The 44th edition of Sundance kicked off with a few minor notes last night.
Stuffing so much plot into its 105 minute narrative that it threatens to derail, and that it does, Carey Williams‘ “Emergency” tackles one night, in the wee-wee hours of the morning. A trio of male college seniors, ready to party the night away, find an inebriated and passed out girl inside their house — how did she get there? Since all three of our protagonists are of color, they fear that calling the cops might give the wrong impression and further their troubles. What do they do? Well, how about stuff the girl’s body in their van and drive her to the hospital. What could possibly go wrong? What follows are bland characters making dumb decision after dumb decision in a film that is tonally all over the place. [C]
Character actress Dale Dickey, who has the definition of a weathered face, is given her chewiest role, and does most of the heavy lifting, in Max Walker-Silverman’s ever-so-slight “A Love Song.” Dickey plays a woman who parks her RV in a Colorado-set camping ground, waiting for a past high school flame (Wes Studi), whom we presume she reconnected with online, to meet her there. Will the fire be reignited? The film turns out to be the definition of Sundance 101: a low budgeted endeavour filled with quirkiness, a few touching moments, and the feeling that Walker-Silverman is trying a bit too hard to create an organic, plotless atmosphere. [C]
“Fire of Love” is primarily worth a look at for the astonishing archival footage of exploding volcanos, captured by two French chasers, and only secondly for the love story between the two volcano scientists. Their names are Katia and Maurice Krafft. Much like the subject of Werner Herzog’s “Grizzly Man,” Timothy Treadwell, the Kraffts pursue their passion with the knowledge that maybe one day it could also spell their demise. Miranda July's narration attempts to flesh out the Kraffts in ways that feel less substantial than what Herzog did in his masterful encapsulation of Treadwell’s twisted psyche. Sara Dosa’s documentary might not make you fully care for its doomed lovers, but she more than compensates for it by inserting some of the most astonishing volcano imagery every put on film. [B/B+]