By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com
Screening Gotham: May 19-21, 2006
A few of this weekend’s worthwhile cinematic goings-on around New York:
—Sundance at BAM wraps up this weekend with a diverse selection of films including the documentaries Trials of Darryl Hunt and Beyond Beats and Rhymes, the quiet dramas Stephanie Daley and In Between Days, and the Tae Kwon Do comedy The Foot Fist Way. But if I had to choose only one title to recommend before these films and filmmakers go back to the distribution waiting game, it would be Wristcutters: A Love Story. Goran Dukic’s offbeat comedy features Patrick Fugit as a young suicide on a road trip through the afterlife in pursuit of his dead girlfriend; his travels introduce him to a beauty (Shannyn Sossamon) trying to make her way back to the living world and an eccentric community leader (Tom Waits) who might have the power to resolve their quests.
The imagination and humanity on hand is exhilarating, and Dukic’s exquisite direction reflects an obvious love for both his material, his cast, and most of all, his viewer. I do not know if this is the best film playing at BAM this this weekend, but after watching it again Thursday, I just felt a certain gratitude for the privilege. And God knows that these days, I do not take that for granted.
–Fans of Allison Anders should consider planning a multi-borough weekend. First off, the filmmaker’s 1987 debut Border Radio will screen Saturday afternoon at 3 at Anthology Film Archives as part of the Don’t Knock the Rock festival‘s NYC sojourn; Anders will join festival director Gianna Chachere and music director Tiffany Anders (yes, Alison’s daughter) for a discussion afterward. Meanwhile, back at BAM on Sunday, Anders will be part of the Four Independents Who Turned the Tide panel discussion with John Waters, David O. Russell and Hal Hartley. The event basically goes like this: A $20 ticket gets you in to see one of the directors’ films (Gas Food Lodging, Polyester, Spanking the Monkey and The Unbelievable Truth, respectively) at noon, followed by the chat at 2:30 p.m. And perhaps best of all, you can still make Wristcutters at 3:30.
–The Pioneer Theater yesterday kicked off its weeklong engagement of the documentary Forgiving Dr. Mengele. Bob Hercules and Cheri Pugh’s film examines the life of Eva Kor, a concentration camp survivor whose search for retribution gives way years later–after meeting one of her Auschwitz tormentors–to hope for reconciliation. The doc has inspired robust controversy as well as acclaim, and Hercules, Pugh and Kor will be in attendance (separately, to my regret) tonight through Tuesday to discuss NYC audiences’ reactions. Check the Pioneer’s Web site for a complete appearance schedule.