Dances with Films has returned to New York City! The festival’s 3rd New York City edition occurred on December 5th through the 8th where many films celebrated world premieres at the Regal Union Square.
Over the summer, Dances With Films celebrated its 27th year in LA. The Bicostal Film Festival featured 141 projects, including narrative features, documentary films, short films, television and streaming pilots. Evan Oppenheimer’s Peas and Carrots opened the festival while Christina Elioupolos’ Here’s Yianni!, starring Kevin Pollack and Rosanna Arquette, closed out the festival. Here’s a recap of the festival’s array of films.
Oppenheimer’s film Peas and Carrots is set in New York City and follows 16-year-old high school student Joey Wethersby (Kirrilee Berger). Joey’s parents, Laurie (Amy Carlson) and Gordon (Jordan Bridges), were in a band during the ’90s and had a one-hit-wonder. Joey collaborates with her parents and siblings to start a new band, but she travels every night to a strange alternate reality where everyone only says, “Peas and Carrots.” Oppenheimer’s family film is an eccentric concept about a young woman trying to find her worth. It’s not exactly impactful, as the film has two different stories that did not mesh well. The cast is fine, but Berger is the main star and does excel with her performance. The music in the film is the weakest aspect as it doesn’t feel memorable, especially with the song “My Destiny”. The songs help illustrate the themes and messages the film has to express, but it could have been stronger with its production. The film is silly and safe for families, but it does nothing groundbreaking for the genre.
The highlight of the festival was Paul Bickel’s film Our Happy Place. In it, Raya (Raya Miles) is a caretaker for her husband Paul (Bickel) and finds herself in a Groundhog Day situation. She wakes up daily in the forest without remembering how she got there. On the third day, she wakes up in a grave, and it deepens each time while also hearing the cries of tortured women. The film is set during Covid times; she and her husband are staying in a cabin in the woods. At night, Raya has disturbing nightmares of being tortured, as well as other women. Bickel’s film is gripping from beginning to end and features an incredible performance from Miles. Bickel’s hard work is shown behind and in front of the camera. His character in the film is slightly creepy. Miles also shares the most likable chemistry with Tracie Thoms, who sprinkles in the laughs. Bickel’s psychological thriller brings lots of isolation and dread. The film also sells itself with its cold atmospheric tension as it was shot in Big Bear, California—a stellar directorial debut.
William Tyler Wiseman’s film helped to succeed with Matthew Wayne Roberts’ emotional performance. Roberts stars as Peter Goodman, a secluded alcoholic who, deep in the woods, finds his father’s old, dilapidated moonshine. Peter has his eyes set on making one final batch, which leads him to reconnect with his brother Thomas (Michael Lee Joplin) and, along the way, his father’s legacy. Wiseman expanded more with Moonwater, his feature film directorial debut, as he has previously directed a short with the same name. Wiseman’s film showcases a character haunted by demons who sets out to redeem himself and learns it isn’t always easy. It’s also a story that shows the bond of brothers, as Roberts and Joplin have great chemistry. Wiseman’s film struggles a little with its pacing as it is slow and slightly predictable. However, it does not stop shining and exploring the themes it wants to capture. Also, the cinematography is terrific, and David Siciliano captures the woods lushly and elegantly.
Howard Gordan directed Double Exposure. Peter (Alexander Calvert) is set to marry Lora (Kahyun Kim) however, Peter’s influencer ex-girlfriend and first love, Sara (Caylee Cowan), appears from the dead to steal him back. This all leads the past and present to conflict as the photographer struggles with what happened to Sara. This film explores body image and ageism in the times of #MeToo, as the film was a little complicated to invest in. The film is interesting on paper, but once the story comes to life, it feels there is very little to care about. Each of the performances are not great, including Cowan. Her chemistry with Calvert comes off as fake and does not feel real. The film could have a lasting impact with its inclusion on the #MeToo story, but there’s little to walk away with from the film.
