‘Heartland Film Festival: Wrap-Up Part II’

By James Lindorf

From October 7th through the 17th, Indianapolis residents, visitors, and film fanatics worldwide got to enjoy the 30th annual Heartland International Film Festival (HIFF). This year’s event consisted of 143 films from all genres. I was able to see 12 movies this year, four documentaries, and eight narrative productions. They will be coming to theaters soon or continuing their film festival trek around the world. This is the second part of my HIFF review. If you haven’t seen it already, make sure to look for part one to learn about all the movies coming to theaters or streaming platforms in the next few months.

A Sexplanation: 4.5 out of 5
The 36-year-old director and star Alex Liu is finally ready to right the wrongs of his all-American sex education, no matter how awkward it gets. And it does get awkward from discussing his parents’ sex life to masturbating inside of an MRI for science. Alex has provocative and thought-provoking conversations with researchers, psychologists, and sex education experts. His most surprising conversation comes when he sits down with a Jesuit priest, and they discuss if the church has let its followers down with its approach to sex. “A Sexplanation” has a direct and humorous approach that makes it a great resource regardless of your age, profession, or experience level. The film is most important for those like Alex, who started this project looking for a way to escape a shame-filled past to a happier, healthier future. “A Sexplanation” is one of the best all-around documentaries I have seen in some time and earns the highest recommendation I can offer.

One Pint at a Time: 3.5 out of 5
Brewing has been around for thousands of years and is as closely tied to Africa as it is to the more famous ale-loving monks. With his new documentary “One Pint at a Time,” director Aaron Hosé is eager to expand the perception of not only who drinks beer but who brews it. Black brewers and black-owned brands across the United States have started to claim their place in the nation’s craft beer industry at an increasing rate. However, while the U.S. craft beer market brings in over 20 billion dollars every year, the black-owned share is less than 1% of annual revenues. For “One Pint at a Time,” Hosé followed three brewing masters who are trying to break into the industry they love. Alisa Bowens-Mercado is the owner of New Haven, CT based Rhythm Brewing Company. Huston Lett is co-owner and head brewer of Bastet Brewing in Tampa, and Jon Renthrope, CEO and brewmaster of Cajun Fire Brewing in New Orleans. Hosé highlights the everyday struggles of starting a business and the added hurdle of being a minority in a white-dominated industry. “One Pint at a Time” is social commentary filtered through the lens of craft beer. Those hoping for an intense beer-centric documentary may find themselves disappointed. “One Pint at a Time” is an intelligent and well-made film that struggles slightly in its pacing. The same issues are encountered multiple times, and the way they are presented doesn’t change. Instead of building up frustration on behalf of the brewers, it has a better chance of leading to boredom if its audience is not fully invested.

Esluna: The Crown of Babylon: 3 out of 5
Perhaps the most impressive thing about “Esluna: The Crown of Babylon” is that it was written, directed, and entirely animated by one person, Denver Jackson. Jackson first began playing around in the world of Esluna back in 2018 when he released nine episodes of “Esluna: The First Monolith,” which are currently available on youtube. In this new adventure, relic hunter Maeve (voiced by Grace Chan) must team up with Bataar (Shawn O’Hara), a supernaturally powered man from another world, to save her mentor Caz (Ariel Hack). To bring Caz home safely, the pair are in a race to stop the Crown of Babylon, an ancient artifact rumored to have the power to bring back the dead from falling into evil hands. A disavowed monk named Sparrowwood (Morgan McLeod) wants the crown to resurrect his son and some other vague nefarious purposes.

“Esluna: The Crown of Babylon” wears its influences on its sleeves. Fans of Miyazaki, “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” and even “Zelda: Breath of the Wild” will be able to point to elements that were incorporated here. The animation is uniquely beautiful. It is made by applying hand-drawn 2D over 3D animation, a technique Jackson developed himself. Jackson wanted to show off everything he created, and I can’t blame him. Unfortunately, “Esluna: The Crown of Babylon” gets bogged down by the number of elements and characters that have to be juggled. While it will reach a certain fanbase, Jackson’s passion project isn’t quite ready for mass audiences. Suppose he continues to grow at the rate he has over the last three years. In that case, there will be millions of people accepting the next invitation to Esluna.

The Alpines: 2.5 out of 5
High School reunions, college reunions, even getting together with a group of friends you haven’t seen in a while is a recipe for fun and an endless source of anxiety. Seven friends grew apart as they focused on careers and relationships over the group. They are coming together for the first time in years after they all received a letter inviting them to a beautiful lake house for a long weekend. Despite a bit of tension, things are going swimmingly until their secrets come back to haunt them, and if they aren’t willing to share all, they will never leave the alpines behind.

The psychological thriller stars Mally Corrigan, who wrote the script, Aaron Latta-Morissette, Katrina Diehm, Jessie Mac, Niguel Quinn, Michael Taveira, and Daniel Victor. “The Alpines” was shot in a single location over 13 days with a small crew directed by Dante Aubain. It is a small but intense project that gives each character a particular trait that defines them and is linked to their secret. There isn’t much depth to the plot, like the characters, but it is just enough to keep you going along for the ride. The acting is best in its low-key moments. Still, as the stress increases, the characters and the performances begin to crack under the pressure. “The Alpines” is an easy watch and just interesting enough to be the perfect movie to fill out a streaming service’s catalog. It won’t bring people to the service, but films of this level do enough to keep people around in between the tentpole properties.

Everything in the End: 2.5 out of 5
While on a trip from Portugal to Iceland, Paulo learns that the world will end in a matter of days. With not enough time or sufficient motivation to return home, Paulo decides to continue to explore Iceland. Knowing the end is coming soon but not precisely when is affecting everyone in various ways. Some feel freer than ever before. Others want it to end now to avoid the waiting, and Paulo is using the time to meet new people and offer them the last friendly ear they may ever encounter. Director Brenden Hubbard makes “Everything in the End” a work of beauty both in terms of how he captured the rugged scenery of Iceland and the humanity of its inhabitants. With the world coming to an end, you may expect a lot of panicking or people trying to live out “The Purge.” Instead, this is a low-energy film with one calm discussion after another. If you don’t buy into Paulo’s mission and the philosophical discussions, you will be asleep before the world comes to an end.

King Richard: 4.5 out of 5
Will Smith was television royalty in the ’90s before becoming king of the summer box office. After that, he surprised us with his acting abilities in heavy-hitting dramas. Will has had a contentious relationship with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences after failing to win the best actor award twice. He was first nominated for 2002’s “Ali,” which he ultimately lost to Denzel Washington. Five years later, Will was selected again, this time for “The Pursuit of Happyness.” Losing for the second time, Will watched Forest Whitaker hoist the golden statue for his portrayal of Idi Amin in “The Last King of Scotland.” Despite chasing the award for the last 14 years, Will has failed to be nominated. He even boycotted the annual ceremony in 2016 due to a lack of diversity in the nominees. One drought will come to an end in just a few months when Will is officially nominated for best actor for his role in Reinaldo Marcus Green’s “King Richard.”

Richard Williams was a man with a plan, a 78-page plan to be exact, and he was going to dedicate his life to making sure every bold step of that plan was fulfilled. With dedication and adherence to his strict rules, Richard planned to raise doctors, lawyers, and two of the greatest tennis players in history. From the neglected courts of Compton to the country club, the girls trained rain or shine with their father’s relentless drive and their mother’s compassion and support always at their side. “King Richard,” tells the uplifting story of a family who defies insurmountable odds with unwavering resolve and unconditional belief in a plan.

Tennis fans will have no problem following the action. Novices should consider swinging by Wikipedia before their showing of “King Richard.” Green doesn’t take the time to explain rules or terms used during practice or at tournaments. The in-match action is adequate. You aren’t left wondering what just happened for five minutes, but it is far from the hyper-realized excitement of most sports movies. It even struggles compared to a live event because we already know what happened. The clear focus is the interpersonal drama and Richard’s struggle to provide a different life for his kids.

While the action may leave something to be desired, the performances make “King Richard” a must-see. It is not hyperbole to say everyone here is excellent, from the gang members to the upper crust racists. Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton, who play Venus and Serena, have complex roles, balancing youthful exuberance and the focus and determination of a seasoned veteran. Aunjanue Ellis as Oracene “Brandy” Price, the girls’ mother, is fiercely loyal and supportive to her family even when she disagrees with their choices. She is usually the good cop to Richards’s bad cop unless someone is trying to mess with her family.

Will Smith is great as Richard and imbues the notoriously stubborn father with depth driven by his love and fear. The weakest element of Smith’s performance is the Louisiana accent. For most of the movie, it is strong, if not a little exaggerated, but now and then, he sounds like he is doing an impression of Adam Sandler’s The Waterboy. The movie’s best performance is by Jon Bernthal as Rick Macci, one of the girls’ coaches. Bernthal is best known for his gruff or even violent characters like The Punisher, but here he has transformed into this ultra-positive happy-go-lucky person that you would either love or want to push out of a moving vehicle. It is a full-body performance, from his look and sound to the way he carries himself. “King Richard” opens in theaters everywhere on November 19th, but you can expect to hear about it for the next several months as award season ramps up.