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Philly Film Festival Preview 2020

by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport and Jaime Davis, Fixer 

The 29th annual Philadelphia Film Festival is just around the corner and, with ninety films being showcased from October 23 until November 2, making selections could be cause for anxiety. This year’s fest showcases many award winning and buzz worthy flicks, from earlier festivals and includes some MJ Crew faves such as: Jumbo, Lapsis, The Boy Behind the Door and the action comedy romp, Action USA.

No need to fret over your flick picks though, the Moviejawn crew is here to help narrow ‘em down. MJ’s Old Sport and Fixer have curated the perfect watch list that can be enjoyed from the comfort of your home or, in some cases, your car. So instead of spending time feeling overwhelmed about what to watch, why not pop some corn, grab your favorite candy and enjoy the movies selected with you in mind, compliments of your friendly film pals at Moviejawn. 

Black Bear

I have been trying to catch this flick since it first premiered at Sundance. Unfortunately, while there, I missed it due to scheduling conflicts. So I was very happy to see that it is on the roster for this year’s Philly Film Fest. As mentioned previously here at Moviejawn, I am always interested in whatever Aubrey Plaza is up to. This lady makes some very interesting choices. In Black Bear, she stars as a filmmaker who has found herself on the quest to awaken her creative spirit. Instead, she finds she rouses her inner malignant spirits. This sounds like just the right type of flick for spooky season and co-starts Christopher Abbott (Possessor)… count me in! 

Watch Black Bear, Thursday, October 29 at 8:45pm via the Navy Yard drive-in as part of PFS on us, tickets here

Watch Black Bear, Friday, October 30 at 5:45pm via the virtual cinema, tickets here.

Mandibles

I caught Mandibles at the 2020 Nightstream Film Festival and it did not disappoint. In fact, it is guaranteed to end up somewhere on my best of 2020 list. Quentin Dupieux is a filmmaker that has landed himself on my favorite filmmakers list. Just when I think the guy could not get any more outlandish, he manages to completely raise the stakes with each new release. His latest flick tells the tale of a couple of feeble minded pals that discover a giant fly in the trunk of their car and decide to invite it home for dinner with the hope of domesticating it. Of course, supper ain’t free… there’s an angle, and that is to turn this relationship into a Michigan J. Frog type of scenario. Simply put: train the fly and earn money. This director has told tales of murderous tires with the flick Rubber and deerskin jackets with killer style in Deerskin. I assure you Mandibles is just the type of fun escapism everyone needs right now.

Watch Mandibles, Saturday, October 24 at 7:30pm via the virtual cinema, tickets here

Sylvie’s Love

This was another flick that I had every intention of seeing at Sundance but couldn’t swing due to travel constraints. I’ll admit, with digital fests, it does make things easier to catch movies on your watch list, as you don’t have to worry about hustling from one cinema to another. The only concern is if you have enough time to make it to the kitchen for some pop and snax before showtime. What sold me on Sylive’s Love (besides it starring Tessa Thompson) is that it is set in the 1950s. I’m such a sucker for this time era and have such a fondness for the decor, outfits and overall style. Sylvie’s Love’s is a tale about a woman in Harlem that works at her father’s record store and makes a connection with an ambitious saxophonist. Even if the outcome is a muddled plot or mediocre character development, at least I will have some interesting production design to look at. However, with Tessa Thompson I find you typically can’t go wrong.

Watch Sylvie’s Love, Tuesday, October 27 at 3:45pm via the virtual cinema, tickets here

I’m Your Woman 

I was really excited to see that Julia Hart’s latest feature would be at Philly Film Fest. Her 2018 flick, Fast Color got rave reviews and has been on my watch list for far too long. Something I am hoping to rectify soon, as our household now owns a copy. Set in the 1970s, I’m Your Woman stars Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) as a woman on the run with her newborn child. After learning her husband has betrayed his mob boss, she finds herself in the thick of the sleazy world of organized crime. I don’t tend to get too excited about mob lyfe stories, but this one seems promising. Not only is it told from a woman’s perspective, but the script was co-written by Julia Hart too. 

Watch I’m Your Woman, Wednesday, October 28 at 5:30pm via the virtual cinema, tickets here

Nomadland

This one has been on my radar for quite some time and looks absolutely stunning. Written and directed by Chloé Zhao, it stars Frances McDormand as a recently-widowed woman that has lost everything. She takes for the open road, which leads to her meeting like-minded individuals that too have suffered similar loss. In the course of her travels, not only are the character’s eyes being opened but so are the viewer’s. Nomadland recently took the top coveted prize at Venice and was the People’s Choice Award winner at TIFF, cementing that Zhao isn’t just a filmmaker to watch out for, but one that is sure to be remembered. 

Watch Nomadland, Friday, October 23 at 6:45pm or 9:30pm via the Navy Yard Drive-In, tickets here.

Minari

I have been waiting oh so patiently to see this since reading a number of reviews after it’s Sundance run in early 2020. Steven Yeun is one of my favorite working actors right now - ever since The Walking Dead, I’ve been mad about him. And have you seen him in Burning? I can’t get over him, and everything I’ve heard about his performance in Lee Isaac Chung’s drama about a Korean family settling in rural Arkansas has been buzzy. I. Can’t. Wait. 

Watch Minari, Monday, October 26 at 8:15pm via the virtual cinema, tickets here. 

Preparations To Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time

I am a sucker for anything psychologically thriller-y and the premise to Preparations has already hooked me. A Hungarian neurosurgeon in America leaves behind her successful career to return to Budapest to reunite with her new love. When she arrives, he claims they’ve never met. Oh damn. Director Lili Horváth’s latest screened at Venice and TIFF this year and has been hailed as inventive, suspenseful and completely engrossing. While I can’t wait to see how the story’s twists and turns unfold, I’m even more excited to see what else Horváth has up her sleeve in the future. 

Watch Preparations To Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time Monday, October 26 at 3:45pm via the virtual cinema, tickets here

True Mothers 

In acclaimed Japanese director Naomi Kawase’s latest, an upscale, fertility-challenged couple adopt a young boy - until six years later when the boy’s alleged birth mother appears, intent on being part of the child’s life. The story highlights the complexities of modern families in an emotionally-charged way. I really adore modern Japanese films and the way they tell stories in completely unique ways to modern American ones. The language is at once similar but also completely different - more leisurely and quiet. I haven’t watched any of Kawase’s other films yet so I’m excited to dig into this one. 

Watch True Mothers on Saturday, October 24 at 12:00pm via the virtual cinema, tickets here

The Perfect Candidate

Haifaa Al-Mansour’s body of work so far has powerfully uplifted the voices of females in diverse situations. Films like Wadjda, Mary Shelley, and Nappily Ever After have all showcased unique views of what it means to be a woman at different times, in a variety of societies, with particular forces working for or against you. The Perfect Candidate takes Al-Mansour back to Saudi Arabia, where she focuses on a young female doctor running for local office. I was lucky to hear Al-Mansour speak at TIFF a few years ago at a screening of Mary Shelley and I find her distinct viewpoint fascinating. While The Perfect Candidate, so far, appears a bit polarizing to viewers, I need to see this one for myself. 

Watch The Perfect Candidate on Friday, October 23 at 3:45pm via the virtual theater, tickets here