I went to the Sidewalk Film Festival this last weekend and – if you missed it (you poor sap) – I’m retelling what I saw.  Today’s post recounts my six movie extravaganza on Saturday.

1st: Marwencol.

Synopsis: Mark Hogancamp was attacked outside of a bar in Kingston, NY.  He suffered brain damage and had little memory when released from the hospital.  As a coping mechanism, Mark built Marwencol in his backyard, a 1/6th scale World War II-era town.

Quotes: “I was the only man there – and 27 Barbies.”  “At least my alter ego can have a girlfriend.”  “I still really miss somebody to talk to.”  “I tell people who I am and I’m not accountable for their feelings or what they think.”

Good Stuff: In the style of Equus and a bunch of other stuff I like, when this documentary started, I wasn’t terribly sympathetic.  But once you see the art Mark is creating, his earnest devotion to the project, and the obvious theraputic benefits from creating Marwencol, it’s hard not to become invested.  His photographs are terrific and it’s possibly the best thing I saw all weekend.

2nd: NY Export: Opus Jazz

Synopsis: Shot on location in New York City, starring an ensemble cast from the New York City Ballet, and completely without dialogue, this movie takes Jerome Robbins’ 1958 “ballet in sneakers” and reimagines it for a new generation.  It won an Audience Award at the 2010 South by Southwest Film Festival and aired nationally on PBS’ Great Performances.

Quotes: I already said it was dialogue-less, but I wrote down: “Something beautiful in a mundane space.”

Good Stuff: I came in late to this one because Marwencol ran over, but the visuals were pretty spectacular.  It’s a nice trick – and really fun – to watch the same dance from so many different angles, without seeing the cameras.  I can only imagine how many times the dancers were asked to perform.  Also, it’s a great example – and I talk about this all the time – of the dancers looking warm, likeable, and like they’re having a good time.  Anyone involved with ballet anywhere should see this.

3rd: Annabelle & Bear

Synopsis: Bear, a motorcycle-loving biker, is drinking beer and hanging out with friends when an unexpected visitor drops by.  It’s Annie, the ex.  She’s strung out on drugs and drops off their 2-year-old daughter, Annabelle, who Bear hasn’t ever really even met.  With no parenting experience, no car, and a house that isn’t exactly childproof, Bear works through caring for his daughter.

Quotes: (from the world’s cutest kid): “Bear, what are we doin’ today?” or “What are we doin’ today, Bear?”  “It’s okay, Bear.”

Good Stuff: I love that this film was made completely in Michigan and emphasizes everything local, with its cast, locations, bands (nervous but excited), and even the peanut butter (Velvet).  It features the World’s.  Cutest.  Kid.  and most of the actors really nail it (Curt Massof, Olivia Walby, and Dal Bouey, especially).  There are flaws, but it’s an incredibly likeable and memorable movie because the actors don’t feel all actorey.  They feel like real people.  (“Deniro could not do what that guy just did.”).

4th: Pelada

Synopsis: Away from professional stadiums, bright lights, and manicured fields, there’s another side of soccer.  Tucked away on alleys, side streets, and concrete courts, people play in improvised games.  Every country has a different word for it.  In the U.S., we call it pick-up.  In Trinidad, it’s “taking a sweat.”  In England, it’s “having a kick-about.”  Pelada is a documentary following Luke and Gwendolyn, two former college soccer stars who didn’t quite make it to the pros.  Not ready to stop playing, they take off around the world, chasing a game that transcends gender, race, religion, and class.

Quotes: (I’m a little unsure I wrote these down correctly)  “If you stop, it’s difficult to come back.”  “Can I kiss in this country?”  “Sometimes, bad company makes you do bad things.”  “The beauty of soccer is the people around soccer.”  “Soccer gives you more than you can give it.”  “If I lost my eyesight, I’d play blind soccer.”

Good Stuff: Apparently, this was the first film that Sidewalk accepted this year and for good reason.  Another nominee for the best thing I saw all weekend.  Kids play soccer on garbage, inmates play in prison, workers play soccer on lunch break even while they build the World Cup stadiums in South Africa, and women (quietly) play in Iran.  Interesting and beautiful throughout.  Plus, there was a pick up soccer game in the street outside the Carver Theatre right afterwards.

5th: Make Believe

Synopsis: A coming of age journey set in the quirky subculture of magic, this film follows six of the world’s best young magicians as they battle for the title of Teen World Champion.

Quote: “I want to be Asian when I grow up.”

Good Stuff: I liked Hiroki Hara from the moment we met him and – as a nerd from way back – I was completely curious about what it was like for Krystyn Lambert to get involved in community that’s virtually all-boy and all-nerd.  It’s fun to think that someone’s job is “Magic Castle Librarian”.  I kept thinking how much magic has a parallel with dance – the job is to practice, practice, practice until you make the impossible look easy.  The problem with that is that we, the audience, sometimes can’t appreciate how difficult it all is.  Moviemaking can be similar, eh?

6th: Dogtooth

Synopsis: A husband and wife keep their (mature) children imprisoned within their house and pretend that this is normal.  There is a tall fence that surrounds the property and the children have never been on the other side of it.  They are taught different meanings for everyday words belonging to the forbidden outside world and told that the airplanes that fly overhead are toys that fall to the ground.

Quotes: “Pass me the phone.”  “The cat is the most dangerous animal there is.”  “Your mother will give birth to two children and a dog.”  “A cat with a hammer did it and jumped out the window.”

Good Stuff: Memorably disturbing straight to the core – mostly in a good way – though the graphic incest was simply too much.  Not a good first date movie, but I’ve thought about it all week.  Would be a great source of inside jokes for any two people who have seen it.  May answer the question: exactly how much can you brainwash people?

Thanks once again to Rebecca Pugh and the Sidewalk Film Festival.