Bee Reel: Tribeca Film Festival

Twelve dollars is a lot of money to spend on two hours of filmed entertainment, and it’s definitely way too much to spend on bad entertainment. With all the movies that you could choose from on any given weekend, the last thing you want to do is make a mistake and waste your hard earned cash (and a good bucket of popcorn) on a lousy flick that you’re just going to sleep through anyway. I’m Dash, and it’s my job to come here each Friday and steer you in the right direction, with recommendations on the best films to check out — and maybe a few to avoid.

The good news is that New Yorkers have almost limitless options when it comes to silver screen choices, and those options become even more juicy with the opening of the Tribeca Film Festival next week. Starting on April 23 and running for 12 days, there are over 120 films to choose from, including shorts, documentaries, obscure foreign films and big-time Hollywood premieres. Obviously, you can’t see them all, but here’s a quick rundown of what look like the most interesting entries.

The festival organizes films into nine categories for easy browsing:

Shorts: Usually shown in group packages or popping up before some of the features, there are 79 short films from 30 countries, created by everyone from professional directors to film students. One to take note of is “2007 Before the Tracks Are Lost On the Wind,” about the Düsseldorf train station that over 6,000 Jews passed through on their way to concentration camps.

Showcase: This section highlights acclaimed foreign films — award winners and other festival hits — that have had trouble finding distribution in America. Take a look at “Katyn,” a Polish story nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards and “Secret of The Grain,” which won Best Picture in France, but hasn’t found a release date in the U.S.

Discovery: Unknown artists get a shot at the big time, with both documentaries and narrative films. “Zoned In” follows a young man for nine years, from a Bronx High School to Yale, “Fighter” tells the tale of a Turkish Kung Fu wannabe, and “Fermat’s Room” is like “Saw” meets “Pi,” as math nerds fight for their life. Seriously.

Encounters: Encounters includes big-time talent in small (but pretty) packages and some notable documentaries about famous names, like Celia Cruz and Che Guevara. I’d also like to see Cheryl Hines and William H. Macy help their son get a prom date in “Bart Got A Room.”

Spotlight: These films will (hopefully) becoming to a theater near you in 2008. If you don’t know who Philippe Petit is, then you definitely need to see “Man On Wire,” which tells the story of his 1974 walk between the roofs of the 110-story World Trade Centers towers. On a tightrope. Eight times.

Documentary and Narrative Competitions: These are the films that will actually be competing for awards. The Iraq War is a theme that is prominent in all the categories, but it really comes to the fore in the documentary section. “War, Love, God & Madness” and “Baghdad High” look like two of the most compelling tales, as does “Omar Broadway Film,” a movie shot by a jailed gang member inside a New Jersey state prison.

On the fiction (sorta) side, try “Ramchand Pakistani” about a Pakistani father and son jailed in India after accidentally crossing the border (based on a true story) and “My Marlon and Brando“, another true story of a Kurd and a Turk (who play themselves in the film) falling in love across the border of Iraq.

In addition, there’s Restored and Rediscovered films (Sergio Leone’s “Once Upon a Time in the West“, anyone?); a mix of campy horror and comedy in the Midnight section; free “Drive In” screenings; sports, music and other events; and if all that wasn’t enough … there’s the world premiere of the new Tina Fey/Amy Poehler comedy “Baby Mama.” Sure, you can see that anywhere, but don’t you want to say you were first?

Here’s some final recommendations:

Sleeper Pick: “Auteur.” A spoof mockumentary about the world’s greatest porn director.
Best Chance at Audience Participation: “Thriller Night.” Watch the video for Michael Jackson’s classic song, then take part in “the world’s largest zombie disco.” If you dare.
Most Anticipated: “Redbelt.” Our favorite actor whose name we can’t pronounce (Chiwetel Ejiofor) plays a mixed martial arts badass with a dark past and a score to settle. Oh, and it’s written and directed by David Mamet. If that doesn’t excite you, then you probably shouldn’t be going to movies anyway.
Most Avoidable: “Speed Racer.” The Wachowski Brothers close the festival with this pseudo-animation attack on your senses and your childhood, but sorry, I just can’t get behind this. Or maybe I just can’t forgive them for the Matrix sequels.

Check out the whole festival guide with film info, showtimes, and trailers at the Tribeca Film Festival website and see also The New York Times Festival preview.

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