Philly Film Fest Reviews

Ballet 422, Birdman, Force Majeure, Gabriel, Glass Chin, Hippocrates, I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story, In Order of Disappearance, Listen Up Philip, Mudbloods, Teacher of the Year, Traitors and more.

Traitors

The Philadelphia Film Festival runs Oct. 16-26, with screenings at Prince Music Theater, the Kimmel Center, Ritz East, Ritz at the Bourse, Ritz Five, The Roxy, Bryn Mawr Film Institute, Ambler Theater, The Hiway Theater in Jenkintown and more. For more info go to filmadelphia.org.

Art and Craft | B

Mark Landis, a wisp of a man now in his early 60s, is an art forger. He creates beautiful and skilled copies and “gifts” them to duped museums — 46 in 20 states, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art. That’s not illegal, as no money’s involved. He calls it “philanthropy.” The New York Times compared him to Truman Capote (voice) and Norman Bates (creepy “mother” anecdotes). He drinks sneaky booze out of a milk of magnesia bottle. He reads a list of his mental health diagnoses — schizophrenia, psychosis — and argues for or against each charge. He eats a lot of TV dinners. He’s got enemies — Matthew Leininger, a former museum registrar, pursues his cons in a Catch Me if You Can-style chase, but that’s a snoozy subplot. The real interest is Landis — a man who manages to be venerable, pitiable, reviled and awkwardly charming all at once. How artful. And how crafty.  —Mikala Jamison

Oct. 17, 7 p.m., Ritz at the Bourse, 400 Ranstead St.; Oct. 26, 2:25 p.m., Roxy, 2023 Sansom St.

Ballet 422 | B

At 25 years old, Justin Peck was already a member of the New York City Ballet. But then he received the assignment of a lifetime: choreograph a piece for the company’s 2013 winter season. It would be the company’s 422nd ballet, and Peck had a little under two months to do it. Director Jody Lee Lipes films Ballet 422 intimately, giving the audience a fly-on-the-wall look into the world of classical dance. From the practice room to the costumers dyeing fabric, every step is observed. Though lacking some needed camera-subject interaction, the film gives the art form the respect it deserves. —Nia Prater

Oct. 25, 8:30 pm., Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St.

Birdman | B

More tour de force than coup du cinéma, Alejandro González Iñárritu’s psychotropic psychodrama spelunks into the soul of a washed-up action star (Michael Keaton) attempting to reinvent himself by staging Raymond Chandler on Broadway. Although it shifts time frames and its relationship to reality, the movie, shot by Gravity’s Emmanuel Lubezki, gives the appearance of being filmed in a single take. But the cinematography’s the only place where the seams don’t show. It’s clever as all get-out — and thrilling, in a superficial way — but rarely stumbles onto real insight. —Sam Adams

Oct. 16, 8:30 p.m., Kimmel Center, 300 S. Broad St.

Clouds of Sils Maria | B+

Acclaimed actress Maria Enders (Juliette Binoche) is having a series of personal and professional crises. She relies on her assistant, Valentine (Kristen Stewart), to help her run lines and manage her career. Their relationship is compelling, especially when they debate the life and work of Jo-Ann Elllis (Chloë Grace Moretz), a famously troubled actress who’s preparing to play Maria’s most famous role onstage — opposite Maria. Clouds of Sils Maria shrewdly punctures celebrity culture, aging, legacy and bad behavior/manners. Writer/director Olivier Assayas’ multilayered film may be pretentious at times, but Binoche and Stewart are both absolutely fascinating to watch. —Gary Kramer

Oct. 19, 2:20 p.m. and Oct. 22, 7:20 p.m., Ritz East, 124 S. Second St.

Crescendo! The Power of Music | A-

“I refuse to put you guys on any stage, anywhere, in front of an audience that would sit there and say, ‘Oh that’s so cute, they’re little black kids in Philadelphia playing classical music.’ I want them to sit in that audience and say, ‘Holy shit,’” says Stanford Thompson, founder and
director of Play On, Philly! His mission, along with Anne Fitzgibbon, director of Harlem’s Harmony Program, is to spread social empowerment through music in underserved urban areas. Elizabeth Kling and Jamie Bernstein bring Fitzgibbon and Thompson’s fruits of labor to life in the film, and tell the stories of three Beethoven-ass-kicking kids from their programs. The aesthetics of well-done filmmaking along with touching individual stories create quiet harmony.—Indira Jimenez

Oct. 20, 3 p.m., Ritz at the Bourse, 400 Ranstead St.; Oct. 25, 3:15 p.m., Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St.

Force Majeure | A-

A freak occurrence puts strain on a marriage in Ruben Östlund’s crafty melodrama. Johannes Kuhnke and Lisa Loven Kongsli seem like a happy couple as they embark on a ski trip with their two children, but a moment of weakness on his part brings their troubles to the surface like a zombie bursting from a shallow grave, turning their vacation into a marital gauntlet. The subject matter is so familiar as to be mundane, but Östlund stages the couple’s gradual unraveling as a sly comic horror, where once the floodgates have been opened every minor infraction becomes a major issue. It’s painful and darkly hilarious; as the screws tighten, you lose track of whether you’re grinning or wincing. —Sam Adams

Oct. 18, 2:10 p.m. and Oct. 26, 3 p.m., Ritz East, 124 S. Second St.

Gabriel | B

Lou Howe’s highly anticipated Gabriel is uncomfortable to watch. Viewers walk in on a man (Rory Culkin) and his family in the midst of an everyday crisis. Picking up the pieces after a great loss and dealing with the suffering brought on by mental illness, the title character is set on reuniting with a childhood love, despite his family’s protests. Gabriel is surprisingly suspenseful, and awkward in a way that’s authentic and eye-opening. It’s uncomfortable to watch because it’s an uncomfortable situation. Gabriel also offers quite a few cinematic favorites: a sweet but tortured soul, a hopeless love story, daddy issues, sibling tension and artsy camera angles.  —Alyssa Mallgrave

Oct. 20, 10 p.m. and Oct. 25, 6:10 p.m., Ritz East, 124 S. Second St.

Glass Chin | C

No athletic competition boasts more innate melodrama than boxing, and writer/director Noah Buschel’s Glass Chin won’t let you forget it, valuing self-satisfied pseudo-philosophy over actual face-smashing. As Bud, a once-promising fighter whose career failed because he couldn’t take a punch, Corey Stoll draws from the toolbox of cinematic pugilists past, working the wistful coulda-woulda-shoulda worldview with every defeated grimace. Looking to get back into the game, he agrees to take on work for Billy Crudup’s J.J., an effete, but ruthless, crime lord. It’s a beautiful-looking feature, but it tries so hard to prove its intellectual worth that it comes off like a pretentious cocktail party guest. —Drew Lazor

Oct. 19, noon and Oct. 21, 7:40 p.m., Ritz East, 124 S. Second St.

The Good Lie | B

The kind of solid, respectable movie that doesn’t stand a chance in today’s hook-driven marketplace, this fictional story about Sudanese refugees resettling in the U.S. had its national release scrapped after a weak opening in limited release; what would have been a preview is now The Good Lie’s only Philadelphia screening. It’s too bad, because despite the prominence of Reese Witherspoon in the movie’s marketing campaign, it’s the (too) rare movie that doesn’t subjugate its black subjects to a white savior. Witherspoon’s job-placement agent plays second fiddle, as she should, to a cast of African actors whose relative lack of onscreen experience gives the otherwise glossy movie a neorealist tinge. While it pales beside the documentaries about the so-called “lost boys,” it’s a genuinely good-hearted movie, and one that should have gone farther than it did. —Sam Adams

Oct. 19, 8 p.m., Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St.

The Great Invisible | B+

Margaret Brown’s documentary chronicles the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on the Gulf Coast, mixing journalistic investigation and vérité portraiture. There’s little in the way of new information, but Brown excels in finding characters who dramatize and expand our understanding of the way environmental catastrophes reverberate throughout rural communities, bringing out both the worst and the best in people. —Sam Adams

Oct. 19, 2:20 p.m., Ritz at the Bourse, 400 Ranstead St.; Oct. 21, 5:20 p.m., Ritz East, 124 S. Second St.

Happy Valley | B+

Outside Pennsylvania, the “balance” of a documentary addressing the Penn State sex abuse bombshell of 2011 would never be addressed as an area of concern. But that’s just the way things played out in rah-rah State College, and Amir Bar-Lev bottles this surreal admixture of blind loyalty, groupthink, denial and blame for his documentary on the most shameful scandal in college football history. Through a series of revealing interviews, including sitdowns with the family of disgraced coaching legend Joe Paterno, Bar-Lev traces convicted child molester Jerry Sandusky’s movements over decades, focusing less on the criminal aspects of his actions than the ironclad culture that some believe allowed him to keep going. The results, built around analysis that is more systemic than investigatory, are honest and chilling. —Drew Lazor

Oct. 21, 8:30 p.m., Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St.; Oct. 26, 9:30 p.m., Ritz East, 124 S. Second St.

Hippocrates | C+

In Hippocrates, being a doctor isn’t a job — it’s a curse. Director Thomas Lilti draws from his own experience working as a physician to write this grim hospital dramedy about integrity. The film follows Benjamin (Vincent Lacoste), a junior doctor who interns at a hospital in Paris and meets Abdel (Reda Kateb), an experienced foreign doctor serving his time as an intern. The two must make a series of tough calls, either caving to institutional pressures or risking the high road. Excluding the melodramatic ending, the film is a refreshing, tamped-down approach to an overworked genre. —Sam Fox

Oct. 20, 1:45 p.m. and Oct. 23, 2:25 p.m., Ritz East, 124 S. Second St.; Oct. 22, 3 p.m., Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr.

I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story | A

At the core of directors Chad Walker and Dave LaMattina’s heartfelt documentary is one lone man. Caroll Spinney has breathed life into Sesame Street’s favorite fowl (and Oscar the Grouch) for more than four decades and shows no signs of stopping. The film looks at Spinney’s 50 years in the biz, from his first meeting with Jim Henson to marrying the love of his life and discovering his one true calling. Through interviews, home movies and backstage footage, viewers get to go beyond the yellow suit to find a story that is both honest and remarkable. —Nia Prater

Oct. 22, 8 p.m., Ambler Theater, 108 E. Butler Ave., Ambler. Oct. 23, 4:30 p.m. and Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m., Ritz East, 124 S. Second St.

In Order of Disappearance | B

Snow, murder, droll humor — the comparisons to Fargo are inevitable with In Order of Disappearance, a Scandinavian crime dramedy that sees well-respected plow driver Stellan Skarsgård Neeson-ing the hell out of the gangsters who killed his son. But though the settings and bones are comparable to other revenge flicks, Hans Petter Moland’s film offers its own distinct pleasures, and suffers it own distinct shortcomings. No one but Skarsgård is given much rope, an acceptable imbalance since it’s essentially Death Wish for well-dressed aquavit sippers, but even the most vengeful father’s quest for retribution can get repetitive after awhile. Moland’s decision to display an R.I.P. screen card for each offed baddie is a creative way to tally up the bodies, but it’s still a gimmick. —Drew Lazor

Oct. 17, 9:50 p.m. and Oct. 26, 9:25 p.m., Ritz East, 124 S. Second St.

Listen Up Philip | B

Even Philip (Jason Schwartzman) thinks his soon-to-be-published second novel’s a letdown, but that doesn’t stop him from going on a vainglorious bridge-burning tour of those close to him, past and present. (“You were unkind and you tried to stray me from my path and had I listened to you I’d be nothing right now,” he tells his ex.) According to narrator Eric Bogosian, this angry, erudite airing of grievances is new territory for Philip, which is preposterous: The dude’s clearly a seasoned pro at being bitter, vicious and insufferable. Eyes roll when he really gets going. By contrast, Listen Up Philip’s brief interest in steamrolled girlfriend Elisabeth Moss offers a glimpse of the world as it could be, full of sunlight and heartache instead of tweed and narcissism. Though it makes knowing literary references (Philip Roth, David Foster Wallace) and offers an idiosyncratic exploration of Restless Asshole Syndrome, Alex Ross Perry’s third feature is deliberately un-fun and meandering, way more “dark” than “comedy.” Eyes roll when it really gets going. —Patrick Rapa

Oct. 19, 7:10 p.m. and Oct. 26, 12:15 p.m., Ritz East, 124 Second. St.

Love at First Fight | C+

Madeleine (Adèle Haenel) and Arnaud (Kévin Azaïs) meet cute after he bites her while they square off during an impromptu self-defense exercise. The would-be couple soon enter into an “anything you can do I can do better” relationship, with the smitten Arnaud joining Madeleine at an Army training program, mostly so he can be with her. When things in boot camp aren’t quite what they expected, the couple goes off together to engage in the anticipated romance and practice survival skills. Love at First Fight has a novel setting and appealing performers, but it never really breaks new ground.
—Gary Kramer

Oct. 19, 7 p.m. and Oct. 22, 5 p.m., Ritz East, 124 Second. St.

Man from Reno | B-

The melon-drop trick is a scam from the ’80s wherein Americans would run into Japanese tourists and drop a melon on the ground, then demand $50 for it, knowing the tourists didn’t know the price of melons in America. (In Japan, they’re considered special gifts and are very expensive.) Deception and trickery, with varying gains — those are the themes explored in Man From Reno, which director Dave Boyle says is his first movie with a plot. And it’s a twisty one, laid against misty backdrops and swift camera tricks. Japanese crime novelist Aki visits San Francisco, running into a town sheriff and handsome stranger, each of whom embroil her in a crime mystery of her own. The film spends time in both English and Japanese, and does get bogged down a bit in pacing. Its central mystery, though, and Aki’s exploits, are pleasurable thrills. —Mikala Jamison

Oct. 19, 2 p.m., and Oct. 20, 6:45 p.m., Ritz East, 124 Second St.; Oct. 22, 8 p.m., Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr.

Mudbloods | A-

It’s this simple: If you were (or are) a Harry Potter fan, you’ll love this doc about the UCLA Quidditch team. Oh, Quidditch? It’s a flying broomstick-based game incorporating elements of other sports, and is played in the wizarding world of HP. Mudbloods? They’re non-magical folks. So, in real life, Mudbloods play Quidditch by running around with brooms in between their legs. Quidditch even has a World Cup, and the UCLA team’s on a quest to win at the 5th. Mudbloods has heart; whether you grew up clutching the novels to your chest or not — you’d have to be a Voldemort-level a-hole to not appreciate such earnestness. And seriously: These kids get beaten and bloody playing their sport. Respect. —Mikala Jamison

Oct. 18, 9:45 p.m., Ritz Bourse, 400 Ranstead St., and Oct. 19, 12:10 p.m., Ritz East, 124 Second. St.

The Overnighters | A-

Jesse Moss’ shape-shifting documentary begins as a portrait of a North Dakota pastor fighting for the rights of temporary laborers within a community that needs but does not want them, and shifts into — well, that would be telling. Suffice it to say that a deft moral portrait becomes something more akin to a forensic thriller, and does so without instilling a feeling that the story has been twisted to create a phony drama. —Sam Adams

Oct. 17, 4:50 p.m., Ritz Bourse, 400 Ranstead St.; and Oct. 26, 2:45 p.m., PFS Roxy Theater, 2023 Sansom St.

Point and Shoot | A

How does a socially awkward kid from Baltimore end up raging against Muammar Gaddafi’s death squads in Libya? That’s the question at the core of Marshall Curry’s wholly unexpected documentary, which traces American citizen Matthew VanDyke’s inductions into revolution and manhood. Providing incredible film shot over a long four years overseas, VanDyke is both subject and collaborator, outlining how his sheltered Stateside upbringing led to his time as a heavily armed freedom fighter, and eventually prisoner of war. The strange split between documenting events and actively shaping them is at the core of VanDyke’s growth. The incredible rawness and rarity of his footage is reason enough to watch, but Curry succeeds in digging past that surface flash to ask the complex “why?” questions we all want answered.  —Drew Lazor

Oct. 26, 5:25 p.m. Ritz East, 124 Second St.

Teacher of the Year | C+

Jason Strouse’s debut feature has about half of what you need for a touching drama (idealistic educator vs. inept bureaucracy) and some strong ingredients for a smart comedy (Keegan-Michael Key, the Sklar Brothers) but ends up at odds with itself. It’s hard to care whether Mitch Carter, the titular teacher of the year, played straight by Matt Letscher, will ditch Truman High to take a big-money private school job when his only problems are comically stupid students and the weaselly Principal Douche (pronounced dow-shay). Shell-shocked Philly teachers should steer clear of this well-meaning featherweight melodrama. —Patrick Rapa

Oct. 18, 7:20 p.m. and Oct. 23, 10:25 p.m., Ritz East, 124 Second St.; Oct. 22, 5:30 p.m., Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 W. Lancaster Ave.

Traitors | C

At its best when depicting the web of subcultures in modern Tangier, Traitors becomes overly familiar once it leaves the city and embarks on a routine drug-smuggling tale. The directorial debut of Pi star Sean Gullette centers on Malika, the lead singer of a female punk rock group (they’re introduced performing her closer-to-home revision of The Clash’s “I’m So Bored With the U.S.A.”) who becomes a drug mule to raise funds for a demo recording. Star Chaimae Ben Acha pulls off the charisma of an angry-at-everything frontwoman, but can’t overcome the predictability of each plot turn. —Shaun Brady

Oct. 24, 4:30 p.m., Ritz East, 124 Second St., and Oct. 26, 4:55 p.m., PFS Roxy Theater, 2023 Sansom St.

Wild | B+

Like Dallas Buyers Club, Jean-Marc Vallée’s adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s peripatetic memoir is the best kind of hackwork: utterly impersonal, but clean and professional, and home to one of Reese Witherspoon’s better recent turns. (Think of him as an Oscar delivery system.) As a woman both fleeing and confronting her demons by solo hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, Witherspoon gives Cheryl a commendable prickliness that filters into the performance; she doesn’t want to be loved, or even known, which makes her all the more engrossing. —Sam Adams

Oct. 24, 8 p.m., Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St.

Winter Sleep | B-

Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s glacial Palme d’Or winner is a Chekhovian drama about a retired actor turned hotelier who lords over a tiny village in the arid Turkish steppes. Ultimately a dissection of the idle rich executed through a series of abstruse moral debates, the three-and-a-quarter-hour film echoes Bergman in its claustrophobic sense of isolated figures failing to connect, but lacks the corresponding emotional devastation. Talky and dense, Winter Sleep is a challenge even for those inclined towards the slow-moving and cerebral, but is occasionally — if only occasionally — rewarding in its sudden moments of insight.  —Shaun Brady

Oct. 23, 6:40 p.m., and Oct. 25, 12:15 p.m., Ritz East, 124 Second St.