AFF Day 9: Two movie suggestions for tonight: Myth of the American Sleepover/Light is the Day

Sean Flinn wrote about The Myth of the American Sleepover here, the new film by writer/director David Robert Mitchell. To his deft assessment I’ll just add that the picture has a bit of Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused and Sofia Coppola’s Virgin Suicides in its DNA, which should give you even more motivation to see this film. Bathed in the golden glow of a certain kind of nostalgia, it’s a treat. My favourite moment: when Scott comes clean to the Abbey twins about why he’s in Ann Arbour.

Saying someone made a great first movie is such a backhanded compliment, I know that. But I have to hand it to Coast cover star Laura Dawe, for someone with no experience in movie-making, she’s made a very watchable, engaging first film. Light is the Day is a pastoral, cheery post-apocalypse picture where a couple named Michael and Painter head out to the country to live in a house with Charlie, just ahead of economic collapse. Things start well in the summer, but as the conveniences of civilization become more difficult to come by and winter descends, friendships and relationships begin to fray, as does the cheer. I’m very much down with what Matt Semansky wrote here about the film, about its charm and flaws, but big props to Dawe for the achievement. I hope she doesn’t stop with just the one.

Oh, and here's another story on Dawe's efforts to put the movie together. And here too. Myth of the American Sleepover is tonight at 7pm, Park Lane 8. Light is the Day is tonight at 9:30pm, Park Lane 7.