Archive | November, 2024

Finding Joy

15 Nov

Smith’s Verdict: ****
Reviewed by Tanner Smith

Full disclosure: I’m an associate producer on this film. But if I can review 45RPM, a film I acted in, I can surely tell you how much I enjoy a film I helped fund.

“Finding Joy” is a film that is equal parts eerie, mysterious, moving, insightful, and inspiring. Some scenes are chilling and disturbing; others are heartfelt and emotional; and overall, it’s here for a good purpose.

Don’t go into it expecting one thing. Stay with it, and you will probably appreciate and love it even more.

“Finding Joy” is the feature filmmaking debut of Valeri Bates, who put her heart and soul into this film. Bates (who recently shined as an actor in The Night is Young, coming soon) wrote and directed and also starred in the film as Roni, an artist who suffers sleep paralysis, as we see in horrific opening moments that involve…something…in the dark…watching her…

Yeah, I wouldn’t want to be Roni in these moments.

As the occurrences worsen, Roni attempts to do something about it. She puts herself in a sleep study, sees a therapist, confides in her childhood best friend Trish (Heather Elaine), and so on. And the more she learns from all of it, the more she also learns about herself…and that’s all I’ll say about it except that it raises interesting questions and more importantly sticks the landing.

Side-note: Valeri’s lead performance makes the film (more on that in a bit), but the supporting cast is also terrific–Heather Elaine (“Millennial with a Cane,” a film I will not review because I actually made it–see the difference now?) is excellent as Trish, Davis DeRock (The Stylist) is relaxed and likable as a helpful sleep technologist, Deborah Madick is wonderful as Roni’s therapist, Kurt Hanover is damn scary as a questionable figure from Roni’s past, and other memorable actors, many of whom are based in Kansas City (where the film was made), include Tangela Welch, Ashley Moreland, Jennifer Seward, and Angie Heck. This ensemble cast is worthy of recognition wherever it can be found.

In a way, “Finding Joy” is a psychological thriller, especially when you find yourself wondering what is truly at stake for many of the heavier moments. But it’s also a uniquely brilliant character study and haunting story. What also truly makes the film, aside from the stunning cinematography by David Watson (which includes arresting visuals, whether we’re in dark, claustrophobic spaces or even in open broad daylight) and the co-directing help from the extremely talented duo of Patrick Poe & Lolo Loren (Almost, Sorta, Maybe), is Valeri Bates herself. It’s not only because of the material she delivered from the start (and it’s a good screenplay)–it’s because of her lead performance as Roni. It has numerous layers and levels to it; it’s a brilliant performance. And I believe what is really going to keep people invested in this story is the Roni character and everything around her.

“Finding Joy” has an eerie, unsettling feel to it that makes Roni’s journey of self-discovery all the more captivating. We have questions such as: “What is that shadowy figure that stalks Roni in these sleep paralysis episodes?” “What is real and what isn’t?” “Is this film going to give us answers, tease us with no answers, or worse, tease us with answers?” Well, we do get answers, and thankfully, they don’t undercut everything that transpired to these moments (nor do they overload you with exposition to make sure you get the point). It all fits together beautifully. And that’s what Roni needs during all of this: she’s such a compelling and charismatic character that we want her to find the answers.

“Finding Joy” is a beautiful film. Valeri Bates and crew did splendid work and have a lot to be proud of here. It’s currently submitted into festivals, and I’m excited for many of them to give it the spotlight. And I only hope I’m there to add more support.

Follow “Finding Joy” on social media for updates on future screenings: @findingjoyfilm on Instagram and “findingjoyfilm” on Facebook.

Saturday Night (2024)

11 Nov

Smith’s Verdict: ****
Reviewed by Tanner Smith

A lot of people (myself included) have trash-talked “Saturday Night Live” many times–but, considering how many people find themselves nostalgic for each previous SNL decade run (plus its recent season-50 premiere is really popular), maybe we should just shut up and appreciate that it’s still going.

Jason Reitman’s “Saturday Night” is a dramatization about the taping of the first “SNL” (back when it was just called “Saturday Night,” hence the title of the movie) and all the anxiety and chaos that went into it when it seemed doomed to fail.

Taking place in real time, we follow the young pioneering producer/creator Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle, from “The Fabelmans”) in the hour-and-a-half leading up to the live recording of what would be the start of a game-changing sketch-comedy show that would feel like the best kind of Saturday night party on TV. The camera whips us all around to the sets, dressing rooms, and backstage hallways of Studio 8H, as Lorne tries his best to work a three-hour rehearsal in a 90-minute show, control his colorful cast of up-and-coming comedians, bump heads with producers, writers, and other creatives (like Jim Henson, who worries about the presentation of his Muppets), and just try to put on a good show.

It’s easy to compare this anxiety-induced backstage story to Birdman (hard to believe that film came out nearly a decade ago). But there’s one very important factor to consider in the comparison–“Saturday Night” actually captures the joy that goes into a passion project such as this. Yes, we see Lorne be stressed out, angry, and bitter at times, much like Riggan Thomson in “Birdman”–but those moments wouldn’t work as well if we didn’t feel Lorne’s passion for this project or see the immense pride and delight in his face when things go well. They help us see what’s on his mind, why he’s so eager to entertain and pull it off, and especially why we want to see “Saturday Night” succeed (which we know it will).

“Saturday Night” was directed by Jason Reitman, who makes very interesting choices with each film. (Thank You For Smoking and Juno are my favorites of his, and I also admire “Young Adult,” “Tully,” and “Ghostbusters: Afterlife.” Maybe I should revisit Men, Women & Children–I hated it when I first saw it; but, since I’m not a critic anymore, maybe I can see something more to it now.) Reitman co-wrote the script with Gil Kenan, and I can’t say how much I appreciate Reitman & Kenan’s partnership. Kenan was the director of the awesome and successful “Monster House” in 2006 and it’s like Hollywood just spat him back out after the failure of City of Ember (which I happen to really like, btw; my family and I were among the rare few who saw that in a theater). I’m glad that with the new “Ghostbusters” movies and now “Saturday Night,” Reitman is giving Kenan another career uprise.

Now…where do I even begin in talking about the large ensemble cast at work here? It’s largely LaBelle’s star vehicle, as the film is seen through Lorne’s experience of events, and he’s great here. But there are so many other actors who deserve credit for their excellent work in respective roles, so…I’m just list off the ones that impressed me the most:

Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd. Cory Michael Smith (Gotham) as Chevy Chase. J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle. Matt Wood as John Belushi. Lamorne Morris as Garret Morris. Rachel Sennott (impressing me more with each film) as writer Rosie Shuster. Nicholas Podany as Billy Crystal (I swear, it’s like they went back in time and brought back the actual young Billy Crystal for this part). Cooper Hoffman as network suit Dick Ebersol. Matthew Rhys as George Carlin. Andrew Barth Feldman (“No Hard Feelings”) as Lorne’s cousin and assistant. Tommy Dewey as Michael O’Donaghue. And on and on and on, and I haven’t even mentioned the great Willem Dafoe as network suit David Tebet yet!!

My personal favorite was Nicholas Braun, who has a dual role as the eccentric Jim Henson and (of course) even more eccentric Andy Kaufman. I have seen this actor in many films in nearly two decades, from “Sky High” to “Red State” to The Perks of Being a Wallflower to The Stanford Prison Experiment to last year’s “Cat Person” (just to name a few–and of course, he’s great in “Succession”), and I applaud wholeheartedly his great efforts in both roles here.

I believe “Saturday Night” will stand the test of time not as a cynical by-the-numbers biopic but as a wickedly entertaining, very funny, and even sentimental (without being cloying) portrait of the craziness that goes into game-changing entertainment.

And I’m eager to see it again very soon.

My Old Ass (2024)

11 Nov

Smith’s Verdict: ****
Reviewed by Tanner Smith

Well, this was a beautiful film!

For the remainder of 2024, I might see objectively better films. But I don’t know if I’ll like them as much as this one.

“My Old Ass” is about 18-year-old Elliott (Maisy Stella), who enjoys her last summer days in small-town Canada and her family’s cranberry farm before she leaves it all to go to college in Toronto…by basically just doing what most kids at that age do: hang out with friends, do drugs, have passionate affairs, and just not take anything seriously. It’s at her campout birthday celebration with her friends (while she doesn’t know her family is waiting to surprise her with a cake back home–knowing what the rest of the film has in store, this bit hits harder in hindsight) when…her 39-year-old self (played by Aubrey Plaza) appears out of nowhere and connects with her.

Side-note: I love that it’s never explained how the time-travel element works–it’s more Groundhog Day magic than Back to the Future science (fiction). Whatever the case, that encounter was real (and not a shroom trip). Elliott is able to communicate with her older self via smartphone, and Older-Elliott advises her to spend more time with her family and DEFINITELY stay away from anyone named “Chad.”

Cue the arrival of the cute new summer worker on the family farm…Chad. When Chad (Percy Hynes White), a charismatic, quirky, charming lad, has a meet-cute with Elliott, she keeps him at a distance, knowing SOMETHING must be wrong with this guy if Older-Elliott is insistent that she stay away from him. But it’s just not easy because Chad is just so…NICE. She can’t help but be attracted to him. She might even be in love with him…

“My Old Ass” plays like a heartwarming, grounded summer-that-changed-everything story with a sci-fi/fantasy edge. Elliott is in the last stages of youth and about to embark on the road to adulthood, and because of this experience with her adult self giving her advice (appreciate her mother, spend more time with her brothers, etc.), her eyes open up, she realizes what truly matters in life, and she slowly develops from a narrow-minded, immature child to an adult (er, a real good start to being an adult).

In addition, Elliott’s attraction to Chad causes Elliott, who identifies as gay, to question her sexuality–and one of my favorite scenes in the film is a wonderfully written and tender moment between her and a friend (Kerrice Brooks), in which they discuss Elliott’s feelings, contemplate the point of labels (“Am I bi…am I pan…”), and have a genuine heart-to-heart together. There are other scenes like that, including a lovely moment between Elliott and her mother (Maria Dizzia) and one of the early instances of first-love between Elliott and Chad (who bestows deep insight about moments in time we don’t realize are going to be treasured memories), that you realize what the story is doing (and doing well).

And I won’t give it away, but there is another face-to-face encounter with Older-Elliott late in the film–and it hits HARD. That was the moment that made me truly LOVE this film.

“My Old Ass” is the second film written and directed by Megan Park, whose first film was the terrific The Fallout. What I love about Park’s work, evidenced by these two films, is that she can balance broad comedy and tender drama while having them both belong in the same movie. (It’s not as easy as you think–often when filmmakers try this, either the comedy doesn’t hit or the drama isn’t moving enough; but I still applaud the efforts. Park knocks it out of the…ball field.)

This is one of my favorite films of 2024. I can’t recommend it enough.

“My Old Ass” is available on Prime.