I arrived in New York City on June 7th to attend this year’s (2023) Tribeca Film Festival, and it got off to a rocky start, to say the least – but by no fault of the festival. I only briefly heard about the air quality issues before flying out. So once I exited Penn Station, I was surprised to see what could be described as a post-apocalyptic, Mars-like skyline in New York City – thanks to the Canadian wildfires (cue up South Park’s “Blame Canada” song). After hitting Bagel Pub for my usual (sausage, egg, bacon, and cheese on an Egg Everything and a Chai Latte…don’t skip this!) I arrived to check in at my AirBnB in a shady part of town. However, this AirBnB wound up being as non-existent as its host. I proceeded to call my wife’s cousin and her boyfriend, who were absolutely amazing and gracious in giving me a guest bed to sleep on for the duration of this trip (thank you, Sofia and Steven). With this unforeseen snag resolved (I was refunded), I made my way to the Nintendo store to pick up my requisite Nintendo New York shirt (a personal tradition of sorts that I partake in every time I come to NYC), before finally heading to the Tribeca headquarters to grab my and Big Tuna’s (what up, disappointmentmedia.com) press badges. I, unfortunately, wasn’t able to make it to the only screening on the 7th – “Kiss The Future” – but after tackling the wild flow of my initial day, I had my game face on for Thursday, and the 5 films below:
Movie 1: Shortcomings
The first film I viewed at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival is Shortcomings, directed by Randall Park, and starring Justin H. Min, Sherry Cola, Ally Maki, and Debby Ryan. Shortcomings is described as “a thought-provoking and emotionally charged drama that explores the complexities of modern relationships, identity, and culture”. Here, we follow the lives of Ben and Miko, as we witness their struggle to work through insecurities, feelings of inadequacy, and toxic traits that neither of them are willing to confront with any degree of assertion as they search for meaning, purpose, and rational in their lives. Neither appear to be happy with each other or their present circumstances, which leads to Miko attempting to pursue opportunities for growth, while Ben appears to be complacent in his current stagnation. Justin H. Min worked well for me as Ben – one of those characters you love to loathe – as he is a selfish, gaslighting, passive-aggressive, and impulsive asshole who still manages to realize some growth by the end of the film. I enjoyed this story, and its exploration of complex topics which include race, culture, and sense of purpose.
Rating: Not Quite Golden, Ponyboy
Movie 2: The Listener
The next film I viewed – which was perhaps the one I was most looking forward to – was The Listener is directed by Steve Buscemi, with Tessa Thompson in the (only) starring role. As someone in the field that this film broaches, I was quite excited to see it and its portrayal of a wounded yet compassionate helper – and it did not disappoint. We sit with “Beth” during a single evening of one of her last days doing volunteer work with a local crisis helpline, providing a listening ear to the pain and problems of an existential hidden layer of the city she lives in, dealing with a wide range of issues including but not limited to: human trafficking, toxic masculinity, grief and loss, feelings of hopelessness, resistance to change, and nihilistic worldviews. I felt this film did a superb job of demonstrating how exhausting providing help to others in need can be. Beth is presented with often back-to-back calls, with little time to process the previous situation before diving headfirst into another – often with an increasing degree of challenge. We see Beth struggle with feeling helpless in her own way, as there is only so much she can do. The choice to change is ultimately up to the person on the other end of the line. Those who call Beth are often presented as reluctant to seek help, feeling that the process is stigmatizing, unhelpful, or somehow something to be ashamed of. Many shots used throughout the film made me feel like I was in a quiet spot in the room, observing Beth as I attempted to think of quick, desperate solutions of my own for her calls, while appreciating her use of personal self-disclosure to attempt to instill hope with the person on the other side of the line. This movie was also clever to incorporate small demonstrations of how Beth would utilize self-care while on duty. In my biased eyes, I think The Listener is excellent.
Rating: Must See
Movie 3: Afire
After a quick bite to eat, I ventured to see my next film for the day – Afire by director Christian Petzol, starring Thomas Schubert, Paula Beer, and Langston Uibel. We are presented with friends Leon and Felix, who arrive at what they thought would be a private beach house where they could pursue their artistic interests for the summer. However, they soon discover they are not alone, as Nadja appears to have been at the house for quite some time. This story focuses on the relationships between Leon, Felix, Nadja, and her friend – Devid – while a raging wildfire ominously threatens both their peace and well-being. The first act didn’t quite pull me in, but I slowly became intrigued by Leon – the perpetual miserable curmudgeon that he is – and his growing fascination with Nadja. As the story progresses, we see these characters form new relationships, while existing relationships become altered, leading to a conclusion that shook me, and toyed with my emotions.
Rating: Decent Watch
Movie 4: Perpetrator
I wish I had some positive things to say about my fourth film: Perpetrator by director Jennifer Reeder. The cast includes Greg Gilreath, Emily Gotto, Trevor Groth, Adam Hendricks, and a few others. I was looking forward to seeing this film, in which “Jonny gains supernatural abilities through a mystical transformation, just as girls from her new school go missing…in this coming-of-age, feminist horror-noir”. You had me at coming-of-age and horror-noir…but you lost me with everything else. I wasn’t able to tell if this movie wanted to be serious, to be campy, or a combination thereof. This ambivalence was met with a story that felt incoherent and confusing, as the established lore and rules to be played by weren’t quite clear, and the movie lacked scares, consistent tension, and…well…horror? While I enjoyed a rare tension-building moment, some (and I mean “some”…) gore, and the so-bad-it’s-good-and-made-me-laugh moments, I was honestly happy that the movie finally ended so I could move on to my next one for the day.
Rating: Not A Total Waste of Time
Movie 5: LaRoy
I was quite hyped for the final film of the day – LaRoy. Directed by Shane Atkinson and starring John Magaro, Steve Zahn, Dylan Baker, Megan Stevenson, Matthew Del Negro, and Brad Leland. This film, described as a Coen Brothers-esque “quickly black crime comedy filled with eccentric characters, memorable performance, and wild twists”, lived up to the hype. John Magaro, Steve Zahn, and Dylan Baker each bring memorable performances and well-earned laughs to Atkinson’s directorial debut. We begin by meeting Ray (John Magaro), a push-over who just found out from his overzealous friend and now “Private Detective”, Skip (Steve Zahn) that his wife is having an affair. Intent on killing himself, he instead makes a spur-of-the-moment decision to accept money to complete an assassination, as he is mistaken for a hitman during his attempt to off himself. Deciding that he has to put his foot down and finally stand up for himself, Ray takes on the responsibility of hunting his target, as he foolishly stumbles down a rabbit hole full of bad decisions in a world he clearly and laughably does not belong in. Steve Zahn is endlessly entertaining as Skip, bringing quite a few laugh-out-loud moments through well-timed and dark comedic beats, and Dylan Baker has a menacing and subtly scary presence as he searches to find out who accepted his money. If you enjoy films like Fargo, make sure you accept the assignment to see this fun and twisted dark comedy.
Rating: Must See
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