Ninja Assassin

The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day – Norman Reedus, Sean Patrick Flanery

Fantastic Mr. Fox – Animated; voices of George Clooney, Meryl Streep

Gentlemen Broncos – Michael Angarano, Jennifer Coolidge

Ninja Assassin – Rain, Naomie Harris

Old Dogs – Robin Williams, John Travolta

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The Blind Side

The Blind Side – Sandra Bullock, Quinton Aaron

An Education – Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard

Planet 51 – Animated; voices of Dwayne Johnson, Jessica Biel

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire – Gabourey Sidibe, Mo’Nique

The Twilight Saga: New Moon – Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson

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Following is a list of some major DVD releases debuting today. For a complete list, go to www.amazon.com.

Bruno – Sacha Baron Cohen, Paula Abdul

Downhill Racer – Robert Redford, Gene Hackman

Gone with the Wind 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition – Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh

How to Be – Robert Pattinson, Rebecca Pidgeon

Is Anybody There? – Michael Caine, Bill Milner

My Sister’s Keeper – Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin

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That Evening Sun

SUNDAY, NOV. 15 – The Good Book may have designated the seventh day as a period of rest, but then again, it’s obvious that back in Biblical times, there wasn’t an Asheville Film Festival that needed constant attention.

Still, there’s no denying that the final day of the event has always been less chaotic than the ones that preceded it. Instead of having to oversee dozens of screenings taking place throughout the afternoons and evenings at numerous downtown venues, the festival staff is able to tighten the reins by orchestrating only a half-dozen or so showings in two different venues.

The afternoon is mainly an opportunity for filmgoers to play catch-up, by checking out the films the took home either the top award or the runner-up prize in the five competitive categories: Features, Documentary, Short Fiction, Student and Animation. (To see the complete list of winners, go to the bottom of this page.)

In addition to the final shout-outs to the winners, today also saw three special presentations. Local director Michael Knox was behind Tearing Down the Tent, a documentary about the country’s biggest traveling tent circus, The Cole Brothers Circus.

Later in the afternoon, the festival presented That Evening Sun, a picture whose year-end awards buzz almost exclusively centers around the excellent lead performance by Hal Holbrook as an elderly man who flees the nursing home and journeys back to his own farmland property – only to discover that his son (Walt Goggins) has leased it to a vicious redneck (Raymond McKinnon) and his family.

Precious

And for the closing night film, a prestigious spot that last year went to the eventual Best Picture Oscar winner Slumdog Millionaire, the festival folks settled on Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, an unflinching drama about an overweight African-American teenager (Gabourey Sidibe) trying to overcome a lifetime of emotional and physical abuse. The selection of Precious was so popular that tickets sold out even before the festival had begun last Thursday night, leading the festival staff to decide to add a second screening to accommodate high demand. (Precious is scheduled to open in Charlotte next Friday; there is no set date yet for That Evening Sun. But look for upcoming reviews of both films in print and on our Web site.)

And that wraps up this four-day report from the Asheville Film Festival. And now we return to our regularly scheduled CL film coverage!

(To read the previous days’ recaps, go here and here and here.)

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Photo credit: Don Fairbanks

SATURDAY, NOV. 14 – When it comes to this annual celluloid event, it’s clear that the times they are a-changin’ – and that was more evident on Saturday than on the fest’s previous two days.

In past years, a lifetime achievement award would be given to established talents not usually recognized at more pompous festivals – the AFF’s last three winners were Oscar nominees Brad Dourif (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), Tess Harper (Crimes of the Heart) and Jennifer Tilly (Bullets Over Broadway) – and the actual trophy would be handed out at a swanky affair held on Saturday night. That soiree would also mark the first time that all the winning films in the festival were announced.

This year, however, things were handled a little differently. For various reasons, among them the desire to place the festival’s emphasis squarely on the competing films and to protect against possible celebrity no-shows (as happened last year when Dourif canceled at the last minute because he had landed a role in a film), the lifetime achievement citation was eliminated. And to loosen up the usual Academy-style awards ceremony, the winners were announced beforehand throughout the weekend, as either Festival Director Sandra Travis or one of the judges would take the stage immediately following a winning film’s presentation and announce its victory to the moviegoers in attendance. (Although I judged the Short Fiction and Student categories, I was the one on hand to reveal the Animation Runner-Up and the Features Winner at their respective shows.) This in turn allowed this evening’s “IT’S A WRAP! The Winners Revealed After Party” to be less formal, as a performance by a local comedy troupe was followed by an Asheville radio personality ticking off the winners’ names as the filmmakers (those in attendance, anyway) came up to claim their prizes, shake the judges’ hands, and pose for some photos that will soon be posted on the AFF’s Web site.

Photo credit: Don Fairbanks

Speaking of which, the photos from the Thursday Premiere Night Reception are already up. Don Fairbanks took the shots, such as the one of the logo display at the top of this article, and the one directly above showing yours truly (right) with fellow judge Sam Watson. Check out the whole gallery here.

As for the 37 films screened today, I caught 24 of them. Here are my seven favorites, listed in alphabetical order.

Autogenesis (Student). One of the festival’s most indescribable films is also one of its best, as a native protagonist experiences growth in a manner that takes him through both the passage of time and the circle of life. A great-looking movie with an intriguing hook.

Melting the Snowman (Student). In the 1970s, a conservative columnist for the Los Angeles Times gets fired on the same day that she must attend her no-nonsense father’s birthday party. Lively and funny, this could stand being even longer – one of the ultimate compliments that can be given to a short film.

Sam and Jenny Go to a Play (Short Fiction). Like Melting the Snowman, here’s another fine piece that could have extended its stay. A British comedy with plenty of bite, this finds Sam being dragged by his lover to an experimental play – one so awful that even a couple of pints can’t help ease the pain.

Self-Inflicted (Student). A woman helpfully explains to a detective that her anal-retentive husband’s death-by-multiple-stabbings was a complete accident. A bloody comedy that’s also bloody good.

16 to Life (Features). Brainy Kate is turning 16 today, and she’s never been kissed. She would naturally like to remedy that, but she also has her hands full trying to talk her best friend out of losing her virginity to her lunkhead boyfriend as well as attempting to hook up her cynical boss. Colorful characters and sharp dialogue mark this one as a winner.

Sleeping (Short Fiction). A young girl accepts a babysitting job, only to learn that the parents don’t want her to check on the infant even once. The mystery will fall into place for many viewers well before it’s revealed on screen, but the film works because of its measured pacing and poignant encounters.

Slice of Pie (Short Fiction). A lonely middle-aged man tries to work up the nerve to ask out a friendly waitress in this utterly charming piece that exhibits a real feel for rural America and its people.

Looking ahead, the Sunday slate is far less hectic. There will be repeat showings of all the critics’ picks, as well as screenings of two out-of-competition titles looking to build greater word of mouth as we enter Oscar season: That Evening Sun, starring Hal Holbrook, and Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, executive-produced by Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry. For That Evening Sun, executive producers Larsen and Adrian Jay will conduct a Q&A session following the film presentation.

COMPLETE LIST OF FESTIVAL WINNERS:

Features
Winner – 16 to Life
Runner-Up – Deadland
Audience Award – Laid Off

Documentary
Winner – Food Fight
Runner-Up – Bonecrusher
Audience Award – Food Fight

Short Fiction
Winner – Open Your Eyes
Runner-Up – True Beauty This Evening
Audience Award – Sleeping

Student
Winner – Down in Number 5
Runner-Up – Autogenesis
Audience Award – Down in Number 5

Animation
Winner – O Pintor de Ceos (The Painter of Skies)
Runner-Up – The Mouse That Soared
Audience Award – The Magistical

(To read the previous days’ recaps, go here and here.)

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FRIDAY, NOV. 13 – Today may have been Friday the 13th, but ill omens were nowhere to be found on the streets of Asheville. Instead, filmmakers, film critics and film buffs were all in good spirits as downtown turned into a veritable treasure trove of independent cinema.

Marching from one screening venue to the next was the order of the day, as a total of 55 films – in the categories of Features, Documentary, Short Fiction, Student and Animation – were screened at four area locations within walking distance of each other (Diana Wortham Theatre at Pack Place, Fine Arts Theatre, Asheville Community Theatre, and 35 Below). Movies were screened all the way until midnight, but because I had only gotten four hours sleep the night before (yes, hammering out the Day One Recap had a lot to do with that), I ran out of steam before the after-hours portion of the schedule. That was regretful, since there were a few evening attractions that caught my eye, notably Pier, a documentary about the Ocean Crest pier on N.C.’s Oak Island, and the world premiere of Dark Room Theater, described in the program guide as “a double feature in the vein of The Twilight Zone.”

But not to worry. Between the films I saw today and ones I had viewed previously in my capacity as a festival judge, I ended up catching 36 of the 55 efforts on display. And with so many titles under my belt, I can definitely say that this year’s crop is a strong one, with plenty of gems and very few duds. Of the 36 from today, these are my Top 10, listed in alphabetical order.

Down in Number 5 (Student). An elderly man in Appalachia farm country wonders who will take care of his grown son, afflicted with Down Syndrome, after he’s gone. Reportedly based on a true story, this features a powerful ending that’s sure to make it one of the festival’s most controversial offerings.

In/Significant Others (Features). Fresh from winning Best Narrative Feature at the recent Charlotte Film Festival, Charlottean John Schwert comes to town with his ambitious drama in which various characters – including a troubled Iraq War veteran, an ill-tempered comedian and a manipulative documentarian – find their lives in disarray while police investigate a local murder that ties them all together.

Jeopardy (Short Fiction). A serial killer is on the loose, and a pretty college professor might be the next victim. What initially appears to be a standard-issue thriller offers a potent plot twist that turns the genre on its head.

Loaf of Bread (Student). Fans of the cult fave Office Space should dig this engaging comedy in which an unsatisfied 9-to-5er is talked into committing a robbery by his two slacker buddies. To reveal their target would be to spoil an amusing surprise.

The Mouse That Soared (Animation). Combining humor and warmth, this animated delight centers on two birds who try to teach a baby rodent how to fly. Paging Pixar.

Nero Bloom: Private Eye (Student). A junior version of a film noir, this stylish piece offers the usual staples of the genre: a wisecracking gumshoe, a femme fatale, a corpse, a few suspects, and a satisfying denouement that wraps up the case (and the film) with a pretty bow.

Open Your Eyes (Short Fiction). Perhaps no other festival offering has haunted me as much as this powerful short about a woman who tries to figure out her life as she copes with breast cancer. Raw, honest and unflinching.

She’s a Fox (Student). A sixth-grade boy tries to better himself in an effort to win the hand of the most popular girl in school in this irresistible coming-of-age yarn propelled by appropriate ‘80s tunes (“I Ran,” “Walk Like an Egyptian,” etc.).

True Beauty This Night (Short Fiction). The day after meeting the woman of his dreams, a guy tries to work up the nerve to give her a call and ask her out. This seemingly ordinary scenario becomes the springboard for a riotously clever plot pirouette as original as it is audacious.

Zwischen Licht und Schatten (Fading Away) (Student). In the footsteps of Away from Her and Iris comes another unsettling drama about the tragedy of Alzheimer’s, this one focusing on an elderly German couple and how the husband deals with his wife’s disintegrating memory.

On tap for Saturday: Another 37 screenings, followed by “It’s a Wrap! (Winners Revealed After Party).”

(To read the Day One Recap, go here. For complete details on the 2009 Asheville Film Festival, go here.)

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In the immortal words of Curly Howard of The Three Stooges: "I'm trying to blog but nothing happens!"

THURSDAY, NOV. 12 – Well, it wasn’t really Day One, since the Seventh Annual Asheville Film Festival didn’t even kick off until well after the sun had gone down. But you get the gist.

This is my fourth consecutive Asheville film fest, and the third as a judge (for the 2007 event, I was only here in reporter/reviewer mode). I’m constantly impressed by the scope of this festival – screenings, panel discussions, special presentations, and more – to say nothing of the overall quality of the films selected to compete for the top prizes. And what’s especially noteworthy about the festival is that it’s presented each year by the City of Asheville, an inspiring example of a city actually recognizing the importance of the arts and throwing its weight behind an event that celebrates culture. (We can only dream that Charlotte would ever consider backing a local film festival.)

As always, the judges stay at the Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa. Designated one of the Historic Hotels of America, this world-class location has won countless awards and citations over the years in all manner of categories (Best Hotel, Best Spa, Best Golf Course, Best Food, etc.). As one review posted on the Web site (www.groveparkinn.com) notes, “You don’t really have to die to get to heaven, just drive down Route 40 in [North Carolina] and stop off at The Grove Park Inn Resort.” Honestly, you owe it to yourself to spend one vacation here (you may have to mortgage the house to afford it, but it just might be worth it). To convince you, here are a couple of shots of the skyline and grounds from one of the upper floors. And in the name of full disclosure, these shots are from my trip last year (pictures taken by Natalie Howard); today was too rainy and dark for proper photos (so sue me).

As mentioned above, the festival didn’t kick off until this evening, since the norm is to open with a Premiere Night Film followed by a reception. The last two openers were 2007’s The Savages and last year’s The Wrestler, both of which went on to earn critical kudos and major Oscar nominations. This year’s flick was the 1960s-set drama An Education, written by Nick Hornby (High Fidelity) and starring Carey Mulligan as a 16-year-old British schoolgirl who must decide whether to head to Oxford for college as originally planned or run off with the older man (Peter Sarsgaard) who’s introduced her to a whirlwind life of nightclubs, champagne and other perks of a carefree existence. Hornby’s script (based on Lynn Barber’s memoir) sets up a number of believable conflicts for Mulligan’s character to navigate, and the acting is uniformly splendid. (An Education is set to open in Charlotte Nov. 20; look for a review on our Web site next Friday and in print the issue after that.)

Emma Thompson (far left) and Carey Mulligan (far right) in An Education.

The reception (complete with wine, beer and finger foods) was a low-key affair, the perfect calm before the storm that begins tomorrow with over 50 films being screened at five different venues between noon and midnight. Stay tuned!

(For complete details on the 2009 Asheville Film Festival, go here.)

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2012

Pirate Radio – Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kenneth Branagh

2012 – John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor

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An Education

By Matt Brunson

The seventh annual Asheville Film Festival will be held November 12-15, meaning that it’s time once again for Charlotteans not averse to road trips to get excited about seeing a wide range of potentially interesting movies. Over 90 features, documentaries, shorts and student films will be screened over a four-day stretch at various downtown venues.

A trio of possible award-season contenders will be shown out of competition: An Education, starring Peter Sarsgaard and Carey Mulligan; Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, with Mo’Nique and newcomer Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe; and That Evening Sun, featuring Hal Holbrook.

In/Significant Others

As usual, many of the works in contention come from Carolina filmmakers — that crop includes Charlottean John Schwert’s In/Significant Others, which recently took the Best Narrative Feature award at this past September’s Charlotte Film Festival.

This year’s judges, all film critics, hail from Charlotte (Lawrence Toppman and me), Asheville (Ken Hanke), Atlanta (Felicia Feaster) and Johnson City, Tenn. (Sam Watson, my partner in judging the Short Films and Student Films categories).

For complete details about the Asheville Film Festival, including titles, times and prices, go to www.ashevillefilmfestival.com. And check out www.clclt.com/film Nov. 12-15 for updates from the festival.

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Following is a list of some major DVD releases debuting today. For a complete list, go to www.amazon.com.

The Accidental Husband – Uma Thurman, Colin Firth

The Merry Gentleman – Michael Keaton, Kelly MacDonald

Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days – Jim Henson, Frank Oz

The Three Stooges Collection, Volume 7: 1952-1954 – Moe, Larry & Shemp

The Ugly Truth – Katherine Heigl, Gerard Butler

Up – Animated; voices of Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer

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