Tonight I watched the delightful and funny short film "Training Wheels" written, directed and starring the talented Alison Rich, pictured above. She is terrific! The film is very amusing, fresh and most enjoyable. It was presented by Sundance Film Festival, which wraps up tomorrow, 1/30/22. For more information, visit sundance.org.
![]() Alas, Sundance is drawing to a close this weekend, but this amazing film festival will screen the award-winning films all weekend. You can find a complete list here: award winners; and also buy tickets to screen the films on your computer. Also, many of the films will be coming to a streaming service or theatre near you soon! Wonderful selection of films this year. Visit sundance.org for more information, and to grab tickets for your favorite films! Yesterday I had the chance to watch Navalny, directed by Daniel Roher. A terrific, straight-forward telling of the scandalous poisoning of Alexei Navalny. He is the Russian opposition leader poisoned with Novichok in 2020. It's an amazing story. If it weren't for the cell phone cameras and hard work of the individuals desperately trying to help him after the attack, it's likely he wouldn't have survived. It's particularly timely in light of the aggressive stance Putin is taking in the Ukraine. A simply incredible story, not to be missed.
Navalny was presented at the Sundance Film Festival, which wraps up this Sunday, 1/30/22. More information is available at sundance.org. Sorry to say this movie didn't do much for me. As much as I admire the star, Dakota Johnson; and the comedienne Tig Notaro, who directed and produced the film, along with her partner Stephanie Allynne, it seems they were more or less just dialing this one in. I watched Am I OK? this afternoon through the Sundance Film Festival website. It just seemed like a fairly mundane story of a thirty-something woman discovering she is gay. The film is just OK, and while it was enjoyable at times, I don't believe this film lived up to its potential, given the talents and appeal of the folks involved.
There was one scene that was very funny though, with Tig Notaro playing a New Age type guru character. I wish there would have been more scenes that were as funny and insightful as that one. The film had a tepid quality almost throughout, and not much of the heightened reality and sensitivity true art displays. Not to say it's not a fairly light, diverting gay romantic comedy. It is, and I'm sure folks will enjoy it. But I know these talented individuals could have done much better if they had dug just a bit deeper. The film was screened as part of the Sundance Film Festival, which runs online through 1/30/22. Tickets and more information about the festival are available at sundance.org. Yesterday afternoon I had the pleasure of watching Lena Dunham return to her first love, filmmaking as writer, director, producer, and actor in Sharp Stick. She is a prodigious talent and demonstrated remarkable courage and sensitivity in making this film. Sharp Stick premiered at Sundance last Saturday, and I was very interested to see Ms. Dunham’s new work.
It’s the story of Sarah Jo, a young, sexually immature woman who had a hysterectomy at a very young age, who slowly discovers her sexuality and herself along the way. Brilliantly acted by Jennifer Jason Leigh (who plays Sarah Jo’s mother), and indeed the entire cast, the story is told with wit, sensitivity, and cleverness. It handles the most personal and intimate of subjects with a great deal of honesty and humor. The film is not to be missed. Ms. Dunham said this film was her “most personal yet.” It has been 11 years since her last feature film. Sharp Stick was also shot during the pandemic, so in addition to all the usual challenges of filmmaking at this high level, they also had to contend with on-set safety and covid protocols. The film was written with many of the main character’s actors in mind, including the incandescent Jennifer Jason Leigh. Ms. Leigh was asked in the Q and A following the screening how did it feel to hear that Ms. Dunham had written a part especially for her. She said, “it feels pretty darn good.” Ms. Leigh absolutely nails the part of the mother, and without exception, Ms. Dunham pulls extraordinary performances out of every one of her actors. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the contrasts to Ms. Dunham’s previously New York City-based work like Girls and the film Tiny Furniture. This is film feels much different. It’s suffused with the soft Los Angeles light, full of folks trying to fit in in the shadow of the Hollywood sign. Hangers on, dreamers, influencers, everyone looking for connection and validation. Whereas the New York work was grittier, more aggressive, more sure of itself perhaps, but not without a certain desperate edge. Things move a bit faster in New York City. You get the sense of people and places being nearly on top of each other. Whereas in Sharp Stick, they can breathe, if only the haze and smoke-filled Los Angeles air. A note about the music in the film. Many of the songs were composed and performed by an excellent band called Attawalpa, which has a fascinating, somewhat dark sound. It fits the film just beautifully. Sundance continues through 1/30/22, and since it’s all virtual, anyone can attend. All you need is a computer and Internet access. Tickets and more information are available here: sundance.org. |
AuthorJoy Bennett is a Santa Monica, California writer and podcaster. |