On Demand Weekly

VOD not only offers PPV Movies that screened in theaters, but cutting edge, independent films the SAME DAY AS THEATERS. Whether you want to see films made outside the Hollywood system or future stars in breakout performances, see the latest from the film festival circuit in the comfort of your own home.

SUNDANCE SELECTS ON DEMAND

MARY AND MAX (92 min)

On Demand Weekly provides new movie reviews of hot movies on demand from the POV of watching from the comfort of your home. Today’s review: Direct from the Sundance Film Festival - UNCLE KENT On Demand (Sundance Selects).

Learn about all five films available simultaneously from the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and On Demand here.

UNCLE KENT (Sundance Selects)

Kent has become skeptical about getting married; he’s reconciled being single. Sex, for instance, is generally handled autonomously. As he says to his pal Kev (Kevin Bewersdorf), “I can sit on the couch until I’m hungry and then eat whatever I want.”  Despite his protests, its clear that he still yearns for emotional connection. Hence, inviting Kate for a weekend visit.  Kate, as played by newcomer Jennifer Prediger, is a woman Kent recently met on Chatroulette, an online video chat service. She flies in from New York City on the premise of business –she’s an environmental journalist -  but also ostensibly to figure out how she feels about Kent, not to mention the boyfriend she left at home.  

In order to keep himself emotionally in check, Kent hides behind his video camera through much of their weekend. Otherwise they tiptoe around each other barely recognizing the obvious attraction they share for each other. Instead they behave almost adolescently sharing explicit and intimate details of each other’s past and current sex lives. This titillating process eventually leads them to meeting up with a young woman named ---- whom they meet on Craiglist and whom they end up taking home for a threesome. 

There are five films premiering Direct from the Sundance Film Festival and On Demand simultaneously. Learn about all five Movies On Demand from the 2011 Sundance Film Festival here.

Joe Swanberg's UNCLE KENT is available now. Check out our review HERE and the trailer below.

UNCLE KENT is Available under Sundance Film Festival via Sundance Selects On Demand Until 2/28/11
Running Time 72 Minutes / TV MA

Direct from the Sundance Film Festival
Learn about all five films available simultaneously from the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and On Demand here.

Other Reviews of Direct from the Sundance Film Festival films...

SEPTIEN

There are five films premiering Direct from the Sundance Film Festival and On Demand simultaneously. Learn about all five Movies On Demand from the 2011 Sundance Film Festival here.

Michael Tully's SEPTIEN premieres Monday (1/24). Look for our review tomorrow. Check out the trailer in the meantime below.

SEPTIEN is Available under Sundance Film Festival via Sundance Selects On Demand Until 2/28/11
Running Time 79 Minutes / TV MA

Direct from the Sundance Film Festival
Learn about all five films available simultaneously from the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and On Demand here.

Other Reviews of Direct from the Sundance Film Festival films...

UNCLE KENT

On Demand Weekly provides new movie reviews of hot movies on demand from the POV of watching from the comfort of your home. Today’s review: KABOOM (Sundance Selects).

KABOOM is a film that’s so absurd, so over the top; the storyline defies all imagination, plus Director Gregg Araki has cast nothing but gorgeous youngsters and a couple gorgeous not-so-young folk, too. KABOOM exists entirely for the moment, in the moment.

 

Greg Araki

 

It’s the Kuchar Brothers mixed with John Waters mixed with early Gregg Araki…which means, it’s not for everyone, but it’s thoroughly entertaining. Just don’t think or look too hard for meaning. In the end, you’ll get it if you let yourself go for the ride.

 

The story: a college freshman, Smith (Thomas Dekker), who is sexually “undecided” arrives at a UCLA–like university with his best high school buddy, Stella (Haley Bennett) who just happens to be a lesbian. His roommate, Thor (Chris Zylka) is a hunky surfer-dude, dumb as a doorpost, who lusts for waves and girls. Their resident advisor is a druggy, older student called The Messiah (James Duvall). Or so it all seems…

 

Editor's Note: ODW's review of SEPTIEN from Sundance Film Festival 2011 is republished for the current VOD release.

On Demand Weekly provides new movie reviews of hot movies on demand and from the POV of watching from the comfort of your home. Today’s review: Direct from the Sundance Film Festival - SEPTIEN On Demand (Sundance Selects).

Learn about all five films available simultaneously from the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and On Demand here.

By Chris Claro

Michael Tully / SEPTIEN (Sundance Selects)

 
SEPTIEN (Sundance Selects)

On Demand Weekly provides new movie reviews of hot movies on demand from the POV of watching from the comfort of your home. Today’s review: THE FORGIVENESS OF BLOOD (IFC Films).

THE FORGIVENESS OF BLOOD
2 Teenagers Caught in an Ancient Blood Feud…
By Cynthia Kane

In THE FORGIVENESS OF BLOOD, we find ourselves in rural Albania, post Bosnian War/Kosovo conflict, in other words: now. Nik (Tristan Halilaj) is a teenager, the oldest son, popular and in love with a beautiful classmate. His sister, Rudina (Sindi Lacej) is the eldest daughter, a girl who loves school and learning, and dreams of a life outside the village. Their father, Mark (Refet Abazi) works hard, delivering by horse and wagon bread and whatever else he can provide the neighboring cluster of villages.

Then one day when he and Rudina are making the late afternoon rounds, he’s blocked from the through-road by an unruly neighbor from another clan. This man (Veton Osmani) who not only possesses lands Mark’s family once owned but humiliates him in front of Rudina – in a country where gender is still very much divided, this is unforgivable. When Mark and his brother, their uncle go back to confront the offending neighbor, violence breaks out and that man is killed. Rudina and Nik’s uncle is arrested and their father must go into hiding.

Worse still, the entire family must be sequestered as the old adage, “an eye for an eye” is utterly real in their world. Nik’s father, grandfather and other male members of the family know retribution is a fact. It’s an ancient law of blood feud. It’s derived from the Kanun, a traditional set of Albanian laws, conservative and ancient, still in effect, based on four pillars: honor, hospitality, conduct and clan loyalty.

It’s when you realize this is a film by an American filmmaker,

Joshua Marston, that you actually find yourself astonished.

His last film that hit big was MARIA FULL OF GRACE, some year back, which did incredibly well in festival circuits, was released theatrically via Fine Line and aired on HBO. He had a couple tries within the Hollywood scene that didn’t turn out and has directed a lot of good tv. And now, Marston takes us to another far away place: Albania.

How courageous and unique is this guy? Where does he get this chutzpah? I love that he can tell gripping stories from countries and cultures far from his own, and make them ring absolutely true. As a filmmaker he’s not only a talent, but a shapeshifter.

On Demand Weekly provides new movie reviews of movies on demand from the POV of watching from the comfort of your home. Today’s review: FIRST POSITION (Sundance Selects).

FIRST POSITION
By Amy Slotnick

The prestigious Youth America Grand Prix is like the Olympics of dance, where the world’s best classical dance students compete for scholarships or placement with the top ballet schools and companies. Director Bess Kargman’s first feature documentary film, FIRST POSITION, follows six gifted dancers, ranging in age, ethnic and economic backgrounds, all of whom share a dream to satisfy their unique gift and passion.

Over 5,000 dancers compete worldwide, and of those, 300 make it to the YAGP finals in New York City. The six dancers featured in the film, aged 11-16, come from places as diverse as Sierra Leone, Columbia and Israel. They have all sacrificed childhood normalcy in exchange for intense dedication, long hours of practice and physical abuse (you should see their feet!).

They each have a compelling narrative involving endurance and talent, equivalent to that of any professional athlete.