Cucalorus

My first Cucalorus was this past weekend, and all I can say, is that I really need to get a bigger pass for next year. This was some of the most fun I've had all semester, it really was a delightful experience. It was great to meet up with people in the class and roam around the streets of downtown Wilmington and wander into different places and see some fantastic films. Of the six I went to, every single one was spot on. It was terrific. I went into every single screening not knowing a damn thing about what I was about to watch, and I was moved, gripped with fear, crying from laughing and leaving the theatre each time with a huge appreciation for independent filmmakers, and having the opportunity to watch some amazing films in some awesome spots. 

So, to start things off on Thursday, I saw A Short History of Decay, and Willow Creek. These two movies could not be more different from each other. Short History was a charming tale of a man in his mid thirties who after a breakup, goes to visit his ailing parents in Florida (which apparently looks a lot like Wrightsville beach.... almost as if they filmed there... hmmmm). Nothing real daring here, but it was a amazingly well told story that will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. A real go home and hug your parents kind of movie. Willow Creek was a "found footage" movie, a kind that I'm usually pretty skeptical of, but this was done well. I have what I'd call an unhealthy fascination with bigfoot documentaries for some reason, so when it was introduced as a bigfoot movie, the inner wierdo in me celebrated. It was a gripping film, hilarious at first but with a steadily mounting sense of dread. An eye popping 19 minute scene with no cuts was the standout moment of this one for me. Semi scripted, and scary as hell, it was an awesome film. And this was just the first night! 

Friday night we saw The Bounceback and Sacrament. Bounceback made me want to move to Austin. It showcased the city in a fun and delightful way, as if Shannon hadn't already sold us on it already. A hilarious story about a former couple meeting up with friends in Austin and a cat and mouse game that continues throughout the weekend, leaves us with the ultimate realization that these people are moving on after a breakup. A raunchy and hilarious coming of age tale of sorts. Had me laughing so hard my sides hurt. Easily the funniest one I saw this weekend, but smart as well. Fantastic. Leaving Thalian after that hilarity, and climbing the 3,000 steps to City Stage, Sacrament was up next. And it was brutal. Really, really, brutal. Despite being almost an exact retelling of the Jonestown cult from the late 1970's, and another found footage movie of sorts, Sacrament was hard to watch because of the slow decent into cult madness seen unfolding on the screen, but I couldn't look away. My hand turned white from gripping my seat so hard. Probably the best film I saw at Cucalorus this weekend, but not one I could sit down and watch everyday. Just stunning. The weight of the air at the end of the film was so incredibly heavy. I will say after watching a lack of humanity on screen, at the end there was a lady laughing hysterically while we saw the helicopter fly over the compound littered with dead bodies, and I began to realize maybe the psychopaths on screen weren't the only ones in the room. 

On Saturday came I Used to be Darker, and while I would call this another really good film, it was the weakest of the ones I saw. A slow paced movie, but with some fantastic musicianship and song on screen. The actors were incredible, but they were let down a bit by a story struggling to get traction off the line. The film is almost half over before any real story events or character relationships develop. Still, a powerful film in its own right. 

Waking up quite early to go see Act of Killing, I've heard mixed reviews about the film. According to hearsay, it's the best film in the festival, and the worst film. So, anything this polarizing, I must check out. I was a little taken aback by the presentation of this film. It's very analytical and slow paced. The presentation is almost as cold as the killers on screen. It lacked a bit of direction but the way it presents matter of fact mass murderers on screen is unlike anything I've ever see. The audience didn't even know whether to clap at the end of the movie. In my own opinion, it falls somewhere in between. 

Overall this was a fantastic weekend, and I couldn't have been happier with the experience that I had.