BEST MOVIES OF 2021 (Lists)

[Chris Knipp]

From the SF IndieFest (Feb. 3-13, 2022): Paul Owens' LANDLOCKED


MASON OWENS IN LANDLOCKED

An ingenious DIY found footage/time travel movie

Watch the film HERE

I did not cover this festival but was kindly sent some screeners, and came across this title by accident and was intrigued. Using real family home movies and members of his own family as actors, Owens has fashioned a subtle genre-blending found footage/scifi/horror film that's intricate and subtle. It reminded me of Shane Carruth's Primer (2004), which considering that film's reputation is pretty high praise. Likewise Landlocked is an example of how a no-budget DIY movie can be more complex and real, more peculiar and ingenious, than a commercial one. (Four Owens family members, including the director and his father, make up the cast; Paul wrote, directed, shot, and edited the film himself.)

The premise: Owens père has arranged that immediately after his death the family house will be demolished. Younger sibling Mason Owens goes to his now largely empty childhood home to explore. After another brother turns up and points out a hidden closet, he finds a big old video camera that turns out to have magical properties for delving back into the past. Mason becomes obsessed.

Owens worked on the camera/technical crew of Lee Daniels' 2005 Shadowboxer and his Precious (NYFF 2009) He also was a writer and director of the five-hour 2012 TV series about video game development, "Amnesia Fortnight."

I wanted to post not an "external review" on IMDb but rather - it seemed more appropriate - a "User Review," a category for which I've been listed as a "prolific" reviewer from times past, but I couldn't figure out how to add one for this film where there are so far none. There are some External Reviews, several very enthusiastic.

[oscar jubis]

Did you get a chance to watch Benedetta? If so, did you review it?

[Chris Knipp]

Not that one, no. Also have still not seen from my watch list CMOON CMON or ANNETTE.
Here's a list of the NYFF 2021 Main lSlate films I have and haven't reviewed: LIST.

Benedetta (Verhoeven) TRAILER

[oscar jubis]

I watched Benedetta; I find all Paul Verhoeven films at least "worth-watching", maybe "must-sees". He is both an image maker (or stylist), and a master storyteller. Verhoeven has purely pictorial or aesthetic assets as well as narrative ones. Benedetta again provides plenty of evidence of the octogenerian director's skills and talents. However, I had a somewhat harrowing experience because it's unpleasant for me to witness acts of cruelty. There's plenty of torture and self-abuse as you probably figure from promotional materials. I'm glad I sat through it because the film provides ample rewards. I especially value the ambiguous characterization of the protagonist: I'm still making my mind up about who Benedetta really is.

[Chris Knipp]

I have reviewed THE BLACK BOOK (2007) TRICKED (2012), and ELLE (2018). BENEDETTA is not a priority. I'm still catching up on Pasolini!