Monday, January 18, 2016

Sundance 2016: VIVA (2014) plus some reports of films we've already seen

Jesus is a a gay young man working as a hairdresser. He also spends time doing the hair in a drag club. Jesus would like nothing better than perform himself. One night when Jesus performs he finds that his father, just out from prison is in the audience. He father slugs him.  His father then works his way back into his son's life moving into his apartment and trying to reconnect with Jesus, despite not approving of his son's sexual orientation nor life style.

Melodramatic and predicable turns of the plot are easily wiped aside by a cast that hits every note dead on perfect. We are moved by the characters and their plight because the actors manage to sell the story beyond what the script deserves. Because of the cast the film has a real lived in feel. I don't know when I've seen a cast this good in the last five or ten years.

I really liked this film a great deal. It's one of those films that will move you deeply and by the time the end credits roll have you wiping tears from your eyes from it's bittersweetness.

The film is playing at Sundance Friday Saturday and Monday and is a must see. (Ticket info here)

I'm told the film has been picked up by Magnolia for US release and I'm expecting a big release and a long life.
----
Also playing at Sundance are some films which we saw back at the New York Film Festival this past October:
Cemetery of Splendor
Maggie's Plan
Miles Ahead
The Lobster

I should mention that I'm hoping to get some on the ground reports as well as reviews up once things happen. Keep checking back because some wonderful things may happen

No comments:

Post a Comment