By 
By Roger Costa
PERSON TO PERSON
Adapted from his short film of the same name, writer/director Dustin Guy Defa’s ode to New York City and its inhabitants is a refreshingly modern romantic comedy narrated with a contagious familiar connection to its highly eccentric personalities. The story is developed through various situations taking place around the city, with a murder case under investigation, involving and affecting the lives of folks engaged in individual attempts to restore personal losses: an insecure hipster musician running after a thief from whom he bought a fake vintage vinyl, while searching for the right shirt to impress and make it out for his girlfriend; his roommate who won’t leave the house, ashamed of himself after exposing his fiancee’s nude photos on the web; two teen girls analyzing the importance of love, respect and sex, while raising the feminist flag and exploring the difference of the opposite gender; an elderly watch-repair man caught up in the middle of the investigation; the mysterious widow of the victim, and two ambitious journalists who will do anything to get the facts and scoop out the crime. The pair conduct the narrative as they drive up and down in search of clues and answers for their story: Michael Cera as the unscrupulous veteran in the game, and his unprepared first-time on the job partner played by Abbi Jacobson. They both embody the essentials of the story and the characteristics of living in the capital of the world with extreme control of their tragically hilarious disturbances: she constantly tries to quit the job, while he’s struggling to be “likable”. The entire cast deliver convincingly honest performances as the film also explores topics of loneliness and melancholy, despite their crowded lives and the never ending noise of the city. Dustin Guy Defa creates a witty and blissful canvas of the city and its urbanites, a naturalistic satire of behaviors filled with smart dialogue on their aspirations, frustrations and uneasiness. (A Magnolia Pictures Release. Opens Friday, July 28th at Film Society of Lincoln Center. Q&As with director and cast members at the 7pm show on 7/28 and 3pm show on 7/29.)
RUMBLE: THE INDIANS WHO ROCKED THE WORLD
Winner of the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award at this year’s Sundance, this riveting doc is a historical treasure that traces the tragic facts of Native Indians being banned from producing their own music, rhythmic rituals or dancing celebrations back in the 1800’s. As they were brutalized by the white men, the prohibition of their music and the violation of their roots, generated on the next generation a powerful ability to express anger, disappointment and expectations through contemporary music. Filmmaker Catherine Bainbridge presents an important research on how Native Americans became influential and essentially active participants of rock, soul, jazz, blues and other rhythms. Collecting interviews with musicians such as Slash, Taylor Hawkins, Iggy Pop, renowned filmmaker Scorsese and Rolling Stone magazine senior-editor David Fricke, among others, the screenplay written by Bainbridge and Alfonso Maiorana presents impressive facts of the role they played in American Pop culture, the challenges in order to persuade the musical career, the attacks of the KKK, as well as the injustice and prejudice they had to face equally compared to the same sufferings the Black American community endured. With a vibrant, exciting and groove soundtrack, it’s an accurate, intriguing revelatory doc that stirs up controversy as it depicts the lives and careers of names such as Jimi Hendrix, Link Wray, Quincy Jones, rapper Taboo, Charley Patton, Mildred Bailey and many others. (A Kino Lorber Release. Now playing at Film Forum. Q&A with Director and crew members on Thursday, July 27th at 7:00 show)
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