2009: It's behind you!
As the first decade of the 21st Century draws to a close I’ve noticed a number of people have been looking back over the past ten years. This sort of thing always strikes me as being far too much work, so I am not going to. What I am going to do, however, is what I do at the end of every year and take a look back at the most memorable independent films of the past twelve months. And there have been some very good ones this year.
New York Lately
As a rule, I tend to find that the films I get most out of are the films that are ultimately about people and New York Lately is very much a film about ordinary people and the lives they lead. Specifically, it’s about six New Yorkers and their loosely interconnected stories. These stories all play out very naturally without any attempt to force them into any sort of artificially neat conclusion and, as such, they reflect very effectively the messiness of real life. Common themes do run through all of the stories, of hopes, dreams and disappointments and of love, friendship and betrayal and, ultimately, redemption. I never thought that watching relationships fail could be so heart-warming.
Dreamscape: The Extended Cut
Back in 2007 I saw Dreamscape, a 64 minute Philip K Dick inspired tale of intrigue and deception. As an action oriented spy thriller with an intriguing science-fiction premise, the film was, and remains, a very impressive début. It was a very solid, well paced with strikingly effective look, but did suffer somewhat from its shortness. Since then, writer/director Daniel J. Fox has extended and extensively reworked the film to produce this stunning 86 minute extended cut that manages to combine an intelligent and thought-provoking plot about surveillance, manipulation and paranoia with a superbly well executed thriller to come up with something that is both unique and well worth watching.
Schrödinger’s Girl, which is now known as Triple Hit.
This film follows Rebecca (Abigail Tarttelin), a disgraced scientist conducting research into alternate universes. She discovers a way to travel between universes and then finds that her parallel-world counterparts have their own agendas. It struck me as being a very British science-fiction film in terms of both its plot and its sensibility. The film is tightly scripted and manages to combine some great characters with several thought-provoking ideas in a manner that is not only unique and original but one that also kept me on the edge of my seat for much of its running time.
Death in Charge
Death in Charge is based on a screenplay writer/director Devi Snively’s wrote in reaction to the Columbine High School shootings. The film attempts to ask what provokes children to shoot people, and does so in a manner that draws heavily on the tradition of the old EC Comics while managing to remain contemporary. The film attempts to be a darkly comic horror film with something serious to say about contemporary society. This is probably one of the most difficult films to make but, in this case, has succeeded spectacularly.
The Video Guys
Although described as a romantic comedy, it would be much more accurate to call The Video Guys a comedy about romance. The film centres on Paul (Dan Brennan) and Rick (Russ Camarda) who run the titular company, making their money from videoing events. For weddings, Bar Mitzvah’s, children’s parties – whatever the event, The Video Guys can be hired to film it. The film is an affectionate and consistently amusing look at the world of weddings and wedding videos, and one that contains more of its share of laugh out loud moments. Even though some of the characters can come across as being quite cynical at times, the film itself is a wonderfully warm-hearted one, and one that manages create some genuinely touching moments.
Bleed With Me, also known as Rovdrift
When Barmaid, Laura (Camilla Metelmann) misses the last bus home and limbs into a taxi her evening goes from bad to much, much worse. Bleed With Me is one of the most frighteningly effective thrillers I have seen in a long time. Although not particularly long, the film has no padding and allows you absolutely no relief as it builds an atmosphere that is both tense and unnerving. It’s a psychological thriller that exploits the fear of getting into the wrong taxi to tremendous effect and one that will stay with you for a long time after it’s finished.
Cookies & Cream
Cookies & Cream does more than any other film I’ve seen to humanise the people working in the adult entertainment industry. The film moves along at quite a steady pace and without a great deal happening. It’s this pacing that makes the film so effective, allowing the characters space to develop and become increasingly interesting and sympathetic. As the characters develop, the film subtly challenges many of the prejudices – both positive and negative – that surround the adult entertainment industry, presenting us instead with an alternative – and much more realistic view – of a collection of individuals trying to do the best for themselves and for each other.
London Betty
London Betty is the story of three friends who live small lives in the small all-American of Pharisee and, while none of them is particularly satisfied with their lot, they do at least have each other. Into their lives come Betty (Nicole Lewis) who has moved from London to follow her ambition of becoming a top journalist and when Betty smells a story we embark on an increasingly funny comedy of errors.
Kids go to the Woods… Kids Get Dead
The title really does say it all for this film. Not only is it a superbly well-observed parody, it is also a very well made and rather smart slasher film. All of the usual stereotypes are present, but they are very effectively subverted by a smart plot and some strong acting.
Sex and Justice
Sex and Justice is a very well scripted, dialogue driven film that keeps you slightly off balance throughout. Although none of the film is set in a courtroom it does feel very much like a courtroom drama, albeit one in which noir and thriller elements have been seamlessly interwoven. Sex and Justice starts strongly and, by steadily handing us one reveal after another, manages to steadily ratchet up the tension as the film progresses towards its very satisfying conclusion.
Knuckle Draggers
When Ethan is dumped by his girlfriend he starts to go to pieces. Fortunately – or not – his brother, Kyle is on hand to help him pull himself together. It quickly becomes apparent that Kyle’s view of Ethan’s best interest is very different to Ethan’s view. Knuckle Draggers is a film that is not only very well written and superbly acted, but also one that is as thought provoking as it is funny. It is rare that you find a film that is as consistently good as this one – at any budget – and it is well worth keeping an eye out for.
Diary of a Bad Lad
When a frustrated film maker finally tries to make a documentary he very quickly finds himself out of his depth. Diary of a Bad Lad is a powerful and effective films and one that is, by turns, both bleakly funny and uncomfortable to watch. It is also a remarkably intelligent film with much to say about the way in which the media often pursues sensationalism with little or no consideration of their complicity in the events they record.
Silence, ça tue!, also known as Silence, we are Shooting
Silence, ça tue! is a very solidly plotted thriller that takes the mockumentary tropes that have become increasingly familiar and turns them on their head. The the result is a film that is both twisted and gripping and one that constantly and deliberately breaks the fourth wall in order to draw you in to the on-screen events. That these events manage to be both shockingly unexpected and utterly believable makes for a frighteningly realistic experience and one that really does need to be seen.
She’s So Cold
Set in ‘the not too distant future’, She’s So Cold is a surreal musical tale of love, loss and necrophilia. It involves a confession lip-synched to a Rolling Stones song and some superb editing. The film is short, but perfectly formed.
Pandemic
Jason Connery’s directorial debut is a very well scripted and remarkably tense conspiracy thriller that manages to avoid overstating what exactly is going on. While you think you know what is happening, the script manages to retain an effective element of uncertainty right up to the end.
Proxima
There are some films that are so full of concepts, that are packed with reality-bending twists that the sheer rush of ideas and the enthusiasm of the filmmaking is enough, on its own, to hold your attention for the whole of the film. Not only is Proxima is just such a film, but it’s also a very good piece of cinema in its own right. Although it has some flaws, the narrative is both effective and disorientating. The cast put in consistently strong performances and this, combined with both the visual feel of the film as well as the sheer volume of ideas and conceptual twists with which it is packed not only keeps you engaged throughout, but is also enough bring you back to the film, many times over.
The Last Lullaby
The Last Lullaby is a film of few surprises but one that is strongly scripted and populated with complex and engaging characters, all of whom are superbly brought to life by the cast. It is this combination of script, character and performance that is utterly engrossing and will keep you hooked right up to the end of the film.
2009 has turned out to be a very good year. So here’s hoping that 2010 will be just as strong. Until then, here’s wishing you all the best for the festive season and I’ll be back in the next decade.
[...] Here’s the link. [...]
[...] as a nice year’s end present, we made Savage Popcorn’s best-of-2009 list! Thanks [...]
[...] As a nice Christmas present, the fine gentlemen at Savage Popcorn put Triple Hit onto their Best Independent Films of 2009 list, which just makes me as pleased as Punch! Thank-you, kind [...]
[...] See full article here. [...]
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