Celebrating Friends at AFI Dallas and Beyond!

Two of my dear friends, David Lowery and Yen Tan won Special Jury Prizes for, A Catalog of Anticipations (Part II) and Ciao, respectfully. As usual, David missed his moment of glory. Either way, I'm so proud of both of these fine fellows. David, in particular, really spearheaded my renewed passion in film. Sometimes I wonder what my life would have been like had I not met him way back in 1998. Or was it 1997? I can't remember exactly.

In other news, another friend and fellow filmmaker, James M. Johnston, will be available for his second screening of Merrily, Merrily at the Sarasota Film Festival on...well, today, actually (A Catalog of Anticipations is also playing at Sarasota). I literally watched this film only a few moments ago, finally, and immediately felt the inclination to blog about it. James has a relentless filmmaking quality that's wholly unique and entirely blunt. In Merrily, Merrily he makes brave, broad swoops that usually would be unheard of and critically unacceptable. But for some odd reason, they all seem to work out as if it were completely normal.

James produced St. Nick along with me and I truly don't know how we would have pulled it off without him. David, of course, wrote and directed the film. Yen Tan also helped by unloading P2 cards (a full-time job indeed!).

Speaking of St. Nick, David, James and I spent last Saturday filming some final pick-up shots with Tucker and Savanna. David summed it up best.

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And now to celebrate some final photo moments from AFI Dallas 2008:


Awesome Bill Sebastian with lively fiancée, Dana Pupkin.
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Blair Rowen, Jacques Thelemaque, Robin Gierhart, and Chris Gardner.
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Me and Negin Farsad, the director of Nerdcore Rising.

AFI Dallas Gets All Environmental (Well, Its Films Do Anyway)

A welcome growing trend at film festivals worldwide has been presenting films dealing with environmentally conscious themes. AFI Dallas has actually created an entire block, dealing solely with environmental subjects ranging from the world-wide water problem to the coal industry. The following two films were both hits at Sundance and although I missed them there, I was lucky enough to catch them here, at AFI Dallas. Both of these films deal with the subject of water. While Up the Yangtze focuses on a microcosm, Flow: For Love of Water focuses on the global issue (and even references the particular issue dealt with in Up the Yangtze). Watching either one of these films should drastically change your views on water conservation and modern industry as a whole. Rightly so, Up the Yangtze has received a limited theatrical release and hopefully more screenings will be available in the future. Flow: For Love of Water has also received some limited screenings and will most-likely be distributed as well.

A breathtaking cinematic experience, Up the Yangtze visually displays the problematic nature of industry and technology along the river Yangtze in China. Upon completion, the Three Gorges Dam will be the largest hydro-electric power station in the world. But the ramifications are catastrophic: over 1,500,000 people have been, or will be, relocated; cultural and archaeological sites will be flooded and destroyed; and the negative effects on the habitat of the region is impossible to avoid, due to the dramatic environmental change.

Filmmaker Yung Chang shows the devastating effects the dam has had on the surrounding community. Whole cities are being drowned and their inhabitants forced to relocate. Many families have been promised prosperity by government officials, and yet they tell tales of being beaten and dragged from their homes. The impoverished, though they can't afford to move, are forced to. They can no longer farm because of the vast changes of the land and their homes are going under water. Some, ironically, choose to work on the dam; others, on luxury cruise liners carting rich foreign tourists along the river, as if the destruction of all this geography and civilization were merely an amusing spectacle.

Chang follows two teenagers in particular, who choose to work on the boats: sixteen year old Shui Yu (or "Cindy") and nineteen year old Bo Yu Chen (or "Jerry"). They are given "American names" for the benefit of the tourists. As a footnote, they're also not allowed to talk about current politics or anything that might make the Americans more uncomfortable (particularly, anything related to the independence of Canada, the struggle in Northern Ireland, and the monarchical system of the United Kingdom). Shui Yu comes from an impoverished family who's had to build a hut from scraps because they cannot sustain themselves in the city where you have to buy vegetables and pay rent. Because her family is so poor, Shui Yu really has no choice but to work. She must forget about attending high school (she used to dream of being a scientist, but knows that fantasy is an impossibility). Bo Yu Chen, on the other hand, aspires only to have a lot of money and holds solely himself in esteem. His selfish behavior gets him into trouble, however, and because of it, his success is fleeting.

Clearly an ironic metaphor for what's happening to the region, these two teens, along with their fellow co-workers, sleep under the main decks in rooms filled with bunks and lacking air-conditioning, while the tourists marveling at the changing environment enjoy fine dining and all the amenities of a luxury cruise line. The metaphor becomes clear towards the end of the film when an elderly man stands on the dam and stares out over the drowned cities and flooded landscapes and notes only his amazement with the Chinese government, for its ability to split the gigantic river in two. He smiles faintly, as we linger on his brittle face. A similar sentiment earlier in the film gives us a downtrodden man attempting to defend the actions of the government, but in the end, finds himself weeping uncontrollably.

Martin Heidegger was deeply concerned with man's relationship with nature, specifically when dealing with the question of Being. He wrote that man's increasing technological quest was directly changing his relationship to Being. That man is concerned only with conquering nature, severely alters his ability to be harmonious with nature. In this passage from his essay entitled, "The Question Concerning Technology," Heidegger describes the hydroelectric power station on the Rhine river:

The hydroelectric plant is set into the current of the Rhine. It sets the Rhine to supplying its hydraulic pressure, which then sets the turbines turning. This turning sets those machines in motion whose thrust sets going the electric current for which the long-distance power station and its network of cables are set up to dispatch electricity. In the context of the interlocking processes pertaining to the orderly disposition of electrical energy, even the Rhine itself appears to be something at our command.^[1]

The problem has been festering for some time now. Where so many philosophers have argued in favor of conquering nature to suit our own practical needs, others have found that view point problematic from the start. Aristotle, for example, was largely concerned with merely understanding nature, while Descartes, the "Father of Modern Philosophy," wished to "render ourselves masters and owners of nature" (cf. Descartes' Discourse on Method). As Descartes' view of the world became the prevailing and popularized view of the world, at least when dealing with Western philosophy, Heidegger warned us of it's consequences, from a purely philosophical perspective. Now, we're seeing the practical complications of technology and industry, as such.

Up the Yangtze ends with a joke told by one of the inhabitants of the river Yangtze, a worker on one of the luxury cruise ships:

Two leaders, one an American and the other Chinese, are riding along in a car. They come to a fork in the road. To the right is the way of capitalism. To the left is socialism. The American leader suggests they go right. The Chinese leader agrees; though he suggests they do so, but turn on the left blinker.

^[1] Martin Heidegger, "The Question Concerning Technology," Basic Writings Ed. David Krell (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1993), 321.

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Director Irena Salina deals with the global issue surrounding the need for water conservation, due to the shortage of water world-wide, the social and political ramifications of privatization of water control, the startling realization that water all over the world is basically unsanitary, and the negative impact of water bottling.

Not only are governments building enormous dams, largely funded by the World Bank, that displace millions of people, but most of the world's water goes largely unchecked--both out of the tap and into the bottle. Millions of Americans, for example, get sick every year due to the stuff found in the water supply. And bottling companies are doing immense damage by sucking out all of the water in local areas and destroying the habitant and natural environment of nearby inhabitants. Far worse, they're taking all of the water and, in cahoots with government officials, forcing the poorer people to pay for the water that's already theirs.

The film focuses a great deal on local, community water sanitation systems in India that are affordable and practical. One of the neatest systems referenced in the film, is basically a merry-go-round for children. When the children spin each other around, the machine goes to work. Many governments shut these systems down, however, and substitute largely inefficient and costly systems, at the expense of the local community. The locals then have to walk several miles and pay a ridiculous amount for the water. Most of them cannot afford to pay, so they take their chances on the polluted river water.

What really made me cringe, however--and what really hit close to home--was the facts presented about major bottling companies and their practices. It's fairly common knowledge now that most bottled water is not from the springs or mountain valleys or whatever; but mostly just tap water. Many people that I've talked to about bottled water, say they drink it because, even though it's tap water, it's filtrated and more reliable than city water. Yet there's really no evidence to substantiate this. Unfortunately, there really is no regulation in the industry; and what little regulation there is, largely goes unchecked due primarily to a lack or resources. So, the bottled water you're drinking could actually be worse than the city tap water freely available at home.

Both of these films deal with the harsh realities of privatization of industries and the drastic negative effects they've had worldwide. The fact is that this is, and will remain, a global problem. No government or company should ever claim ownership or control the water supply, as it is necessary and essential for human survival. When President Skroob sucks the air out of a can (see Spaceballs), we all had a laugh because it was a parody: no one would ever really own air, would they? But corporations and governments currently own water and manipulate the water supply to suit their needs. Let's stop this before the slippery slope continues. Sign the petition to add a 31st article to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, establishing access to clean water as a fundamental human right (thank you Flow: For Love of Water's website for making this accessible).

Blood on the Highway at AFI Dallas

Yeah, that's me (in the white t-shirt) being all undead and stuff.
Only two days into the the AFI Dallas Film Festival and I'm already worn out! The turnout for the pre-party was a huge success, with over two-hundred people, throughout the evening, all there to celebrate Blood on the Highway. But even better, the midnight screening was completely sold out and the crowd was amazing. Before the screening commenced, a heckler came from nowhere and launched soda all over some of the cast and crew. Unfortunately, I was talking to them and my jacket was one of the primary targets! Word has already spread all over the festival and it's anticipated that the next screening will be even more chaotic (you know, riots in the streets, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria!).


Me and Tom Towles.
During Q&A, Tom Towles (who had a cameo in the film) talked about how much he really liked Blood on the Highway. His words were genuine and his praise sincere. And the entire house agreed. What a fantastic premiere screening it was!

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View of Victory Park from ghostbar.
Okay, so I'd never actually been to ghostbar before, but the Dallas Film Commission hosted a party there on Friday (just before our party) and it was top notch. The view of Dallas is really spectacular at thirty-three floors up, especially when walking out onto the see-through balcony.

So far, the festival's been a lot of fun. Other than Blood on the Highway, I've seen Flow: For Love of Water, a documentary about the vast need for water conservation, the state of the world's water today and the evil of bottled water (you will NOT want to drink bottled water ever again); The Guitar, Amy Redford's directorial debut; and a block of shorts, featuring Josh Brolin's X. I'll write more about these films later; but for now, enjoy a picture of me and "The Amazing Kumar"!


Me and Kumar Pallana.

Salt Lake City: Moments

Other than talking to crazy anti-Mormons, me, David (Lowery) and Bill (Sebastian) enjoyed the Salt Lake City flavor. I actually thought these photos were lost, but forgot that I'd uploaded them to my external hard drive when my computer was getting a tune-up! Enjoy!


Bill Sebastian in front of the infamous Red Light Books in Salt Lake City.

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Good ole' Immigrant Italian Dining. Definitely not "Made in the U.S.A." here! What I love about this picture is all the signs. Other than the "Immigrant Italian Dining" sign, you've also got "AIR CONDITIONED," "Lunch Served Daily" and "COLOR TV." Other signs of note (that you can't see unless you're looking at the original size of the photo) are "Elegant Dining" and "COCKTAILS."

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Some pictures really don't need a caption. Like pictures where I'm mounting a smiling pig statue and slapping it on the rear.

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Another picture that doesn't need a caption: Bill giving the thumbs up to a pile of dog poo.

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SLC Pepper.

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The Gateway.

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The Olympic Legacy Plaza.

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RBAN OUTFITT RS.

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David Lowery. Under the PINK.

SXSW.08: This Is What Filmmaking Is All About

Benny & Josh Safdie

Man, I really like the Safdie's. I remember seeing Josh's short, We're Going to the Zoo, at SXSW last year. I also just recently saw Benny's short at Slamdance in January. What's really great about these guys is their natural eye for beautiful shots. They shoot on film--16mm no less--which is refreshing and daunting at the same time. In The Pleasure of Being Robbed, I found myself falling for Josh and his friend Eleanor, as they steal a Volvo and take a long drive to Josh's apartment. Even though I should probably be upset with the moral character of these two, I can't help but find them innocent and lovely.

There's a beautiful scene where Eleanor frolics with a man in a polar bear suit in a river. It could have been silly, but the film literally dances along the screen, in rhythm with the river and the trees. Josh Safdie's eye for cinematography is calculated and capricious at the same time. It's this sort of filmmaking that inspires me to make films myself.

The beauty in The Pleasure of Being Robbed isn't in the story or the dialogue or the setting. The narrative or moral conundrum is really arbitrary, with perspective for the whole scheme of things. It's all of the visual matter that holds everything together--and if that isn't pleasurable, I don't know what is.

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Matthew Lessner

Matthew Lessner recently emailed me this marvelous picture of himself (he's the dude). Along with several others, he was chosen to judge the shorts competition this year at SXSW (his short By Modern Measure played last year).

One film in particular really blew me away. Glory At Sea is an amazing narrative which takes an entirely different look at tragedy. The film deals with flooding in New Orleans, but it's almost a Outopia ("no place"). The dramatic element of the film isn't specifically limited to those who have suffered losses due to natural catastrophes. Instead, it's very human and corporeal. It's almost as if you can reach out and grab it.

There were some intense under water shots that boasted a whole new, peaceful world. It was really surreal for me and difficult to comprehend how I was feeling after-the-fact, but the enticement of the film is still a sparkle in my eye. It's spiritual and noble and true and bold. Somehow, for me, it was both highly--and necessarily--ambitious, yet subtly quixotic at the same time. A quest of a film that mounts on the absurd in a romantic way that casts off any doubt that the events in the film are really happening. As utterly believable as Eleanor and her polar bear, I truly found myself in an under water graveyard, surrounded by hopeful and glorious individuals with Glory At Sea.

SXSW.08 Docs: Not Your Typical Bigfoot Movie, Woodpecker, & Of All The Things

Not Your Typical Bigfoot Movie was totally miscategorized this year at SXSW. Thrown into the 'Round Midnight category (a category reserved for all things horrific and scary), NYTBM tells the tale of two Bigfoot believers, Dallas Gilbert and Wayne Burton. Throughout the film, we see all sorts of research techniques--rarely scientific.

This isn't a hybrid documentary, and you certainly never see the elusive mythical beast. Instead, you find yourself absorbed in the lives of two close friends who are following the American Dream--a prevailing theme in many decent documentaries--however screwed up and silly it all seems to be.

The film is not deep or meaningful; nor is it inspirational or really even all that informative. But for some reason, I was momentarily charmed and mildly interested by the subject matter. This story doesn't need to be told, but I'm certainly happy to have spent the hour or so listening to it.

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Okay, so Alex Karpovsky's Woodpecker isn't really a documentary. It's considered a hybrid documentary--in this case, perfectly defined by the film's synopsis: "From its documentary underpinnings to its narrative arc, all truth becomes subjective in this existential tragicomedy about hope, perception, and some very very strange birds."

The problem with most hybrid documenteries, mockumenteries, and other films of that ilk, is that, by and large, the film's narrative suffers, due to the fact that the documentary portion of the film is largely unbelievable, or simply badly written. Generally, I don't have a whole lot to say about these types of films. In Karpovsky's case, however, I was more than charmed or interested--I was sutured in and completely willing to go along for the ride.

The story takes place in the Arkansas bayou, where we follow fictional characters, Jonny and Wes, in search of the real Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, a bird thought to be extinct. The dynamic between Jonny, the outspoken goof ball, and his silent sidekick, Wes, is crack-up funny and really fun to watch. At one point we see Jonny tarred and feathered, in an effort to scare off a crazy environmentalist (who doesn't recycle).

Karpovsky takes us in and out of reality and I found myself not really knowing what was real and what wasn't. More importantly, I didn't quite care. The story stands on its own merit. A beautifully shot sequence where Wes travels alone to a local roller rink is just good filmmaking. And that's really what makes this film work.

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Of All The Things tells the story of singer/songwriter, Dennis Lambert, a man who doesn't have a Wikipedia article yet has managed to write some of the greatest pop songs of all time (e.g., "Rhinestone Cowboy," "Ain't No Woman (Like The One I've Got)," and "We Built This City"). And, apparently, he's frickin' huge in the Philippines. His one chart-bottoming album, Bags and Things--a complete failure in the United States--was a pinnacle success in the Philippines. Oddly enough, Lambert was only recently informed of this phenomena by a pop disc jockey in the country. This documentary takes us on Lambert's tour of the Philippines, even after giving up the music business altogether (Lambert is now living in Boca Raton and serving as a luxury real estate agent).

I don't like the titular song "Of All The Things" at all. In fact, I didn't really like any of the songs I heard Lambert sing throughout the film. But the story of this guy is amazing. That he's been a huge sensation in the Philippines for so many years now, coupled with the fact that he only recently found out about it, and in response, packed up and toured the country, is really a fantastic undertaking. The film inspires by telling an informative, heartfelt story of successful re-emergence and the positive vibe on a small family, and also a fairly large country.

SXSW.08: Wrap Up, "Burger Hut" Trailers, Yeast

Purposeful graffiti in the Epoch Coffeehouse, Austin, TX
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The city of Austin, TX has seen rapid growth and prosperity in the last few years. Part of that falls between March 7th and March 17th of each year. The South By Southwest Film, Interactive and Music Festival has seen the same exponential growth as the city itself. I remember last year's festival being amazingly jammed (especially when the film & interactive portions were fading into music). This year, however, has been a staunch increase. According to a local bartender, his restaurant has averaged one-thousand more dollars a day during the festival than last year.

Keeping that in mind, I've tried to stay off the beaten path these last few days. When the music guys come in--due to the extremely large influx of people--the whole vibe of the festival changes. The days seem to get hotter; the streets trashier; the venues louder.

In general, I did a lot less partying and gallivanting--and even movie going--in exchange for intimate discussions in relatively quiet atmospheres. I also spent a great deal of time walking. As many of you already know, I broke my collar bone while snowboarding in Keystone, so I couldn't drive to the festival. Instead, I flew one-way and have been experimenting with various forms of public transportation. All-in-all a positive for the environment, but not so much for convenience. Tomorrow, I'll be riding back to the Dallas-Fort Worth area with David, leaving this great city behind.

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Kent Osborne outside the Alamo Ritz

Mumblecore ruled SXSW this year; and it all started with the trailers. This year, SXSW brought back the Burger Hut trailers (originally from the 2002 festival), starring Kent Osborne. This year's mockery include: a "mumblecore" theme party (Kent confuses it with "Dumbledore" theme party), and spoofs of 300, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Glengarry Glen Ross.

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The art of filmmaking is convoluted and complex. The naked and unguarded rarely receive the accolades they deserve because mainstream cinema is far more concerned with feeling good. Call me masochistic, but I don't want to feel good after leaving a film. Sure, if it's a Sunday afternoon and I want a cheerful cry as I laze around the house in boxers, reminiscing my old high school days and eating ice-cream, I may want to pop in a feel good comedy. Alright, those feelings actually surface a great deal--I won't lie to you. But when I'm at a film festival, I want to view films that impact me, that send shivers down my spine. I want to cry because it hurts. I want to cringe and laugh and then cringe again. I want intensity and experimentation. I want to learn something. And I don't want everything to be happy-go-lucky.

Mary Bronstein's Yeast is an intense look at friendship human beings. At its core, Yeast tackles the juvenile nature within us all. You may not want to admit it, but there's often been times you've wanted to slug someone you care about because, at the moment, you feel nothing but loathsome disgust for them. When everything they say or do grates on your eyeballs.

Bronstein's character, an extremely selfish control freak is extremely unlikable and irritating to the core. Her "friends," Amy Judd, a stubborn, immature brat and Greta Gerwig, a gadfly obsessed with the need for attention, both show me new flavors of puke. Watching them should bring me to convulsions. But again, I'm strangely attracted...

Yeast is a claustrophobic rage of a film. Largely shot by filmmakers Sean Williams and (really nice guy) Michael Tully, the film stays close to its subjects--oftentimes too close for comfort. Bronstein totally trumps any film dealing with jealousy and obsession. It's real, it's nasty and it's uncomfortable. You won't necessarily enjoy the experience of watching the film, but you'll certainly appreciate it for its honesty.

But then again, you may prefer the sugar-coated blandness of Hollywood and you may care nothing for truth or genuineness. If that's the case, go watch "Friends" or something. And stop reading my blog.

Sundance / Slamdance 2008: Moments

Following is a brief photoblog of some of my occurrences in Park City. Each one of the photos really doesn't have enough narrative to warrant its own post, but as a collective, they're an interesting set of moments.


Ronnie Bronstein & Benny Safdie at Slamdance HQ

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Kent Osborne, Ashley Sabin & David Redmon at the Queer Lounge Party
The Queer Lounge had parties like every night and it was right across the street from our condo, so we had to hit it up. I drank a wee bit too much for that night (Poyser can vouch for that) and did some really, amazingly annoying things that night. Probably the dumbest, was going around poking everyone in the club with a lift ticket pass plastic holder thing... Right. Going around, "Poke! Poke! Poke!" Really though, the only person who seriously seemed upset was the bouncer, who almost threw me out.

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Joe Swanberg at the spa!

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A view of Park City thru some tree branches.
This photo was taken on my way to the Slamdance Sled Off; which I almost missed, because I had to go home and get my jacket. When I got there, I saw all sorts of people sledding down the hill and I just had to try it. I've got a few snippets of video that I may upload at a later date. But I'm really glad I went out and checked it out and was even happier when I found a short cut back to our condo! I could see it from the hill!

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One final sled on the Slamdance banner. Courtesy Slamdance.

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We all survived the Slamdance Sled Off! Courtesy Slamdance.

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T-Shirt and shorts on Main St.! Courtesy David Lowery.
This was taken right outside the condo. I was totally ready to get into the hot tub--so ready that I quickly put my hiking boots on and walked about three blocks to meet up with our friends to hop on in. People were really looking at me funny in the street though!

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The Ghost of Bryan Poyser!
This photo of Bryan was taken in the "VIP Room" of a nifty little condo party we happened upon after, well, some other party we were at. David actually called me with directions and I couldn't understand his voice mail, so I attempted to call him back. Being cold and frustrated, I mashed the wrong button and ended up calling his parents' house... at 1:00am their time! I still haven't apologized to them because I think I want to do it in person. Anyway, the "VIP Room" was really just the bathroom where we all sort of ended up in order to talk to each other. And so we'd be close to our shoes... In the bathtub. Right... Moving on.

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A meditative break from the festival!
I only got to snowboard once while I was at the festival, but I chose to do it during night skiing hours (4:00 to 7:30). It was totally worth it. The night pictures really didn't come out, but it was such a spectacular sight. Although, it was about ten below--plus a wind factor--so the lifts were pretty chilly. And I lost my gloves. But with the London Symphony Orchestra in my ears I seemed to make it through just fine. Oh yeah, I totally caught air on a ramp I didn't mean to jump. And then my board sliced through the snow and it kinda hurt. But everything else was mellow and Zen.

Sundance 2008: Blue Collar Confessions

The Church of the Latter Day Saints affects people in very different ways. Some find solace in its structure and organization. Being told what to do and how to do it gives many people meaning and purpose in an otherwise vapid existence. But it's the other group of people that I find most interesting. Those people who've been raised by practicing Mormons and have broken away for one reason or another.

We checked out of Park City early this morning and caught a cab to Salt Lake City, where we'd spend the afternoon engrossed in history and religious discourse. After getting an earful from an irate hotel desk clerk who thinks the complex should just "shut down during Sundance," we hopped into the taxi. We were exhausted:


Upon reaching our destination, we had a bit of trouble acquiring our hotel room so early in the morning. After a bit of discussion, however, we were able to check in. Bill and a friend of his met up with us and, after sharing a few drunken tales, we immediately left in search of Temple Square.


In the center of Temple Square lies the Salt Lake Temple, the largest Mormon temple in existence. Members of the church must be "recommended" by church authorities to be allowed inside. The official LDS response to this is that the temple is a "sacred" place and therefore it cannot be made public.

Below are an exterior and interior (Bill gives it a thumbs up) shot of the Salt Lake Tabernacle:



The Victorian Gothic Salt Lake City Assembly Hall:


After taking in the sights and chatting it up with local LDS missionaries, we all decided to hit a downtown vegetarian restaurant, Sages Café.


After talking at length with our waiter, we discovered our first alternative viewpoint of LDS. What I find particularly fascinating about the church is all the secret happenings inside the temple. I asked our server about his knowledge of such things and, while he had no personal experience inside the temple, he too had heard similar stories of odd practices. One of the most well-known practices, "Naked Touching," was abolished in 2005.

I was intrigued by our waiter's candor and his willingness to discuss Mormonism so openly and naturally. After bumming around the city for awhile and then seeing the new Zellner Brothers' film, Goliath (I'll post a follow up with pictures and perhaps my reaction to the film later), we decided to hit the hay early and called a taxi.

What began as a normal, monotonous discussion about Sundance and film, turned into a brutal dissection of organized religion--in particular, the Church of LDS. A victim of an abhorrent sexual crime very young in his life, this tormented soul reflected on his experiences--effectively indicting the LDS for all its sins, calling it an "anti-sexual predator." Without getting into all the obscenely graphic details, he basically argued that debasing sexuality and all its naturalness is equally as bad as forcing oneself sexually onto another person.

His logic is flawed and he's incapable of being objective because his emotions are clouded and jaded; but his passion and his need to express his viewpoints are far more important than the specific points he attempted to make. And this is what makes these stories and confessions so vitally important. The bitter contrast I've seen between members and non-members shocked and amazed me today.

An interesting end to the festival, indeed. Tomorrow, I'll be on a plane back to Dallas. While I've immensely enjoyed the Sundance experience, I'm certainly ready to go home. I have a lot of blogging to do!

Slamdance 2008: I Think We're Alone Now

What thoughts enter your mind when you see the above image? If you're on higher ground and have thoughts of marriage and love and all that other mushy stuff, then you might already be in the documentary film, I Think We're Alone Now. The film chronicles two over-obsessed Tiffany fans, who's sole purpose in life (or one of the top three life goals, according to one fan) is to marry the burnt-out pop singer. To get an idea about the nature of the documentary and the people it documents, check out the trailer:



I saw the film several days ago and I've already heard some criticism on the Slamdance grapevine. Several fellow filmmakers seem to think the documentary does less documenting and more exploiting of these two individuals. While I agree the film doesn't necessarily portray them in a positive light, I don't think they themselves portray themselves positively either--at least in the "normal" mainstream light.

Jeff Turner, a victim of Asperger syndrome, is a likable enough guy and I'd totally hang out with him because he's a vessel of knowledge. However, most of this knowledge is dedicated to his pseudo-relationship with Tiffany. He's taken great steps and read many books in an attempt to justify his idea that Tiffany loves him as much as he "loves" her. For example, Tiffany's appearance in Playboy was apparently a silent gesture of love for Jeff.

Towards the end of the documentary, we learn that he's begun a similar fascination with Alyssa Milano. He even thinks she's gone back in time in order to prevent his relationship with Tiffany! Jeff's innocuous attitude and gentle perspective on life really persuades the viewer to fall in love. He's kooky and fascinating and I really adore him and it's the opinion of this reviewer, that he's portrayed fairly and accurately.

Kelly McCormick, however, is really where I believe all the controversy lies. A hermaphrodite, Kelly already has to deal with a great deal of persecution already. She (I say "she" because Kelly's ultimate desire is to fully become a woman) too believes she's destined to be with Tiffany, but for a very different reason. After a bicycle accident that left her in a coma, she claims she had a vision of a woman who looked just like Tiffany (even though she'd never seen the pop star, nor heard of her) surrounded by a white light and all the other normal comatose visions people claim to have. This vision has thrown her into a tailspin of mental anguish and depression every day she's not with her love. At one point she really breaks down and while I did not feel it was appropriate to laugh as some did, it did disturb me a great deal.

A documentary, in order to stay true to its form, must be unbiased and objective about its subject(s). In this case, the documentarian, Sean Donnelly (this is his first feature film), does just that. He shows these people for who they are and they're more than happy to display themselves. Whether you like them or not, or feel sorry or pity for them, the fact of the matter remains: this documentary is a) true to its form and b) interesting.

For more information on this film, go to: http://ithinkwerealonenow.com/

Sundance 2008: New Frontiers

The last two days have been chock full of film and art. This post is about the art because I just experienced one of the most amazing live music and art shows I've ever seen at the Sundance New Frontiers exhibit. Brent Green, a self-taught animator and filmmaker, regaled us by screening five of his short films, with the band Califone providing a most enjoyable soundtrack accompanied by his moving spoken word. He's titled it: "God Builds Like Frank Lloyd Wright: Brent Green and Califone." I was so compelled by the exhibition that I failed to snap any photos of the event. However, I checked out Brent's website and found he'd posted a live show on YouTUBE:



Brent Green's brooding imagery and oftentimes macabre narration, mixed with musical discord and a hardened voice is chilling to the eyes and ears. At the same time, he remains hopeful and calm. As Paulina Hollers concludes, Brent declares, "The world is beautiful and I can't believe that we are always forgetting that."

Perhaps Brent will post something from Sundance as well. He's also got all of the non-live versions of the animated videos posted on his website. But if you get the chance to see it live, it's certainly beyond comparison.

***
The New Frontiers exhibit was host to some incredible artworks as well with its multimedia installation, focusing on the moving image. Here are some of my favorites:



The lighting in the above installation constantly changes, as it reflects upon a plethora of empty water bottles. The plastic illuminates yellows and blues and reds. The above picture shows only a fraction of the total number of bottles used.



The above installation consists of many pieces of wood which represented digital pixels. As an object or person moves into frame, a camera takes its image and the wooden pieces move to shape it. Although I didn't touch the wood, I was interested in its tactile texture.

It's organic nature, juxtaposed with the image below, made for an interesting contrast. This particular image uses very much the same technology, but chooses a much different interface. Instead of the organic, three-dimensional aspect of the circle of wooden "pixels," this image literally translates the image into pixels on a screen. If you look carefully, you can see it's outlined me accurately--down to the folds in my jeans, jacket and scarf.



Both of the latter two installations were created by Daniel Rozin. For more information about his and the other artworks, check out the descriptions from Sundance.

Sundance / Slamdance 2008 Day Two

A staple of the Sundance Film Festival, the Mary G. Steiner Egyptian Theatre, has been a venue for festival screenings for almost as long as the festival has been active.

***

David admiring his poster for A CATALOG OF ANTICIPATIONS, premiering Saturday and playing again on Monday. David forgot to bring tacks so he found a free one on the board and I happened on one in the snow.

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Star Struck Update!
Colin Farrell and George A. Romero were both spotted, entourages in tow, walking down Main St. earlier this morning. No pictures because I'm not that cheeeeezy. Later in the evening, Ian Ziering from Beverly Hills 90210 took in a bit of pizza at the Moose Head Grill!

***
It's always a disappointing omen when your first film of a festival sours any desire to watch anything else that day. I won't mention the film because I really don't care to review it.

***
The evening activities included me enjoying a rare buffalo burger at the Moose Head Lodge and filing into a packed crowd of talented filmmakers at the Zellner Brothers Goliath Pre-Screening party. After about an hour, the entire city-block blacked out, yet the liquor service didn't skip a beat.

Finally, David and I joined Joe Swanberg (HANNAH TAKES THE STAIRS) for a long trek to his condo, where we also found Ronnie Bronstein (FROWNLAND) and Benny Safdie, who has a short playing in the same block as David's: The Story of Charles Riverbank. A wide variety of subjects were discussed: the Sundance experience, upcoming films, and The Room, among other things. Joe and Ronnie are here filming their experiences of the film festival in association with Spout.com. Check out their offbeat coverage of the festival.

Sundance / Slamdance 2008 Day One

Me, David Lowery (A CATALOG OF ANTICIPATIONS) and Toby Halbrooks (former member of The Polyphonic Spree) headed to Park City, Utah early, Thursday morning to the airport, only to discover our flight had been delayed an hour. After finally meeting our destination, we met up with fellow filmmaker Michael Tully (SILVER JEW) and made our dissent into Park City for the Sundance / Slamdance festivities.


After dropping Michael off, we met up with Bill Sebastian (MIDLOTHIA) at his condo. After a bit of catching up, we decided to try out the Good Karma restaurant just around the corner. I had the Tandoori Lamb Kebab and loved it.


After Bill and Toby posed for this picture, David tried to murder me with a table knife:



After drinking a bit of whiskey, me and David went to the Slamdance opening night party (first picture above), which was actually fairly lame. Given the fact that we really knew no one else in the festival, it felt like a typical night club gathering. David left early and I stuck around for a bit and mingled with some fellow filmmakers. Eventually I left and took a picture of a moose and the streets before I caught a bus to Bill's condo.





After shuttling back to the condo, I drank another glass of whiskey and sat down to blog about tonight's events. Not a whole lot happened tonight, but I'm really excited about the upcoming week: films, snowboarding, mingling and partying! And I'll keep you all posted as I make my way through the festival.

Finally, David wanted me to let you all know that his ability to blog is temporarily disabled. Just as soon as he's capable, he'll share his own experiences of whatever he feels like. But for right now, he's quietly sleeping like a baby a mere ten feet from me. Speaking of which... I'm out. Goodnight!

A Catalog of Anticipations is Going to Slamdance!

Okay... So many of you already know that me and David are going to Park City, UT during Sundance. And many of you actually know why. But for those of you who don't, I can now officially say that it is because David got into Slamdance with the second part of his triptych, A Catalog of Anticipations. The second part is probably the best short film David has created to date (and that's saying a lot, given my recent review of The Outlaw Son after playing at the Lone Star International Film Festival in November). It's already been to several film festivals and I'm sure it will continue on the circuit. David's got some possible future plans for this part of the triptych specifically, but if he wishes to reveal them, he'll do so on his website.

For more information about this film, go to: http://myspace.com/catalogofanticipations

***
I'm really excited about going to Park City for both the Sundance and Slamdance festivities. Thanks to David Redmon & Ashley Sabin, we'll be staying right on Main St. within walking distance from Slamdance headquarters. Friend and Austin based filmmaker, Bryan Poyser will also be staying with us for part of the trip down there. He's responsible for representing the Austin Film Society, as they are holding some sort of event or party during the festival(s). I'm also contemplating bringing my board, as a few other friends of mine are bringing theirs. And on that note, I'm really surprised at how many filmmaker friends are attending this year! It will certainly be a fun time indeed, and you'll catch it all RIGHT HERE on AKOOK.COM! Okay, I've always wanted to say something of that nature. And now I finally have. Yay for me.

Austin Frownland Screening & Cinematexas "Viking" Funeral

Yesterday, David and I drove down to Austin to check out Ronnie Bronstein's Frownland at the Alamo Drafthouse, courtesy of the Austin Film Society and Cinematexas. As all of you already know, I first saw Frownland at South By Southwest in March and have been a fan ever since; so, I was happy to make the drive down to Austin to see it again on the big screen and hang out with Ronnie and friends.

Arriving several hours before the screening, David and I hooked up with David Redmon and Ashley Sabin (Kamp Katrina, Mardi Gras: Made in China) at Mother's Café & Garden for a late lunch. I had the Spinach Lasagna because of the frank menu description: "Our #1 recommendation for first-time customers." Quite a treat with a glass of red wine, however, it weighed me down a bit--especially after a late night on Saturday seeing Curtis Glenn Heath play at The Ginger Man and then heading over to my favorite Fort Worth haunt, The Chat Room Pub.

***

Following the linner or dunch, or whatever you want to call it, we all headed over to Spider House Patio Bar & Café to meet up with Ronnie and Noah Stroehle, a freelance writer. Having never been to Spider House, this was a pleasant experience for me, as it's got to be one of the coolest coffee and beer spots in Austin. Boasting a large patio with sporadic tables and chairs, miscellaneous decorative artifacts and a bluntly honest wait staff, Spider House is certainly a hangout I'll revisit. For some reason--perhaps the tiling--I was really drawn to the urinal:


Discussions ranged from Frownland to The Silent Movie Theater in L.A. to The Marx Brothers until we had to scoot to the screening at the new Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.

***

Before the screening, Bryking Poyser introduced Frownland and the critically acclaimed short Everything Will Be OK to accompany it. The Viking helmet was worn to mark the Viking Funeral of the Cinematexas Film Festival, to follow the screenings at The Moose Lodge.

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Despite the fact that Don Hertzfeldt's Everything Will Be OK has screened at just about every film festival there is, I hadn't had the opportunity to catch it on the big screen, so I was really excited when I found out it would be screening prior to Frownland. As to be expected, I was immediately sutured in to the experience. The short makes you laugh and cry, it's heartfelt and moving; and ultimately, it's somehow banally uplifting.

Hertzfeldt's animation is amazing beyond words and should be experienced by everyone! (Check out Rejected on YouTube, and buy Everything Will Be OK on DVD if you haven't had a chance to see it.)

***


If you get a chance to see Frownland when Ronnie is in attendance, it's imperative that you stay for the Q & A session, following the film. Ronnie's got a sincere sense about him that resonates throughout the theater. I don't care if you love or hate the film, you're going to appreciate Ronnie's attitude towards the subject and his attitude towards film, in general. He's also very approachable and genuinely gracious, so have a few words with him, if given the chance.

On a side note, Frownland screens at The Silent Movie Theater in L.A. on December 29th. Oddly enough, along with Garbage Pail Kids.

***
After the screening and the Q & A session, everyone mentioned thus far, plus a handful of other local filmmakers all congregated at The Moose Lodge for some drinks and discussion and then for the Viking Funeral of the Cinematexas Film Festival.


David really got into the spirit!
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Friends gather to celebrate Cinematexas
***
And then, around 3am, David and I drove back to my place and crashed. Certainly a worthwhile experience--and I'm never against excusing myself to Austin, if only for an evening.

LSIFF.07 Day Five: Awards Brunch, Badlands, Low and Behold, and The Theater Fire Live!

The awards brunch at the Worthington Renaissance honored a number of filmmakers and festival films, including my friend, Bryan Poyser (pictured above left with his girlfriend--the other picture's a guy named Martin Sheen).

This has been quite a week for Bryan; for, along with his "Up and Comer" award at the Lone Star International Festival and his birthday, his intensely provocative and personal look at pornography, Dear Pillow has been officially released on DVD as of yesterday. What I really liked about Dear Pillow is Bryan's sincere look at the dirty, perverse aspect of it that we like to hide underneath our beds. Where do we draw the line between the sensual and the perverse? Is there a point at which we've become far too enthralled with the process of pornography itself and not so much with sexuality? I really think Bryan's film is especially important currently, due to all the sexual outlets currently available. Like a voyeur, Dear Pillow peeps into that seedy world we'd all just as soon leave in the closet or under the mattress.

Dear Pillow also features Bryan's shorts, Grammy's and Pleasureland.

Buy Dear Pillow here: http://hereticfilms.com/indie/films/dp/index.html

***
I vaguely remember watching Badlands on television when I was a kid. I don't remember my reaction much, but I'm quite sure I wouldn't have liked it back then. Of course, anything formatted for my TV, edited and chock full of commercials isn't really worth seeing anyway. What really impressed me was Martin Sheen's brief speech before the film where he mentioned he was most proud of his work in this film, above all, including Apocalypse Now. Although, the only copy available was on DVD (Sheen wasn't too happy about this), I'm really glad I caught it on the big screen. It's really one of those films that needs to be seen, so if you haven't seen it, go rent it. After seeing the film as an adult, I suddenly found myself wondering what all the fuss was about with Natural Born Killers, for after viewing this film, you just don't need the Oliver Stone film. It's entirely unnecessary and arbitrary by comparison.

***

I was really excited about finally seeing Barlow Jacob's Low and Behold, given its subject matter. Barlow plays a confused young man, Turner Stull, who travels to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, to help his uncle adjusting hurricane claims. Working as an independent adjuster, Stull finds himself in a foreign, tragic environment full of hostile individuals who have lost all of their worldly possessions and homes, and some, even their families due to the catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina.

Apparently, Barlow actually worked in Florida--not New Orleans--as an adjuster; and I've been told he really didn't like it. Due to the nature of my business--I'm in storm restoration--I quite related with the film, and although Barlow takes comedic license with his portrayal of adjusters and their practices, the responses met are probably quite true. I actually worked in Florida as well, although, I did not work in flood areas and my customer's were far better off than the ones portrayed in this film.

I'll actually be working with Barlow, who will star in an upcoming music video this weekend in Dallas. David Lowery is producing the project and I'm helping out. More details on that later.

For more information on this film, go to: http://www.lowandbeholdmovie.com/

***

After the film, we all headed over to The Flying Saucer for the closing night party, featuring The Theater Fire! Everything I said about them before, still applies. They are absolutely the best thing going in Fort Worth right now. Each of the seven members are so talented when it comes to instrumentation. Most of them can--and do--play multiple instruments and a lot of times, uncommon and interesting ones. The melodic mixture of sound, coupled with the folksy vocals and daring lyrics, is really quite jaw-dropping. Many of the filmmakers and several of the celebrities I spoke to were going on and on about them. I really hope to see these guys succeed! Shout outs especially to Curtis and Jesse, my friends from way back (Jesse way, way back)!

***
Fort Worth really needs this event. The Lone Star International Festival proved to be a success, according to all the filmmakers I spoke to, the sponsors, the celebrities and the hard-working volunteers who made sure the festival went off with a bang. There really weren't too many flaws or late-starting films. In fact, the worst I heard was a print for Da was lost and, oddly enough, Barak Epstein (who also worked on The Stranger and is currently in post for his feature, Blood on the Highway) ended up picking up a, get this, VHS copy at Premiere Video in Dallas. Other than that, the festival really seemed to take off without a hitch, and I'm really looking forward to it next year!

LSIFF.07 Day Three & Four: The Education of Charlie Banks, Float, The Good Life, and The Rumblers Live!

Unfortunately, I didn't get to the festival until about 2:00pm on Friday. I'd missed several films that I wanted to see and decided simply to hit the Lounge for some drinks and a rare chance to check my email. Clay met me over there and wished me a happy birthday by buying me lunch (thanks Clay!). Somehow I spent the entire day there until The Education of Charlie Banks.

***

The Education of Charlie Banks marks the film debut of Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit. And what a remarkable debut it is! The film's themes deal with love, change and facing one's fears. Durst really makes the characters come to life and, despite many films of the same ilk, creates a likable antagonist--albeit a brutally violent one--who proves to be human, despite all his flaws. Jason Ritter plays a fearsome character, but just as the protagonist, Charlie Banks, expressed his need to "protect" him, I too sensed something in him that was precious. Unlike Variety magazine, who said Ritter "simply lacks sufficient menace and charisma," I find Ritter to be quite right for the role. In fact, the next day, I met him at Club Embargo and asked him not to beat me up! The real star, however, is Jesse Eisenberg, who plays the lovable Charlie Banks. His sincerity and genuine concern for others rightfully took an emotional toll on me as I sat in the theater. Tom Huckabee mentioned the film ought to be up for an Oscar nomination. I think I could agree with that.

For more information on this film, go to: http://www.charliebanksmovie.com/

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After the screening, I caught a ride over to the Longhorn Saloon for the Friday night party in the Stockyards. I was wearing a t-shirt from the 2000 Fort Worth Film Festival, and coincidentally ran into the artist who painted the graphic for the shirt, Nancy Lamb.



***
After the party, a large group of us went back to The Flying Saucer and closed down the bar.

The next morning... er...afternoon, I barely made it to the Mumblecore panel. Mostly made up my DIY friends and colleagues, the panel went over the basics of Mumblecore--what it is, what the movement represents and how it helps independent filmmakers. It all goes back to a community of talented individuals all helping each other in an effort to get the word out about decent films. That's the movement's foundation, whereas the specifics of the movement (if you can really call it that), rely on the types of films being made: late twenty-something white people--primarily straight--in quirky relationships, where, the films focus on dialogue--usually fairly unscripted--between non-professional actors. As a side note, many of the actors tend to be filmmakers themselves.

After the panel, we all hit The Flying Saucer for lunch and then I caught a movie!

***
Calvin Simmons' Float is a quixotic tale of a wannabe Hollywood director, Paul Greene, and his foolish pursuit at fame, fueled by his great idea. There's only one problem, his "great idea"--creating an all female prison on a ship--is absolutely ridiculous! Greene, however, will stop at nothing to get his film made. After pitching a big studio executive, played by Joshua LeBar, Float is a go, until his sudden termination. Losing his multi-million dollar budget, Greene must now figure out how to raise the money on his own and film the movie independently.

Intermixed with a workable romantic story, Float proves more than humorous. As Simmons mentioned in the Q&A after the film, the viewer doesn't necessarily relate to or want to be Paul Greene, but is sympathetic to his plight. His character, played by the writer, Paul Kolsby, is a likable--albeit pathetic--gem. I want to see more of his adventures! Float certainly doesn't inspire the independent filmmaker--nor should it--but it does laugh at the expense of Big Hollywood.

***
After Float, I decided to check out The Good Life, a film where Bill Paxton served as executive producer. I had been wanting to catch this movie, based on Bill's own comments about it at a Dallas Producer's Association meeting, where he was the keynote speaker, just before AFI Dallas. I spoke to Bill after the meeting (that's where the picture was taken) and left with such a warm feeling in my chest. Bill is probably the humblest "celebrity" I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. He has a sincereness about him I can only describe by saying that when he speaks to you, he never looks past you... Many people do that. They look at the other person, but glance off in the distance, as if to make sure they're not missing something better. Bill, on the other hand, wants to make sure he's not missing anything from you.

I haven't blogged about the incident after the DPA meeting, so I'll presently take the opportunity. As I left the restaurant--I think it was Sambuca?--I gave my ticket to the valet and he brought up my truck. Another valet brought up a Corvette and, for whatever reason, accidentally put the vehicle in reverse, hitting the front of my truck. As traffic accidents really aren't a surprise to me anymore, I remained calm and immediately snapped some photos of the damage. The Corvette driver, however, wasn't quite as calm. In fact, he was quite livid. He was lambasting the valet service, the restaurant and anyone else within ear shot. It was really annoying and was creating quite a scene out front. Anyway, Bill Paxton comes out and inadvertently calmed the whole scene when he jokingly expressed his desire to park the cars himself: "You should have hired me to park the cars," he said. So the story was relayed to Bill at the Saucer during the Thursday night after party, and he laughed about it and remembered me and I was giddy. Alright, alright, on to the movie.

Given there's already quite a number of reviews of The Good Life--it did play at Sundance, after all, I'm not going to discuss the plot of the film, except to briefly say that it's a film about the suffering and isolation of one man, Jason, in a town he's trapped in for all the wrong reasons. He is surrounded by deceitful and manipulative individuals who do nothing but bring him down and pull him further and further into desolation. That is, except for his one true friend, Gus, an old man who owns a neighborhood theater. The film deals with themes and perspectives and actions viewers don't typically find appealing on screen--and it is largely depressing. Reviews are mixed for this film, as to be expected. Some find the film hopeful or inspiring at the end--I just see it as survival.

The well-fleshed out characters in this gloomy tale are all impressively played. Mark Webber's performance as Jason is incredibly riveting and believable. As for Chris Klein, I agree with some critics who believe this might be his best role yet. Zooey Deschanel manipulates me into loving her once again. Bill Paxton's character is quirky and odd and gay, and Bill pulls it off perfectly. Gus, however, is probably my favorite character. I kept looking over at Harry Dean Stanton, who gives a heartfelt performance as a dying man, wondering, as the film progressed, how he felt watching himself play this character--at his age--and how it effects him. Of course, he's far more active than Gus...


Professional skateboarder Stephen Berra has written and directed a truly important film, built on decent story and cemented together with remarkable performances from the actors. Berra's portrait of small town America manufactures a painful environment which grabs the viewer by the throat. The film doesn't necessarily say anything new or even profound for that matter, but it's certainly an emotional experience I won't soon forget.

***
After an interview outside Club Embargo, I made my way inside. Already incredibly inebriated, I proceeded to the bar and ordered several margaritas at the time and shots of Patron for me and my friends. Although not a huge fan of the venue, it seemed a decent stage for The Rumblers, featuring Robert Rodriguez and Johnny Reno, to play the soundtrack of Road Racers. The party was fun and I met a lot of people, but once the band was offstage, I was ready to go back to the filmmaker's lounge for a quieter setting, where I would meet a few more people and really, the rest of the evening is top secret.

We left in style:

LSIFF.07 Day Two: Tijuana Makes Me Happy, Orphans, and Texas DIY Shorts!

Tijuana Makes Me Happy is a coming of age story shot with unprofessional actors in a quasi-documentary style. In the short span of time the film covers, fifteen year old Indio has to make decisions regarding sex, crime and friendship (with a rooster). The plot details are fairly simplistic and linear, but that certainly doesn't take away from the film in any way. That the film seemingly has no moral perspective about the dubious activities in the film, really gives the film more credit in my mind. It's light-hearted approach to activities such as cockfighting, prostitution and drug trafficking seems far more realistic and gripping when told by the amoral eye.

Perhaps I'm partial to films photographed in Mexico, however, given my love of Central America in general. Even the most ordinary scenes give me great pleasure when I see them on the screen because they are so different than America. I did appreciate the story (although, I could have lived without the spelling errors in the subtitles), but the vision of Tijuana and its inhabitants reeled me in.

For more information on this film, go to: http://www.tijuanamakesmehappy.com/

***
Aside from the final sequence of Orphans, I felt Ry Russo-Young's film was a brilliant piece of cinema. The story follows two very different sisters who reunite for a birthday party and rehash their childhood. They discover how they really feel about each and justify why they moved apart in the first place. The dynamic between the two characters really makes this a great film--especially a dance sequence smack dab in the middle of the film which is utterly amazing. What I didn't like about the film was the director's choice to make something like a MADD commercial at the end of the film. And, especially, the choice to have one of the sisters actually talk to a grave. Other than that, I adored the film for its style and grace, it's zany character design and phenomenal performances by the actors, it's realistic dialogue and its gritty sense of direction.

For more information on this film, check out: http://www.orphansmovie.com/

***

The Texas DIY ("Do It Yourself") Program consisted completely of filmmakers I've found friendship with over the years. I helped produce one of the films in the program and am working with several of the other artists as we speak. James M. Johnston programmed this particular block of films primarily due to the artistic connection between filmmakers. Before the program, he talked about the devotion we all have to each other and the film making process. I remember when *my* particular circle within this group of people, rested solely in Irving, TX... And then it spread to Fort Worth, and then into Dallas as well. And then into Austin. And now, it's nationwide. Over the years I haven't been readily available to help these guys out on a lot of their freshman and even sophomore projects. Presently, I'm remedying that. And now, the films:

Anytime I feel awkward during a screening due to its content usually means I'm engaged in a film worth viewing. Lions' Den is one of those films. Frank Mosley has created an intense fifteen minutes of film that shames and embarrasses the audience. These emotions compel the viewer to continue watching... Just as long as no one else is looking.

The haphazard photography intensifies the situation with its blurring images and gritty movement. What's really amazing about the short however, is that it was completely improvised--a method of film making that's becoming more and more popular these days. But while many films lack substance due to their unscripted dialogue, Mosley's seems to be more refined, due to its extreme realism. Mosley's ability to create such a stressful tone with his film is truly right on. Check out Lions' Den, if you have the stomach for it.

For more information on Lions' Den, check out: http://www.myspace.com/backyardmovies

***
According to filmmaker Bryan Poyser, Grammy's was really just an excuse to put Joe Swanberg and Rusty Kelly together. In a SXSW interview, Poyser explains that he actually organized a benefit screening of Swanberg's Kissing on the Mouth and his own Dear Pillow, which Rusty Kelly stars in. Joe Swanberg, a Chicago based DIY filmmaker, plays a likable, straight-as-arrow dork, while Rusty Kelly plays his obnoxious, jaded younger brother. When Swanberg's character attempts to set up a fishing trip on private property, in a pathetic attempt to bond with his brother, the two find themselves in a world of trouble.

The set of events that follow get funnier and funnier the more I watch the film. There's masturbation! There's sadomasochism! There's thievery and back-stabbing! Grammy's is quite a lot of fun. But what's really neat is how it's such a fine example of what DIY'ers are doing these days. Independent filmmakers are putting each other in their films, propelling each other instead of competing against one another. This is exactly what the DIY experience is all about and what makes it so important to current indie filmmakers. So go on and enjoy the film--just don't forget your wallets on your way out. We wouldn't want you to get into any trouble.

***
When David Lowery's The Outlaw Son was slated to play at the Sarasota Film Festival, he expressed an interest in the film festival's blurb of the film. The blurb isn't really important, but his reaction to it is. "I love it," Lowery stated, "because it's an interpretation that