Gerald Wright's Movie Coverage
NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL LATINO FILM FESTIVAL - July 27 to August 1, 2010
"COST OF A SOUL"
Directed by: Sean Kirkpatrick
Genre: Drama, Thriller, and Crime
Running time: 105 min. Feature Narrative in HD, Shot on Red Camera
Through the eyes of writer, producer, and debut director Sean Kirkpatrick "Cost of a Soul" takes a edgy look at two returning vets from the War in Iraq. The film is set in Philadelphia's Irish American and African American neighborhoods in parallel stories. The different cultures of this film draw on the similarities in the lifestyles of the two veterans and how they collide.
One story in Cost of a Soul is of Tommy Donahue (Chris Kerson). He returns home from the War in Iraq to a displeased wife Faith (Judy Jerome) who is caring for their cerebral palsy stricken daughter Hope (Maddie Morris Jones). Their family is economically strained with medical bills for the necessary care Hope requires. Tommy has a history of crime with the Irish American mob that runs the community. He finds himself falling back into the dark underworld for quick cash as an assassin for the mob.
The other story working in this dual plot narrative is about Darren "DD" Davis (Will Blagrove) another vet who returns from the War in Iraq only to find his older brother Darnell (Nakia Dillard) running the African American drug business while encouraging their younger brother James (Daveed Ramsay) to follow suit. Their mother Maybeleen "Mamma" (Diane M. Johnson) is constantly trying to hold onto young James and keep him from the clutches of the fascinating crime world. DD is the hope Mamma relies on to keep their family whole and free of the drug hustling evils the dangerous streets offer.
Cost of a Soul is the first feature from Sean Kirkpatrick, a rising talent who has been nurtured by his work in several films including G-Force, The Soloist, Seven Pounds, and Hancock. He has also worked as a production assistant on many television projects.
Tommy and DD, the protagonists in the film are given great direction in their individual roles. I found the Tommy Donahue character intriquing and powerful. Chris Kerson gave a great performance as a good guy/villain. Will Blagrove displayed an emotionally charge fine performance of a man presented with obstacles he attempts to overcome.
As a dramatic thriller, this film was able to undermine audience complacency through a dramatic rendering of psychological, social, and familial tensions. I found myself watching each story with anticipation of what would happen in each individual storyline. The slower pace developed the characters well. There were also a variety of plot twists involving murder, racism, and living in an urban setting ghetto.
It is said by definition, if a thriller doesn't thrill, it's not doing its job. In this case, Cost of a Soul thrills and it has done it's job.
NEW YORK INDEPENDENT FILM AND VIDEO FESTIVAL - July 22 to July 29, 2010
"ASTRALIS - AN INSTITUTION"
Directed by: Igor Neljak and Co-Director Damir Ludvig
Genre: Documentary, Biography, and Music
Running time: 81 min. Feature in HD
The focus of this remarkable documentary is on Croatian DJ's and their rise to fame with Electronic Dance Music (EDM) during and after the Croatian War.
This film is a must for anyone who intends to write/remix/compose/produce or just enjoys listening to electronic dance music. The examination is done with a novice in mind, but those with more experience will also benefit from having seen this movie. As a biography "Astralis" follows DJ's from the time they were musically infected in socialistic ex-Yugoslavia to the biggest erotic gay festival in Germany. It also follows them to their biggest success - their own party known as the Astralis party. This is when clubgoers dance to "Astralis-Institution of Electronic Music" in the avant garde urban club scenes.
Goran Vlajic is one such DJ who is in the spotlight of the genre. This personable DJ gives insight in this film about such things as synth bass tracks, warp markers, hard disk tracks, volume automation, stereo placement, and digital synths. The key phases are distinctive terms used for the various dance music groves. The craft of this infectious synth hooks you in as the film explores the personal lives of DJ's. Astralis An Institution shows how in some cases the lifestyles of the DJ's on tour can be quite comical as management makes mistakes in bookings and payment. In a comprehensive collection of interviews, the viewer gets an in-depth look into the avant garde urban club scenes and gets a genuine feeling of what this dance world is all about.
As a film and music lover, I found this dynamic documentary to be very well crafted.
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