RaminBahrani Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Goodbye Solo -- which comes out on Lionsgate DVD on August 25 -- may seem like a fairly simple, lightweight indie movie, one of those quirky movies about a mismatched friendship. Hollywood loves movies about uptight misfits who need to be opened up and drawn out of their shell, and it loves movies about the loony, loopy oddballs who perform this service. At first glance, Goodbye Solo could have been just another forgettable formula entry. But under the gentle, wise, subtle direction of Ramin Bahrani, it becomes something special, a genuine sleeper. It may be the best DVD you rent this summer. (It will include a commentary track by Bahrani and cinematographer Michael Simmonds.)

In the film, Solo (Souleymane Sy Savane, in a terrific film debut) comes from Senegal and lives in North Carolina, drives a cab, is married to a Mexican woman (Carmen Leyva), and is expecting his first child. He dreams of becoming a flight attendant and constantly studies his manual. He also has a whip-smart stepdaughter Alex (Diana Franco Galindo) who likes to spend time with him. Solo is like somebody you might know and wish to be more like; he has lots of friends and seems to trade in favors more often than money. (His wife, however, sees him as dreamy and impractical.)

Read more and watch the exclusive clip after the jump ...

We have new trailers for your viewing pleasure, all for films set to play at SXSW next month in Austin, Texas.

Know Your Mushrooms. Documentarian Ron Mann previously made Go Further, Grass, and Comic Book Confidential; now he turns his probing gaze to "a hunt for the wild mushroom and the deeper cultural experiences attached to the mysterious fungi." Featuring a "neo-psychedelic soundtrack" by the Flaming Lips, animation, and archival footage, the doc promises a "longer, stronger trip," but don't worry: its running time is only 73 minutes. In that spirit, the teaser trailer, embedded above, is only 45 seconds long.

Goodbye Solo. 'A cab driver picks up a routine fare, only to find his life turned upside down when the man he picks up asks him to take him to a remote mountaintop location, where he plans to jump to his death.' When it played at Toronto, Kim Voynar described it as "a thoughtful, compelling film," which sounds like what we've come to expect from director Ramin Bahrani (Man Push Cart, Chop Shop). Goodbye Solo has been playing the festival circuit since last fall; the trailer and four clips are available at the official site. [Via /Film]

Died Young, Stayed Pretty. Offering "a candid look at the underground poster culture in North America," Died Young, Stayed Pretty asks searching questions: How does an octopus get 'played out'? Are rock posters really the 'purest form of art that our culture has'? Eileen Yaghoobian spent four years making her first feature-length doc, which will have its US Premiere at the fest. You can buy all six of the film's posters at the official site.

I've posted one of them after the jump, where you'll also find the NSFW trailer.

Hmm, I don't remember any of this week's noteworthy indie DVD releases playing at theaters in my area, so why don't we catch up together and decide what to rent? Listed (roughly) in order of critical favor:

Chop Shop (pictured). Second feature by Ramin Bahrani (Man Push Cart) is a coming of age story set in a New York junkyard. Cinematical review (entirely positive): Kim Voynar. DVD features: audio commentary with director and actors, rehearsal footage, and trailer.

The Tracey Fragments. Ellen Page stars in Bruce McDonald's harrowing drama. Cinematical reviews (both positive): Erik Davis; James Rocchi. DVD features: behind the scenes footage and interviews with McDonald and Page, entries from the "Tracey: Re-fragmented" contest, a selection of images by photographer Matt Sullivan, and trailer.

Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten. Julien Temple's doc on the influential Clash musician. Cinematical reviews (both frustrated): Kevin Kelly; Jeffrey M. Anderson. DVD features: audio commentary with Temple, 100 minutes of additional interview footage, and trailer.

American Zombie. Grace Lee's horror comedy depicts the ordinary, day to day challenges of life as one of the undead. Cinematical review (disappointed): Jette Kernion. DVD features: audio commentaries, behind the scenes footage, deleted scenes, and trailers.

Sleepwalking. Family drama about a young girl dealing with life after her mother abandons her; with Nick Stahl, AnnaSophia Robb, Charlize Theron, Woody Harrelson, and Dennis Hopper. Cinematical reviews (both negative): James Rocchi; Jeffrey M. Anderson. DVD features: "making of," and trailer.