St. Nick at IFP -or- Where the Hell Have I Been?

I'll answer the question first. My current position is Concord, North Carolina, where I've been diligently working so I can invest more cash money into films! Concord, which is about twenty-five miles north of downtown Charlotte, is home to all things Nascar--something I have absolutely no interest in. That's not to say I don't have interest in speed or racing. I had a ball at the Nascar Speedway, driving aimlessly in go carts at about twenty-five miles per hour, racing my co-workers and friends. Speaking of, with regards to interest in the sport of race car driving, I can't say the same for them. Already, my co-workers have gone to several races (I declined) and one of them even has a Boston Terrier--a girl--named, "Dale E." Either way, I feel a bit out of place here.

Adding fuel to the fire, there's absolutely no vegan restaurants here, and finding decent vegan-friendly fare is next to impossible. Of course, there's always Mexican and there's a few decent Asian restaurants within a few miles, but largely, I'm cooking at home. I did find a really cool place in Charlotte called Zada Jane's. A relatively new establishment, the quaint bar/diner (having a full bar in a diner seems fairly popular around these parts) has visual appeal, with its vibrant colors and interesting dishes. But let me back up. I've only had time to spend one Sunday afternoon in the Queen's City. But what I found wasn't the royal glory I'd hope to find. There are some beautiful historic homes and expansive parks, but the Mint Museum of Art was nothing to brag about (although there is a really great Chuck Close portrait). I found the culture of the city either dying or non-existent. Apparently, the Bohemian flavor of the city is located in an area of town called NoDa. But when I checked it out, all I found was a small concert venue, a cute live music lounge, one or two restaurants and a bar, and a few art galleries. I've seen more life in Dallas' Deep Ellum and Deep Ellum is dead, Fred. A bit irritated, I walked into Solstice Tavern, where I found anything but "artsy" folks. In terms of texture, the bar had a traditional college tavern feel, but the clientèle seemed more the sports bar type. After grilling the bartender about all the Charlotte happenings, I downed my PBR and moved on down the road. Using the bartender's directions, I found another small area of town with a few eclectic shops, a vegan-friendly restaurant, Dish, that was closed and the historic Penguin Drive-In. This is when I moseyed on over to Zada Jane's. I was immediately greeted by Roger, the cafe's owner. Less than a year old, the establishment blends in nicely with the neighborhood. I'd almost given up hope when I asked to see a menu. My mouth was dry and my mind bitter as I read over all the items. My mood quickly changed, however, when, in a last attempt--hunger pains a sorin'--I confessed my distress with Roger. I can't quite remember his exact words, but they were something to the nature of: "Sit the hell down. You're eating here." I complied as he called over a gal from the kitchen. Fifteen minutes later I found a succulent curry dish with soy chicken in front of me. The seasoning was spot on and the price was right at twelve bucks (considering he could have charged me anything, given it wasn't on the menu). Thirty minutes later, I found myself outside with Roger playing real life shuffle board (this ain't the mini push boards either!) and drinking cold beers, well into the evening.

So that's where I've been... except for a brief, glorious stint in New York, the second week of June. When David informed me that St. Nick had been accepted into the prestigious IFP ("Independent Film Project") Narrative Rough Cut Labs, I immediately bought myself an airline ticket, and eagerly anticipated my arrival. Lucky for me, I was graciously welcomed into the home of Marc and Colin Raybin (Marc produced Frownland), located a mere 1.3 miles away from Soho House, the hotel that hosted the IFP Labs. Contrasted with Charlotte, New York has all the vegan food you can eat. My favorite was the comfort food (hot wings, pizza, Philly cheese steak, buffalo chicken, etc.). But enough about food...

I can't think of a more invaluable experience then the IFP Labs for aspiring filmmakers. Being the newbie that I am, I found the week packed with information and real-world knowledge about the independent film industry. The labs consisted of film-specific notes on editing and composition with industry professionals and in-depth discussions of legal concerns, during the filmmaking process. In addition, we discussed the positives and negatives with regards to traditional and alternative distribution models, during the post-production process. But most importantly, we learned what to look out for, and garnered valuable industry knowledge. It was also really cool to catch a sneak peek at what will most-likely be some of the films on the festival circuit next year, and to meet the filmmakers who made them. I really can't wait to review the plethora of notes I took when me, David and James sit down and discuss the future of St. Nick.

MMSW Poster

My Mom Smokes Weed
Poster art by Yen Tan.

Indiana for Obama

This just in from my good friend and fellow filmmaker, Bill Sebastian. It stars Indiana Jones!

The Weekend of 420: Probably Not the Best Time to Film in a Head Shop

It was Friday, April 18th around eleven o'clock in the morning. The morning and evening before, I'd called a local head shop smoke shop, Pipe Dream, only to get the runaround. At 11:00 AM, this Friday morning, I was determined to get a location set up for the final scheduled shot--the first shot of the actual film--for My Mom Smokes Weed. I called the Gas Pipe and immediately I was interrogated: was I part of a news crew? After briefly explaining that I was merely part of an independent film production, the manager assured me he'd get an answer from corporate, by the end of the day. The end of the day came and went, and still no answer. Clay physically went to an independent shop in Deep Ellum, The Deep End, and got permission to shoot there. The morning of our shoot, I also secured the Gas Pipe as a back up. Thanks go out to both of these fine establishments.

Here are some stills:

Clay Liford films nervous Nate Rubin as he passes the head shop. Barak Epstein on sound and me wrangling! Thanks Yen Tan for the photo.

Deep Ellum's own, The Deep End, ended up being a better location; and we got to support a dying neighborhood that frantically needs our help.

Clay and Barak filming Nate walking up to The Deep End.

Scary, tattooed man, James M. Johnston scares little-pansy-boy Nate in this clever piece of foreshadowing.
Finally, a brief photo study of Yen Tan:




See additional photos on MySpace and/or Facebook.

Also, Check out writer/director, Clay Liford's MMSW blog post!

My Mom Smokes Weed

As the title suggests, Clay Liford's semi-autobiographical short, My Mom Smokes Weed, is a film about a son and his relationship with his pot-smoking mother. Chip, a straight-laced squirt who really needs to shave, pays a much needed visit to see his septuagenarian mother, and, upon arrival, is met with a barrage of smoke, his high mother a flurry of awkwardness. Although uncomfortable Chip completely disapproves of his loopy mother's illegal dabblings, he somehow finds himself on a wild quest with her to score some Marijuana. But submissive Chip will soon find that uncomfortable situations are the least of his problems.

Chip’s septuagenarian MOM sits on the edge of her bed,
fastening a smoldering bud to a roach clip.

Cinematographer Jason Croft and key grip/gaffer Chris Simpson strap down an HVX to the hood of producer Yen Tan's car.

The HVX strapped down to the hood of Yen's car with sound guy, Barak Epstein, and camera dude, David Lowery, inside.
Unfortunately, the production saw it's own bit of misadventure when said car backed into Jason's vehicle! Fortunately, however, the incident was minor and no one--nor any camera--was hurt.


Enthusiastic Nate Rubin (and sleeping Barak) before he smashed up Yen's car. Sorry Nate! Keep smilin'!

Fans of Yen Tan will recognize this similarly blocked shot from Ciao. Mother, Sylvia Luedtke, and son, Nate Rubin, tepidly approach the ill-fated drug dealer's apartment!

The looming drug dealer towers over mother and son. Nervous Nate appropriately reacts.

Sandwiched between his mother and really creepy gang banger, Chris Gardner, Chip finds himself in yet another uncomfortable position. To make matters worse, his mother overtly flirts with Rastafarian, James McKinley, and passes glances back-and-forth with strong man, John Phelan.

A gleeful mom passes a joint to her new Rastafarian friend, as drug dealer (and Starbucks barrista) Scott Logan looks upon .

John continuously lifted weights throughout the course of this entire shot!

James and Sylvia share a moment while Chris is passed out.

Sylvia hits the TIMENATRIX bong!

Meek Nate finds himself in a threatening position with Scott on the balcony, as Tanner faithfully watches over.

Jason also finds himself in a threatening position shooting the balcony!
Check out a short video of Chris teaching Sylvia how to properly hit a bong!



As I've said before... Also, thanks much to Ellen Weaver for procuring the fantastic "water pipe" and herbal smoke-stuff (yes, it was fake. I swear!). Thanks to Chipotle for donating burritos for the cast and crew one out of the two days. And thanks to Jerry for allowing us to rampage through his apartment!

See additional photos on MySpace and/or Facebook.

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.

St. Nick: That's [Sorta] A Wrap.

Today David and I met with the kids to give them a reel David cut together. It's been almost two weeks since we wrapped principle, so it was great to see the kiddos again. David's already cut over twenty minutes of footage (and that's just been the last few days since we got back from SXSW!) and apparently it's looking great. The reel was super-rad-cool so I'm anticipating a great film!

Here are a few more stills from the last few days of principle photography:


Tucker's bloody hand. Interestingly enough, apparently David has written this in many of his scripts.

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Mark Sharon sets up the log gag. In the film, the boy sets it up as a trap. Barlow Jacobs plays a contractor who's the first to find the trap... Will he get hit? Will it hurt? Will he die? Will he bleed? Oh, the suspense!

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A superhero ice cream truck.

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Jonathan "Rambo" Rudak sets up some candles.

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Filming across the street from the abandoned house.

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The impeccable Bosque Brown, along with Curtis Heath (of The Theater Fire). Thanks much to Curtis and Valerie for allowing us to ransack their home!

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A picture perfect family?

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This is what happens when an actress doesn't obey David "The Dictator" Lowery!

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Below are some photos from Annetta North. Thanks to James' grandmother for allowing us to shoot on her ranch and for the Town of Annetta North for allowing us to shoot at an abandoned church. Oh wait, we didn't have permission. Well, thanks anyway.


Yen with some ass!

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Poster, t-shirt or postcard shot!

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Welcome to Annetta United Methodist Church.

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Annetta North railroad tracks.

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Officer Donaghey sees something strange.

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Hot cop ass?

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Pick-up shots after Martin left. Thanks Barak for stepping in and helping!

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Convenience store location. Thanks to Lin for allowing us to shoot!

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That's a wrap... For now. I'll have all the pictures available on my MySpace within the next day or two. In the meantime, check out more stills from Jonathan Rudak and from James Watkins. Thanks guys!

There Will Be Vader

Via Matt Zoller Seitz.

From the very beginning of this clip YouTube user AAC8888 understands There Will Be Blood to a tee. Granted, he's got the amazing score from the film to work with, but when Vader/Plainview looks at Emperor Palpatine (Revenge of the Sith) and boldly, yet subtly, announces, "yes I do!" it sent chills down my spine.

The really fine-tuned part of the clip, however, is when Vader/Plainview confronts Luke Skywalker. It starts with Vader/Plainview screaming at Skywalker (The Empire Strikes Back): "I told you I would eat you up!" And then move towards the entire "bastard in a basket" sequence. Brilliant!

The clip ends with the always clever and fun "I drink your milkshake!" sequence and a rad lightsaber fight from Return of the Jedi.

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Speaking of milkshakes, Savanna (lead actress in St. Nick) was kind enough to buy me a really awesome There Will Be Blood "I Drink Your Milkshake" t-shirt at CafePress. Not only did she contribute to purchasing the shirt (in case you don't know: she's nine), but also had the foresight to have it printed on American Apparel's Sustainable Edition (an organic cotton tee, made in the U.S.A.).

Read my response of There Will Be Blood.

For kicks, read my riposte of an article written in The New Yorker just after the opening of Revenge of the Sith.

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.

TIMENATRIX

As soon as David and I were back in Dallas from SXSW, it was back to work on a new short film from writer/director, Clay Liford--who played one of the four leads in the short, as well. Shot entirely at Barak Epstein's abode, the film shows us one of the lamest excuses for adultery ever!

Based on the collected erotica of D.H. Lawrence, TIMENATRIX takes us where other films only dare to dream! We find ourselves in the past... the present... the future! TIMENATRIX will make you laugh... Cry... But in the end, it really just makes you want to toke up!


I'll bet you didn't know time travel was powered by the obvious--yet, never realized until just now--connection between a bong and an Atari joystick!


Chris Gardner (as "Chris") and Robin Gierhart (as "Robin") heat it up. David on B-Cam and guess who's on boom? I'll give you a hint: he's the moron with a broken collar bone that thought it'd be cool to do sound for the day!


Dual cameras! David Lowery afar on B-Cam and Barak Epstein on A-Cam.


Clay Liford (as "Clay") getting jiggy with Beth Featherstone (as "Beth"; and don't worry Sharon and Chris... This is for a moooovie!)

Also, thanks much to Ellen Weaver for procuring the fantastic "water pipe" and herbal smoke-stuff (yes, it was fake. I swear!). And for taking stills for me while I was on sound. Also involved and not mentioned: Yen Tan on P2 cards and in a general producerly capacity; and Sharon Wright on catering. Fun shoot, guys!

See additional photos on MySpace or Facebook.

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.

St. Nick: At the Ranch

With two HVX digital cameras and a Steadicam, we all piled into separate cars--many from different places in the metroplex--and drove sixty miles (well, that's how much I drove, anyway) to Valley View, TX. A family friend, Sandy Staley (who also sold me my hyrbid, let all of us destroy his property in the name of high art.

As you may remember, I briefly wrote about the ranch after David and I scouted it out. Clay and I will also be using the location for Cutlet.


The crew admires a horse.
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David prepares for a shot.
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Penske Trucks advertisement.
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Cutlet prequel! C-R-E-E-P-Y!
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Joe Swanberg on B-Cam.
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Tucker carves a stick under a tree.
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Barlow Jacobs.
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David Maddox on steadicam.
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The St. Nick sled.
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The crew with the St. Nick sled.
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How's this for a view?

St. Nick: Week One

The first week of St. Nick proved a charming learning experience. I've had the fortunate opportunity to work with some amazing crew members--many of whom have worked together on multiple projects in the past--and two lovely non-actor actors--for the most part--Tucker, eleven, and Savanna, nine. I've absolutely fallen for Savanna. Her effortless performance has completely enveloped her character and brought her a charm only a truly gifted young girl and a photogenic face can give. And Tucker, who's wise beyond his years and humbly quiet about it, has found a grave tension in his character. The dynamic between the two cannot be cast.

I've learned quite a bit this week, and these are just a few of my reflections:

Unexpected charms might occur when uncast extras suddenly roll in: there are some perfect occurrences that simply can't be planned.

Making it up as you go along can lead to significantly better choices than one might have expected.

Curbside trash digging is a popular sport in The Fairmount District of Fort Worth, TX.

Children build better tents than adults.

Every now and then a producer may run an errand that takes all day and takes him all over the metroplex; and, in the end, the errand might never have had to be run at all. But, as they say, it's the thought that counts.

Hybrids are great when you run out of gas...

Being at calltime, on time, may save you from playful-yet-serious ridicule.

I'm emo, according to a nine year old and an eleven year old.

And now, some images of a first, enticing week.


Make up artist, Heather Henry, creates a new hand for Tucker.

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Cast and crew meet n' greet.

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The kiddos.

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Clay always finds a way to sit down on set!

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Savanna showed me this sign, displayed on the window of the Arts Fifth Avenue. We don't put up with any guff.


...Yuppies use the front?

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Savanna really had a hard time with this bicycle. And at her most difficult moment, a procession of bicyclers passed by, in the opposite direction, briefly passing a glance and moving on. Certainly serendipitous, as David rightly stated.


Savanna getting the hang of it...

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A lot of great extras came out to shoot a scene where the girl crashes a birthday party. This, the first day of shooting, proved Savanna's ability.


Clay cuts the cake at the birthday party scene.

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We found this great wood-burning stove at The Butler's Antiques. Jim, who own's the antique shop along with his wife, let us borrow this, and several other items, used in the film.


Tucker tries to keep warm.

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Savanna and the dandelion. Adorable, albeit cliché.

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Several of us left base camp to guerrilla shoot a small scene at a closed down Carnival Food Stores grocery store. This young mouse was, sadly, barely alive. And further down, the larger mouse--a rat, perhaps a mother--was very much quite dead.


Savanna and the mouse. Adorable, and not-so-cliché.

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Savanna and David stand on a huge, giant rat!

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An early morning shoot at The Spiral Diner and The Chatroom Pub, respectively. Tucker nabs some beans from a delivery truck and dumpster dives for nothing more than a few sandwiches.


Tucker sneaking onto a delivery truck.

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Tucker's head pops out of a dumpster.

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The script calls for many scenes involving the children finding usable objects in several curbside trash heaps. People driving by with pickup trucks eyed the goods and several stopped and tried to take it. It's really difficult to explain to people that trash is not... trash.


Tucker and Savanna find treasure in one man's trash.

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David found the decomposed remains of a small dog quite a while ago and finally found a use for it: a young girl's creepy, pseudo-pet. Savanna affectionally named it "Donut Dog" (probably because David put it in a donut box).


Savanna serves me a dog skeleton!

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Savanna doubles as a "sound guy" when she's not acting.

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Tucker throws paper airplanes out of an attic window.

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David finds himself in a compromising position.

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The greatest footage is always improvised. This shot set up a wonderful, candid sequence where Tucker and Savanna explored a downhill stream. At one point Tucker lifted Savanna, helping her across the stream.


This sunset photo taken outside of an abandoned church.

SMU Tate Lecture Series: Martin Sheen

Martin Sheen accepted an award at the LSIFF (back in November) and he was a keynote speaker tonight at the SMU Tate Lecture Series. Barak's father works for Merrill Lynch, who sponsored the reception tonight, and hooked us up with tickets.

Interviewed by Dallas film reviewer Gary Cogill, Martin Sheen regaled the auditorium with touching, personal stories about himself and Charlie Sheen, his son. He talked about the recent, tragic death of Heath Ledger and why these things happen to Hollywood celebrities. He also told a lovely story about his meeting with Mother Theresa in an attempt to help end the Gulf War. Martin's a vocal advocate for peace and he's also quite a spiritual man, full of inspiration and vigor for positivity.

After the lecture, we headed over to the Merrill Lynch reception for a quaint meet-and-greet. Anyway, Martin remembered all of us from the Lone Star International Film Festival (Clay and I talked to him at the awards brunch and Barak actually brought the only copy of Da available in the DFW area because the festival programmers forgot the print!). He pointed us out to several others at the reception and talked to us at length about some of his early films. He's really such a sweet, gentle man and a real treat to talk to.

On the Set of St. Nick: Family Pictures & Braces

Meet the St. Nick family:

Laura Stone as the mother.

Andrew Sensenig as the father.

Savanna Sears as the sister.

Tucker Sears as the brother.

Sunday we took some "family photos":




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After we wrapped the family photos shoot, we headed over to The Spiral Diner for lunch before heading to Trinity Park for some more rehearsal time with the kids. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank The Spiral Diner, especially James M. Johnston (who's also producing St. Nick with me), for catering our entire shoot for wholesale, rock-bottom prices.




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Tucker, our lead male role for St. Nick, went in to get his braces applied today. A total trooper, the application went off without a hitch. Many thanks to the whole team at the Baylor College of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics. But especially, a huge thank you to Dr. Emile Rossouw, professor and chair of orthodontics, who made it all possible. His contribution of both time and materials were of utmost import to the production.


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As a general update, we've basically tied up most of the loose ends in preparation of the production. We've only got a few more props to secure and one or two interim locations. It's all going as scheduled and I'm really excited to get down to brass tacks with the brother and sister duo, to see what they can do in front of the camera with a full crew! Friday, we're holding a dinner for the primary cast and crew and then we start principle photography on Saturday!

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/

"Beemer and the Bot" Rough Cut

As promised, here's a link to Clay's rough cut of Kiddo! Episode Twenty-Five: "Beemer and the Bot."



I've already blogged about the shoot. Clay's also got a new blog and he's also posted about the shoot here, here, here, here, and here! Hmmmmm... Methinks Clay be bored, now that David and Adam are away!

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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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!

Kiddo! Episode Twenty-Five: "Beemer and the Bot"

Lynus Turcot, star of the old TV show, "Beemer and the Bot" (I think they still play this on the Sci-Fi Channel from time-to-time) is pictured above with me, playing CREEPY OLDER NERD (who I've affectionately named "Dwayne" after a conversation about "The Rock" with Clay and Barak) in Kiddo! at the Dallas Comic Con today.

This first day of shooting only occurred this early because of the comic book convention schedule--the rest of the shoot is slated for early March, immediately following St. Nick. The cast so far is fantastic. The only thing that went wrong today was the fact that I was nearly an hour late!

I'll talk more about the film as we get closer to principle photography and I'll post some production stills, if they become available, when I get them.

Yen's dog, Tanner, says:

Obviously, Tanner's a bit upset; and I'm sure you are too. But I assure you, I haven't not been blogging for any decent reason, other than the fact that there's really been nothing to blog about. Wait. That's not good, is it? Oh well. Really, I've just been quite busy with all sorts of fun things... Like taxes and...Taxes! Yay!

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However, I certainly haven't been neglecting my film endeavors! As you can see, from the above picture, I'm really looking forward to hitting up a comic convention where I get to play CREEPY OLDER NERD for a film I'm producing for my friend, Clay!

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As far as St. Nick is concerned, this may be a bit pre-mature, but after David forwarded me this still photograph of the house we're planning on using for the film, I simply had to post it. It's utterly magnificent and lovely, isn't it?!

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Other than that, I'm really excited about hitting the slopes in Park City, drinking loads of beers and Gin on Main St., and maybe--just maybe--catching a film, or two, at Sundance.

Alright then! I should have some stills to post when we're finished with the Sunday shoot--so come back for more!

Let's Go Exploring!

It's been twelve years since Bill Watterson published his final Calvin and Hobbes comic strip. The brilliant strip about a boy and his stuffed tiger that is alive, Calvin and Hobbes will always be an inspiration to explore new and unconquered territories. It teaches us to follow our creative instincts and allow ourselves the freedom to truly live!

As it's been twelve years since the retirement of the comic strip, I was a twelve-year-old kid when I bought my first Calvin and Hobbes anthology, Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons. I remember reading the strip for a long time before in the Sunday paper and felt a strong connection to Calvin. I longed to live his and Hobbes' adventures.

On my fifteenth birthday, November 9th, 1995, I remember reading Watterson's statement--that he was going to retire Calvin and Hobbes at the end of the year. That December he published the final comic strip. And what a way to bring in the new year! Every few years I think back to this particular strip--I'll see it in print somewhere, or someone blogs about it, or whatever--and it always puts a smile on my face.

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On a related note, David and I went and explored a ranch we'll be using in St. Nick, owned by a friend of mine the other day. Along with prospecting the land for great shots, we made friends with the cows, the buffalo, and the horses--particularly an overzealous glass-eyed horse with a propensity for biting (my wool sweater, David's sport jacket, my SUV, etc.).





The ranch is located in Valley View, TX, just north of Sanger, and we hope to shoot there for several days.

St. Nick is inspired, in part, by a series of Calvin and Hobbes comic strips featured in the anthology, Yukon Ho! The titular strips feature Calvin and Hobbes running away from home, in an effort to free themselves from the constraints of parental control and its silly family rules. They choose the Yukon where they can sled all day and make friends with wild animals. That being said, the trip is short-lived due to the fact that Hobbes consumes the only two sandwiches Calvin bothered to pack. From "The Yukon Song":

Oh, what a life! we cannot wait,
To be in that arctic land,
Where we'll be masters of our fate,
And lead a life that's grand!

No more of parental rules!
We're heading for some snow!
Good riddance to those grown-up-ghouls!
We're leaving! Yukon Ho!

"A new year... A fresh clean start!"

There Will Be Blood

Photo courtesy Cinetext
I don't know about you, but I always had the above image in my head when I thought of an "oil man." The greedy visage of J. R. Ewing, with his ten-gallon cowboy hat and his repugnantly two-faced smile that stretches from cheek-to-cheek. He was, above-all, a businessman, whose money-hungry mindset and morally reprehensible extracurricular activities were the epitome of all that was selfish and vile in a human being. And then I met Daniel Plainview. And J. R. Ewing really didn't seem that bad anymore.

Loosely adapted from Upton Sinclair's "Oil!," Paul Thomas Anderson's new, epic film, There Will Be Blood, is an intense and thought-provoking tale of selfishness and greed during the oil boom at the turn of the nineteenth century. Daniel Day-Lewis plays the character Daniel Plainview, a man both charming and malicious simultaneously, who's built up an intense hatred for society and other human beings. It's as if he's ready to break in every scene of the film--and sometimes he does. Plainview is quite reminiscent of Dostoevsky's Raskolnikov in that he's arbitrarily placed himself above all others; another misguided member of the Übermensch party.

If there were one actor all others should strive to be, it would be Daniel Day-Lewis. Yet, although respected he may be, I'm quite certain many actors fear his methodology. Day-Lewis becomes so engrossed in his characters. He's so focused and determined to understand the character's plight or well-being. He's so intent on becoming these characters, that he loses a sense of 'self.' His remarkable portrayal of Plainview is no different in this respect. His look, his voice, his composure: all carefully calculated. And demonstrated perfectly, not only via memorization or through his ability to act; but because he truly becomes Daniel Plainview, and he has suffered and suffers and loathes and strives only to succeed, on his own, and at any expense.

However, Daniel Day-Lewis isn't the sole actor in the film who gives his most. Supporting cast-members Paul Dano, who plays Plainview's evangelical arch-nemesis Eli Sunday, and diamond-in-the-rough Marfa resident, Dillon Freasier, who plays Plainview's "son and partner" H. W., both shock and impress as their respective characters. Paul Dano's on-screen composure is fiercely demonstrated and strikingly right-on. So much that I'm more frightened of Eli Sunday, a fictional character, than I am of Jimmy Swaggert, Robert Tilton, and Jerry Falwell combined. Newcomer Dillon Freasier, with no formal or amateur training whatsoever, is remarkable as (young) H. W. Plainview. I was amazed as I witnessed his relationship with Daniel Plainview grow throughout the film.

The film also relies on some downright chilling sequences from Radiohead's Johnny Greenwood, who's created superb sequences of bizarre and irresistible scoring in a successful effort to score the film in its entirety. Yet another potentially dangerous risk taken by Paul Thomas Anderson. The harsh, uncomfortable sound effects--particularly during the fifteen minute, wordless opening--mar the score in an unpleasant way that are both creepy and delectable at the same time.

But it's really this opening that's the foundation of the terseness of this film. We see Daniel Plainview as he really is: a man of stern, isolated will. If he works with others, it's only to manifest his own greedy goals. And those goals seem to discreetly change throughout the course of the film. In the beginning, it seems he merely prospects for silver in order to finance other opportunities in digging. Later, we see he's also concerned with power and manipulation. And by the end, he's become some sort of insane, wretched miser, who revels in the failures of others--especially if he's had some sort of hand in their folly.

I'm not certain how I feel about the extreme flash-forward in time towards the end. A great deal of the novel has been left out (or so I hear; I haven't actually read the book) and clearly, a great deal of the story as well. The viewer has to fill in the blanks and really sort of finishes the story for himself. And I suppose it's no great tragedy, but for some reason I'm left feeling a bit taken advantage of. It's as if I've been able to experience a great work, but somewhere in the middle I fell asleep. That being said, it's excusable only because of the very last sequence, where we see Plainview's teetering on the edge of complete, self-indulged mindlessness. I imagine him quite like Napoleon, exiled on the island of Saint Helena: his grandiose ideals of power and success spoiled only by the sheer fact that his influence has been stricken. Plainview is obviously physically unfit and mentally unstable; yet it is at this point that we see his hatred boiling to a pinnacle point. He is fixated on destroying not only the livelihood of his rivals, but of his loved ones as well.

There Will Be Blood is a bold step for Paul Thomas Anderson. His transformation from film-to-film, and his ability to reinvent the filmmaking process over and over, displays his true artistic talent. After digesting this particular film for about a day and a half, I've really begun to appreciate it even more on a multitude of levels. I remember spending several weeks dissecting Taxi Driver for a film class back in college, and watching the film over and over again opened all sorts of new ideas and clues as to the essence of Travis Bickle. I firmly believe this film is be similarly as in-depth a character study.

In fact, There Will Be Blood is as important a character study as other great films with similar iconic and bold characters. Characters who are so transfixed on one particular goal--whether good or bad, noble or ruthless--that it is all encompassing and typically their downfall. But it's really the monstrous characters--those sinister individuals who we perceive as soulless beasts--that we make every attempt to empathize with. Daniel Plainview is no different. Despite his supremely ignoble actions and loathsome quality, I desire to know and understand him on a human level. I want to know what he's thinking and I want to reflect upon his deeds.

I never really cared to know J. R. Ewing on any human level. The man was strictly business, much like Daniel Plainview, and his actions were less than desirable. But there really wasn't much more to him--underneath he was merely flesh and bone. And so is Plainview. But Plainview's flesh is scarred and his bones are fractured. He has guts and all sorts of knotted up and twisted insides that bring substance and grit to his character. His visceral organs are real inside and, despite my best instincts, I've managed to continually dissect him inside my head. There Will Be Blood strives for boldness, and succeeds. It certainly cuts, and it certainly bleeds.^[1]

^[1] A playful jab at Stephanie Zacharek's review.

There Will Be... Marfa, TX

Photo courtesy marfaretreat.com
Unfortunately, I didn't take the above photograph. But I hope to, or at least one similar, when I visit Marfa, TX in April of next year. "Prada Marfa," a permanent installation located on a lonesome strip of US Highway 90, built by Berlin artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset, is only one sight I'm anxious to see on my West Texas excursion. I'm not so happy that the Marfa Film Festival is taking place merely a week after my visit. And my plans can't be changed. However, I'm hopeful my trip will be just as worthwhile. Inspired by a similar trip I took with a friend of mine back in 2003, me and a different friend, will be traveling down to Austin and into San Antonio, and then head west through Del Rio and into Big Bend National Park. We'll stay four days, or so, in that particular area. Enough time to check out the park for all it's glory, party down at the McDonald Observatory, and visit Alpine and Marfa.

I'm bringing this up because this Saturday, December 29th, marks the much anticipated sneak preview of Paul Thomas Anderson's new epic film, There Will Be Blood.


There Will Be Blood was shot south of Marfa on a 500 acre set because of its vast landscapes and dusty plains. Although the film is set in California, Anderson decided to film in West Texas "where you didn't feel like a freeway or a Burger King was around the corner," according to producer JoAnne Sellar. And that is what's so great about West Texas. There's really nothing like it anywhere else. It's natural, gritty landscapes are raw and untouched. And even though these Texas plains are barren and desolate, somehow they exude an organic texture that visually stimulates and attracts.

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Photo courtesy Richard Foreman/Paramount Pictures
Paul Thomas Anderson is not the only filmmaker interested in the gamut of Texas country. The Coen Brothers' ultra-violent, panoramic effort, No Country For Old Men, was also shot in West Texas, and Marfa played a central role.


Photo courtesy dlisted.com
Marfa has quite an impact on its visitors. Above is Javier Bardem, who plays a ghostly character of pure evil (and sports a Prince Valient haircut) in No Country, modeling a t-shirt from the Thunderbird Hotel, in Marfa.

Whitney Joiner of the New York Times writes:

"While the landscape was the main draw for both productions, the town of Marfa was a factor too. An eccentric, fiercely independent place that's become a haven for artists and art tourists, Marfa has seen an upsurge in galleries, boutique hotels and print coverage in the last 10 years. The Coens became enamored with Marfa, 'as a lot of people are,' [producer Robert] Graf said. 'There are a lot of really interesting and fun people in Marfa.'"

If that doesn't whet your appetite, I don't know what will. The whole West Texas spirit played an integral role in my decision to not only produce, but help finance, St. Nick. Much like Anderson and the Coen Brothers, my friend David Lowery, has found inspiration in that Texas country composition.

I was captivated during the course of No Country For Old Man, I can't wait to see it through the work of Paul Thomas Anderson, and most-of-all, I can't wait to gaze upon it once again for myself when I visit Marfa, TX.

Sin Busters!

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Me, Yen & David checking out the Chick Tracts at the Angelika Film Center!

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

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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.

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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.

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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.)

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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.

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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
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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.

Ola Podrida's "Eastbound" & Other Happenings

David Lowery just sent me a link to the final version of Ola Podrida's "Eastbound" music video. I blogged about the shoot about a week and a half ago. Here, for your enjoyment, is the embedded version of the final product; however for a superior look, I highly suggest that you check it out in HD.


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Tomorrow, I'm meeting up with David in Dallas to see if fifty feet of dolly track will fit in my hybrid SUV. We're really hoping for this, given, we'd rather not rent a van over the weekend for merely fifty pounds worth of material! This Saturday we are shooting the first day's footage of St. Nick. After the shoot, I hope to have time to catch "Plur," a new play by The Butterfly Connection in Fort Worth. It's playing at the Rose Marine Theatre in Fort Worth, at 7:30pm. The main event, however, is the unofficial St. Nick First Day of Shooting Wrap Party, starting at 9pm at The Ginger Man, where none other than the great Curtis Glenn Heath will be playing!


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In other news, I'm on day four of a week long detox. I'm doing raw veganism this week, primarily with as little additives as possible, even abstaining from alcohol as well. Next week, I plan to move into heated veganism; and the following two weeks, I may slowly introduce fish and chicken and dairy back into my diet. I'll let you know how it goes. Surprisingly, it hasn't been so difficult thus far.

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Sunday, me, David and others, are heading down to Austin to catch up with Ronnie Bronstein and support his nauseatingly brilliant film, Frownland. I saw it first at South By Southwest, earlier this year.

More details on all of these events later!

Beyond 'The Strike'

The standoff between the Writer's Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers has long but been inevitable. Not due to the specific circumstances that make up the pragmatic foundation of this particular conundrum, but more because of the long-standing rift between the hard-working individuals that actually create films and those that market and distribute them. It's the same, sad story and it's been boiling in Hollywood for years.

Recently, I've been reading some of David Mamet's Bambi Vs. Godzilla and, although the book was published earlier this year, it's as if Mamet were discussing this very concern. It's of little shock value to say that the writer is the most resented person in Hollywood. How many re-writes and pandering to producers and studio executives and A List actors must a writer go through before the final script is in order? How much of the original artistic vision has been dismantled in lieu of crispy one-hundred dollar bills?

It's a pathetic reality that artistic merit has long since been brushed aside in favor of financial fruition. Yet this sad state of affairs has become the norm as audiences become more and more complacent with seasonal routines and mundane expectations. It's as if the viewers have resigned themselves to mediocre plots and amateur scripts, as long as they see actors they know and over-the-top effects. Then again, I might be giving Joe Movie Goer more credit than he's worth; but that's an entirely different discussion.

What's truly ironic, however, is that these same executives are pushing the budgets higher and higher for, as David Mamet rightly suggests, if the money is spent on the best actors, the best directors, the best effects, etc., then there's all sorts of other places to place blame in the instance of a failed movie. The executives have risked nothing of their own and they get to keep their jobs (and their inflated salaries) because they've adequately spread the talent around, creating a wall of stability between them and a pink slip. And the tip of the iceberg is the higher the budget (to account for all these talented individuals), the more money the executives can fill their pockets with.

And we the people, we star-crazy psycho fanatics that we are, play into this game perfectly. And that's really a shame. A few weeks ago, I was in Fort Worth at the Lone Star International Film Festival, attending a panel about the mumblecore movement. The discussion basically described the do-it-yourself mentality that's currently flooding the festival circuit and beyond. I'll note James M. Johnston who professed the idea that even so-called independent films (produced by "independent" film studios) still cost a great deal of money; whereas truly independent DIY films cost very little. And granted, the reason why these big budgeted films cost so much is to pay everyone--and pay everyone well. And I wholeheartedly agree that all creative individuals should be justly compensated for their work. But throwing money at something that's inherently bad doesn't seem like a good idea.

As movie-goers, we should band together and demand truly moving films with smart dialogue and intelligible plot-lines. And as filmmakers, we should worry less about our hierarchy in the industry--for that's what really bolsters this rift--and just make really good films. I'm certainly hopeful that come Monday morning, some sort of compromise will be made between the WGA and the AMPTP. And I certainly favor the writers in this debate. But in my mind, the issue is moot: the writers should have been compensated anyway. There's really no debate there. The real issue is creating quality films and programming, and until writers and crew members and artists buck up and really stand for what they believe in, the studios will continue to plow filmmaking, and all its glorious splendor, into the ground. But whose fault is that, really? Is it the studio execs whose sole purpose is to not lose their jobs as studio execs? Certainly not. It's all of us who've created them and supported their agendas of blockbusters and stars and effects. It's all of us audiences and filmmakers alike who've long since traded in our love of the art of film for something far less important and sincere. But, concerning us filmmakers, it's something that keeps us all going, for better or for worse, I suppose. But then again, if it were merely about survival, there's far easier ways than filmmaking.

Enchanted & The Mist Double Feature!

The pictures above--being my friends, David Lowery and Yen Tan at the Cosmic Cup and me and Yen on a trolley, respectively--were actually taken several days before seeing these films last night. But I just thought they were cool and decided to post them.

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David, Yen and I did catch two films last night, however. Of course, being the sneaky fools we are, we only paid for one. Tee hee. For some reason, David thought it would be humorous for the three of us to all watch Enchanted together. I'm not sure if that should be embarrassing, but how about the fact that all three of us actually enjoyed it? Anyway, here's the breakdown:

Let me first preface that I have a predisposition for enjoying Disney animated films. I'm not sure if its the child in me, or the fairy-tale stories, or what; but for whatever reason, I have a rather large soft spot for them. Enchanted is no different and has not swayed me from my position a bit. It left me wanting so much more. At first I was concerned with how the transition from animation to live action would really look like on screen, but my fears soon faded away the first time I saw Amy Adams pop out of a sewer in a giant wedding dress. How marvelous and enchanting she truly is, I thought; and how animated! How absolutely animated she is! It's really as if the cartoon has come to life--as if the New York City backdrop is just that, a fabricated, foreign backdrop. And then she started talking... And her voice, her facial expressions, everything: completely animated. After the film, David and Yen told me I absolutely had to see Junebug, and I certainly will after this performance. She shined the entire time on screen and she sold me. I actually believed she was really from some fairy-tale, animated world where dreams come true and everyone lives happily ever after. I loved her so much, I'm not even going to mention the other performances other than to say they were adequate and took nothing away from the film. I'll also note that the Central Park musical number is to die for.

I will, however, take a brief look at the story as well. I know what you're thinking: some cheese ball romantic-comedy mush that's over-the-top and kid stuff, right? Well, think again. This story is all grown up, philosophically and realistically. I really liked the existential observations the characters made, being in this odd conundrum. Both they and we learn something about love and fairy-tales; about reality and fantasy; but above all, we learn that it's ultimately a compromise between the two that finds us all true genuine happiness, forever... and ever.

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There's always certain characteristics in a Stephen King adaptation that never seem to change. For one thing, you can always count on a decent story and on top of that, you typically develop some emotional concern for the protagonists along the way. The Mist doesn't veer from those characteristics. And, while I haven't actually read Stephen King's novella, I'm sure I would enjoy it after seeing the film adaptation. As a whole, however, I really didn't like the film at all. I really thought the screenplay was amateur and hokey, when it clearly wasn't trying to be. The film really wanted to be intelligent and even eminent, I think. I mean, the underlying morals and lessons are all too important and certainly a bit urgent, given the world we live in currently. But with the dialogue so badly written, I really can't give it the benefit of the doubt.

At first I thought it was the acting, but after some deliberation, I've come to terms with the fact that it's completely the fault of the writers. The circumstances and logical conclusion the characters come to in certain key instances really seem flawed and misguided. There's nothing more irritating than watching characters in films who are clearly supposed to be logical and reasonable, make illogical and unreasonable decisions, even though the film seems to think they made the right decisions. I'm not sure if any of that really makes any sense, but the bottom line is there's a fine line between creating a character who makes mistakes and a character who makes mistakes but those mistakes are totally ignored by all other characters, circumstances in the film and the film itself.

And for those of you who have seen it--or if you haven't, take a second look at this after you have--I suppose you think I'm mostly talking about the ending. But I'm not because the ending works. It doesn't matter what I would do or you would do, or what the right thing to do is done. That's not what's important. What's important is whether what was actually done is believable, or not. In this case, the ending was believable. I believed all the characters involved in the final climatic scene were truly to that point. Would I have made that decision? Probably not. But the fact that they did didn't brush me the wrong way whatsoever. It was a shock and I was certainly surprised, but it worked really well and I think without that final scene, the film would have been a complete flop. So, I suppose it goes without saying, if the mistakes and/or illogical or unreasonable decisions are ignored, the film simply doesn't work (and there are a lot of points in the film that I feel didn't work for this very reason); but on the other hand, if the mistakes are acknowledged, then the film generally works because of it. By and large, this film just didn't work for me.

Have a Bloody Thanksgiving

Eli Roth's grindhouse trailer for Thanksgiving, a bloody look at the celebrated holiday. With this trailer, you get sexploitation and explicit violence: all the right ingredients for a funfest of rape and murder!

Southland Tales

Being a dedicated fan of Richard Kelly's breathtaking Donnie Darko, I was intensely hoping that I'd disagree with all of the negative reviews I'd seen for Southland Tales; I was intensely devastated when I quickly realized the negativity was justified. The over-blown, convoluted plot is nothing short of audience abuse. The story is trite and cliché and utterly boring; and far too pretentious and egotistical. I'm certain if I look hard enough, I'll find reviews labeling it an intelligent film, demanding multiple views and an open-minded audience. But I'd rather bathe in lye than watch this monstrosity of a film ever again. It's not that the film is difficult to understand, in theory, it's all the bullshit that I have to sift through to get to that basic story that's problematic. We have wannabe witty repartee, mostly with sexual connotations and innuendos, oozing with intentions to shock, but really just annoy; bombastic characters with little substance or structure whatsoever; unbelievable story-lines, even in the fantasy setting that is this film; and artificial television news programs that really do nothing for the story but interrupt descent cinematography. Yes, the film does have some decent cinematography, but that's about it. Unless you're into audio and visual masochism, I'd venture as far away from this film as possible.

Ola Podrida's "Eastbound" Music Video

The last three days, I've been waking up about an hour or so before sunrise to shoot a new music video for Ola Podrida. The song is "Eastbound" and documents the band's move from Texas to New York. Characterized as pure Texas music, Ola Podrida's folksy beat just seems a perfect travel companion along those long, familiar stretches of Texas highways. David Lowery (Deadroom, The Outlaw Son) was chosen to write and direct the project, and it stars Barlow Jacobs (Low and Behold), who drove in to Fort Worth from New Orleans to shoot the project and hang out for a few days.



The first day of shooting went rather smoothly; probably because our location was right around the corner from James M Johnston's home in Fort Worth. However, the second day was a complete waste because Barlow was pulled over due to the fact that we'd all forgotten to take the gaffer tape off of his brake lights! And to make things worse, the officer that pulled him over was in training, so not only did Barlow receive a citation given everything had to be "by the book," but to top it off, we couldn't shoot that day because it took over thirty minutes to write the ticket. Luckily, this morning went smoothly and we got some great footage.



But the real highlight of the weekend was this totally unique and awesome tailgate we saw on the way back from The Spiral Diner!



When the final cut is available, I'll post it here. In the meantime, check out all the production stills, learn more about Ola Podrida, and see the phenomenal music video for Ola Podrida's "Lost & Found," directed by Todd Rohal (The Guatemalan Handshake).

Beowulf in 3-D!

After seeing the trailer for Beowulf, I decided I had no interest in seeing the film. However, after the screening last night, in 3-D at an IMAX theater, I'm glad I did. Other than the character names, places and objects, and some of the sequences that take place, the film is nothing like the epic poem. In fact, the underlying premise of the entire movie is completely made up and found no where in the poem. It's certainly sexed up and modernized, Hollywood style, to make it more accessible. And while I think it works well for the film, I certainly hope no ninth grader deems it a substitute for reading the actual epic. I actually pulled a copy myself from my library to re-read.

But who really cares about the poem, right? Haha, I jest! The story's the same as all the trumped up warrior movies of late (compare "I...Am...BEOWULF!" with "This...Is...SPARTA!"): heroic, sexy, hedonistic and violent. The monster Grendel is a foul ravaging, pus-ridden beast who towers over men with ease and rips their heads off like twigs. Liberties were taken, however, to make him also meek and hesitant, and clearly existentially bewildered. This gives the character soul and compels the viewer to find humanity in the creature. I really liked Grendel's mother, I must admit, even though creative license took her far beyond the original character in the poem. The cartoon version of Angelina Jolie arouses just as well, if not better, than the real thing (I could have lived without the high heels though). If I were Brad Pitt, I'd be quite jealous of cartoon Ray Winstone!

It's a cool movie and definitely worth watching, but more so because of the technology, and less so about the story. You've got swords and blood and waves and stones and spears and beasts all coming at you at once! It's like you're in this foreign world battling right along with our hero! Alright, it's not that impressive, but it's certainly worth a movie ticket to check it out. I really can't say for sure how I'd feel about the film if I'd seen it in traditional two dimensional style on a normal movie screen... But then again, I'm not reviewing that experience, now am I?

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/

***
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 I'd never have thought of myself, but that's entirely applicable to the film all the same." That's really the magic of this high-concept, experimental narrative with absolutely no dialogue--save three words at the very end of the film. It's the subtle placement of things, the body language and facial expressions and a mood created by lighting, sound and music (in this case, The Theater Fire!) that tells a story. The fact that there are no words and that the audience can take away their own interpretations of the film, really adds to its essence. Much like a painting in a museum, The Outlaw Son relies on its audience to complete the story.

Currently, David and I are in pre-production for his next feature, St. Nick, which will rely as much on imagery as The Outlaw Son does. I'll discuss that more later.

For more information on the film, check out: http://www.road-dog-productions.com/films/outlawsonmain.html

***
Yen Tan's Coda is an incredibly short film which creates quite an impact. Much like The Outlaw Son, the film does not rely as much on dialogue as it does the photography and sound design. Coda features Frank Mosley, as a guy taking his dog out for a final, quiet walk. The bond the two have creates quite an impact and its difficult not to rub your eyes at the end.

***
A shocking coincidence at a party sets an uncomfortable tone in James M. Johnston's GDMF. The film playfully begins with an exotic dancer describing an odd fetish of one of her clients. Certainly setting the awkward tone at the beginning, GDMF proves to take its uneasiness even further with an accidental act that makes her professional line of work seem just the same as any cubical jockey's. Interestingly enough, the act itself isn't enough for Johnston, as he shows us the unlikely aftermath which compels the viewer to question who really is or is not the victim of this bizarre tale. The gritty look of the film and the slamming music of Top Secret...Shhh really fits the overall design of the film as a whole. And the cinematography at the end, with a scene involving a mother and a daughter, is absolutely perfect.

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

***
Although I hate to admit it, Yen Tan's second short of the program, Booty Recall, really hit home with me. I mean, it's happened to everyone. You're just out of the shower, ready to get dressed and head out, when you find out the person you're planning on meeting has other plans. It's Saturday night and you want to head out! So, you get on your cell phone and start dialing. Name after name... Dismissal after dismissal. Until finally, you start calling people you haven't spoken to in years and people you really don't want to hang out with anyway. It's really just pre-drunk dialing and Yen Tan captures it perfectly. Beyond that, the film takes a lonely Saturday night to quite a few other levels like drinking wine out of a beer mug and watching gay porn just because it's there. The film stars Sean French of The Theater Fire!

***
Clay Liford's The Stranger--based on Camus' work of the same title--packs a hilarious punch and marked a great way to end a series of fantastic DIY films. I helped produce the eleven minute short and loved every minute of it. What's really amazing, however, is the editing Liford did in post. The finished product left the entire audience--including myself--seamlessly laughing out loud. Erotic and sensual, The Stranger strokes the viewer at his very core. It's a story of love and obsession. Or, maybe it's just a cool way to jerk off.

A new soundtrack for the film is currently being worked on. I'll keep you posted on any updates and additional releases. No website is available for the film at this time.

***
Here are a few more stills from The Stranger.


***
After the films, James persuaded all of us to go eat at The Spiral Diner. Little did we know that Spiral was later catering the Thursday night party at Encore Lounge! What a sly, capitalist dog!

Here's patriotic Clay, cramped in the back of Barak's car on the ride over to Spiral!


After the party, a few of us went back over to the filmmaker's lounge at The Flying Saucer for many more libations, perfect to fuel next morning's regrets...

LSIFF.07 Opening Night.: Kabluey, and Brave Combo!

Driving into Sundance Square is always a treat; with its sparkling gold lights, the glimmer of movie theaters and pubs, and the faint artistic air. Fort Worth is the slowly becoming more and more like my true love, Austin, TX. I'm really excited about the Lone Star International Film Festival because it brings an important film event back to Fort Worth. But unlike its predecessor, I think this one--by the grace of Bill Paxton--will continue to be an annual event.

***
The really amazing thing about Kabluey is the celebrity cast Scott Prendergast puts together. Not only is the film made on a shoe-string budget (no trailers or amenities folks!), but this is Prendergast's first feature length film! Topping that, he writes, directs and stars in it! After the film ended, Prendergast tells us that his co-star, Lisa Kudrow, actually phoned him up one morning and told him in person she'd do the film. He'd sent her a script directly. Apparently, after she signed on, several other stars (including Teri Garr and Christine Taylor) followed suit.

Not only is the cast of characters spot on, but the film itself certainly delivers a wide spectrum of joyous emotions. I felt joy throughout the film, but that joy ranged from laugh-out-loud funny, to giddiness, to emotions that made me feel like I should cry but still made me feel happy. Either way, I was quite amused and had a smile on my face the entire time.

The quirky concept of the film is an oddball kind of guy, Salman, trying to help his sister-in-law with her two, non-stop ruckus driven brats, while her husband is away in Iraq. Salman ends up getting a seemingly useless job as a guy who dresses up in a huge blue, faceless suit and hands out flyers promoting office space for rent at a glorious expanse of a building so large and magnificent and yet, so empty. I asked the writer/director about the company during the Q&A session and he said he'd manufactured it after these grand buildings owned by bankrupt and defunct dot com companies, who'd busted.

Prendergast finds humor in so many ordinary parts of life. This, coupled with his ability to tell a story by only showing its aftermath, makes me think we'll be seeing quite a bit more of him on screen and behind the scenes. Prendergast received a round of applause when he announced Kabluey had been picked up and will be distributed, with a theatrical release, sometime next year. It's blurific!

For more information on the film, go to: http://kabluey.com/

***

Nothing starts a festival off right like an opening party with Brave Combo headlining. Hailing from Denton, TX, this polka/rock band has certainly impacted the North Texas music scene for over twenty-five years now. Any UNT student (and I was one!) should know Brave Combo!

After the party, a few of my friends and I hit that fabulous neighborhood bar in Fort Worth, The Chatroom Pub for a few after-party cocktails and fun. What makes the Chat Room so great is its co-owner, Brad. The first time I went in there, I was amazed at his service and genuineness. In fact, he didn't charge me all night (I suppose it was because who I was with), but I made up for it in tips! He's remembered my name, and always has a follow question for me the moment I walk into his bar, ever since.

Alright, so I'd had enough to drink and had water. What are you gonna do about it?! Either way, the first day packed a punch and I'm ready to experience the rest of it! Bullocks! I'm late for a film... I'm off!

Lone Star International Film Festival

Fort Worth has brought back it's film festival! Now, instead of the Fort Worth Film Festival, it's changed its title to the Lone Star International Film Festival. It's next week--November 7th thru 11th--and should be a lot of fun.

A short film I helped produce is in the Texas DIY Shorts program, along with a whole slew of local filmmaker friends. Some other great films from talented individuals are also featured at the festival.

I'm looking forward to it and I hope to see some of you out there! Go support art, you bastards! There will be drink and merriness and festival parties as well!

***

Come check out The Theater Fire at the Lone Star International Film Festival Closing Party, this Sunday, November 11th at The Flying Saucer in Fort Worth at 8pm.

Not only should it be an amazing concert, but you'll get to mingle with filmmakers and celebrities! Woo hoo!

The Theater Fire is best described as an alt country musical group; however, with a multitude of instruments and it's folksy, melodic tone, The Theater Fire packs a pure Texas country punch that's really undefined in any specific genre. They really are quite a treat and well worth checking out!

If you can't see them on Sunday in Fort Worth (or you just don't want to make the drive if you're in Dallas); well, you're in luck! They're also playing at world famous (okay, maybe not "world famous"--but it should be!) Lee Harvey's on Saturday, November 10th at 9pm.

Lars and the Real Girl

Upon seeing the trailers for Lars and the Real Girl, I figured I'd be walking into a semi-charming, obscure romantic comedy. Perhaps it would warm my heart or tickle me in a light-hearted way. But would I walk out of the theater in a different manner than how I'd come in? Probably not. Or, so I thought. Unlike most of the theater audience, Lars rarely made me laugh out loud and never really shocked me in anyway. I did find myself warmed and stricken with joy as the plot unfolded before me. This film is probably one of the most human I've seen in quite sometime. The critics seem to agree that the miracle of the film is taking an otherwise disturbing premise and making it something charming and intelligent. I don't see it that way at all. Instead, I find the real miracle of the film is that for 106 minutes, I regained a newfound faith in humanity.

Blood on the Highway

Here are some stills from Barak Epstein's latest film, Blood on the Highway. I came out as a guest of David Lowery, and ended up an extra (the fact that fake blood was poured all over me sorta locked me in).

David Lowery's Interview with Ronald Bronstein, creator of Frownland

After this year's South By Southwest Film Festival, I wrote about Frownland. After looking back at the festival and thinking about all the films I saw (and unfortunately, I never got around to discussing all of them here on the blog!), I think Frownland has stuck out the most and has easily made my favorites list. David Lowery just had an interview with Bronstein published over at Filmmaker Magazine and if you're in NYC on September 5th, you can actually see the film over at the IFC Center.

SXSW.2007 Day Six: Crazy Sexy Cancer, Big Rig, Call of the Hummingbird, The King of Kong

The most important aspect of Kris Carr's Crazy Sexy Cancer is that it doesn't dwell on the disease. It's about living and not about dying. Anyone--with Cancer, or not--can gain a great deal from this film. It's about taking every moment and cherishing it like there's no tomorrow. It's about eating well and exercising and finding peace with yourself and your environment. It's about being able to rock the world no matter what stands in your way. It's as much a film about hope as it is utter resolve in the face of opposition.

As Carr travels throughout the country in search of an alternative "cure" for her disease, she finds herself, she finds her soul mate, and she finds true meaning in life. This uplifting documentary will certainly change your viewpoint on the big "C"; and might even change your outlook on life. Don't expect the usual pathetic terminal disease dribble; and check your pity at the door.

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

***
Big Rig is the story of the people who make up the subtle backbone of America: the truck drivers. We see the problems that arise on the road, the inherent dangers of the industry, and the lowering of wages due to higher gasoline costs. We also see the drivers behind the wheel in their most intimate moments and we see a positive spirit in them that we wouldn't normally expect. Probably the most important statement in the film is made by a trucker in a diner who says that if all the trucks stopped, America would shut down in three days. So, next time you're driving down the highway and feel like cutting off a trucker just because he or she's not going ninety miles an hour, remember that you depend on them making it to their destination everyday.

***
Call of the Hummingbird is Alice Klein's look at an eco-friendly group of people in Brazil who aspire to perfect sustainable living during a thirteen day informative celebration something not unlike "Burning Man" (without the large burning... man). It's all geared towards learning to live within the physical environment without destroying it (what a concept).

However, like anything else, it has its pitfalls. The film shows us that even like-minded, goal-oriented people can easily be sidetracked. We see that some help far more than others and some really do more harm than good. While the effort of sustainable living is a valiant one, this film shows that it's never going to happen unless people really start caring and want to exert an effort to make our home a better place to live.

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

***
The King of Kong was easily one of my favorite films of the festival. It documents the struggle one man undertakes in competing for the world record of a popular arcade game: Donkey Kong. Steve Weibe takes on this challenge head-on against his mulleted adversary: Billy Mitchell. But where is Billy Mitchell? He's constantly onscreen acting the buffoon, but he never really publicly accepts the challenge. He's portrayed as the villainous cretin who's already won and thusly cowardly backs off from any opportunity to lose his acclaim as the Donkey Kong world champion. He recently came out to MTV as if he were a victim in all of this. What's really amusing, however, is that he still refuses to see the film itself. He's relying solely on what critics and independent filmmakers are saying about the documentary. Of course, this is par for the course for Mr. Mitchell.

The really important aspect of this film is the dichotomy of the two main characters involved. As several critics have already stated, it's really like Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed. The selfless underdog who's got to prove himself over and over verses the ego-driven champion who's lost sight due to his clouded vision of reality. And this film could have easily been about boxing or any other competitive sport, as much as it is about competitive arcade gaming; which makes it all the more accessible.

Unfortunately, I missed the premiere of the film, but was told that Steve Weibe was present in the audience, and after the film received applause and a five-minute standing ovation from the crowd.

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

Enter Emo Spidey: A Response to Spider-Man 3

The basic moral of Spider-Man 3 dances around the existentialist idea of choice and consequence. We all have choices and those choices affect the environment around us. As Stan Lee states (the obvious) when pointing to a picture of Spider Man passing by on a bus: "one person can make a difference." In the final scene of the film, Peter Parker must make a definitive choice as he faces a personal opponent. In writing this response to the public premiere of Spider-Man 3, I too must make a definitive choice. And for me, it's also quite personal. I choose not to forgive Sam Raimi for this film. I choose to stew in my intial reaction to what has just been presented to me onscreen.

I remember riding my bike week after week to Lone Star Comics when I was twelve years old, just to pick up the latest issue of Venom. The store would call me at home and I'd pedal on over there just as fast as my little legs would carry me. For me, Venom was the pinnacle of all supervillians. Spider-Man 3 has ruined that experience for me.

In fact, Spider-Man 3 has ruined quite a lot comic book experiences for me. The total hack job that Raimi has put together reeks of stock action sequences, scattered with misplaced character portraits and loose-ended plot developments. There's really no story here, just a lot of hyped up super-inflated, ego-driven madness. And on top of all that silliness, the film envelopes itself in cheese, but leaves out all the camp. I won't bore you with details, but the film just takes itself way too seriously, and by doing so, turns the audience against it. The film, in essence, disrespects and abuses the audience with scenes so godawful one can't help to boo at the end--and that's exactly what happened after the premiere tonight.

SXSW.2007 Day Five: "Reel Shorts 3," The Devil Came on Horseback, Manufacturing Dissent, and Zoo

Tuesday morning, I woke up and headed straight for the Alamo South just in time to catch my first shorts program: "Reel Shorts 3."

For A Swim With the Fish is a charming nine minute tale of a young girl who skips school one day to visit her mother, who she strongly believes is a mermaid living in the Gulf of Mexico.

If you've ever known one of those extreme sports guys who just won't quit, check out Monday Night. For five minutes--the duration of the film--I just couldn't stop laughing.

I really enjoyed Tom's War on Terror. The two minute short is predictable, but tackles an all-too-familiar subject in a way that's both laughable and makes you feel weird for laughing at the same time. I'd really like to see some more of Tom's adventures!

Pop Foul, probably the most important film of the set, conveys in twenty minutes what many feature length films have failed miserably to communicate over and over again. The struggle to rise out of poverty and crime is certainly not as easy as so many like to pretend it is; and this film shows a family who's really trying, but may fail due to the negative environment around them, and the reality that others they encounter will constantly deter them rising above.

Piece By Piece is an informative fifteen minute documentary about speedcubing, featuring an array of amateurs and record holders of the Rubick's Cube sport. You get it all: traditional speedcubing, oversized speedcubing, mini-speedcubing, one-handed speedcubing, and so much more! One trick you don't get to see, but I'm awaiting, is speedcubing three traditional cubes while juggling. Accomplish that--and solve the puzzle--and I'll give you a cookie!

By Modern Measure is a smart quip about the "MySpace" generation and its obliviousness to important current sociopolitical events.

We're Going to the Zoo is a sweet fourteen minute short about a brother and a sister who pick up an innocuous hitchhiker on their way to the zoo.

After the "Reel Shorts 3" program, David and I decided to hit Whole Foods for a quick lunch, and saw this awesome South Texas Pride car along the way!


For more information on these films, look them up! I can't be bothered!

***
The most important aspect about The Devil Came on Horseback is its images, simply for the unfortunate fact that no one, really, has seen anything properly documenting the brutality going on over there. There's been sporadic text every now and then, and even a picture or two; but, by and large, the waves in the press about Darfur are merely ankle busters compared to this film's tsunami of pictorials and video, displaying the absolute horror of that region of Sudan.

The film follows Brian Steidle, a man who's entire career has been military-based. He served as a USMC captain and when he would no longer see combat, he left the military and accepted a contract position in Sudan with the Joint Military Commission, where he would be an integral part of the North-South ceasefire, rising the ranks from a team leader to senior operations officer. After seven months, he was invited to Darfur, where he would serve as an unarmed military observer and American representative for the African Union in that region. This film documents his findings as an observer.

What he found was systematic ethnic-cleansing genocide. The Sudanese government was not only enabling the mass extinction of its citizens, it was controlling it. The "devil" in the title of the film are the Janjaweed, nomadic black-Arab militia groups who massacre entire villages, by exterminating its non-Arab black African inhabitants and literally burn the tribes' homes to the ground. They are "paid" in plunder and are notorious for raping their female victims, castrating their male victims and torturing them all.

The Janjaweed have been more adequately equipped and become a far greater threat since non-Arab groups, the Sudan Liberation Army and the Justice and Equality Movement, have risen up against the Sudanese government, for its mistreatment of its people. Although the government of Sudan has repeatedly denied any assistance to these barbarous raiding bandits, this film has been a breakthrough of evidence, showing quite clearly the government's involvement.

To really understand this film, however, is to understand its tragedy. No one is really doing anything about this. Even after Steidle came back and lobbied before congress in an effort to call the United States to action, his plethora of images and video were dismissed as nothing more than inconvenient casualties in another state-sponsored genocide that we're unwilling to involve ourselves in. Sure, they were acknowledged and Colin Powell called it what it was--a "genocide"--but there's still over 450,000 dead and counting, and 2.5 million displaced.

This cartoon by Mike Luckovich really says it all:


I could describe to you the images I saw--the maiming and killing of men, women and children; their eyes gouged out and their bodies burned, castrated and mutilated--and how I reacted, emotionally with tears of hopelessness and regret, when I saw this film. But instead, I think it far more powerful for you to go see this film for yourself. Then perhaps you'll want to take action and help let our government know that you want it to take active involvement in stopping this nightmare. It's not enough to talk about it and acknowledge that it's happening--we need to take active measures in preventing the perpetuation of these government sanctioned massacres.

Remember, just as you've read this review in the comfort of your own home or office or wherever, the killing in Sudan continues. And it won't stop until every last one of the non-Arab black Africans are dead, or when, and if, someone steps in and takes appropriate action to stop it.

For more information on this film, go to: http://www.thedevilcameonhorseback.com/home.html
To find out more about the conflict and what you can do, go to: http://www.savedarfur.org/

***

One of the really sad things about Hollywood, is that it continues to label Michael Moore a documentarian. His films aren't documentaries, rather, creatively and cleverly manipulated quasi-truthful narratives, posing as entirely nonfiction. He's a damn good entertainer and something of an activist. He believes in shaking up the government and berating its policies, he makes it his mission to expose large corporations for all sorts of naughty things, and he thrives on his own self-prophesying martyrdom. Because so many of his followers agree with his politics, they ignore the untruths and feel the ends justify the means. Sure, Michael Moore has subjects that really need to be tackled, and he's even got some truth behind what he "documents"; but the sheer fact that he manufactures false premises and then "backs them up" with unsubstantiated facts, to arrive at strawman conclusions, really trumps most of what he does.

Manufacturing Dissent basically takes on Michael Moore in the same manner that he's now notoriously known for. Toronto-based documentary filmmakers and "progressive liberals" Rick Caine and Debbie Melnyk originally set out to film a positive documentary about Moore, his films and his methods, due to his enormous contributions to documentary filmmaking (he really has popularized the genre). As Caine and Melnyk engulfed themselves in research, however, they found what many of us had already known: Michael Moore is an arrogant blowhard who--guess what?--manufactures dissent in order to askew topics in his favor. He's really just a walking "talking point" for left-wing liberals. Not that that's a bad thing, per se; but when facts are ignored, manipulated or taken out of context, we should have a problem with it. And, worse, when we decide it's better to be to be "quick and witty, rather than thoughtful," as one person in the film describes Moore, we've not allowed ourselves any chance at really getting to the core of these issues (will The Daily Show and The Colbert Report be our downfall?).

The film really gets to the heart of what's at stake by talking about the covenant a documentarian has with its audience to tell the truth--at least to the best of the filmmaker's knowledge. Documentaries really serve as a catalyst to incite interest in a particular non-fictional subject for a barrage of reasons, such as social, political, informative or downright entertaining purposes. If the viewer can't trust the filmmaker, the film loses its credibility.

Some might argue that this is a small price to pay for enlightening so many about what's really going on in the world. But take a look at what happens when Michael Moore starts blabbering on about something-or-other. Namely, his sheep-like supporters look at the world in his patented tunnel-vision sunglasses; while his opposers attack him personally and mock all that he stands for. He's a hero for his choir and a demon for his opposition. Isn't that really backwards progress?

For the same reason I don't subscribe to Star magazine, or watch the E! channel, I try, really hard, not to listen to Michael Moore. And when I do watch his docu...er, mockumentaries--and I do watch them--I take them entirely with a grain of salt. Manufacturing Dissent, on the other hand, seems to be quite in-line with what a documentary film should be.

For more information on this film, go to: http://www.myspace.com/161093092

***
Zoo is probably as tasteful a movie as can be, given its bestial subject. For those of you who aren't aware, there's a small population of the world who prefer the love of an animal--both mentally and physically--over the love of a human. This film stylistically recreates the life and death of one horse lover, Mr. Hands, and his pack of animal molesting friends, during one of many meetings and BBQ's in a small town near Seattle. Mr. Hands died from internal injuries, caused by the numerous and repetitive thrusting of the enlarged member of a stallion into his anus.

The film is tasteful because it's not sleazy. In this respect, it's almost worse on the audience because it humanizes these so-called animal lovers. What you'd think would be more like a shockumentary, more than anything else, really becomes a shallow dissection of a zoophile's playful mind. It's certainly not psychological, nor really in-depth; but its shallowness really makes it that much more grim.

As I watched the film, I felt like a voyeur peering into the lives of ordinary human beings doing absolutely bizarre and reprehensible things--and they just talked about it as if it were as benign and workaday as eating a bowl of cereal or taking the dog for a ride [insert pun here]. Yet, much like a pedophile talking about his love for children, these zoophile's innocently and sincerely spoke about their love for animals.

Initially concerned about the content of the film, I left the theater without witnessing the exploitation or mockery of bestiality, nor did I see anything graphic or overtly sexual. I did leave the theater a little sickened, however, because I didn't loathe Mr. Hands or his friends. In fact, I somehow sympathized with their pitiful plight.

I could not find an offiicial site for this film.

***

Immediately after Zoo I headed over to Maggie Mae's for the SXSW Film Closing Party where I met and talked for several hours with a new special effects friend of mine and Austin local. Oddly enough, for an hour or two, Nicky Katt (Boiler Room) was a few feet away, chugging Lonestar, smoking Pot, and chatting it up with Louis Black (editor, Austin Chronicle). I asked a girl who was with him for a light, but didn't see any need to bother Nicky, himself. I did really like him in Boiler Room though.

After I'd closed down the party, I was walking to my truck, when I happened to somehow find myself in the Dirty Country afterparty. Unfortunately, I missed the film, but I got a taste of the music. If you want totally uncouth and raunchy and crude country music, check out Larry Pierce and band.

I don't really remember leaving the party, or what happened between there and my cousin's house. Uhhh... But I did wake up in the morning to see a nifty film about Cancer...

SXSW.2007 Day Four: Audience of One, Frownland, Quiet City, and Flakes

After the screening of Audience of One, much to the surprise--nay, the horror--of viewers, Pastor Richard Gazowsky and some of his congregation approached the stage with director Michael Jacobs. I, for one, had my hand over my mouth; my eyes were widened; and I certainly didn't know what to expect next.

But I'm getting ahead of myself--let's backtrack.

It took Gazowsky forty years to see his first feature film. Now the mission statement of his San Francisco based WYIWYG ("What You See Is What You Get") Filmworks is: "To bring the presence of God to people all over the world through entertainment." A highly unlikely candidate for a director, Gazowsky has made it his lifelong mission--since God told him to do it, of course--to get the biggest film ever on screen. It's kinda like "Star Wars meets The Ten Commandments"; shot on 65mm, it will be "the greatest movie ever made" and with a two million dollar budget to boot! A humble goal, indeed. Well, with that kind of pressure on your shoulders, it's no doubt that the film hasn't been made, despite hundreds of thousands of dollars and over a decade invested.

Jacobs doesn't really interfere much, in this film. He simply sits back and watches the roller coaster that is WYSIWYG Filmworks. Throughout the documentary, we see a highly inexperienced crew, a director who treats the set as a dictatorship instead of a collaboration, and a train wreck of goofs, mix-ups and failures. Anyone outsourced--and with any experience--ends up leaving, due to the misguided creative vision of the wannabe director. The crew spends money they don't have, relying on "investors" we never see; who end up dropping the whole project in the grease. Yet, the troupe hold on to that crazy vision and pray like there's no tomorrow because they are bound by faith!

Just about the entire film made me laugh out loud, but at the same time, I felt a little ill in my stomach. The real question here--despite all the buffoonery and delusion--seems to be of immense import: is all of this a tad bit dangerous?

Going back to the Q&A session, after the film; one audience member asked the pastor if he'd immediately turn to operate, if God had asked him to be a surgeon. And while the pastor's answer is an obvious one, the question still lingers in the air. Is this man's ambitiousness capable of hurting others around him?

I certainly don't doubt this man's determination or his conviction--he actually sold his house to help the project--however, I do have doubt in his ability to deliver. And while he may be blinded by his own ambition, it's simply no excuse to waste the hopes and aspirations--and money!--of true believers, on the weak foundation of a deluded dream. This problematic, cultish mentality might be funny from the outside; but as we've seen so many times over: fundamentalism can be a very dangerous thing.

The pastor's response to all of this?

“It’s like watching yourself go to the toilet,” he says with sincerity. “I don’t like to see myself cry. I feel like a total idiot in front of you guys. But what if we end up getting funded, dude? Then I’m not so stupid. Maybe.”

Maybe. Or, perhaps you're just a charlatan, who's just wasted another large sum of money--and someone else's dreams--due to false promises, based on absurdity and lofty goals, impossible to meet.

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

***

Frownland is like one of those intensely embarrassing situations where you end up laughing out loud at exactly the wrong time; and just at the moment you realize you shouldn't be laughing, you've already reached the pinnacle of voice resoundness; and as you look around you at the ghostly white faces with their gaping wide-open mouths and glazen eyes, you feel a piercing ache beginning in the pit of your stomach and suddenly rushing up your throat and... well, you get the point.

But for all its unpleasantness and punches in the face, Frownland, really is a remarkable piece of work that, after viewing the inarticulate mess of a main character and all his pathetic troubles and mishaps, makes you want to scratch your own eyes out and at the same time, you feel sickenly sorry for him.

It would have been a lot easier for me to simply walk out of Ronald Bronstein's film, but for some insane reason, I felt an unwavering determination to stay the course and experience all the grainy irritation the film has to offer. If someone sets you on fire, you typically want to put it out: Stop! Drop! And Roll! But with this film, you want to watch the flame slowly engulf your entire body. You endure the pain--perhaps out of spite, or some unknown masochistic curiosity I can't even begin to attempt to explain.

Unfortunately, mainstream cinema will never let this film come to a theater near you. But if you get a chance to catch it, prepare yourself: bring a doggie bag.

For more information on this film, go to: http://frownlandinc.com/index.html

***

Much like Hannah Takes the Stairs, Aaron Katz's Quiet City focuses more on dialogue than on plot. I mean, here's the plot, in a nutshell. Girl flies to a strange city to meet her friend. Girl meets strange boy and asks strange boy for directions to diner so that she can meet her flaky friend that is always late and sometimes never shows up (I mean, we see where this is going, don't we?). Strange boy accompanies girl to diner, into diner, after diner, and several days following. There's some other people involved; an art show and after party; and some six degrees action to make the plot a bit more interesting; but that's about it.

But it's a nice film. That's really all there is to it. This is yet another film by another "ultra-indy" filmmaker, focusing on twentysomethings and the way they communicate. The scene, cutely coined mumblecore seems to lump together a group of filmmakers (coincidentally, all of them seem to like each other and/or work together) who all seem to be focused on the ultra-indy tactics like self-distribution, microbudgets and digital marketing of their own films. It's interesting how the six degrees theme in the film, Quiet City seems to ring true for this whole mumblecore thing: this new drawing, by Aaron Hillis, illustrates a great deal of the connections at SXSW and really spells the whole thing out. These guys all started out individually, but we've seen quite a collaboration this year. I'm anxious to see what's next for the mumblecorps?

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

***

Michael Lehmann's new film, Flakes, could have been a quirky comedy, centered on a new type of concept "cereal" bar. Instead, it tries too hard to be a romantic comedy with a quirky setting, and unfortunately, doesn't really deliver anything romantic or comedic. I mean, the setting really is great. And the overlying plot--young entrepreneur threatens to Starbuck over a local establishment with a local following--might have worked, if the film had been completely different.

But instead of focusing on the fact that these guys live, eat and breathe cereal, Lehmann decides to cliché it all up by introducing the same old, badly written girl-wants-slackerboy-to-quit working-his-dead-end-job-and-focus-on-his-aspiring-music-career theme. And because of this, we never really get to learn that much about cereal, or what great toys come out of cereal boxes, or really anything cool at all. We do get some slack-off acting and a shameful appearance by Christopher Lloyd. All-in-all, it's a waste of time and plays more like a badly written sitcom than an actual feature film.

I have no idea where to go to find more information on this film, as I couldn't find an official site.

After Flakes I was ready to give up on film for the evening, so I joined some B-Siders at the PayPal party and it all gets blurry from there...

SXSW.2007 Day Three: "Grindhouse 101" panel, Hell on Wheels, Pretty in the Face, and Hannah Takes the Stairs

Robert Rodriguez (dir. Desperado, Spy Kids, Sin City), respected by many in the film world, is something of a local hero in Austin. Creating films since childhood, Rodriguez has pushed the envelope of independent film for several decades. He's always paved his own pathway, despite criticism from Hollywood, and has always found a way not to compromise his creative vision with every project he's been involved with.

His latest film, Grindhouse--with fellow friend and director, Quentin Tarrantino--a pastiche of both grindhouse cinema houses and the films themselves, served as the catalyst of the "Grindhouse 101" panel. In the sixties and seventies, some inner-city movie houses would showcase a double feature of b-movie exploitation films--often pornographic or extremely violent in nature. These films would often be contrived after the filming of a sensational trailer or graphic movie poster. Shocking trailers and gripping poster designs were supposed to induce interest in the audience. Most of these trailers were only seen in the actual movie houses themselves, given it was far more common for a film to travel from town-to-town, relying on the theater and local advertising to introduce the film and bring about interest from viewers. Unfortunately, by the end of the eighties most of these theaters had been rendered obsolete, due to the explosion of the home video market. Rodriguez and Tarrantino attempt to bring that wonderfully awful phenomenon back with their latest project, a double-feature--each directed individually--that uses many of the same tactics and exploitative nature of the original grindhouse films; and even some digitally enhanced effects, such as using the actual film stock to change the mood, purposely introduced blemishes in the film stock, and rough cuts in the editing and splicing of the film.

Following are four trailers shown during the panel, which give specific insight into what grindhouse cinema really is. Please note that these trailers may, or may not, be rated. They are offensive and graphic: exactly what grindhouse cinema should be! So, don't say I didn't warn you.

The Green Slime


Boss Nigger


They Call Her One Eye


The Crippled Master


The panel also served as a forum to present the winner of the SXSW grindhouse trailer competition. Following is the trailer that took first place, followed by two additional finalists. Same warning applies.

Hobo With a Shotgun


The Dead Won't Die


Maiden of Death


However, the highlight of the occasion was viewing Eli Roth's own grindhouse trailer, Thanksgiving, a bloody look at the celebrated holiday. With this trailer, you get sexploitation and explicit violence: all the right ingredients for a funfest of rape and murder!

Thanksgiving

For more information on the film, Grindhouse, go to: http://www.grindhousemovie.net/

***

After Rodriguez's panel, I headed over to the Paramount Theater to check out the Hell on Wheels premiere, a documentary about a misfit group of pierced-up & tattooed, punk rock chicks who bond together in the hopes of reviving the defunct sport of roller derby. The film clearly demonstrates their eventual success in doing just that--albeit through many trials and errors and corporate reorganizations; along with bitter, greedy disputes and tension-built aggression sessions. Hell on Wheels not only presents the sport itself, but provides as a behind-the-scenes exposé on how it has gone from a small revival in Austin to garnering world-wide acclaim--it currently boasts being the fastest growing women's sport in America.

What was really cool for me, personally though, was the fact that I actually used to work with one of the original Lonestar Rollergirls (shout-out to you, Rachelle!). She was one of many who actually left the original league due to a shift in corporate philosophy--where originally, a select group of founding members shared all stock in the corporation and controlled all aspects of the league--and formulated a new league, the Texas Rollergirls, owned and operated by the skaters themselves. Apparently, the original league has now-since embraced much of the same corporate philosophy it was originally fighting against.

Of course, if you don't care about the history behind today's roller derby, there's certainly enough hot chicks beating up other hot chicks action to keep you satisfied!

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

After the film, I briefly hit the after-party for some free pizza and lasagna (and actually paid for my first beer of the week!), before rushing back to the Alamo Drafthouse to catch my next film.

***

Pretty in the Face is a depressing look at two individuals--Maggie, a homely girl with little self-image who constantly suffers her own blahness, and Daniel, an overweight fourteen year-old who resents his mother for being appallingly obese--who, uniting through individual tragedies, serve to help each other by finding a commonality of confusion and want of transgression in a world of banality and commonplace.

While the film's premise is an interesting one--and it's certainly important to focus on the problems of vanity in today's society--it just didn't seem to work for me. I never found myself sympathetic of the characters or their plights. And on top of that, the quality of the film was really poor and grainy. Because of these issues, I left the theater unchanged and in search of something a bit more gratifying. So, I was happy to meet my buddy Dave, to see the premiere of Joe Swanberg's latest film.

For more information on this film, go to: http://www.prettyintheface.com/pitf/index.cfm

***

Before I talk about the film itself, let me first say that all of the SXSW trailers were short "on-the-set," humorous vignettes, akin to funny episodes on MySpace and YouTube. This is what Swanberg seems to be all about: toying with, and embracing, that quirkiness of amateur movie-making that's overtaking the Internet. He plays on the influence of chatspeak and caters to a new brand of digital marketing, creating a whole other level of filmmaking--and backhandedly shunning Hollywood and all of its big-budget bullshit.

Hannah Takes the Stairs takes a look at how ordinary, modern-day twentysomethings communicate. Like the vignettes, the film is episodic, improvised and basically has no plot. But that's the exact charm of Hannah: it's unique style allows the film to display visceral moments, which may not have otherwise been accessible through the lens of traditional cinema photography. These moments of actor-to-audience relation, lends a realness to the film that bridges the gap between what's happening on the screen and what's going on in the theater.

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

***

After the premiere, I headed to the afterparty with Dave and crew, for some drinks and discussion; and then we all went to Austin's own homegrown Kerbey Lane Cafe for a late-night dinner. A few days later, between screenings at the Alamo South, I found a rad Kerbey Lane t-shirt circa 1994 at The Salvation Army for a buck!

SXSW.2007 Day Two: Confessions of a Superhero, American Zombie, and Undead or Alive: A Zombedy

Confessions of a Superhero, directed by Matt Ogens, documents four celebrity or, in this case, comic-book character, impersonators, who work everyday on Hollywood Boulevard, in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre, meeting tourists and taking pictures with them. Interpolated with amazing stills, the documentary is well put together and really shows the depressing struggle for famedom.

The characters go out everyday, hoping to make ends meet by accepting tips in exchange for taking pictures with tourists; and, at the same time, work constantly, striving for a breakthrough in the film industry. All of the characters seem to have a certain sense of humor with regards to themselves and their careers--or lack thereof. And yet they are still driven, and find import in what they do on a daily basis. The film chronicles the daily activities of these four characters; we see them getting dressed to hit the boulevard, visiting their therapists and in their personal relationships. We see that the real heroes are not really the costumes at all--but the people inside. Following is those people inside the costumes.

Superman, played by Christopher Lloyd Dennis, is the veteran of the group. Doing this for over thirteen years, he's respected by many of the character actors, the locals, and apparently the authorities (he's never had a complaint, to date). Throughout the film, he forces me to like him: he's very warm-hearted, seemingly selfless and humble. We see him propose to his current wife (obviously, she says "yes") and she's so in love with him and charmed by him, the viewer can't help but fall in love as well. Dennis will admit himself that he's obsessed with Superman--he's got a collection any fanboy would drool over (he boasts spending over $90,000). He drinks out of the milk carton and always has a cigarette in his mouth--unless he's working, or in costume out of his house. What kind of message would that send? Sure, Dennis has a few quarks, but so did Clark Kent (of which he reminds me a great deal). But if anyone's gonna portray Superman, and put that costume on, I'd like to think it'd be Christopher Lloyd Dennis.

Wonder Woman, played by Jennifer Gehrt, is the token prom queen from the country. She grew up in middle America, was miss... well, everything, in high school; and probably should have married the popular high school jock and settled down, only to play housewife and pop out kids for the rest of her life, never realizing her true dreams and desires. But instead, she suddenly decides to hop on a plane--with the help of her optimistic mother--and get the hell to Los Angeles. Now she's mostly-happy, recently divorced and hopefully energetic about the future. Sure, she holds her belt up with paperclips and says things like "a doctor may save your life, but will you remember him?" but all-in-all, she's a likable character, who has a lot of fun with her character and is driven to succeed. I wish her the best of luck and by the way, I'd be her Wonder Man any day.

Batman, played by Maxwell Allen, opens up quite a bit during the documentary. He shares with us what he shares with his psychiatrist (in costume of course): his violent past. Part curiously creepy and part wishful thinking, Allen's death dealings may all be a kind of fiction; but that makes him all the more intriguing. Why choose Batman? Well, the man looks a great deal like George Clooney--in fact, he was actually a stand-in for him in Batman Forever. Apparently a black belt in several Karate styles--though, you can't tell in the film--Allen's somewhat of a dangerous guy. A quick Google search will prove, at least in part, his shady dealings on the Boulevard. He's heckled many tourists and never hesitates to remind them that he "works for tips!" But despite his many faults, he really does look like Batman. And that's really all that matters--just make sure you tip him, damnit!

The Incredible Hulk, played by Joe McQueen, sold his Super Nintendo so he could afford to catch a train out to L.A.; only to arrive just after the Rodney King riots. He played it smart and headed for the Hollywood Hills, he says, thus living a homeless existence for quite a number of years. In the film, McQueen goes back to his sleeping spot and reminisces briefly about being homeless for several years. He really is the kind of guy who's been knocked down so many times, he has no where else to go but back up. And he'll fight for it, until he makes it. The Hulk and I shared a few words the night prior to the opening and what really touched me about his character was what happened after the film. I walked up to shake both his and Superman's hand, and as I shook his hand I reminded him of our meeting. With tears in his eyes, he nodded his head, assuring me he remembered me and thanking me profusely for attending the screening. That sort of genuine humanity should be the earmark of what makes a person successful. Unfortunately, Hollywood may not be ready for someone that real.

A lot of people say these guys are nothing more than "costumed panhandlers." I agree with the first part: they are costumed. Costumed superheros.

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

***
Following Confessions, I headed over to the B-Side Lounge and met some really great people and festivaled with several of them throughout the week. Shout-outs to all the B-Siders reading this! After a few more parties and mingling with a number of filmmakers, I finally made it to another film...

When asked if there are flesh-eating zombies out there, Joel--an undead political activist--quickly retorts: "are there flesh-eating humans?"

Grace Lee not only directs American Zombie, but plays herself in the film. She teams up with John Solomon--also playing himself--to film a documentary project about an undead community living in L.A. The duo quickly find out that some sort of virus, brought on by a violent death, is plaguing its residents, and ultimately zombifying an entire community.

American Zombie is a veritable slice-of-life of four "revenants"--Joel, founder of Z.A.G.: the Zombie Advocacy Group; Judy, who naively searches for true love and denies her zombiness; Ivan, a convenience store clerk who aspires to be a writer; and Lisa, a florist specializing in funeral arrangements for other people--who secretly longs for her own. Each character represents an average person with average emotions and average problems, showing us that the undead aren't too different than the living. Well, except for their rotting flesh, of course.

What's really great about the film is the absolute mockery the protagonists make of themselves. Grace, the ever-so-astute naturalistic documentarian, and John, the bumbling investigative reporter, are at odds with each other throughout the film, and ultimately to a fault. What makes this film not-so-great is twofold: the running time and the conclusion. I think the film would have been better as a short. While it's in-depth look at each character is interesting, I'm not sure if its compelling enough to steer the audience towards anything meaningful. And even worse is the ending, after which, the audience can no longer sympathize with the plight of the community. Unfortunately, what could have been a provocative social commentary, becomes nothing more than a sensationalistic--albeit unique, comedic and funfilled--mockumentary.

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

After American Zombie, I immediately headed over to my first midnight feature.

The worst thing about Undead or Alive: A Zombedy is not necessarily the film itself--and it's bad--but all the interviews and marketing plugs I've read or seen with the director, Glasgow Phillips. He continually plugs the film by saying things like "If you're not sold at 'Zombie Western,' then I don't think you're one of our customers" (from an eFilmCritic interview). That's basically a cutesy way of saying the film has nothing of value other than the fact that it happens to be an amalgam of two genres of film.

The wannabe campy slasher film reminds me more of a drunken high school attempt at slurred comedy and oozing gore than an actual feature film of any substance (and b-movies have some sort of substance!). The plot's typical of any zombie film--and that's not necessarily a bad thing. But the delivery is what's really lacking. Chris Kattan (Saturday Night Live) and James Denton (Desperate Housewives) play washed-out characters who don't take their situation, or each other, seriously. The entire film is reminiscent of a bad comedian laughing at his own bad jokes.

After the film, during the Q&A session, someone described the film as Blazing Saddles meets Shaun of the Dead. But Blazing Saddles was funny and Shaun of the Dead was decent camp. This film is neither.

Of course, one good thing about the movie was it enabled me to meet Chris Kattan; and he did seem truly appreciative of the viewers that evening. I really do find him funny most of the time, and when I briefly spoke to him about his past accomplishments, he genuinely responded positively.

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

***
The film essentially got out at near 3am, given we lost an hour due to Daylight Saving's Time, so I headed straight home for the evening. By the way, "home" was hosted by my awesome, super-cool cousin, Michael (shout out, yo and thanks much!). I briefly checked the panels for the next day and, since I missed "A Conversation with Bill Paxton" (don't worry, I caught up with him at AFI!), I really wanted to make "Grindhouse 101" with Robert Rodriguez...

SXSW.2007 Day One: An Introduction, Hangin' w/Paul Rudd, Jonah Hill & The Incredible Hulk!

Mere days after I'd returned from Mexico (soon to be blogged, I promise!), I called up my buddy David Lowery (shout-out, yo!) to have lunch. He told me he was going to Austin the next day for South by Southwest. We set a time about two hours later, during which I made the decision to head down there myself. The next day, I found myself in line at the Austin Convention Center, waiting to purchase a film badge.

I've only been to Austin, TX two times prior to the last ten days. The last time me and my friend David Downey, barely passing through, went on a trip, combining his work with our pleasure. If I recall correctly, all we did in Austin was hit the Half Price Books and the Hard Rock Cafe, before trudging onward towards Big Bend National Park, to do some hiking. The first time I went was also with David, on New Year's Eve. We drove around the city, checking out the capitol building and other sites, and then ended up on 6th Street for the evening festivities. After some debate, we found ourselves in a club we both didn't care for and so we decided to purchase a six pack (to go along with our bottle of Rum) and hit a motel, only to spend the evening watching Sex in the City. Ironically, we likened the events of that night to the very show we were then watching. Needless to say, I'd never really understood what all the Austin hype was about. That is, until just ten days ago.

Immediately upon obtaining my film badge, I did what any other film lover would do, I hit the registration tent, stocked with free beer. I grabbed a beer and sat down with my festival guide and starting perusing. After a few minutes, I introduced myself to a few others at the table, and we all decided to hit the first unpublished, official party of the festival, before hitting the first, published, official party of the festival... Right. Anyway, I ended up talking primarily to a girl who was speaking at a panel the following day for the interactive portion of the festival, about how the web pornography industry might help influence mainstream web publishing, with regards to paysites and premium content. She charges fees for her content, though, she's not exactly considered mainstream, as she owns and operates a pornography website, herself, based in Canada. Hearing her perspectives on these particular issues was an interesting beginning to the film festival.



The official SXSW Film Opening Party that night really rocked my world, and seriously pumped me up for things to come. I met some really cool people that night, both in the industry and otherwise. Above, you'll see me with Paul Rudd (The 40 Year Old Virgin, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Clueless) and Jonah Hill (he was that dude in The 40 Year Old Virgin that wanted to buy those rad high heel boots with fish swimming around in them). Paul Rudd was really approachable and easy talk to, though, as a friend of mine pointed out correctly, he doesn't seem to quite be in-tune with the conversation. I must say, on the contrary, Jonah Hill is very attentive; and absolutely, ridiculously hilarious. If I were an actor, I'd want to work with him. I also met the director of Austin Movie Show (shout-out to you, Michele!), and ended up hanging out with her on several nightly occasions.

The highlight of the premiere party for me, however, was meeting Superman and the Incredible Hulk. Okay, not the *real* Superman or the *real* Incredible Hulk, but real enough for me. These guys are part of a large group of movie characters found on Hollywood Boulevard, who support themselves by standing on the street, day after day, meeting and taking pictures with tourists. They work for tips, though, like any other tipping industry in America, the tips are not required--in fact, they can't demand a tip, nor can they specify an amount, by law. Either way, I took a few minutes to discuss why these guys were here, with the Incredible Hulk. As anyone else, he was here promoting a film in the festival. His passion and honesty drew me in, so I promised to check out the premiere, the next day. Which brings me to my first film review (day two!)...

Obfuscation is not a synonym for 'brilliant': A review of The Fountain.

Given a purely visual sequence, Darren Aronofsky presents a stream of images and music, stunning and imaginative. His eye for design is remarkable and new, and his ear for composition is breathtaking. His narrative, however, is something quite different. Not only trite and boorish, but yet another example of careless ineptitude, with regards to key elements of story-telling. Much like Aronofsky's "breakthrough" film, Pi, The Fountain appears overly-pretentious, cliché, and utterly annoying. While in the theater, I remember thinking more about what I was going to do after seeing the film, than the film itself.

I've often found that many people are too quick to judge an inescapably mundane film some sort of artistic achievement, purely due to its deviation from the norm. If you don't understand it, it's probably smart; right? In the case of The Fountain, I found myself wishing I didn't understand the film; that way, at least I could play ignorant. At least then I could leave the theater with some sense of wonder. Instead, I left completely unchanged. Aronofsky had done the same thing again: he'd created something workaday, yet packaged it in something grand.

For all its mesmerizing visuality and hypnotic harmony, The Fountain merely toys with the Big Questions, and never really gives any insight. Aronofsky really cuts off his nose to spite his face with all of his hack-editing and repetitive sequences. Issues like 'love conquering science,' 'man questioning God,' and the 'acceptance of death' are strewn together and mixed widely without any forethought or strategy. The great tragedy of this film rests solely in those who have faith in it: as noted throughout, the soundtrack is phenomenal and the cinematography is right-on; the acting is superb; and the passion is without question, dignified. Unfortunately, these virtues seem wasted given the shallowness of the film as a whole.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: "They Peed On My Rug"

Possibly The Worst Film Blunder Ever.

Warning: Spoilers Abound.

Okay folks, I was flipping channels and came across a movie called The Hole, starring Thora Birch, Keira Knightley and Desmond Harrington. Now, aside from this terrible blunder I'm going to tell you about in just a few more sentences, the film was fairly entertaining. I dig Thora Birch, and her character was really well-played. What really shocked me though, was my quick research after the film was over. I mean, I checked IMdB, Rotten Tomatoes and Wikipedia. Although all reputable sources, none mentioned this ridiculous mistake.

Have you ever been so utterly sure of something so blantantly, painstakingly obvious that it would literally take an entirely different, alien planet to be able to even minutely comprehend the vast insipidness of its vacuous residents? That's how I felt after watching this movie and realizing that apparently I'm the only goddamn human being on this prosaic, infantile planet who immediately saw the dimwitted aberration for what it was!

And what exactly was this stupendous error, you ask? Well... It's very simple. I mean, it couldn't get more common sensically moronic than this. The basic plot of the film is four teenagers trapped in an old war bunker. The movie begins with Thora Birch's rendition of what happened: that her friend set this whole thing up, locked them in the 'hole' and didn't come back when he was supposed to. She escapes and the three others die. The story changes from what she originally told her psychiatrist to what actually happened. Turns out the only way out was actually locked from the inside and Thora had the key the whole time. The other teenagers die for various reasons, irrelevant to the blunder at hand, and she ends up telling the tale to her psychiatrist from inside the bunker. In the end, she kills the guy who set it up and plants the key on him. The police come and find Thora and her psychiatrist in the 'hole' and after rebuking the psychiatrist, mention that the case is now closed. At that moment, a flashback shows Thora murdering her friend that set everything up and planting the key on him. Right after that moment, I said to myself: "What the Hell? The door locks from the inside?! It doesn't take a goddamn rocket scientist to figure out that either a) the door was never locked, or b) someone had to unlock it from the inside!" Alright, those weren't my exact works, but good god, it's so damn obvious.

And that, my friends, has got to be possibly the worst film blunder ever.

Some Analog Lines.

My dear friend David Lowery wrote, directed, photographed and edited this very personal look at the issue of art versus technology; and more importantly, the issue of how the viewer interacts with, and reacts to, the film in front of him. Mr. Lowery takes an animated film he's created in traditional stop motion and compares it to a computer animated film produced by his brother, Benjamin. Is the visually inherent, concrete aspect of the media more important than the content of the picture? Are we as viewers more sutured into a film when we can witness it's production flaws (e.g., splicing, scratches, fingerprints, etc.)? Mr. Lowery suggests that "what is tactile will not be rendered pointless by technology, it will be given precedence and a precision it currently lacks."

I've always found the particular issue of how a work of art is created very intriguing. The minimalist period of film studied the actual film stock used in the production of a film. Take Michael Snow's 1966 film, Wavelength for example. There really is no plot--no substance--to the film. Only the film stock. And how the film stock can be manipulated. And let us not forget Empire, the 1964 film by Andy Warhol that consists of an eight hour focus on the Empire State Building. These films, and others, explore the actual material substance of film--not the movie being presented.

Mr. Lowery's film is currently one of three finalists categorized as Really Real Shorts, in The South by Southwest Film Festival's Click! 2006 competition.

Watch Some Analog Lines. And then: vote for it.

Filmmaking

There's really nothing more rewarding than being an integral part of an artistic, creative collective with the sole goal of developing meaningful and enlightening projects. My primary role in the filmmaking is as a producer. That term is so ambiguous and I'm often asked exactly what I do. Being an independent film producer, I try to do as much as I possibly can to support the project. My aim is to help finance, or obtain financing, first and foremost; and then to see the production through pre-production, principle photography, post-production and distribution. My duty is to maintain stability throughout, but most importantly, to help realize the vision of the writer and/or director's artistic vision.

Fortunately, I've got a large pool of friends, comprised of talented filmmakers and visionaries (many of their websites are listed in the sidebar, to the right). If I can be one of the driving forces behind their projects--and that project is completed--then I've accomplished exactly what I sought to.

My current projects are also listed to the right. Clicking on each link will bring you to a splash page concerning the project, here on my website. You'll find out who all is involved, what the production is about, and, if relevant, supporting visuals. From there, you'll find links to official websites and IMDb pages, if applicable, and websites to primary individuals involved, if available. In addition, you'll find links to my blog posts concerning pre-production, principle photography, production, and distribution.

After checking out the productions I'm involved with, you might want to view my film festival and screening experiences. By clicking that link, you'll see all posts I've made about the film festivals and official screenings I've attended. Please note that it may take a few moments to load all of the content. You may also wish to read my movie reviews. Alternatively, you may like to see all movie reviews, festival and screenings, and productions I've been involved with, all on one page.

After checking out all there is to offer on the blog, you may want to see remainder pictures from productions I've been involved with on my MySpace and Facebook profiles. Please also visit the websites of my friends and fellow filmmakers, listed to the right. And feel free to contact me via email regarding projects you might be involved with or would like to be involved with.