Article By Yamil Alvarado
Since its founding in 2002 by Robert De Niro and producer Jane Rosenthal, the Tribeca Film Festival has premiered everything from box-office hits, like “Mission Impossible III,” to indie favorites, such as “Air Guitar Nation” — and this year proves to be no different. Beginning Wednesday (April 23), the 2008 fest promises a varied feast to cinephiles and mainstreamers alike, offering poignant avant-garde dramas, documentaries and Hollywood-backed blockbuster hopefuls.
With more than 250 films being shown in about a dozen locations all over New York, the festival can be overwhelming. Without a game plan, it’s easy to miss some of the festival’s best and most-anticipated screenings. So for those of you planning to attend — and the rest of you following from home — MTV News has compiled a list of 10 films to watch out for.
Leading the pack in buzz, “Baby Mama” and “Speed Racer” are slated to be the festival’s opener and closer (respectively). Starring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, “Baby Mama” tells the story of single businesswoman Kate Holbrook (Tina Fey), who at 37 is finally determined to have a baby on her own. But since she’s unable to get pregnant, Kate hires South Philly working girl Angie Ostrowiski (Amy Poehler) to become her unlikely surrogate.
In family-oriented “Speed Racer,” directed by “Matrix” masterminds Andy and Larry Wachowski, the titular fearless racecar driver (Emile Hirsch) uncovers a terrible secret after turning down an offer to race for Royalton Industries. His discovery leads him to team up with one-time rival Racer X to bring down by winning the cross-country rally that killed Speed’s brother. Though the film also stars Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Matthew Fox and Susan Sarandon, audiences are most looking forward to seeing its revolutionary visual effects.
Keeping in line with the festival’s mission of melding independent film and Hollywood, “War, Inc.” and “Ball Don’t Lie” showcase mainstream talent in indie surroundings.
“War, Inc.” is the story of a hit man Brand Hauser (John Cusack) who is sent to the fictional Middle Eastern country of Turaqistan (the scene of the first fully outsourced war) by a former U.S. vice president to assassinate the head of a rival company. But things go a bit awry when a reporter (Marisa Tomei) arrives on the scene to investigate Brand’s motives. The plot thickens at the arrival of a Middle Eastern pop star (Hilary Duff), whose impending wedding to the son of a local politician is scheduled to be televised as a PR campaign for the country.
“Ball Don’t Lie” — starring basketball player Grayson Boucher, Ludacris, Rosanna Arquette, Nick Cannon and “Lost” regulars Emilie de Ravin and Harold Perrineau — is an urban coming-of-age tale centered on Sticky, a high school junior who has enormous basketball talent but who is weighed down by his past. Ultimately, Sticky’s choices have ramifications that not only affect him but those around him.
In a festival characterized by its Hollywood ties, this year music icons Madonna and Mariah Carey also have a presence in films designed to draw the socially conscious and the curious. Madonna’s “I Am Because We Are” is a documentary based on the plight of children in Malawi, Africa, whose lives are endangered by AIDS, malnutrition and inadequate medical care. The doc also includes interviews by notables such as former President Bill Clinton and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. “Tennessee” tells the story of two brothers on a journey to find their estranged father, who may be a possible bone-marrow match for the younger brother suffering from leukemia. On the road, they’re joined by a woman (Carey) running from her abusive husband.
The quintessential Tribeca experience wouldn’t be complete without encountering two things: a foreign flick and an insightful documentary.
“Baghdad High” gives audiences a very real glimpse into the lives of Iraqis attempting to live their everyday lives within a deteriorating atmosphere. Adding a bit of the New York feel to the festival, “SqueezeBox!” pays homage to the pansexual-rock/punk scene that developed at legendary New York City venue Don Hill’s in the mid-’90s.
On the foreign front, “Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon” — based on a classic Chinese work of literature — charts the rise of General Zhao Zilong (”House of Flying Daggers” star Andy Lau). The story depicts a massive war among the ancient Three Kingdoms, as Zhao quickly rises to from the ranks. After decades of fighting, Zhao meets his match in a sword-wielding princess. The film promises amazing cinematography and an engaging story line. The French “57,000 Kilometers Between Us” is a commentary on digital communication, telling the story of a teen caught between her stepdad, who posts nonstop video blogs about the family; her biological transgender father; and the refuge she seeks in her online friends.
The 2008 Tribeca Film Festival runs through May 4. For the full lineup, check out the official Web site, tribecafilmfestival.org.
