Tales From The Road

October 28, 2022

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that I am a meticulous planner.  When I restarted this little hobby, I mapped out what I would write about over several months, with most of the topics filled in.  For last week’s topic, I had a placeholder for something other than movies, but I had no idea what I was going to write about.  Another fact about this blog hobby, is that I am usually working on multiple pieces at once, doing the final editing a day or two before posting.  One last thing about being a planner – when something throws the plan into chaos, it can be unnerving, but can also be exciting.  That brings us to this week.  I wasn’t planning on taking last Friday off.  I had just taken a week off two weeks earlier.  But, I couldn’t pull together a thoughtful post by last Friday, because I found myself in Philadelphia last week.  Let me back up a little bit.

I’m not a big traveler.  It’s just never been a passion of mine and I’m lucky to be married to someone who feels the same way.  We have a nice time getting away when we can and this year we had a fabulous family vacation in Maine with my wife’s extended family.  But we’re just as happy enjoying a nice day at home.  One hobby that I’ve traveled for over the last several years has been playing golf with my friends.  We haven’t done anything exotic (like Pebble Beach or Scotland), but we’ve had a great time playing some beautiful courses in Vermont.  I am very lucky to have family members who offer the use of their condo while we stay in the area.  With the pandemic wreaking havoc on our travel plans, this was our first chance to get up there together in three years. 

This year, the trip came together relatively quickly as we found a weekend that worked for everyone and just in time before the courses closed for the season.  And let me tell you, the middle of October is certainly peak foliage season in Vermont.  The picture above is one that I took behind the second hole at Green Mountain National, my favorite course.  Overall, it was a lot of fun, despite the soaking wet conditions.  After a massive storm the night before, we were told by the clubhouse staff that we were welcome to play, but the course was a mess.  As gluttons for punishment (and having driven all the way from Connecticut), we figured we might as well make the best of it. 

Now, when a course is really wet, they will let you take golf carts, but you have to keep them on the gravel cart path.  They don’t want you driving on the wet fairways and tearing up the grass.  We decided to walk the course because it’s easier to get to your golf ball when it’s not near the cart path.  Seems like a good idea, right?  Good opportunity for exercise, right?  Check out the second word in the name of the course.  Yeah, I think my calves are still hurting from walking that beast of a course.  That’s ok – we had fun and when you can experience views like we saw on a course that we (pretty much) had to ourselves, it’s hard to complain.

So, I had my golf trip planned out, I had my post on movie thrillers all done before I left for Vermont and got it posted from the condo Friday night.  All set, right?  Just need to get the post done for next week.  Then I got a crazy idea.  Well, at least crazy for me.

Getting Out Of My Comfort Zone

You’ve probably guessed by now that I am a junkie for movie and television industry news.  I follow projects in development, new releases, the business side of the industry, and film festivals.  Most people have heard of some of the bigger festivals – Sundance and Cannes are the most commonly known.  But there are a ton of film festivals all over the world.  When I started this blog three years ago, I started following some of the bigger ones, just to stay on top of new releases and when they might be available at a theater near me.  That can be frustrating at times when you are close to the industry news like me.  You hear about a movie in May, but can’t see it until November.  But that’s what lists are for, I guess. 

Anyway, I never considered attending a film festival when I started writing about movies, and the option was taken off the table with the pandemic in March 2020.  But a funny thing happened – a number of festivals created a virtual option and included some pretty big titles in 2020 and 2021.  In fact, I saw some impressive Oscar winners via virtual film festivals – titles like Nomadland, Minari, The Father, Sound of Metal, Summer of Soul, and of course, CODA.  With the pandemic starting to ease, film festivals are back to the in-person model and are doing away with the virtual model, although Sundance is committed to a hybrid model for 2023 given how successful their virtual festival has been.  That being said, if I wanted to try to catch some movies early and experience the true vibe of a film festival, I’d have to go in person. 

Now, I wasn’t about to go to Park City, Utah for Sundance or the Toronto Film Festival (considered one of the best ones in the industry, and one that I may go to someday).  I thought about going to the New York Film Festival, which usually has a strong program.  This year was no different, with premieres including White Noise, Tár, Armageddon Time, and She Said – all some of my most anticipated films.  The more I tried to figure out the best days to travel to New York City, I just couldn’t find the right combination of movies I wanted to see during the days I could reasonably stay in NYC.  So, I figured it wasn’t meant to be.  And then I read about the Philadelphia Film Festival, which brings me to last weekend’s adventure.

Wait, This Is Philly?

The Philadelphia Film Festival runs for twelve days and features a wonderful combination of big-budget new releases, independent films, projects from local filmmakers, documentaries, and foreign pictures.  This is typical of mid-sized festivals.  What I liked about the options for this one were the location (an easy train ride), the proximity of the theaters to each other (all walking distance), and the selection of films.  Now, Philadelphia is not known as the most welcoming of cities.  This is the city known for booing Santa Claus at an Eagles game many years ago.  I didn’t know what to expect, traveling to a city alone as a film festival rookie.  I could not have been more pleasantly surprised.

At each screening, you are gathered outside the theater in a line, depending on your ticket access.  I had purchased a weekend badge which got me into any movie from the opening night festivities through Sunday night.  They also program many films each day, so you have to plan your schedule and make tough choices about which movies to check out.  This is a scenario where being a good planner comes in handy (of course, I changed course a few times based on my mood each day).  Anyway, waiting in line is actually a great way to strike up a conversation with strangers who you quickly find connections with, based on your experiences and love of film. 

I knew I was in good hands talking with a few people in line at the opening night film and once I got seated in the theater.  A woman next to me asked me if I was in the industry (“Nope, just a movie junkie.”) and she told me about her experience working at a film society on the New Jersey Shore that runs its own festival and sponsors this one we were attending.  When I told her it was my first trip here and my first festival anywhere, the guy in front of me turned around and said, “Welcome.”  I was taken aback.  I’m used to people being standoffish and rude.  I can’t tell you how many times I heard that over the course of the weekend.  And when I told people I came down from Connecticut just for the festival and we talked about how many movies we were seeing each day, everyone said the same thing, “That’s so great that you came all the way from Connecticut.  This festival is so much fun and is a great experience.”  Then I had the eureka moment – I got out of one comfort zone and landed squarely in another.

Let’s cover some highlights.  I won’t go into too much detail to avoid any spoilers – I’ll save some thoughts for my year-end series early next year.

Opening Night

The opening night of the festival featured The Banshees of Inisherin, one of the films I featured in my fall preview here.  There was definitely a buzz of enthusiasm before the screening, as you could tell everyone was excited to begin their journey at the festival.  One of the things I liked most about this festival was that it was big enough to feature impressive movies, but small enough that it wasn’t a circus.  There weren’t red carpet events like you see at bigger film premieres.  It wasn’t about seeing celebrities (although I did have a cool moment which we’ll get to) – it was about seeing great movies. 

Now, in my preview, I noted that I didn’t know a lot about this movie, except the writer/director (Martin McDonagh) and the two stars (Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson) and that it is a dark comedy.  After seeing the film (which I really liked), let’s just say this is “dark” with a capital D.  Like, capital D in bold.  Farrell and Gleeson play two longtime friends in a small community on an island off the coast of Ireland in the early 1920s.  One day Gleeson decides he doesn’t want to be friends anymore and Farrell just can’t figure out why.  Being a small community, the gossip spreads.  When Farrell doesn’t give up trying to find out why his friend broke up with him, Gleeson decides to show him how serious he is about his decision.  There are aspects of this movie that are very funny (let me tell you, hearing the two leads say “feckin” over and over again NEVER gets old), but there are some dark parts, so this one might not be for everyone.  Expect to hear about Banshees during the awards race, especially for McDonagh (in Best Picture and/or Screenplay) and Farrell for Best Actor.

One of the other benefits of attending a festival is hearing from someone involved in making the movie.  For Banshees, the composer of the film’s score joined for a Q&A after the screening to describe his process for writing a film score and this one in particular.  Carter Burwell has a very impressive filmography, and has worked with the Coen brothers since their first picture almost forty years ago.  He wasn’t in person and did the interview via Zoom, but that’s ok – at least we got to hear from him.  Being such a big fan of movies and music, learning about the creative process to write a film score was very interesting.  A true highlight.  And just like that, my festival experience was off to a strong start.

Two Pleasant Surprises

I had a long list of movies that I considered seeing during the festival and you have to be thoughtful in planning your schedule as there are multiple screenings happening at the same time.  While some films run more than once, I was only at the festival for a long weekend, so I only had one chance to see the movies on my list.  Two that I was eager to see both delivered in a big way.

The last film I saw on my first full day was an independent movie that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was picked up by Neon (so it should be released soon).  How to Blow Up a Pipeline is about a group of environmental activists who plot to….well, it’s in the title, so you can figure that out.  The film is a narrative story that is based on a nonfiction book and while I can’t say I would support violence and destruction, this felt like a heist movie more than a “message” movie to me.  I was able to set aside judging the motivations of the characters and just enjoy the experience.  Following the screening, we were fortunate to hear from the lead actress (who also co-wrote the script) and the editor.  It was interesting to hear how they constructed the story, which featured a number of flashbacks that were integrated very effectively.  At times, this felt like an Ocean’s movie (albeit without the jokes), and proving the point that we can still see a new twist on a heist story if you get the right talent behind the project.

The other movie that really impressed me was a Korean detective noir story, Decision to Leave, that will likely be in the conversation for Best International Film at the Oscars.  At the center of the story is a detective investigating the death of a man who fell while rock-climbing.  What appears to be either suicide or an accident might actually be a case of murder.  The detective starts interviewing the widow, and staking out her apartment to see if she does anything suspicious.  The longer his investigation goes, the more he becomes attached to her.  Decision to Leave is a beautifully shot movie, with clever camera work from director Park Chan-wook, and reminded me a lot of Hitchcock’s Vertigo.  While the film may receive some awards consideration, there is still some hesitation around movies with subtitles.  That being said, hopefully with the popularity of 2019’s Best Picture winner Parasite, and last year’s Netflix sensation, Squid Game, people are becoming more open to films with subtitles.  It’s actually a good thing, because it forces you to put your phone down (if watching from home) and Decision to Leave is the exact kind of movie you want to be engaged with completely from beginning to end.

The Highlight of Highlights

One of the downsides of attending film festivals can be a disproportionate number of serious dramas.  I learned quickly that if I loaded up on too many serious films, as much as I could admire them, I might not be in the best of moods.  But I had no concerns when I saw what was playing the evening of the third night of the festival – Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, the sequel to 2019’s wonderful comedy-mystery Knives Out.  This has been on my short list of films I really want to see this year and it is not going to be on Netflix until Christmas (but will be in theaters for a week around Thanksgiving).  I just knew that I had to check this one out, especially when I read in the program that writer-director Rian Johnson would be making a festival appearance.  Now, having seen a Zoom interview with the composer of The Banshees of Inisherin on opening night, I didn’t know if Johnson would be here in person.  That question was quickly answered when I was in line in the lobby talking with someone when I heard “Wow, can I take a picture?”  I turned around to see the director standing right there, taking a selfie with a fan.  Well, that was cool.

Before I get to the film, I have to relay a funny story about how I quickly realized this festival world is a small one indeed.  As I joined the queue outside the theater (which seats several hundred people), I saw a man walking up to the line and we both realized we were in line together earlier that day at a different movie.  We started laughing and compared thoughts on the earlier film.  Then a woman walked up to us and we recognized each other from the previous day when we talked in line before a different screening.  When they started talking, I discovered they were brother and sister-in-law.  Just when I didn’t think the world could get any smaller, I turned around and the woman walking up to the line was the same woman I was in line with at the opening night film.  We looked at each other, started laughing and both said, “Come on!”  I had found my theater buddies and we enjoyed several movies together the rest of the weekend.  It was quite funny how shared experiences can quickly turn strangers into friends.  Needless to say, any hesitation about attending a film festival quickly went out the window that night.

As far as the film goes, Glass Onion is a lot of fun.  If you enjoyed Knives Out, it’s a good bet that you will like the sequel.  If you haven’t seen the original, that’s ok – the new one features only Daniel Craig returning to solve a brand new mystery.  But the original is such a fun popcorn movie and very rewatchable, so it’s a good option for your next movie night.  With Glass Onion, Rian Johnson once again delivered a clever story with twists and turns and plenty of laughs.  Craig is excellent again, Edward Norton (one of my favorites, as I’ve written about before) is terrific, and Janel Monae was one of the best parts of the story.  I don’t want to say too much (to avoid spoilers), but I highly recommend checking this one out and if you want to have even more fun, see it in a crowded theater during its release (for one week only) around Thanksgiving.  Having watched this in a sold-out theater, it made for a very enjoyable experience.

Well, That Was Different

My last day at the festival was another one of juggling my schedule to make it from one screening to another.  After watching a very good period piece set in 19^th century Austria at one of the satellite theaters, I rushed up to the main theater for a screening of White Noise.  I speculated in my fall preview that this one might be awful and it was actually better than I was worried it would be.  That being said, this film will not be for everyone.  The plot is very strange (with a large capital S).  The first half of the movie works very well, the second half not so much.  There are a lot of tonal shifts that were jarring to people I spoke with afterwards, most of whom had not read the novel.  I read it earlier this year, specifically because I knew the plot was unconventional, and thought the film was pretty good, but didn’t completely work.  I actually think when White Noise is released on Netflix in late December, it will be widely panned and will only be appreciated by the small percentage of people who are devoted fans of the novel.  Speaking of Netflix….

There was an interesting moment before the film started.  At every movie during the festival, someone from the organization running the program introduces the picture and lets you know if there will be a Q&A afterwards.  They also remind you to silence your phones.  But before White Noise (and Glass Onion, another Netflix film at the festival), they emphasized keeping your phone stored away as they had “night-vision security” in the theater.  I kid you not.  During the movie, I saw some security dudes walking along the side aisles a few times making sure people weren’t recording the film to leak on the internet.  Must have been a Netflix thing.  And definitely not something you see at your average theater.

Luckily after we got out of White Noise, I was able to connect with a fellow listener of my favorite movie podcast, The Big Picture.  We had previously connected on Facebook and were able to catch up live in the lobby between screenings.  It was nice to chat with someone in person about different movies we had seen and how positive the experience had been for both of us, first time attendees at the festival.  We only had a few minutes to chat, but later on agreed that we need to try to connect with more people from the podcast Facebook group next year, because there were others who attended the festival.  One more thing to look forward to next year.

A Wide Range of Emotions

I quickly got back in line for my next film and upon entering the theater, I connected with one of my theater buddies and we exchanged thoughts on a movie we had seen earlier that day and then the lights went down for one of the most anticipated Oscar contenders of 2022, Women Talking.  I covered this film in my preview series here and let me tell you that this one lives up to the hype.  I will save my full thoughts for my year-end series (I will be shocked if this does not end up in my top ten) and to be honest, all I could think of were words (as opposed to coherent sentences) to describe the film.  Emotional.  Difficult.  Inspiring.  Beautiful.  Powerful.  Incredible.  The acting performances were outstanding, led by Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, and Rooney Mara and should be the prime example of why the Oscars needs to add a Best Ensemble Performance award.  This film will be on the short list of Oscar contenders, especially for Sarah Polley, who wrote and directed the picture.  If you can handle the subject matter, I highly recommend seeing Women Talking when it comes out in December. 

So, after being emotionally drained following the film, I sat in my seat and looked at my phone, to discover that the Phillies had just won to advance to the World Series.  Earlier that morning, I was in a coffee shop and overheard someone saying “One more win today and then we’re going to party on Broad Street.”  Thinking to myself for a minute.  What time is the game going to end?  Oh yeah, around the time my films end.  Broad Street sounds familiar.  I think the theater is near Broad Street, right?  Checks Google Maps.  Oh, yeah, that’s right.  It’s at the corner of Broad Street.  Oh boy.

Let me tell you that I can’t ever remember a more jarring change in feeling from one moment to the next.  I had just finished watching a powerful and emotional film that left me moved unlike most movies can do and I walked out into the street to a scene that looked like Mardi Gras.  Fans of the Phillies were all out on Broad Street (which the police had shut down) jumping around, shouting, singing, dancing, and having a party.  I had considered seeing one more movie, but decided that this would be the best way to finish my night.  I hung around for a while, much closer to the cops and the barricades than the crowd, taking it all in.  Having been a big sports fan most of my life and fortunate to enjoy many championships, I had never been close to something like this.  Granted, the Phillies hadn’t won the World Series (yet?), but it’s still exciting to get there.  And from what I saw, people were mostly behaving and just having fun.  Quite the experience that I certainly didn’t expect when I planned this trip.

As I walked back to my hotel, I was reflecting on the weekend and what I just witnessed.  It seemed only fitting that my last experience in the city where I bonded with so many like-minded lovers of film would be witnessing baseball fans doing the same thing, albeit a little louder and more rambunctious.  But that’s ok, we like what we like, and we are passionate about the things we love.  It goes without saying that as I came home Monday morning, I decided that I will definitely be back next year, probably running into my theater buddies in line, and bonding over our love of film and what we are looking forward to seeing at the 2023 festival.  And I can’t wait to experience it all again.

That’s all for this week.  I hope you enjoyed my ramblings about a different kind of adventure for me.  Before I wrap up, a quick PSA for any horror fans out there looking for one more scary movie before Halloween.  One of my favorite films of the year, Barbarian, is now streaming on HBO Max and available to rent on demand.  As I covered here, go into this one knowing as little as possible and enjoy the ride.  And if you don’t have HBO Max yet, it’s the best streaming option out there and worth the price, even for a trial.  The movie library is excellent and they are unmatched in television quality, as I covered in my favorite shows of 2022 a few weeks back.  I’ll be back next week with a more traditional post – I’m looking back at one of the best movie years of the 21^st century and some of my favorite films from 2007.  Thanks for reading and if you’d like to be notified of future posts, you can subscribe here.