The 58th New York Film Festival - Week 3 + 4 (David Byrne’s American Utopia, Hard, Cracked The Wind, Undine)
After much, *much* delay, I conclude my coverage of NYFF58 with some real doozies.
Oh, hey. Thanks for being here.
It’s been a while. You look good! You been working out? No? It’s a pandemic? Got it.
I figured, after delaying my last blog by just a day, I would try to top myself by delaying my next blog…by almost three weeks. Huh…mighta overdone it a bit.
In all seriousness though, the last few weeks have been incredibly busy, as well as emotionally and mentally taxing, so I found it hard to get into the proper headspace for writing. Add that to the fact that my viewing schedule for NYFF58 was thrown all out of wack due to the abundance of other online festivals this year, and you’ve got yourself a looooooooong wait. Sorry, y’all.
Buttttttttt I’m here now, finally putting pen to paper (fingers to keys?), so let’s wrap things up!
David Byrne’s American Utopia
Featuring thrilling performances of Talking Heads hits and Byrne numbers (“Once in a Lifetime,” “Burning Down the House,” “Glass, Concrete & Stone”) by a dazzling 11-person ensemble, American Utopia is both joyous and politically engaged, a reckoning of these dark times through music and togetherness, with a galvanizing rendition of Janelle Monáe’s “Hell You Talmbout” that’s destined to be one of the year’s most talked-about screen moments.
Thank god I have a platform to talk to about films, otherwise I probably wouldn’t shut the fuck up about this movie on Twitter. I’ve already seen it three times––and that’s just in its entirety.
It wasn’t until quite recently that I began a love affair with both The Talking Heads’ discography and David Byrne’s ridiculously multifaceted library of solo work. Now, after months of soaking in every batshit lyric, every funky baseline, every wild dance move, you can imagine how hotly I was anticipating this film. On top of that, imagine my utter surprise hearing that this already subversive, rare piece of concert theater was being directed by Spike Lee, one of cinema’s boldest talents. How could you possibly go wrong??
Turns out, you really can’t. David Byrne’s American Utopia absolutely delivers in every aspect. It’s an absolute joy to watch, especially as a fan of musical theatre: Byrne’s updated arrangements of songs both old and new are sonically phenomenal, the eclectic cast of eleven additional musicians have wonderful stage presence, and the choreography keeps the show in constant motion and expression. It’s impossible to not get swept up in the fun of it all, but Byrne’s surprisingly blunt political interludes keep things tethered to a loose but admirable theme of learning to find connection and solidarity within a society that can oftentimes feel divided. Both this and his previous beloved concert film, Stop Making Sense, show that Byrne isn’t really interested in crossing every T and dotting every I when it comes to conceptual narratives, but American Utopia’s attempt to capture the political zeitgeist feels like a tangible call to action––a genuine jolt to the liberal spirit that most political content nowadays can’t seem to muster up. Plus, who better to stir the political pot than Spike fucking Lee? Political callouts are his bread and butter!
Speaking of Lee, the true surprise of American Utopia isn’t the content itself but how it’s presented. In a year where Hamilton made the art of filmed theatre look and sound like a pandemic-fueled cash-grab, cinematographer Ellen Kuras’ frenetic handheld camerawork and beautiful, wide-ranging coverage reminded me just how cinematic theater can be. From its intimate close-ups to its bird’s-eye wide shots, Lee covers the show from top to bottom, throwing in new filmic ideas left and right and letting them all have time to shine in the edit. His approach complements the show’s high energy as well as its technological inventiveness; much like how David Byrne used the latest wireless technology to keep his band completely mobile on stage, Spike Lee uses subversive live filmmaking to capture the performance in ways you will not see in any other film of this type. It is utterly remarkable and a beacon of hope as filmed theater inevitably continues to expand onto streaming platforms.
As previously mentioned, the last few weeks have been stressful for a number of reasons so it may not be surprising that I love talking about this film so much. It has become my go-to source of unfiltered dopamine––a sweet, sweet musical release that celebrates hope and humanity when it feels like there is very little of that left. And, thanks to HBO Max, I can go back to it again and again, only further solidifying it as one of the best films of the year and easily my favorite film of NYFF58.
Hard, Cracked The Wind
In Mark Jenkin’s deliriously arch gothic, an aspiring Cornish-revivalist poet buys an antique writing case engraved with her initials, and finds inside it a haunted unfinished poem and the ghost of its previous owner who coerces her to finish it.
…okay, so it may be hard to follow that up but, considering this is the only short film I’ll be talking about throughout my entire coverage, I find it to be a very significant inclusion.
I watched a number of shorts over the course of the festival, most of them leaving me somewhat cold. In fact, Hard, Cracked The Wind left me incredibly cold on a first viewing as well, but I was also greatly taken aback by its experimental, sporadic approach to storytelling. Like some of the other experimental shorts I had already seen, I decided to give it a second chance after reading a synopsis and…yeah, I ended up liking it a lot more. Once you grasp the conceit of the story––a struggling female poet obtains a book that is haunted by the ghost of its previous male writer and his unfinished work––you can fully appreciate this explosive energy.
Hard, Cracked The Wind is a true testament to what you can do when every technical piece of a film is working together to execute one cohesive vision. What begins as a subtle story transforms into a tactile horror thriller with just about every element of the film’s land-and-soundscape manipulated to convey its arresting paranoia. In an industry where most horror films succumb to the most obvious tropes and easiest scares, director Mark Jenkin fully commits to his unpredictable imagery, dirty 16mm cinematography, and repetitive editing, making for a look and feel all his own. It’s his use of montage that consumed me most; the sensory overload from his enveloping sound design and sharp cutting brought the psychological terror front and center, viscerally connecting his two main characters in something like a modernist ghost story. The classical poet haunts the modern poet, which is a commentary in and of itself, but the real ghost is the artistic process as a whole. How often do artists struggle to finish their own work, let alone make it something of quality! It is a cyclical existence that can torment even the greatest of writers and, as the film suggests, it is never-ending. This may not be a unique sentiment, but Hard, Cracked The Wind is a thoroughly original approach to it. When combined with its brazen execution, it’s a reminder that the art of the short film is still alive and well.
Undine
“Petzold has long been toying with established genres, and with Undine he injects a supernatural element into a melodrama of star-crossed lovers—the title character (Paula Beer), a historian and tour guide at the Berlin City Museum specializing in urban development, and industrial diver Christoph (Franz Rogowski, Beer’s co-star in Transit). Linked by a love of the water, Undine and Christoph form an intense bond, which can only do so much to help her overcome the considerable baggage of her former affair.”
Sooooooo I’m sorta kinda cheating on this one. I had every intention of seeing Undine as part of NYFF58, but I was never fast enough to snag a ticket for it, even after its second round of sales…probably because I was lazy and never actually grabbed one thinking it wouldn’t sell out ANYWAY the film is available through a number of other festivals, including the Montclair Film Festival, which is how I ended up watching it, but one of the reasons this final week of coverage has been so delayed is that I wanted to make sure I saw Undine before putting a cap on everything. It would be unfair to leave out a potentially great film even though I missed out on it by just a hair. Now having seen Christian Petzold’s latest film, I can say I made the right call.
Though romantic films aren’t my strong suit, I am a hopelessly romantic person and, as such, do appreciate when they can evoke deep feelings of love and longing from within me. This is Undine’s greatest strength; Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski give gentle yet still stirring performances, portraying love with equal parts charm, warmth, and desire. Their chemistry is a testament to how nice it can be to watch a couple on screen just…enjoy each other, and Petzold knows this. He lets us live with these lovebirds for a good chunk of the first half, leaving a majority of the plot to happen only after the audience has established a deep bond with them. This elevates a story that, while not lacking drama, doesn’t progress with clear stakes. You would think that the film’s titular basis in mythology would keep this modern tragedy fairly predictable––the legend of Undine tells of a water nymph who is is cursed to die if her lover is ever unfaithful. Alas, Petzold keeps its connection to these ancient roots murky, certainly enough to take creative license in how it translates to modern day. You’re never quite sure what Undine’s abilities are, nor if she really has any to begin with, making certain plot and character beats confusing. That being said, this ambiguity does help create a sense of mystery that keeps you engaged until the very end, so it isn’t without purpose.
Sometimes, you just gotta recognize when a movie makes you feel good, even if it’s not perfect. Rarely does a romantic film evoke honest-to-god romantic feelings from the audience member, as they’re usually so caught up in some contrived narrative that only factors in the highest highs and the lowest lows. Granted, Undine has some of that too, but what I’ll remember most are the moments of pure intimacy––simply watching two people fall in love in front of my eyes––because, at the end of the day, that’s the kind of comfort I need right about now. Maybe you do too.
And…wow, that does it for The 58th New York Film Festival. I had such a wonderful time at the proceedings this year and am so proud to be a member and supporter of Film at Lincoln Center. This year, films and festivals have never been more accessible, so it was great to see NYFF step up to the plate and provide a diverse, fascinating slate of international cinema that not only confronted relevant political issues but also portrayed hopeful visions of the future during a very trying time. I would love to see FLC continue to incorporate virtual offerings alongside in-person screenings when we can all be together safely again.
That being said, I’m not quite done with festivals yet. Though I do plan on posting some more essay and opinion pieces on this blog, I have been watching so many incredible films as part of virtual festivals that it would be foolish not to spotlight them. As we approach a new, unforeseen awards season, I will soon begin a new, ongoing series entitled “Festival Haul,” covering films from all over the festival circuit: narrative, documentary, animation, international, the whole gambit––so long as I loved it, you can find my thoughts on it here, so stay tuned for that. In fact, you can follow me on Letterboxd and check out the list I’ve already started making if ya wanna get a glimpse of what films I may, or may not, be discussing…hmmmmmmm…
It’s also important to note that, with god’s help, we’ll be back to our normal posting schedule (every Tuesday!!) after this blog. Thanks to all of you who have stuck around despite the setbacks. I’ll always tweet any updates on the blog schedule in case we run into any more delays (even if the above update wasn’t exactly accurate lol), so be sure to follow me there as well.
In the meantime, do me a solid and subscribe to this blog! I promise we’ll be back on track before you know it. Cheers.