'Trollhunter': A funny, not-so-scary horror mockumentary

By Sarah Sluis

For someone who loves the idea of horror movies, but finds many of them too scary in practice, I recommend Trollhunter. The Norwegian horror-comedy mockumentary is one of eight films in the Tribeca Film Festival's Cinemania section, which "represent a well-rounded spectrum of contemporary genre filmmaking�from science fiction to horror to exploitation to fantasy."

The Cinemania films are some of the more offbeat and just plain weird movies in the festival, but they're often hidden gems. Last year I caught Dream House, a horror movie in which someone literally kills for an apartment--commentary on Hong Kong's insane housing market. Trollhunter's message is more subtle and focused on environmentalism and bureaucracy. It's more interesting not because of its light commentary, but because it provides a little window into Norwegian culture. Also, it's true: Norwegian fjords are stunning.

The film centers on three college students who decide to investigate a recluse who hunters suspect has been poaching bears. They follow the recalcitrant man until they catch him in action: He's a government-supported trollhunter, and he's sick of not getting overtime, hazard, or night pay. Sure, he says, follow me. I'm sick of this job.

The trio (a soundwoman, a cameraman, and the on-screen guy) get up close and personal with the trolls, which are surprisingly well-done. The filmmakers must be using CG shots, but they look incredibly seamless for a low-budget movie. If they "cheated" at all, it was by using mainly low light, but all the troll scenes take place at night anyway. The trolls themselves (for there are many varieties) are scary but also slightly comedic. They're dumb and smelly, so it's not too hard to outwit them--but that doesn't mean they can't kill you.

Hard-core blood and guts fans may be disappointed. I don't think I've seen this little gore in a horror movie, ever, and the suspense was well within this horror novice's comfort levels. But Trollhunter is also a fun ride through annals of Norwegian folklore, breathtaking shots of the austere landscape included. The mockumentary form, too, is incredibly expressive, including mundane details such as sound checks and white balances along with intensity-building use of night vision and even a cracked camera lens. Director Andr vredal is a newcomer, with just a few credits under his belt, but he's definitely an emerging talent who can do a lot with very little.

Catch Trollhunter at the Tribeca Film Festival, or watch it on VOD starting on May 6th. Distributor Magnet will also release the film in select theatres beginning June 10th. Watch the trailer here.

'Off the Rez': 'Hoop Dreams' for Native Americans

By Sarah Sluis

Fictional sports movies have it tough. The narrative that repeats over and over again is that of the underdog team that comes from behind and wins the championships. Audiences are bored of this predictable plotline, but it's also the most satisfying story arc. Sports documentaries have a wonderful out: Everything they're covering actually happened. If they win the championships, great. If not, it doesn't matter, because the experience feels real and visceral. Every moment the players are behind or ahead feels that more intense because it was an actual game.

Off the Rez is the latest sports documentary from Jonathan Hock (Through the Fire), whose sports-centered non-fiction films have been a Tribeca Film Festival fixture. At a "Tribeca Talks" screening last night, viewers saw the movie for the first time. A panel followed that included the director, executive producers Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, and the stars of the documentary. Their candid, revealing responses provided insight into the filmmaking process that drove home the film's heartbreaking struggles and inspirational story.

The movie centers on Shoni Schimmel, a promising Native American basketball player who lives on the Umatilla Reservation in Oregon with her family. During her junior and senior years of high school, her family moves to Portland, Oregon, in order to give her a better shot at making it big and getting recruited by a top college. It's also a family story--her mother is her basketball coach, and her younger sister Jodi is her teammate. Her mother Ceci has an astonishing eight children, which helped the film get picked up by TLC. At the "Tribeca Talks" panel afterwards, TLC group president Eileen O'Neill wryly noted, "We do big families pretty well," referring to the channel's numerous shows featuring supersize broods.

Racism, too, factors heavily into the film. Shoni is the daughter of a Native American mother and a white father, a marriage that the community did not take kindly to at the time. Ceci, Shoni's mom, described the attitude around the Oregon reservation as "cowboys & indians," and that kind of prejudice persists in the community. The pressure for Shoni to perform well is amplified by the expectations of both her family and the community. It turns out that many Native Americans have excelled at sports, only to wither at their moment of promise, quitting college to return home to family or not understanding the "ticket" that such a scholarship can provide. Shoni's own mother was up for a scholarship but her coach encouraged recruiters to focus on her white teammate. As the moments tick down to make a choice for a college team, Shoni hesitates, then hesitates again, sending viewers like me into a fretting frenzy. Will she bow out? Does she have the courage to leave her community? Will she succumb to their pressure?

Off the Rez also includes a timely subplot: the subprime mortgage crisis. The family buys a house in Portland because it's cheaper to buy then rent, but their payments soon escalate. After hard times hit the family, the house moves into foreclosure. If Shoni was paralyzed by the decision-making process before, this added stress further delays her college choice.

Director Hock has ample experience with sports scenes, and it shows. Shoni is a miraculous player, with plenty of style and an ability to swoosh shots despite being heavily defended. The players are also incredibly expressive. As the moderator, Friday Night Lights author Buzz Bissinger noted, "Girls are more fun than boys to watch because they cry constantly." He meant it as a half joke, but it's true. In the locker room after a loss, tears stream down the cheeks of athletes with aggressive on-court game faces. And why wouldn't you cry because you just broke a foot, had a knee jammed in your face, or can't breathe because you have undiagnosed mono?

Off the Rez is an edge-of-your-seat sports movie with heart. It also offers eye-opening accounts of racism and reservation life, along with a side of the mortgage crisis--you can't get any more topical than that! Catch it at the Tribeca Film Festival or when it airs on TLC as a two-hour special on May 14th at 9pm.

Tribeca Film Festival: Mouthwatering doc �Jiro Dreams of Sushi' delights audience

By Sarah Sluis

Most people will never pay $300 for a sushi dinner, but the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi gives an hour and a half look into a restaurant whose sushi meals cost that much and often take just fifteen to thirty minutes to consume.

The Tokyo restaurant is led by chef Jiro Ono, an 85-year-old whose right-hand man is his fifty-something son. His younger son, who will not inherit the business, has already branched out and opened another restaurant, but the older son is holding out until he can carry on his father's business�though fifty seems a little old to be still working under your father. The restaurant, which has just a dozen seats, is run meticulously, and the documentary follows the rhythmic life, day in and day out, of the sushi chefs.

Director David Gelb said in a Q&A afterwards that his shots of Jiro's sushi-making were inspired by "Planet Earth." The crisp, HD shots are sometimes slowed down slightly, and the camera will arc around a completed hand roll, allowing audiences to appreciate the simplicity and beauty of his creations.

After watching the documentary, $300 for dinner actually seems like a deal. The secret to good sushi is an incredible amount of painstaking labor. Want tender, not rubbery, octopus? Massage it for 45 minutes. Want the best fish? Develop relationships with vendors who each specialize exclusively in tuna or eels. Cut it the right way. Add just enough vinegar to the marinade. Don't prepare anything beforehand. Above all, taste, taste, taste.

Jiro's son tells an anecdote. He made tamagoyaki (egg sushi, pictured right) over two hundred times before his father liked it enough not to throw it out. Jiro has many apprentices, and they spend a decade making sushi before they're considered good enough to move on from an apprenticeship.

At the Tribeca screening, the audience was incredibly giving and delighted in hearing the lengths Jiro goes to achieve often humorous levels of perfection. They were also concerned about Jiro and his business in the wake of the earthquakes and nuclear disaster in Japan. The director assured us that his family is safe and sound, but noted that many reservations have been canceled due to the instability in the aftermath of the tragedy. Procuring fish, too, has become more difficult. Many coastal fisheries have been wiped out. There just isn't that much to buy at the fish market.

For a stomach-growling look at the sushi world, see the film at the Tribeca Film Festival or await its release through Magnolia, which has plans to release the doc later this year. Watch the trailer here.

Tribeca doc leads the battle against school bullying

By Kevin Lally

One of the first pickups from the Tribeca Film Festival is The Weinstein Company's acquisition of The Bully Project, Lee Hirsch's documentary focusing on five families impacted by the age-old problem of bullying in our nation's schools. The issue has gained a higher profile this past year from the rash of suicides of gay youth targeted by their peers, but Hirsch's subjects represent a wider cross-section of victims.

The film's opening moments are among its most painful, as we watch home movies of Tyler Long, a happy little boy who becomes increasingly withdrawn as he ages before our eyes. With his father's first mention of the boy in past tense, you cringe: After years of bullying, the 17-year-old Tyler hung himself in his bedroom closet.

Equally shocking is the story of 16-year-old Kelby, who came out as a lesbian in her Bible Belt home town of Tuttle, Oklahoma. Kelby describes a classroom atmosphere in which even her teachers single her out with hostile referencesto the burning of "faggots," and laughs off an incident in which she was struck by a minivan. Shunned by much of her community, Kelby emerges as the toughest kid in the film, confident enough to attract a core group of devoted friends, including a few defiant straight girls.

Fourteen-year-old Alex of Sioux City, Iowa, is far less capable of taking on the world outside his loving family. Lean, gawky, bespectacled and with thick lips that prompt kids to call him "Fishface," Alex can't ride the school bus without being punched, choked or ridiculed--assaults that we see for ourselves and which prompt the filmmakers to intervene on Alex's behalf. Watching the management style of oblivious school administrator Kim Lockwood, we understand why director Hirsch felt the need to get directly involved. She's ridden that bus, she tells Alex's parents, and never seen a hint of behavioral problems.

Another bus provides the most disturbing moment in the film, as video footage shows 14-year-old Ja'Meya of Yazoo County, Mississippi brandishing a gun and threatening her classmates after one too many bullying incidents. Arrested and charged with 45 felony counts, Ja'Meya faces years in prison as a consequence of her impulsive, desperate act.

Late in the film, we meet the Smalleys of Perkins, Oklahoma, whoseson Ty committed suicide at age 11. Ty's father Kirk founds the website "Stand for the Silent," a support system for families dealing with the relentless bullying of their children. The group also stages rallies in which young people are encouraged to befriend kids who are struggling alone and to speak out against bullying incidents.

Many adults watching The Bully Project will recall their own personal confrontations with bullies or memories of beleaguered classmates. Some will agree with theview of certain school authorities in the film that "kids will be kids" or "boys will be boys." But Hirsch's film reveals the condescension behind that attitude, the undervaluing of children's experiences, sometimes hellish, as if they were not as vital and serious as an adult's. The consequences of bullying can be grave indeed, and with The Weinstein Company now behind it, The Bully Project will open even more minds to that harsh reality.

'Rio' narrowly swoops over 'Madea's Big Happy Family'

By Sarah Sluis

The round-the-world hit Rio enjoyed its second week at the top stateside. The 3D, CG-animated tale of a bird going back to his homeland dipped 32% to $26.8 million, landing just above Madea's Big Happy Family.

Tyler Perry's latest Madea comedy opened to $25.7 million. The Madea movies have opened anywhere from $20.1 million (Meet the Browns) to an out-of-the-park $41 million (Madea Goes to Jail), so this number falls near the average. Like most Perry movies, the audience was primarily black, female, and over 25�perhaps these viewers see shades of their own grandmothers in the comically exaggerated Madea?

Water for Elephants opened above expectations, debuting to $17.5 million. Despite the presence of Twilight heartthrob Robert Pattinson, the audience skewed more toward Reese Witherspoon fans: 70% of the audience was over 25, and the same percentage was female.

The Earth Day release African Cats opened to $6.4 million, slightly better than the $6 million open of last year's Disneynature release Oceans. These nature documentaries have played very well over the long haul, so Cats should total at least $20 million before it leaves theatres.

Another seasonal release, Hop, added 16% from last week thanks to its proximity to Easter Sunday, ending with $12.6 million. The CG/live-action hybrid earned its highest numbers the Friday and Saturday before Easter, dropping on the holiday itself, when kids were presumably occupied with Easter egg hunts and bunny visits of their own.

Despite all the product placements and tie-ins, Director Morgan Spurlock's documentary POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold had a solid, not stellar, $7,500 per-screen open. However, the 18-location release was a bit wide compared to most specialty releases, so perhaps it will hold well in coming weeks. In comparison, another Sony Pictures Classics release, Incendies, opened to $18,200 per screen, but only had three screens to fill with ticket-buyers.

The biggest mover-and-shaker among specialty releases was the ten-week-old doc I Am, which went up 572% as it added ten locations. I'm sure director Tom Shadyac's April 20^th appearance on "Oprah" had absolutely nothing to do with it.

Meek's Cutoff is also performing well, going up 180% as it tripled the number of theatres in its three-week-old release. The Oregon Trail drama earned a $6,500 per-screen average.

This Friday, car actioner Fast Five will lead the pack, followed by Disney's bid for teens, Prom, horror comedy Dylan Dog: Dead of Night, and animated sequel Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil.

'Madea's Big Happy Family' may trample 'Water for Elephants'

By Sarah Sluis

Tyler Perry is the king of high opening weekends, and his latest entry in the Madea franchise, Madea's Big Happy Family (2,288 theatres), will be a strong contender for first place if it can beat Rio's sophomore session. The holidays will help out both films. The Madea films have played particularly well during Easter Sunday matinees, while Rio can take advantage of students on spring break, including many that will be off this Friday.

Water for Elephants (2,817 theatres) should grab third place by a wide berth, with many estimating a $15 million take for the movie, which had a $40 million budget. The glitter of big-name stars Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson, and Christoph Waltz can't help this movie, which I called out for its "one-dimensional characters" and "worn, familiar" narrative. The circus and 1930s costumes are quite breathtaking, but the movie itself just doesn't deliver. I think even fans of the novel will leave wishing for more.

Disneynature's annual Earth Day documentary tradition continues with African Cats (1,220 theatres). The nature film centers on "two mothers�one an aging lioness with a cub, the other a cheetah with five newborns�and their struggles against predators and...to raise these youngsters into adulthood," according to Kirk Honeycutt. The animals are given names and their actions narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, anthropomorphizing them to the point that Honeycutt was reminded of The Lion King. "Nothing's wrong with this approach, of course," he concludes, reasoning that it's a surefire way to appeal to young audiences. 2009's Earth earned $8.8 million its first weekend, but 2010's Oceans opened with $6 million, and finished with 40% less at the box office. Can African Cats reverse this downward trend?

Director Morgan Spurlock offers an entertaining, brisk account on product placement in POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (18 theatres). The documentary, which was entirely funded by product placement, is apparently already in the green, though lead sponsor POM is withholding some money until it earns over $10 million at the box office. Good luck Morgan!

Finally, the Oscar-nominated foreign film Incendies (3 theatres) makes its debut. Critic Doris Toumarkine gives the drama her proud endorsement, saying it gives "that all-too-rare film experience that commands attention at every twisty story turn and delivers an extraordinary ending that rewards that attention as the loose ends explode into a collective 'Wow!'"

On Monday, I'll see if Madea or Rio drew the most audiences, if Water for Elephants succeeds despite its bad reviews, and if Morgan Spurlock is on track to receive that box-office bonus from POM.

'The Loving Story': Tribeca celebrates a landmark Supreme Court victory

By Kevin Lally

The Tribeca Film Festival, founded by Robert De Niro and his producing partner Jane Rosenthal to revitalize Lower Manhattan after the 9/11 attacks, is now ten years old, and it's evolved into a welcome and vibrant New York spring institution. With former Sundance honcho Geoffrey Gilmore now serving as chief creative officer for Tribeca Enterprises and Nancy Schafer as the event's executive director, the festival has become more selective but also a showcase for new talent: Of the104 directors represented withfeatures in this year's program, a remarkable 60 are first-timers.

Veteran FJI critic and correspondent Doris Toumarkine will be filing an overview of the festival on this website later on. But we can share that she's pretty enthusiastic about this year's lineup, and here are some of the films she's seen and recommends: Michael Cuesta's Roadie, with Ron Eldard and Bobby Cannavale; the Italian crime drama A Quiet Life, starring the great Toni Servillo; the foodie documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi; the French comedy Romantics Anonymous; the rock 'n' roll drama Janie Jones with Alessandro Nivola and Abigail Breslin; the Yugoslavian documentary Cinema Komunisto, about Tito'smovie obsessions; Renee, about transgendered tennis star Renee Richards; and the searing documentary Gone, about a retired New York police officer's search for her missing son.

Yesterday was a good documentary day for this correspondent too. It started with a screening of the opening-night film, The Union, Cameron Crowe's intimate look at themaking of the album of the same name--Elton John's collaboration with his longtime idol, veteran session keyboardist and singer-songwriter Leon Russell. The affection John has for the white-bearded rock legend is immense, and there's an especially wonderful moment when Russell plays him a new song called "In the Hands of Angels"--inspired by John's nurturing of Russell's comeback--and the younger superstar retreats to a private space to shed some tears. During the recording, Russell underwent brain surgery, and it's heartwarming to see how participating in this musical project re-energizes the frail veteran and speeds his recovery.

Inspirational on an entirely different level, the documentary The Loving Story tells the saga of Mildred and Richard Loving, the Virginia couple at the center of the landmark 1967 Supreme Court ruling that finally struck down this nation's grotesque anti-miscegenation laws, then in effect in 21 states. Richard was white, Mildred was black and Native American, and they lived in a community where the races freely intermingled, but risked arrest if they dared to marry.

Director Nancy Buirski had the huge luck to discover a trove of black-and-white footage of the Loving family filmed by Hope Ryden (who attended the screening), footage that remained unseen in storage for more than 40 years. The scenes of the Lovings and their children at home are intimate and disarming. Richard is a man of few words and Mildred is charmingly soft-spoken, but the looks they exchange are clearly those of a couple in love and determined to remain together no mattter what.

The film also features footage both old and new of the Lovings' attorneys, Bernard Cohen and Philip Hirschkop, who were then young and relatively inexperienced but smart and savvy enough to bring the couple's case all the way to the Supreme Court and win a unanimous verdict. (Hirschkop was also at the screening and received a standing ovation.) The patently racist statements of the state judge in Virginia certainly helped their case against the law, which they argued was a century-old vestige of slavery.

Tragically, Richard Loving died eight years afterhis Supreme Court victory when a drunk driver crashed into the couple's car. Mildred died in 2008; seeing her obituary, filmmaker Buirski was amazed to discover there had never been an in-depth documentary about this historic couple and their legal fight. Produced by HBO Documentary Films,The Loving Storywill air on HBO in February 2012 and it surely deserves some theatrical exposure too--particularly for its parallels to the current battles over same-sex marriage (which Mildred publicly endorsed in 2007).After all, in the annals of civil-rights milestones, Loving vs. Virginia deserves to be as well-known as Brown vs. Board of Education.

(Loving Story photo by Grey Villet)