing lighting setups and the color palette is enticingly rich. The score and production design are impeccable as it really creates the atmosphere of Sarah’s culture. The film also includes some wonderful performances from actors like Meeko who portrays Pitt. Meeko and Mensah’s chemistry is wonderful and every time they both share the screen it is delightful. The story feels a bit rushed and leaves the viewer wanting a bit more time with some of our characters especially Sarah’s father. This could have used another extra 30 minutes to flesh out some more and I would not have mind at all. The strength of this film are there and its commentary and message about the immigrant experience joined by a struggle to know what Sarah wants make this film worth it. Nana Mensah’s directing career will be filled with better work as she continues and I am very excited for what is to come from her.
Queen of Glory will have its premiere at the Nashville Film Festival on October 4th, to purchase tickets to attend the event visit here.
There is no secret that Venom was disliked by many fans of the character and the same goes for its sequel, which isn’t being welcomed with open arms. Many I questioned if they were going to go see it confidently told me if they were it was because of work, unlike myself who just wanted to see this sequel.
If you haven’t noticed in my other articles by now my taste in films are very different than the norm, liking what most people would call “trash.”
I have no problem admitting that this film wasn’t the best, even concluding that it falls under its predecessor, but I can also say that I enjoyed certain aspects of the film.
Overview
Venom: Let There be Carnage is a sequel that was overall disliked before it even came out, there’s no running from a preset destiny. Overall the film’s run time played against it having it feel rushed in certain acts and having the characters not go through a proper growth pattern. Andy Serkis had a good vision having certain scenes feel like a cheesy comic panel, which isn’t bad in my opinion, but having certain characters be too over the top gave out. I honestly can say it wasn’t a good rendition but I also don’t want to say that it wasn’t entertaining, as I enjoyed the overall time I spent watching the film. But it’ll ultimately comes down to you the viewer to decide if you are going because you want an accurate depiction of the characters or if you simply want to be entertained for an hour and a half.
Review
Overall I’ll keep this review short and spoiler free. Serkis from what I saw and understood, wanted to depict Eddie Brock and Venom, played by Tom Hardy, to be a sort of comedic anti hero. Similar to Deadpool they wanted to bring a joking relationship between the two and I don’t mind it at all, but it honestly doesn’t play well with such a short run time being about 30 minutes shorter than the first film. There were many scenes that had great potential showing the characters attachment to each other but the necessary movement forward in the film failed to provide such views into their relationship.
I personally feel if it wasn’t cut short, these characters could have had a greater opportunity to be fleshed out. On the other hand, Cletus Kasady played by Woody Harrelson did a good job at showing the psychopathic killer in a live action atmosphere. We all know how his love for murder and blood is what makes his symbiote attracted to him and Carnage’s hatred feeds off of this satisfaction of chaos and that can be shown in many parts of the film. Not to mention the incredible character design and the sound design which gave me chills when I first heard his screech in theaters. Although in this film there isn’t a bond between the both like in the comics it shows a lot for his character and his actions, which you can clearly see if you watch till the end.
Naomie Harris also does an incredible job at portraying Shriek, now although she doesn’t have a symbiote in this film like the comic counterpart, I thoroughly enjoyed her performance. Although without having spoilers we may be in for a Shriek variant in the next film, although I can’t say for sure if it will happen. Not to mention having the mid credits makes it worth the viewing of the entire film, which was a BIG surprise for fans all around.
Now before I go in a train of confusion, I’ll keep it short. Venom: Let There be Carnage wasn’t a film that will obtain a nomination for an award but it does a good job at keeping me entertained. This is my own opinion though, and I understand majority rules against such expressed opinion but if you enjoyed the first one then you may enjoy this one as well. Granted I want to hear others’ opinions before I would give a full spoiler included talk, but for now check it out if you want, and let me know what you think in the comments. Till next time, peace.
Andy Strohl’s deep dive into the Americana duo The Young Fables is a pleasant examination of life and art’s symbiotic relationship.
Courtesy of Hope Tree Entertainment
Life is filled with various obstacles. Sometimes we are able to move past them, or sometimes it is tough to move on. The road to healing feels so long that you feel it may never end. Some of us have been dealt a tougher hand than others but it still doesn’t take away from the various challenges we face. Us artists have a special relationship with these hardships. At times we can use our art to help move on from these hardships, for example I talk a lot about one of my favorite albums of all time, The Notorious B.I.G’s Ready to Die. Ready to Die is poetic in every sense of the word. Biggie Smalls gives us a raw and honest look into his life and he never looks back on it. Sometimes we just feel that art is the only way for us to move on.
The Fable of a Song is a music documentary that chronicles the songwriting process of Americana duo The Young Fables members Laurel Wright and Wes Lunsford. Throughout this documentary, we are watching the writing process of “Daddy’s Girl” which is being written after Laurel Wright’s father had suffered a heart attack. We also hear about the writing process of other songs like “Your Kind of Company” that is about Laurel’s sister’s fight with her personal demons. Along with the process, we are also dissecting the importance of the group’s faith, family, and experiences.
It is always a pleasure to watch documentaries like The Fable of a Song because we rarely see the real people behind the instruments. Most of the time we are just left to get to know these artists by their music or their shows. Rarely, are we given the chance to actually get to know what makes them unique. That is what I loved about The Fable of a Song, we had the chance to really get to know these musicians. We got to see them laugh, smile, and cry throughout this film, but we also had the chance to get to know those who inspire them to create music like Laurel’s family. Even though there were moments where the documentary felt like it was straying off of the path of its central direction it still found its way to make its way back. The most important part lesson we leave with after credits roll is the role of everyone in Laurel’s life and how she needs all of them to continue being the musician she is.
This is a wonderful documentary for people like me who have never heard of The Young Fables as it includes their music so you get to experience their music for the first time and get to know the artists. The Young Fables can be found on their Instagram and YouTubechannel. You can listen to The Young Fables on Spotify, Apple Music, and other music streaming platforms.
The Fable of a Song will have its premiere on October 2nd at the 52nd Nashville Film Festival at the Rocketown at 9:30 PM CDT in Nashville, Tennessee. You can buy tickets to its premiere by visiting here. If you are not able to attend the event the film will be available to watch through their virtual cinema.
The Nerd Corps 