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Reviews
Seeking Dolly Parton (2015)
Seek this out
"Seeking Dolly Parton" is the story of a lesbian couple — "Charlie" (Kacey Barnfield) and "Cerina" (Anya Monzikova) — who yearn to have a baby together. For whatever reasons, they do not want to venture down the adoption or anonymous sperm donor route, opting instead for asking "Jon" (Raffaello Degruttola), a close gay friend of theirs, to be the father of their baby. When this plan does not work out, they turn their attentions to Cerina's ex-boyfriend, "Josh" (Michael Worth). Not sure how he feels about this proposal — and honestly, not all that sure what feelings he still has for Cerina — Josh moves in with them, making for an awkward and unlikely trio of would-be parents. It is at this point that you could be forgiven if you think the film is going to take the tried-and-true journey down the path of is-she-or-isn't-she or which-one-does-she-truly-love.
But it doesn't.
Written and directed by Worth, the film is both an emotional and intellectual examination of people unable to move past an event or an idea or even a person. Nearly every character in the film finds themselves "stuck" in some part of their life. Charlie is haunted by images of a place she may have visited with her father, who died when she was very young, and cannot move on with her art because of it. Josh cannot get over the hurt of breaking up with Cerina, leaving his life in a kind of day-to-day mundane existence. Even Jon cannot come to grips with publicly acknowledging that he is gay which makes the likelihood of his finding his own chance at love slimmer and slimmer.
The natural ebb and flow of the conversations have a very John Cassavetes feel to them, and I cannot close without pointing out Chia-Yu Chen's beautiful cinematography. I have said before that Worth's films have an inherent sweetness to them. A love of life and of people. And that is definitely here in "Seeking Dolly Parton."
All American Zombie Drugs (2010)
A sweet surprise!
"All American Zombie Drugs," written and directed by Alex Ballar, falls into the category of social commentary comedy, and I say that so that you don't go into it thinking that you're going to see a horror comedy along the lines of "Shaun of the Dead." While there are several jump-scares and plenty of nods to the genre both in plot and effects, the heart of this story lies in the comedy it mines from the funny that life creates all on its own.
Best friends Vinny and Sebastion (played by Wolfgang Weber and Beau Nelson, respectively) are a couple of burnouts who live their lives in a drug-induced haze. Though laying around an apartment, taking hits off the communal bong, and occasionally wandering outside in search of some chili cheese fries seems like a pretty easy life to say the least, the pair are not without their personal issues. Vinny is plagued by visions of his brother Michael (played by Alex Ballar) who died from a drug overdose and tries to get Vinny to give up drugs and avoid the path that he himself took. Sebastion is a narcoleptic who humps anything and anyone in his sleep, thinking that he is having sex with various women. Unfortunately, none of the women that he dreams about dry-humping (sleep-humping?) are his girlfriend Kara (played by Susan Graham), so she is angry and hurt by his (sort-of) infidelity. Add to this a general lack of cash-flow, and soon access to weed, munchies, and a roof over their heads appears to be coming to an abrupt end.
What to do? Give up drugs and get a job? Oh hell, no! Vinny and Sebastion devise a plan to run their own business: drug dealers! All they have to do is create a new drug that gives a user the perfect high, and they will be rolling in the dough. But first, they need an investor to help them buy the necessary materials. Enter Kara's friend, goth-chick Melissa (played by Natalie Irby) who lives in her rich parents' house with access to their money and a more than passing interest in Vinny. Soon enough, the foursome has invented a potent drug that becomes all the local rage. But as time goes on, the side effects get stranger and stranger.
"All American Zombie Drugs" has a lot going for it. A tight ensemble cast at its core brings believability to their characters. While we can laugh at their antics and the situations that they get themselves into, not a single one of the main four characters ever devolves into a cartoon character. This isn't Cheech and Chong. It's smart comedy with realistic performances. Also aiding in that believability is Ballar's subtle writing and evenhanded directing. At no point do you feel like someone is bashing you over the head with an after-school special. Add to the mix a plethora of quirky side characters, from mobsters to high school nerds to college frat boys, and you've got a funny and entertaining 99 minutes.
Our Father (2014)
Compelling Drama
In the short film "Our Father," writer/director/producer Linda Palmer tackles such daunting subjects as dementia, caregiving, estranged families, and abuse. The film's cast includes Michael Gross (Family Ties, Tremors), Michael Worth (God's Ears), Eileen Grubba (Bones, Five Year Engagement), and David Topp (The Box). The emotionally driven script takes place almost entirely in a bathroom, requiring some pretty creative solutions in awfully cramped quarters from the cast and crew. All of the actors are superb, even in the smallest roles, but it is the two leads - father and son, patient and caregiver - who carry the bulk of the dialogue and are put through the emotional wringer of a relationship that is volatile in the best of times. Michael Gross embodies "John," a man suffering from dementia, with an honesty that is not tripped up by any actor ego. His character is at turns infantile, violent, passive, ugly, terrified, and terrifying. And wholeheartedly believable, as anyone who has ever been a caregiver to a family member with dementia can attest to. Michael Worth is "Jared," the dutiful son who is in way over his head with his father's mental and physical situation. His character is at once duty-bound, exhausted, angry, lost, frightened, and spent, with every nuance of those emotions registering on his face. The film, based on a true story, expertly captures the reality of dealing with keeping a medically deteriorating family member at home at all costs and handles the subject with respect and honesty. If you get a chance to see this short film, I highly recommend it.