Sundance: 'Cha Cha Real Smooth' is Frustrating, But Lands On Its Feet

by Eurocheese

Cooper Raiff wrote and directed Cha Cha Real Smooth, in which he stars as Andrew, a conflicted often frustrating man. The first scenes show Andrew in romantic situations at different ages (preteen and just after college), letting the audience know two things about him: he speaks without a filter when it comes to his emotions, and he falls head over heels when he is drawn to someone. When he isn’t romantically entangled, he stays with his loving mother (Leslie Mann) and her boyfriend (Brad Garrett), who he taunts at every opportunity. (At one point, Andrew asks the boyfriend if his purpose on earth is to make things weird… which someone should have been asking him instead!) 

Andrew’s outspoken nature is an excuse to be casually cruel at times though people find him charming. The script relies too heavily on this “charm,” including when he attends a bar mitzvah with his brother and meets Domino (Dakota Johnson) and her daughter Lola (Vanessa Burghardt). It’s clear he feels a spark with Domino right off the bat. The feeling is mutual though he makes remarks that would have most people running away from him... 

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Here's Your Sundance 2022

by Jason Adams

The main line-up for the 2022 edition of the Sundance Film Festival was announced this afternoon -- can I get a huzzah? Running from January 20th through the 30th they'll be screening 82 feature films and assorted other cinematic ephemera over the course of those ten days -- they're keeping themselves to the middle space in between in-person and virtual for their 2022 edition, with everything premiering in person in Utah and then subsequently screening via their (truly outstanding) online platform for those of us who can't make it to the mountains, for whatever reason. Like, for instance, the still-happening pandemic, which is certainly my own personal reason for only attending virtually again this time, and which it would be irresponsible for me to not recommend you all take into account. (That said their safety protocols seem very much on point, so your own mileage may vary.) 

I've got the entire press release with the word on everything announced today way down below -- and you can check out each title even more thoroughly on the fest's website, of course -- but I figured before that megaton of information I'd go ahead and poison your opinions with my opinions, highlighting ten movies that are immediately leaping forward onto my face for one particular reason or another.  

Sharp Stick -- Lena Dunham's new movie, her first in over a decade, will surely, as with everything Dunham-related, invite enthusiastic conversation from all angles. That's one way to say it! People sure do have opinions on her and her work, and the story here... 

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Middleburg Honorees: Ann Dowd, Dakota Johnson, and more...

by Nathaniel R

We previously reported on the six films getting major attention at Middleburg Film Festival and now we know some of the stars who will be attending given the honors & conversations scheduled: 

Agnes Varda Trailbazing Film Artist: Ann Dowd (Mass)
Actor Spotlight: Dakota Johnson (The Lost Daughter)
Director Spotlight: Kenneth Branagh (Belfast)
International Spotlight: Paolo Sorrentino (The Hand of God)
Ensemble Cast Spotlight: Simon Rex and cast (Red Rocket)
Distingued Cinematographer: Ari Wegner (Power of the Dog)
Conversation: Hair and Makeup artist Donald Mowat (Dune)
Conversation: Songwriters Kathryn Bostic, Amie Doherty, Lesley Barber, and Diane Warren

Which of these talents would you most like us to interview? More after the jump including our own panel plus our favourite annual Middleburg event...

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(Not Quite a) Doc Corner: St. Vincent in 'The Nowhere Inn'

By Glenn Dunks

The Nowhere Inn is not a documentary, but it is about documentary. It’s also an absolute hoot. A gonzo existential cinematic experiment that plays a little bit like if Christopher Guest melded with the world of Kirsten Johnston. It’s a movie that one could play alongside David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive and surely not-so-coincidentally hums along to a very similar tune.

Maybe most importantly, it is a movie that asks, ‘What happens when you go to make a documentary about a rock star, but your rock star turns out to be boring?’

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Nathaniel in Venice: "Atlantide" and "The Lost Daughter"

Nathaniel reporting from Venice. Day 2

"Atlantide" is a stunner. And better yet, Venice specific!

My second day of the fest was a day of high highs and low lows. The high (other than the movies) was that it was a full social day. That doesn't always happen at festivals but it is like a shot of energy for extroverts like myself. The fun began meeting two Spanish journalists on the ferry to the Lido who introduced themselves since they read The Film Experience. We had a great conversation about the new Almodóvar and they totally sold me on the idea of the San Sebastian Film Festival -- new goal! Then between films a quick drink with longtime friend Boyd van Hoeij (who you've heard on the podcast a couple of times) and then a late night very Italian dinner with our own Elisa Giudici. She's been our Italian correspondent at TFE for a year now (kicking it off with last year's Venice summary) but this was our first time actually meeting in person. She's such a delight in person, as personable and fun as her writing. I'm really quite chuffed to be sharing this Venice experience with her.

The low was very low realizing that this full day of screenings wasn't going to be the norm...

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