Indie – Page 6 – Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare

“I Saw The TV Glow”

By Brett_G on May 26, 2024May 27, 2024

6.8

File this alongside “Broadcast Signal Intrusion” and “Censor” in the “what the f**k did I just watch?!?” section of my mind… But the third best of those three. There was a lot of potential left on the table here, but also may have been some breadcrumbs left unnoticed by yours truly. There was a lot to take in in the short runtime here. I applaud the originality and production quality of the “Stranger Things” – esque trip down repressed memory lane here. The imagery and soundtrack are second to none. This is what A24 does best.

“Love & Mercy”

By Brett_G on May 12, 2024

8.6

Alongside “Chef,” this is one of my all-time favorite indie finds on the silver screen. Paul Dano and John Cusack hold down the forts at either end of the Brian Wilson timeline as one of the most legendary figures in rock/pop music takes on a whole new depth. A fascinating tale of love, loss, and the toll that riding the razors edge between genius and instantly takes on a person and the loved ones around them.

The soundtrack is of course legendary. The love story is oddly adorable. The bar for all other biopics was set at a level that few, if any have since reached. There’s not a weak link in the cast or a wasted frame of film.

I suggest a pairing with the documentary “The Wrecking Crew.”

Drama Foreign Indie

“La Chimera”

By Brett_G on April 22, 2024

6.1

So… a grave robber love story? Kind of wrapped in a comedy of sorts. A very odd mix at every turn.

Some beautiful shots and an interesting premise to take a crack at it. Just really hard to get over the strange factor and get into the possible horror of being connected to the land of the dead through their former belongings.

Comedy Indie

“Sasquatch Sunset”

By Brett_G on April 21, 2024

4.1

Points for originality, but not much else. The but wears out its welcome pretty quickly. There was a reason the Jack Links Jerky commercials were just that, and not a feature film. Not a whole lot happens between the beginning and end here, so not much to comment on, oddly enough.

Documentary Indie

“Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale”

By Brett_G on April 12, 2024April 8, 2024

6.2

Doing this back to back with a movie about resurrecting a movie theater was a rough choice. This one just didn’t resonate as well as the other. But I think differences in structure and characterization didn’t help it. A cool story, but clunky in its execution. In the spirit of the “Action Park” documentaries, it almost took off. Sadly, it just never hooked me in the way I had hoped it would. The lady talking to the boat was one of the more interesting points. Her passing being foreshadowing I did not have on my bingo card.