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Show 12 Sundance Movie Reviews "Dreamcatcher" urges audience to make a difference BY ALEXANDRIA DEGRAUW /STAFF WRITER PHOTO COURTESY OF AARON WICKENDEN eople underestimate the power of an expertly crafted film. "Dreamcatcher,' a Sundance documentary directed by Kim Longinotto, captured the audience with a compelling narrative about a former prostitute with a dream to change the lives of those who walk the same path she once followed. Not only did this film shed light on taboo topics, such as rape and abuse, but it also did so in a way that inspired the audience to act. Brenda Myers-Powell, the main character of the documentary, was a former prostitute who experienced all the abuse that comes with the profession. During her career, she was repeatedly stabbed, shot five times and lost the skin on her face at the hands of a client. She finally found an escape and searched for a way to help others in similar situations. Alongside Stephanie Daniels-Wilson, she founded The Dreamcatcher Foundation, a non-profit organization designed to aid prostitutes who are searching for a way out. The film opens with Brenda driving around the streets of the Chicagoland area. She hands out condoms to the prostitutes she finds on the streets and spends time talking with anyone who can spare a moment. She offers them help and gives them the option to leave the profession. Brenda also helps "at-risk" kids in a high school by talking with them about what happened to her and listening to their stories. She is someone they can talk to and someone who won't judge them because of her similar background. She also speaks to the women in prison who were convicted of prostitution. p BY GRIFFIN ADAMS /SPORTS EDITOR PHOTO COURTESY OF HILARY BRONWYN „T he D Train" is a comedy film that premiered last Friday at the Sundance Film Festival, starring funny men Jack Black and James Marsden. The film focuses on Dan Landsman, portrayed by Black, a middle-aged man who becomes obsessed She isn't alone in her endeavors and often enlists a former pimp she used to associate with, Homer (alias Fancy), to teach others about life on the streets. Most of the time, those she takes under her wing are not ready to leave the life they know, but she stays with them until they are ready, even though the process often takes years. The most compelling part of the film was the stories of the people Brenda helped. These stories added insight into the lives of people ignored by society and offered explanations as to how these women became trapped in the cycle of prostitution. Many of them were left on the streets trying to find a means of survival. Others were victims of sexual abuse. Some, like Brenda, were molested when they were as young as four years old. More often than not, a bad home life or no home life at all led these people to lives of prostitution. I was emotionally captured by the film. Brenda's empathy for those she helped inspired compassion and a greater understanding of those who were neglected by society. The message she constantly reinforced throughout the film was the idea that the world was to blame for what happened to the women, not the women themselves. They were not victims but survivors. Often, the women would downplay the abuse they went through, shrugging it off as if they deserved it, and most of them had never experienced life without abuse. Brenda made them feel "How to change the world"A Or "Greenpeace teaches you how to make a 'mind bomb"' '. Lm i se* I ami NS' tt , .1 -t 4 ElnA4114110CTOK 111111111119P 567 human again and showed them the life they truly deserved. She used her past experience and pain to help people who desperately needed a friend. I give "Dreamcatcher" five out of five stars and recommend it to anyone who has ever wanted to make a difference. The filming and audio were edited well, and I never had a problem understanding what was going on. The story was engaging and inspirational and had lighter moments mixed into the deep subject matter of the plot. It's a film about new hope and strength, a fantastic story about how one person changed the lives of many. Just as Brenda encouraged the women she helped, the film encouraged the audience to pursue their dreams and make a difference. a.degrauw@chronicle.utah.edu @ChronyArts Take "The D Train" with getting an old high school classmate to attend their 20-year class reunion. He becomes so preoccupied he jeopardizes his relationship with his family, friends and work just to get Oliver Lawless (Marsden) to RSVP After flying to Hollywood to convince Lawless Film Festival 2015 #4* #4* 00 00 00 to come to the reunion, Landsman becomes absorbed with the idea of being with Lawless. It is during these scenes in which scandalous behavior leads to a bromance between Landsman and Lawless. Throughout the movie, it was clear that duo Jarrad Paul and Andrew Mogel exceeded expectations in their directorial debut. Major companies, such as Fox Searchlight and Lionsgate, have already inquired to gain the United States rights to the film, but according to Yahoo News, it is IFC who will walk away with the rights. Black turned back the clock for his performance in "The D Train."The lead man in hilarious movies such as "School of Rock" and "Year One" showed that he's still got it, as the theater was full of constant laughter. His near-perfect display of acting would have been great on its own, but what really makes the movie click is the relationship built between Landsman and Lawless. Black and Marsden do a magnificent job displaying their bromance BY STEVE STAFSHOLT /STAFF WRITER PHOTO COURTESY OF GREENPEACE on screen. Additionally, I could not think of two actors who could have delivered the film's witty puns any better. The notable point-of-view and pan shots showed the audience how Landsman sees himself and the people around him. The way the two main characters dressed also added to their complex relationship. Landsman played the role of a husband and father, which was shown in his dress, and Lawless liked to go out and have a good time, hence the rocker vibe he gives off. In the end, this movie, in my opinion, uses all of its aspects to center around one theme — it's not just kids who struggle with self-acceptance, but adults too. Whenever I watch a Jack Black movie, I expect to laugh, but I was surprised by how humorous I found this movie. While "The D Train" was not perfect in every way, there were enough positive things for me to give it four stars out of five. g.adams@chronicle.utah.edu @ChronyArts „H ow to Change The World" is a Sundance documentary about the foundation of Greenpeace. Largely realized with Greenpeace's archived footage, the film details the account of the motley crew of mechanics and mystics who initiated the fusion of the environmentalist and peace movement into the "mind bomb" that changed the world. I got to see the film 10 days after it was finished, when director Jerry Rothwell and Bobbi Hunter (Bob Hunter's wife) joined me and a full house of Sundancers at Tower Theatre. In a Q&A session after the screening, Rothwell stated that the title and the five rules — Plant a Mind Bomb, Put Your Body Where Your Mouth Is, Fear Success, The Revolution Will Not Be Organized and Let the Power Go — are tongue-in-cheek, implying that the only common theme to social movements is a collective desire for change. The film's protagonist is Bob Hunter, a journalist-turned-activist whose leadership was the lodestone of Greenpeace. Rothwell, who first became interested in Greenpeace while reading Hunter's books, disperses several short quotes from his books throughout the film. The poetic power of Hunter's Gonzo journalism is truly haunting and is a large part of what makes the film so evocative. Starting out as an attempt to plant a "mind bomb," the modern equivalent of an image or idea going viral, the Greenpeace founders set out to stop the Amchitka nuclear test. Although the United States Coast Guard prevents any intervention, the group gains immense publicity and shifts their focus towards ending the slaughter of whales and seals. And just like that, this "seagoing gang of ecological bikers" puts the modern environmental movement into motion. Potential viewers should be warned that there are several explicit scenes of whaling and seal clubbing. With drama and dynamic characters that rival narrative films, "How to Change the World" is the kind of documentary whose dedication to facts enhances the storytelling. My favorite character is David Garrick, who christened himself Walrus Oakenbough and served as the psychedelic guru of the original crew. Bob Hunter is also an immensely interesting character, and it is truly unfortunate that he died of cancer before the film was made because his interviews would have been profound. One of the most enlightening parts of this film is the way it provides an unbiased human element to the social movement. This is most apparent with the dynamic of the two selfclaimed vice presidents of Greenpeace — Paul Watson and Patrick Moore. Their continued clashes, oftentimes based on seemingly petty matters, give a glimpse of the lack of cohesion that proved to be Greenpeace's greatest challenge. It would have been hard to make a bad documentary with such an unusual set of individuals put in such strange and emotional circumstances, but Jerry Rothwell's personal touch made the film that much better. Whether it's breaking the fourth wall, the sporadic use of animations, Bob Hunter's quotes or the Pink Floyd-heavy soundtrack, Rothwell brought this film to life and left every viewer pondering Hunter's quote: "If we wait for the meek to inherit the earth, there won't be anything left to inherit." I give this film four out of five stars because although it is exceptional, there are moments when it seems to drag. I recommend this film for environmentalists, aspiring activists and documentary-goers alike. s.stafsholt@chronicle.utah.edu @ChronyArts |