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| Natural Selection |
The third annual Milwaukee Film Festival got underway last night at the historic Oriental Theatre with the local premiere of Natural Selection, a quirky indie comedy-drama that features a breakout performance from comic actress Rachael Harris, who’s probably best known for her supporting role as Ed Helms’ girlfriend in The Hangover.
In Natural Selection, from first-time writer-director Robbie Pickering, Harris plays Linda White, an infertile housewife and devout Christian from Texas whose seemingly solid world becomes unsettled when she discovers that her husband has been secretly donating sperm for quite some time, and has a now-grown son living out of state. The revelation prompts Linda to hit the open road and track down her “stepson,” played by Matt O’Leary, who turns out to be a wanted criminal.
The film was a big hit at this year’s South By Southwest (SXSW) festival, picking up seven awards in all, including breakout performance prizes for O’Leary and Harris. The film’s script was also featured on the Blacklist, an annual ranking of the best unproduced scripts floating around Hollywood. If there’s any justice, the film will play Milwaukee outside of the festival later this year or early next year, and Harris will be remembered come awards season.
The film doesn’t use Linda’s faith as a punch line or to underscore a lack of intellect, and Harris plays the role without a hint of condescension. Nothing we’ve seen from her previously indicated she had this sort of emotional range and clarity, but then again, that’s what most reviewers often say about male and female comedians who tackle dramatic material, think Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society and Good Will Hunting, Mo’Nique in Precious, and Eddie Murphy in Dreamgirls. And they all went onto land Oscar nominations for their efforts (with Mo’Nique and Williams winning).
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| The Salt of Life |
As we enter into Day 2 of the MFF, there are a dozen films playing today, including two festival venue openers: The Salt of Life, an Italian comedy from writer-director-star Gianni Di Gregorio (who reprises his character, aptly named “Gianni” from the 2010 MFF favorite Mid-August Lunch), and Make Believe, an enthralling documentary about talented teenage magicians from around the globe who compete to be named “Teen World Champion” at the World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas.
A one-time Milwaukee Film Festival screening of The Salt of Life kicks off the 2011 festivities at Marcus’ North Shore Cinema in Mequon tonight at 7 p.m., while across town in New Berlin, Make Believe kicks off this year’s festivities at the Marcus Ridge Cinema also at 7 p.m. Make Believe will screen three additional times during this year’s festival through Thursday, September 29. Of the two, I’ve seen Make Believe, which I highly recommend.
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| Somewhere Between |
Of the 10 additional films screening today, I’d also highly recommend Somewhere Between, which chronicles Asian-American teenage girls that were adopted by loving American families who search for their birth parents due to curiosity regarding their Chinese heritage. It screens today 4:45 p.m. at the Downer Theatre and on Sunday at 5 p.m. at the Marcus Ridge Cinema in New Berlin.
On Day 3 (Saturday, September 24) of the MFF, there are 34 screenings taking place. For my money, any discriminating moviegoer would be remiss if they passed up the opportunity to see Hoop Dreams on the big screen, especially if you missed out on doing so the first time around. When I wrote for the long-folded JUMP section (a section for teens by teens that ran weekly in the Milwaukee Journal, then the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel), I chose this intimate chronicle of two inner-city teens from Chicago with NBA aspirations as the best film of 1994. One of my idols, Roger Ebert, has said that no other documentary has impacted him as deeply as Hoop Dreams. And don’t let the film’s 176-minute running time keep you away if you can make the one-time screening. The film is so engrossing, it’s over before you know it and leaves you wanting more. If that isn’t great cinema, I don’t know what is. The film screens Saturday only at 2:30 p.m. at the Oriental Theatre.
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| The Interrupters |
Later that evening, at 7 p.m., The Interrupters, the latest documentary from acclaimed Hoop Dreams filmmaker Steve James, receives its local premiere at the Oriental. The film tells the story of former gang members in Chicago that are now members of CeaseFire, an organization that advocates against street and gang-related violence. Based on what I’ve seen so far, James has another winner on his hands, and will likely land his first Oscar nomination in the feature-length documentary category. It won’t completely right the Academy’s egregious wrong of snubbing Hoop Dreams in the same category 17 years ago, but it’ll be a step in the right direction.
And on Day 4 (Sunday, September 25), of the 33 screenings to choose from, the two new selections that stand out are Becoming Santa (9:30 p.m. at the Oriental Theatre) and the Greta Gerwig-starrer The Dish & The Spoon (9:45 p.m. at the Marcus Ridge Cinema in New Berlin).
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| Becoming Santa |
Based on footage I’ve seen, namely an extended trailer, Becoming Santa may end up being the festival’s sleeper hit. It chronicles the journey of a man mourning the recent loss of his father as he goes to a Santa “boot camp” in order to learn how to be old St. Nick. At turns funny, a bit strange, yet undeniably poignant, it’s safe to say that you’ve likely never seen anything quite like it before. The film will screen three additional times throughout the course of the festival at different venues around the city.
And lastly, in The Dish & The Spoon, rising star Greta Gerwig (Greenberg, Arthur, No Strings Attached) stars as a woman left by her cheating husband who bonds with a stranded British teen. If I’ve said it twice already, let me say it a third time – Gerwig is an actress who is seemingly incapable of being bad or uninteresting. Thankfully The Dish & The Spoon appears to be anything but run of the mill fare. If you can’t make Sunday night’s screening, be sure to check it out when it runs next Saturday, October 1, at 7:15 p.m. at the Downer Theatre.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and students (with valid ID), $8 for festival members and $6 for children (12 and under). Tickets can be purchased either at the theater box office, online or by phone.
For additional information about the schedule, venue locations, pricing, and scheduled events, visit milwaukee-film.org.
