The Oscars are over, the sun is shining, and the flowers are starting to bloom! That can only mean one thing: The Philadelphia Film Society SpringFest! A great time to see the newest titles that premiered at festivals such as Sundance and SXSW in Philadelphia. This year, I was fortunate enough to be invited to cover it as a member of the press for the first time and saw four different films which I will be reviewing here! Hope you check out all these films when they release in the future!
Film #1: The Idea of You
The first film of the day was “The Idea of You” directed by Michael Showalter. The film follows Solène (Anne Hathaway), who is a 40-year-old single mother, who begins to have a romance with Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine) who is the leading singer for a popular boy band. The film plays like a traditional romantic-comedy film with many different comedic moments between the couple, as well as some difficulties in the relationship. The film definitely garnered a lot of laughter from the audience in the theater. For me personally, it dips a little too much into the typical rom-com tropes for my liking. I also thought that some of the ideas the film is trying to convey never really get fully examined. The film also seems to continue to drag on for an extra 25-30 minutes longer and has multiple endings which I thought was unnecessary. However, the highlight of the film is easily the great performances from Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine. Both of them have very electric chemistry and each manage to convey complex emotions within the characters they are playing. I was definitely skeptical going into the film but was pleasantly surprised at the result. In my opinion, worth a stream when it hits Prime Video May 2nd, 2024!
Review: 3.5/5 Stars
Film #2: Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story
The next film of the day, film number two and the only documentary of SpringFest was “Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story,” directed by Charlie Hamilton and is a rescue film from National Geographic. I said in my initial reaction to the documentary that I never thought in a million years a story about a man and an otter would pull at my heartstrings. But it surely did! The documentary follows Bill Mail and his wife Susan who rescue a starving wild otter that swims onto their jetty in remote Scotland. Billy and Susan live in Scotland with their dog and one day find a desperate young female otter whom they later name Molly. Not only does this otter need someone during this time, but Billy also needs someone, and Molly gives the couple a renewed purpose in life. Billy and Molly’s relationship really saved both of them when they needed it most. This documentary, like you might expect from a National Geographic film, is absolutely gorgeous, and the cinematography captures the beautiful Scottish atmosphere perfectly. It’s truly a film that will warm your heart, and if you love otters (who doesn’t), you will especially enjoy this National Geographic documentary! “Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story” premieres May 6th on National Geographic and is available to stream on May 7th on Disney+/Hulu!
Review: 4/5 Stars
Film #3: Ghostlight
The third film of the day was “Ghostlight” by the directing duo Alex Thompson and Kelly O’Sullivan. This film really moved me and is an exceptional exploration of themes of grief and loss. The film follows a construction worker (Keith Kupferer) who, as an average blue-collar worker, joins a local theatre’s production of “Romeo and Juliet”. A tragedy strikes Keith’s family, and the family must learn to come together as it begins fracturing some of their relationships with one another. There are comedic moments throughout, especially in the first half, but as we progress, there are also some painful emotional scenes that brought me to tears several times. The entire ensemble cast is excellent, with standouts being Keith Kupferer and Dolly de Leon. Kupferer, in particular, delivers a fantastic performance, that is extremely grounded and explores deep emotions. It's a performance that might not be at the forefront of awards voters' minds at the end of the year, but it absolutely should be. The themes surrounding theatre and the power of art, in general, are truly compelling. This film resonated with me personally in various ways and was incredibly powerful. Also, whoever programmed "Ghostlight" followed by "Sing Sing" (the next film I watched) needs a raise! “Ghostlight” will release courtesy of IFCFilms later in 2024; highly recommend checking this one out!
Review: 4/5 Stars
Film #4: Sing Sing
The final film that I saw at Philadelphia Film Society’s 2024 SpringFest was “Sing Sing” directed by Greg Kwedar. The film follows Divine G (Colman Domingo) as he finds purpose by acting in a theatre group along with other incarcerated men. “Sing Sing” is based on the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program that was founded at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in New York. Through this program the men find a purpose and the way the arts each impact them in personal ways. They are able to be vulnerable with one another and really open up to each other, something that is typical difficult for men to do. The entire ensemble cast is absolutely phenomenal, and there are many members of the cast who actually went through the RTA program. Colman Domingo delivers a powerhouse performance that is easily one of his best performances to date in my opinion. But, on the supporting side Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin is incredible and is right up there with Colman Domingo for my favorite performance in the film. The film is grounded in a way that you can tell each member of the cast poured their hearts and souls into the making of the film. It’s truly a powerful film that absolutely blew me away! After the screening, there was a Q&A from cast members Sean “Dino” Johnson, Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin, and John “Divine G” Whitfield. Their individual stories are powerful just like the film and the one thing they said stuck out to me about the power of this program: the RTA program has a recidivism rate of 3% while the national average in America is 47%. The RTA program in Sing Sing has changed men’s lives for the better. This will certainly be one of my favorite films of the year and I hope you all check it out when it is released this summer courtesy of A24!
Review: 4.5/5 Stars
Photo from Post Screening Q&A with Cast Members
From Left to Right:
Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin, John “Divine G” Whitfield, Sean “Dino” Johnson
Learn more about the RTA Program here: https://rta-arts.org/
Comments