Focused Progression & Independent Thinking: The 2013 Los Angeles Film Festival - Feature

The Los Angeles Film Festival continues to be a focused progression of independent thinking though a good part of the structure contains already distributed product. “Europa Report” (wonderfully realized) had been previously picked up by Magnet and central gala “Fruitvale Station” (very much an independent) had been scooped up by The Weinstein Company from Sundance on a well-deserved pitch for an Oscar base.The blend however between independent and mainstream sensibilities continue to percolate as filmmakers and their influences continue to shift.“I.D.” which takes place between the well-to-do section of Mumbai as well as its slums shows a young woman trying to unravel a mystery of a male painter who dropped dead in her kitchen. The use of extreme paradox works well here as it tries to shift the reasoning of poverty and the jarring progression of something as simple as an iPhone in a world different than ours. Ultimately the resolution is expected but the organic quality with which this reluctant woman makes her journey reflects well.“Drug War”, from international favorite Johnnie To, is a complicated mass of work but really gets into the mind of a cop vs. drug lord in terms of thinking and loyalty. It reflects very solidly with something like Michael Mann's “Heat” because there is the necessity of becoming something you don't want to be when coming to an end game. The specific idea of a captain having to do cocaine in order to convince other dealers of his possibilities and then having to utterly destroy his body with ice water in order to bring it back from the high is distinctly visceral. The tension builds up which explains how most of the movie is every bit as energetic as the final shootout which is one of the better gunfights in recent memory.“Ain't Them Bodies Saints”, even though picked up by IFC Films, definitely retains its independent flavor with a story of love separated, not unlike Terrence Malick's “Badlands” in many respects. Casey Affleck takes on a more mature grizzled function than we have seen from him before while still resonating his stark turn in “The Assassination Of Jesse James”. Rooney Mara, best known as the title character in “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” gives an understated performance as a woman drawn into the violence of her husband's world and who still pines for him when he goes off to prison. Rooney's portrayal is interesting since it reflects her both as a person before her titular role but also shows the impact it had on her. Ben Foster plays a local policeman she once shot by accident and his relaxation into the role is unprecedented as he is much more known for jittery characters waiting to explode. The film is a study in stillness where life goes on despite tragedy inherent.While the LAFF/Inside Reel interaction was brief this year with a couple other indies including “The House That Jack Built” and “Boxing Day” being reserved for TV interviews, the essence of the character base continues to shine on the streets of Downtown Los Angeles.