Movies

It’s been about a year since I went to the Sundance festival at BAM and saw a variety of outstandingly good movies. It seems that 12 months is the gestation period for these movies to come out (both in theaters and on DVD) and I am seeing them pop up here and there. I recommend that you check out each of the following movies once they are within your grasp:

Great World of Sound
Out on DVD in February, this small indie film about two record company recruiters is a terrific combination of witty, depressing, and awkward. An added joy is the fact that some (if not most) of the bands that show up to audition for the recruiters are real…and don’t know that they are being filmed as part of a movie. Best of all, the movie has possibly my favorite movie soundtrack song on it. The first version (below) is from the movie itself, sung by a young girl in the film.


The second version is sung by Brooklyn-based David Wingo, who wrote the song for the movie. Both versions are somewhat ridiculous, but oddly heart-warming.


Son of Rambow
This was the opening night feature at Sundance last year and has just been released to theaters in a few select cities. Son of Rambow tells the story of 11 year old Will, an imaginative kid raised among a strict religious community. Will befriends the local school bully who takes him under wing and introduces him to a world Will’s never seen: namely “First Blood”. After watching a bit of the overly violent movie, Will envisions a world in which he is the son of the legendary Rambo. He gets other students at the school to help him create a movie in homage to “First Blood.” The movie within the movie unravels at the end and Will must face the consequences of breaking free from the strict society. All in all a very nice, easy to fall into film. And with a great 80s soundtrack to boot!

Rocket Science
A brilliantly funny and quirky film. Set in New Jersey (which is always a good thing in my book), the film gives a startlingly honest portrayal of gawky high school years. The poor main character, who is convinced, through the feminine whiles of a senior girl, to join the debate team despite a terrible stutter, is played convincingly by Reece Daniel Thompson. Echoes of Napoleon Dynamite (but not nearly as crappy) and Wes Anderson (but not nearly as brilliant) come to mind. Out on DVD in late January.

All of the above is on my mind because the latest Sundance at BAM is coming soon. After last year, I have very high expectations for the films. Hopefully Robert Redford won’t disappoint.


PS: At some point I am going to post an unbelievably long and boring entry discussing the many changes that have happened in my life since January 2008. It’s been that long since I’ve shared anything.