Thursday, September 25, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury

Film: The joy of cinema

Prepare to partake of the Blue Sky International Film Festival's movie treats

By Anthony Allison

Drop everything, film fans, and prepare to rush over to the Regal Village Square. Because for four busy days this week, the Blue Sky International Film Festival returns, for the fourth time, with another intriguingly eclectic selection of cinematic treats.

Included in the program of nine features and 27 shorts are some real doozies. But most notably, and a real rarity in this digital age, all this year's films will be shown on 35mm--though Executive Producer Jeffrey Matthews Hill warns, "This will probably be the last year that we'll strictly be on glorious 35mm." So enjoy the warmth of pure film while you can, purists.

Here are some must-sees, plus a couple you may prefer to resist:

Joyful Partaking "Oh rapture! Another day in paradise," groans suicidal ex-weatherman John Procaccino, in William Moreing's bittersweet black comedy. Like Kevin Spacey in American Beauty, he's being sarcastic. But by the end of this wryly observed look at the isolation and dysfunction, pretensions and hypocrisy of Seattle suburbanites, you'll be enraptured for real. The large ensemble cast is pitch perfect. Left alone by her son and daughter-in-law (Andrew Heffernan and Jennifer Sue Johnson), stroke victim Elizabeth Huddle falls in the back yard and waits to die, with neighbors literally feet away; lonesome spinster Jane Jones seeks solace with unexpectedly honest psychic Kathryn Mesney; and laid-off factory worker George Catalano's bigotry is challenged by his wife (Kit Harris), son (Orion Orellana) and a magazine salesperson (Robyne Walker). Meanwhile, his teenage daughter (Bridget O'Neill) babysits for a catatonic Asian kid (Nan Hu) and his exasperating green parrot. The full title of this surprisingly poignant picture is, "Joyful Partaking in the Sorrows of Life, Or...One Damn Thing After Another." Catch this joyful, two-year-old gem. You'll be glad you partook. (Sun., 2:15, 6:45, 11:15.)

Nachtschwimmen In 17 succinct minutes, and with a seamlessly edited flashback structure, German director Markus Engel's expressive coming-of-age drama deftly depicts the desperate loneliness of puberty, sibling rivalry and broken Olympic swimming-champion dreams. Selda Kaya, Johanna Tietz and André Roehner star in this exquisite aquatic miniature. Subtitled. (Thu./Fri., 12:00, 4:00, 8:00.)

God's Sandbox The sobering tagline to Israeli director Doron Eran's indictment of female circumcision states that 3 million women every year "have their bodies mutilated in the name of tradition: This film cries out on their behalf." But this adaptation of Dr. D. Zilberman's novel Castration approaches its shocking theme obliquely, mixing Rudolph Valentino melodrama with lush, English Patient romance. A famous writer seeks her runaway, teenage daughter at a Sinai Desert beach where a Bedouin bar owner recounts how, years earlier in the same idyllic spot, a beautiful Western tourist met the dark-eyed son of a sheikh. Starring Juliano Merr, Razia Israeli, Meital Dohan, Orly Perel and Sami Samir. Part-subtitled. (Sat., 2:00, 8:00, 10:00; Sun., 2:00, 8:00.)

The Man with the Empty Room Shot on location in Portland, Ore., in glorious black and white, and with stylish production design that mixes retro chic with futuristic, dystopian elements (ˆ la Brazil or Gattaca), Todd Korgan's wistful, 20-minute short stars Eric Hull as a loner who seeks a roommate, with unexpected, and unexpectedly touching, results. Co-starring Jamie Tolbert and Doug Miller. (Fri., 2:00, 6:00, 10:00.)

Puddlejumper On a small Mexican plane, Ed (Scott MacDonell) hits it off with beautiful Ana (Lorena Mena), despite the language barrier, but then embarrassing disaster strikes. Dave West's wickedly witty short, co-written by Chris Marshall, is based on a true story (that occurred in and above Nicaragua in December 2000). (Thu./Fri., 12:00, 4:00, 8:00.)

Ocha Cups for Christmas In Michael Fimognari's culture-clash drama, Emily Harrison plays a lonesome exchange student who finds an unusual way to counter the Japanese tradition of gift giving but ultimately gets her comeuppance. Adapted from the short story by Jordan McMullin (inspired by her own experiences as an exchange student in Japan), this half-hour gem is as delicate and beautifully crafted as the titular Japanese teacups. Part-subtitled. (Thu./Fri., 12:00, 4:00, 8:00.)

The Month of August As a (somewhat unconvincing) film reviewer and his waitress love interest, hapless Mackenzie Astin and ditzy Ali Hillis rescue Rex Piano's San Diego-shot romantic comedy from its more cringeworthy aspects. The result is an offbeat love story peppered with nicely acerbic lines by Scott Benefiel: "You've never been good at bad relationships," sneers Astin's bachelor buddy Randall Batinkoff. As insubstantial yet agreeable as a soap bubble. (Thu., 12:00, 4:00, 8:00.)

Butterfly Man Kaprice Kea's frank exposé of the Thai sex industry is an uneasy mix of travelogue, romance and thriller, with Stuart Laing as a British backpacker who falls for a gorgeous masseuse (Mamee Nakprasitte) on an idyllic island, then uncovers a human trafficking ring run by dastardly expatriates. Flawed and simplistic but superior to Leo DiCaprio's Siamese backpacking farrago, The Beach. (Fri./Sat., 2:00, 6:00, 10:00.)

The Champagne Club You don't have to be crazy to watch Brazilian Buñuel wannabe Jo‹o Machado's surreal, obtuse art flick. But if you are, it'd help you endure this stomach-turning fantasy about two artsy-fartsy couples going insane at a luxurious villa where they indulge in a grotesque epicurean orgy ("Eat shit and die," is one motto). Based on letters by artist/mental patient Jonathan Hacke, this unpalatable pic stars Brian Donovan, Sara Rinde, Robert Ripley and Jacqueline Meyer. (Thu., 2:00, 6:00 10:00.)

Mr. Barrington "I've come to the conclusion that I just find you inexcusably boring," Brian McCardie's titular character tells timid, agoraphobic poet Jennifer Nichole Porter, in Dana Packard's drama. Porter also wrote the script and score which, in part, sounds suspiciously like a Chopin Prelude (Op. 28 No. 4). By the time this ponderous pic makes its point (suicide is painful), you'll probably agree with McCardie's scathing verdict. With Eric Schweig. (Sun., 12:00, 4:30, 9:00.)

Festival schedule

Thursday, Sept. 25

12:00, 4:00, 8:00 The Month of August (93 min.) See preview. Plus: Rendezvous (12 min.) Aaron Wilson, Australia. A married man reluctantly meets with his troubled ex-lover.

12:00, 4:00, 8:00 Fabulous Shorts Program 1 Black Velvet (26 min.) Simon Cathcart, Ireland. Two businessmen try to seal a deal in a hostile coastal community; Vacation (12 min.) Barbara Stepansky, U.S. A young couple's dream vacation proves to be an emotional nightmare; Nachtschwimmen [Night Swimming] (18 min.) See preview. Puddlejumper (13 min.) See preview. Ocha Cups for Christmas (29 min.) See preview. Also: Fri.

2:00, 6:00, 10:00 The Champagne Club (86 min.) See preview. Plus: Photo (11 min.) Andre Fabrizio, U.S. A "resting" actor sneaks into the background of photos, to attract attention.

2:00, 6:00, 10:00 Westender (103 min.) Brock Morse, U.S. Medieval knight Asbrey of Westender sets out to regain his only meaningful possession and finds a way to redeem himself. With Blake Stadel.

Friday, Sept. 26

12:00, 4:00, 8:00 Fabulous Shorts 1 Above: Thur.

12:00, 4:00, 8:00 Saints and Soldiers (90 min.) Ryan Little, U.S. During 1944's Battle of the Bulge, two Allied soldiers evade the Germans' notorious massacre, near Malmedy, Belgium. With Corbin Allred, Alex Niver. Plus: Diagnosis Trauma (10 min.) Mike Nirenberg, U.S. An ingrown toenail launches this satirical look at the medical establishment.

2:00, 6:00, 10:00 Butterfly Man (95 min.) See preview. Plus Locked-In Syndrome (8 min.) Martin and Caussé, France. When a disabled man's electronic gizmos fail, how will he get that strange broadcast off the TV? With Jacques Pépion. Also: Sat.

2:00, 6:00, 10:00 Fabulous Shorts 2

Crossing (12 min.) Jeremy Passmore, U.S. Convinced his life is a bad dream, a grifter stages violent accidents to wake himself up; Cinema/Verite (27 min.) Scott E. Anderson, U.S. Kane deals with the loss of his partner, love and muse, in a love story set in a twilight zone of images and memory; Grandchildren (18 min.) Ben Nedivi, U.S. Desperate for grandkids, Rosa's hopes to find her youngest son a wife; Lucky Man (14 min.) Rafael Lima, U.S. A lifetime loser bets all on a high stakes poker game; The Man with the Empty Room (20 min.) See preview.

Saturday, Sept. 27

12:00, 4:00, 6:00 Fabulous Shorts 3

A Boy Named Rags (8 min.) Kelly Reese, U.S. Listening to his favorite AM talk radio show, Tim speaks to the radio. Tonight, the host talks back; Destiny (16 min.) Katherine Makinney, U.S. A photojournalist, recently dumped, decides to have an abortion; Wonder (30 min.) Manuel De Seixas Correa, U.S. Two teens embark on a turbulent journey of self-discovery and love, to escape their parents; Hereditary Misfortune (11 min.) Ian S. McCain and Krystian Lagowski, U.S. Each generation of the Smith family has inherited a destiny for an unexpected and humiliating death; Fater (22 min.) Danny Meltzer, U.S. A truck driver begins to hallucinate and realizes his family and his home have become foreign to him; Vengeance (4 min.) Brian Belefant, U.S. A man has an ulterior motive for enduring the pain of acupuncture.

12:00, 4:00, 8:00 Temptations (90 min.) Zoltan Kamondi, Hungary. Everyone predicts a great future for Anna's son Marci, but he's more interested in finding his estranged father than pursuing a career. With Marcell Miklos, Julianna Kovacs. Subtitled. Plus: Just a Day (8 min.) Ruth Pindilli, Canada. A man wanders the deserted suburban landscape alone. Also: Sun.

2:00, 6:00, 10:00 Butterfly Man (95 min.) See preview. Plus Locked-In Syndrome (8 min.) Above: Fri.

2:00, 8:00, 10:00 God's Sandbox (87 min.) See preview. Plus: From Mesmer, with Love or Tea for Two (10 min.) [De Mesmer, con amor o te para dos] Salvador Aguirre and Alejandro Lubezki, Mexico. Alberto resorts to disturbing practices to break through the shell of his loneliness. Also: Sun.

Sunday, Sept. 28

12:00, 4:00, 6:00 Fabulous Shorts 4

The Good Book (12 min.) Nir Bashan, U.S. A singer-songwriter faces the music after plagiarizing her kid sister's poetry, to write a song; The Slivergleam Whistle (25 min.) Mike Williamson, U.S. Legend has it, the Silvergleam Express haunts the woods, 40 years after being struck by lightning; Persistence (10 min.) James J. Cullinane, U.S. A 75-year-old tries to get out of the nursing home; Psychoanalysis Changed My Life (28 min.) Ellen Novack, U.S. A divorced college professor undergoes analysis with a strict Freudian, until the relationship becomes somewhat unorthodox; Notoriety (22 min.) Reyna Rosenshein, U.S./G.B. After being raped, a struggling photographer finds that photos of the attack inadvertently wind up in a prestigious art gallery.

12:00, 4:30, 9:00 Mr. Barrington (113 min.) See preview.

2:00, 8:00 God's Sandbox (87 min.) See preview. Plus: From Mesmer, with Love (10 min.) Above: Sat.

2:15, 6:45, 11:15 Joyful Partaking (120 min.) See preview.

10:00 Temptations (90 min.) Plus Just a Day (8 min.) Above: Sat.`