Yesterday, I wrote about my experience during a day at the Nashville Film Festival. Today, I’m getting down to the nitty gritty…what it’s all about..the films. I was only able to catch seven movies this year, a figure that is a reflection of my busy fall schedule. I am still a football writer during football season at heart, after all. Nonetheless, here are my thoughts on every film I caught as a part of this year’s festivities.
Recapping the 2024 Nashville Film Festival
Tea – It’s hard to imagine drawing such emptiness out of me in just 12 minutes, but that’s exactly what Blake Rice did in Tea. I think it’s miscast as an offbeat comedy – while the humor hit its mark, I caught myself feeling the lonely struggles of a teenager trying to muster the courage to talk to a girl he likes. I felt the hopelessness of my younger days, tired of taking out the trash and feeling like I was worth much more. Call it ‘slice of life’, ‘salt of the Earth’, or what have you, but Tea felt grounded in how it captured real life feelings. To do so in such streamlined fashion with a simple story was impressive. Gandolfini, Nikkanen, and Rice deserve praise for drawing that out of us, even if I did catch myself thinking the entire time, “why doesn’t she just call 911?” 2.5/5.
Griffin in Summer – This quirky coming of age story really leans into the angst of adolescence and the growing pains that occur at a time in our life when we are just trying to figure out who we are. I thought the film also played into the glimpses we see in those older than us who we want to emulate as we mature ourselves. Ultimately, it’s a film that highlights the importance of learning how to interact with people and reaping what you sow in our relationships. There’s a theme of trauma and how it shapes the energy we put out into the world. It’s a lot for what comes across as a fun story about a boy trying to find his place in the world. But, it’s well done with sprinkles of humor along the way. Owen Teague was good. Kathryn Newton was a nice surprise. Melanie Lynskey was fantastic as Griffin’s mother. But, the star of the show is Everett Blunck, who plays Griffin with command, hitting all the right notes when he needs to. 3/5.
Porcelain War – This documentary provides a sobering look at the war in Ukraine through the eyes of a couple of artists who have opted to stay in the country instead of fleeing to safer lands. Their use of art in the war efforts is inspiring to any of us who have chosen to create things in our lives. But, it’s seeing these ordinary citizens thrust into militaristic roles that is particularly harrowing. I couldn’t help but think about how I would feel and how I would react if such a thing happened in my home land. I was a little shaken up after this one after seeing the raw footage of what these civilian units are tasked with in the war. It’s an undoubtedly moving documentary. 3.5/5.
Saturday Night – Fans of SNL should absolutely flock to theaters to catch Jason Reitman’s telling of the story of the first taping of Saturday Night Live. To me, this film is what fan service looks like done right. Fantastically cast and well-executed, Reitman somehow makes a story that is, by and large, contained within one studio in New York City feel like an odyssey. It’s hectic, chaotic, and chock full of zingers that should have every SNL loyalist leaving happy. Gabriel LaBelle was perfect as Lorne Michaels, but I found Cory Michael Smith’s Chevy Chase and Dylan O’Brien’s Dan Aykroyd stole many a scene in their own right. Cooper Hoffman knocked it out as Dick Ebersol. Willem Dafoe and J.K. Simmons were doing Willem Dafoe and J.K. Simmons things. Reitman really dropped us into the storm and it never let up. Saturday Night was the perfect mix of comedy, thrills, and a look back at the history of an American entertainment institution. 4/5.
Catch a Killer – I’m always up for a good mystery thriller, and the vibes are certainly on point in Catch a Killer. The cinematography and atmosphere are solid, but that’s about as far as my enjoyment of the film went. The dialogue was downright cringeworthy and there were some major holes in the story that I can’t get into without discussing spoilers. It took me out of this one pretty early on in the film, and I never find a groove to slip back into. 1.5/5.
Beat Down – If you liked Country Brawlers from last year’s festival like I did, I venture a guess that you’ll love the feature Beat Down. Both films share director Curren Sheldon, who clearly has a knack for putting the amateur boxing world of Appalachia on screen in compelling fashion. Beat Down follows the down-on-his-luck J-Bob, who returns home to try and scam his family out of money to invest in a pyramid scheme selling supplements. He isn’t exactly the most savory character, and it’s clear he hasn’t been the best son or father. When he finds out the prize for the local toughman contest far exceeds what he needs for his “investment,” he decides to enter the fold. What follows is the story of a washed-up boxer coming to terms with his own ceiling and trying to find his footing within his own family. It’s another film about gritty Appalachia and Sheldon does a good job of assembling a cast of hard-nosed characters to tell a pulpy redemption story. Linds Edwards was particularly captivating and magnetic as J-Bob. 3.5/5.
Clone Cops – Danny Dones was on one for Clone Cops. Look – it’s a vibe that not everyone’s going to catch, but I give ’em all a ton of credit for the self-awareness. This film knows exactly what it is, and we’re all in on the fun with ’em. Clone Cops follows a group of “criminals” holed up in an abandoned building when the Clone Cops find them. From there, it’s a sci-fi shootout in which this group attempts to figure out who they’re fighting, and more importantly, who they are themselves. It’s all style and camp, and it doesn’t try to be anything above it. The music in the film is enough to turn the volume up and jam along with what feels like a fun throwback B-movie, but the added graphics give this film the feel of watching an old episode of Nick Arcade or something. 2.5/5.
For Brandon’s recap of the 2024 Nashville Film Festival, be sure to tune into the next episode of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast.
Year 9 of @SoBrosNetwork at @nashfilmfest pic.twitter.com/SfyInBPc7d
— Stoney Keeley (@StoneyKeeley) September 21, 2024
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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