Middleburg Eccentric

SPOTLIGHT is the audience’s favorite film and top prize winner from the Middleburg Film Festival. From director/writer Tom McCarthy, the film follows the team of Boston Globe reporters who pursued the Catholic Church’s cover-up of pedophile priests. “Every film in our slate was a stand-out,” said Middleburg Film Festival Founder Sheila C. Johnson. “Audiences were especially moved by SPOTLIGHT’s terrific ensemble cast, superb craftsmanship, and most importantly, its riveting and important story. The touching real-life “Cinderella” tale of Harry -- and his beloved horse, Snowman, also captivated festival attendees.” This year, as in past years, many films was reviewed for The Middleburg Eccentric by Wakefield School’s tenth grade English class and Ryan Perry 2015 Middleburg Film Festival in Review By Ryan Perry The cozy rural town of Middleburg has just wrapped up its third annual film festival, running from October 22 - 25, and I can’t think of any other event where I would rather have spent my weekend. It seems as though festival founder Sheila Johnson is constantly upping the ante from the previous year, and this year’s fest was no exception. There were just as many locations as last year’s, ranging from classic vintage venues such as the Hill School, National Sporting Library and Musem, and Buchanan Hall, as well as the elegant Salamander Resort and Spa. Each of these locations truly did a job to encapsulate the small town’s homey heritage, and generally give off a very warm and inviting atmosphere. The illustrious Salamander in particular played host to a myriad of exciting events, including an orchestra concert paying tribute to Fargo and Twilight composer Carter Burwell, as well as the world premiere of actress Meg Ryan’s directorial debut feature, Ithaca. That means that not only was Ryan there in person to present her first film in the director’s chair,but those who saw the film at the Middleburg festival were the first viewers in the world to see it. How were the films this year? It’s a sign that the festival is clearly growing (boasting a body of 26 films as opposed to last year’s 20), and the selection that was able to attend (including Macbeth, Louder Than Bombs, Spotlight, The Preppie Connection, and I Saw the Light) was one of the best that I’ve seen at any of the festivals. Not unlike the selections offered by previous years, each one offered a distinctive and unique experience that distinguished it from the others. While some were certainly more favorable than others, the overall collection proved to be one of the most memorable that I have seen since the festival’s conception back in 2013. Being a few weeks away from turning 20, I’m typically one of the few people in my age group who is excited to see a low-budget independent drama as opposed to a summer spectacle blockbuster film, so I was very excited not to experience a venue that showcased a variety of indie films, but also to see an audience who was just as excited as I was. A particularly fond experience I had was spent waiting in line for one of the films I attended, sharing a conversation with fellow moviegoers about the films that we had seen over the weekend. I hadn’t known any of them before that evening, but they were very eager to share their thoughts and recommendations. It clearly showed that those who were at the festival were there to satisfy a deep love for cinema, and doing so in a rich location at the same time. One of the most exciting experiences that I had was the opportunity to shake hands and converse with actors after two Q&A sessions. Performers that I got to speak with included northern Virginia resident Tab Hunter and young actor Devin Druid, star of the festival’s own gem Louder Than Bombs. In both experiences, the actors were extremely down to Earth, and generally enjoyable to talk to. It should also be noted that one of my assignments for my Film Appreciation college course was to attend at least one of the films at the festival. Upon returning to class on Monday, I had heard stories from all of my fellow classmates who had also attended the festival about how this was their first year of going, and based on their experiences, they are strongly planning on attending next year as well. Each of them had not only enjoyed their films, but more importantly, had also said that they thought the scenic environment was the perfect location for such an event. Being an avid attendant of the festival by this point, I was, of course, looking forward to it, but was very pleased to hear such positive feedback from my peers. Another aspect that simply cannot go unrecognized is the amazing volunteers who make the festival run. Not only do they perform their jobs with a great deal of dedication and commitment, but also with a warm and genuine smile on their faces. Each one that I encountered was overly kind and courteous, and seemed excited that I was there. The experience that they provide really does make the Middleburg festival stand out from the Toronto and Sundance festivals as one of the more personable cinematic experiences you’ll have this season. Overall, the Middleburg Film Festival’s third edition was a riveting follow-up that proves to up the ante in every aspect from the previous years. From the general quality of films to the myriad of esteemed celebrity events on display, the 2015 festival boasted all of the excitement of a more well-known festival like Toronto or Sundance, but also stands out by means of its personable community atmosphere and absorbing horse country backdrop, and it’s an experience I’ll certainly be partaking in again next year. Review: Anomalisa By Anya Parks Anomalisa, a beautifully filmed and carefully constructed stop-motion, is the provocative tale of Michael Stone (David Thewlis). Stone is a motivational speaker by trade who finds himself helplessly unsatisfied with his life. He is payed to uplift the lives of others, stating that all humans are individuals that both desire and deserve happiness. This advice, so valued by all (It increased telemarketing sales by ninety percent!), is painfully ironic to both Stone and the audience as Stone is, quite literally, surrounded by clones. By using the same face molding and voice actor (Tom Noonan) for everyone with the exception of the key characters, directors Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson clearly convey Stone’s dissatisfaction with those surrounding him, as well as the life he is shackled to. Everything and everyone is the same. There is no change in his monotone world, and on a trip to a conference, he desperately attempts to find something significant by calling an old girlfriend. He asks her back to his room, attempting to find some solace, if not in his soul, then in her body. The meeting is a disaster, and Stone can do nothing but return to the hotel alone. When he hears Lisa (Jennifer Jason Leigh), he is fresh out of the shower, fully bared to the audience as he yanks on his face, revealing the clay structure beneath. How fortuitous! In his most desperate moments, questioning his identity, his very existence, Stone hears the sound of change. The first voice in what seemed to be years has distinguished itself. Stone’s reaction to Lisa, so meek and plain, is telling of his desperation. When Stone finds Lisa he is mesmerized by her voice despite its grating pitch, and enchanted by her face, seeing past her scar and to her unique features. Lisa appears to Stone as a miracle. Finally, there is a anomalous face in sea of monochrome! So taken in by this encounter, so desperate to drink in the sound of her voice and the look of her face, Stone fails to see Lisa as a person. Lisa, in turn, fails to do the same. As a scarred telemarketer of average intelligence, Lisa too, is desperately trying to find something worthy within herself. She turns to Stone to successfully find it. In the end is a twisted love story, not designed to last, but to comfort the two tortured souls we focus upon. Each contributes to the brief happiness of the other: Stone a reprieve from a repetitious, unsatisfying world, and Lisa, the belief that she is different, an anomaly —an Anomalisa. Review: Harry and Snowman By Doria Gilberg Get out the old riding boots, snap on that helmet, and be prepared for the leap of a life-time- if you can find the horse first. Harry and Snowman? More like Harry and Harry. The title leads the audience to jump to the conclusion that this is a documentary about the connection between Triple Crown winner Harry deLeyer and his prize-winning horse, Snowman. Snowman galloped away from the screen and refused to come back until half of the film was over. Once you actually find Snowman, saddle up the steed and bound off to the ring. Harry deLeyer had a very humble start growing up on a farm in Holland during World War II. He arrived in America with his wife through the works of an American soldier Harry never even met. While working as a riding instructor at a female private school, he nearly missed the livestock auction that would change his life. With a flat tire and the clock ticking, Harry arrived at the auction just as the left-over horses were getting settled onto the slaughter truck. Snowman locked eyes with Harry in between the rungs of the trailer, and it was at this moment that Harry paid $80 for what would be a world-renown horse. Snowman and Harry won the Triple Crown in 1958, but the fame did not stop there. Jumping show obstacles became far too easy, so Harry set even higher goals and Snowman soon broke the record for clearing the tallest jump. This so called “Cinderella Horse” has inspired and captured the hearts of millions around the globe. The film had an enormous amount of potential; the story of Harry deLeyer itself is absolutely amazing. It is the epitome of a rags to riches story. Who wouldn’t want to be enchanted and captivated by a tale that proves that success comes with dedication and hard-work? However, Ron Davis, the...

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