My favorite event in Austin began with a bang. David Chase (SOPRANOS) began the evening at The Paramount with a lovely intro about growing up in N.J. with Rock n Roll and music being the most essential part of his life. This is a personal and sweet film, nothing heavy or deeply engaging. But a movie that so many will relate to about their own adolescence in suburban America during the 60's. And oh the music...unbeatable. Hard to imagine that the creator of THE SOPRANOS would make such a light film.
The second film of the evening was breathtaking. THE SESSIONS is an autobiographical film about Mark O'Brien, a poet who is paralyzed since age 6 and lives in an iron lung. While he has respite from the lung for 3 hour stints he completes a B.A. and works as a writer and poet. John Hawkes brings a sensitivity to this character that is spell binding. The sessions he is involved in are sessions with a sex therapist in his quest to lose his virginity at the age of 38. He is a witty, adorable and loving man filled with angst, guilt and passion. Helen Hunt as the sex therapist is open, kind, loving and so natural. We both loved this film and of course I cried numerous times.
We arrived early early to THE PARAMOUNT, met wonderful and warm people, new and old acquaintances, ate dinner while standing and look forward to more. Tomorrow come the shorts. Some of the filmmakers are RTF students. This should be wonderful.
Oh, I know how happy this makes you. I knew the Mark O'Brien story from the documentary, and the reviews for this film were dynamo.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy more movies!
Pam