SNOW ANGELS

Click Image for Trailer

David Gordon Green's most recent film is snow angels and I had got the chance to see this beautiful, yet depressing film at the Downer during it's brief run. I knew little of Gordon Green's work before this film, the other film I saw prior of his was All the Real Girls and I thought it was a really great film. I would say Green's films are very much in the nature of an independent film for two reasons, his subtle and patient stylistic choices, and the choice in content for his films. One way in which I would describe the style of the film is poetic, all of the shots were patient, beautiful, and lingered long enough for the actions of the film to soak into you. The way the shots are lit and colored are very delicate, they are colorful and rich, but always have a bit of a gray undertone, not making them too polished. The way the film is shot lends itself to the content of the film, which hits you like a sledgehammer towards the end of the film and truly shows this films independent status. The film drifts along through parallel stories, and I use the word drift because the story seems to not utilize the traditional arch of a Hollywood film, the film takes it's time. One story is a married couple how are on a separation from one another, but still have a very young daughter that binds them. The other story is of a young High School boy who's parents split up and who starts a budding, yet awkward romance with the new girl in school. The two stories take place in the same nameless town and the characters are intertwined for various reasons. You get a sense of the parallel stories being a reflection of the same relationship, the younger boy and girl, the crush, the first kiss; and the older couple, the fights, alcoholism, a child that binds, an affair, and heartache. So, in many ways this story examines two spectrum's of human romantic relationships. But the content of the film pushes the older couples relationship to an extreme. The female in this relationship is the one that primarily takes of the daughter and the male father is recovering from being unemployed and an alcoholic. The dad is starting to try harder, to be clean, to be a better father, the mother is still not trusting of him, but seems to be on the brink of another chance. But the story takes a sharp u-turn and you see how non-Hollywood of a film Snow Angels is. SPOILER ALERT, this film does not have a happy ending, and if you are planning on seeing the film I wouldn't read further, but if it doesn't matter, here we go. The mother gets a mild cold and one day finds herself sleeping all afternoon, waking up in early evening with her daughter nowhere to be found. The town gets everyone together to the find the daughter, and this is where the parallel stories met at extreme, the high school boy, who you've been following along side the older couples story throughout the film, stumbles across the little girl in a frozen river bank. This pushes the father and mother to the brink. The mother spirals into a depression and refuses to see the father, the father questions everything he knows and believes and torments the mother for killing his daughter. In the end, the father realizes there is only one thing he can do; he gets his shotgun and breaks into the mothers house, waits for her to get home, marches her out in her bare feet to the spot where the daughter was found dead and shoots her in the back of the head and not to far after he kills himself. The ending hits you like a ton of bricks as a viewer. It is an independent film like this that pushes the human actions in a film so far that is forces them to think about what the hell just happened, sure it gets you depressed, but it makes you contemplative, in a very independent film manner, it makes you think. Snow Angels was a beautiful and tragic film which I would recommend to anyone who can bear it.

-Cory Gorman

Leon The Professional

For my last lived experience blog I chose to do another movie review. The movie I chose to review was Leon The Professional. This movie starts out with Leon, who you find out is actually a contract killer or “cleaner” as he puts it, moving through a complex taking out various bodyguards to get to his target to threaten him. The movie then takes a different turn when a little girl’s family gets murdered and she (Mathilda) waits outside Leon’s apartment hoping for him to let him in, when finally she does. She then lives with him till she can get enough money to move out. When she realizes that Leon is a contract killer, she then wants him to then teach her how to kill for a living so she can get back at the men who killed her family. Mathilda then teaches Leon a few things like that he can love and doesn’t just have to be a cold hearted contract killer. There’s another twist when the men who killed her family, who turn out to be crooked cops, capture Mathilda. I’m not sure how exactly I heard about this movie in the first place, one night a few buddies of mine and I were bored and decided to go out and rent a movie, Leon the professional looked like it would be a good movie, turns out it is. While I was thinking of what to write about I remembered this movie and wanted to see if it was independently made, sure enough its more of a European independent film but its been converted over to America. The movie is shot in kind of a grainy film, which gives a low grungy feel to the movie which goes along with the lifestyle that Leon has chosen. There are a lot of close up shots of Leon looking through his peephole in the door and also of him just sitting around for a while, which gives a look at his mundane day to day life. Pretty much all of the camera work is done close up as to give a more hands on feel which is what the world of professional contract killing is all about. When he’s teaching Mathilda about his trade, he explains that the knife is the last weapon you use, and that’s when you’re a professional. Overall I enjoyed the movie a lot because I’m into those kind of films but I recommend it to anyone who likes the kind of suspenseful stealth type movies.
-Dustin Fletcher

The Savages

I recently rented the Independent film "The Savages". It stars Academy Award winner Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Academy Award nominee Laura Linney. This film did not get a lot of media attention. I only saw one or two commercials\trailers, and that was promoting the film on DVD. Even though  it did not get a lo of attention, it did get a lot of attention  at the Academy Awards. Where it was nominated for Best Actress and Best original Screenplay. It also go a lot of attention from multiple film festivals. It won top ten movies of 2007 from both the American film Institute and the National Board of of Review. It also won Best Actor and Best Screenplay fro the Independent Spirit Awards. 

Overall I really enjoyed this film. Obviously the acting was amazing. he acting was very important to the film because of the dark humor and the serious plot. Like most Independent films it is very important to listen and pay attention to the dialogue. It was not as important to pay attention to what they were actually doing. And there was not of action to be seen. The film had a very invisible style, like a lot of Hollywood films. Although there were some artistic filming choices, for example,  whenever they are pushing there father in the wheel chair they camera usually showed them from the side and follows them very quickly.

A I said before, this film has a serious plot and dark humor. The story is of two siblings, a brother and sister, who discover that there father has dementia and is dying. But this story is also about forgiveness and dealing with estranged family members. It was very encouraging to watch the adult children forgive there father and take care of him. Because he was a bad parent and really damaged his children during their childhood. It was also encouraging to watch then become closer as a family and as siblings. 

I would recommend this film to people who enjoy a dialogue filled film with thick humor. As a warning, the film was depressing at times and difficult to watch. So do not watch it is you want to feel warm and fuzzy. 

Redbelt

Redbelt opened on May 6, 2008 on six screens nation wide, grossing a mere $65,000, far from its budget of $10,000,000. Written and directed by the famous playwright David Mamet, he explores the challenges Mike Terry faces as he tries to uphold the true standards of the jiu-jitsu morals in the modern world, where everyone seems to be against him from his wife to business associates. Slow but surprising Mamet has gotten the technique of creating emotion through the juxtaposition of images. Although you may know what is going to happen and it feels like it will be corny, the small twist and untold obvious facts make it a genuine presentation. Most of the plot is delivered to you in the form of action or the way the actors look and talk to each other not through boring direct dialogue. Like if you where filming a brewers game and Fielder hit a game wining homerun then the camera cut to a fan yelling “Fielder his a homer, we won! We Won!” Instead we see the home run then there is a wide shot of the whole stadium erupting in joy. Mamet lets the image speak for itself. The only flaw is that when the actors do speak it is through a monotone voice that contradicts all of the non-verbal scenes that happened before it.
Redbelt is a fight for the underdog, an argument against the studio, commercialization, and the strive to be rich. We are given a man that has the highest standards of morals that have hardly been tested before. Now they are tested to the limit, he must uphold his morals when everyone around fights for him to cross over to the dark side. Just before he steps his foot across the line he pulls back and fights for what is right, the truth. In the end he is rewarded with the highest honor he could personally ever wish for. If we stick to our gut feelings, what is morally right, and is the truth the path we lead will only take you to a life without regret. A motto that is at the heart of the independent cinema. If the studio where to make this film they would hypocrites. A moral that might actually benefit the lives of the every day people could only be made by a independent. Plus, the only known actor in the film plays a drunk, lying, cheating, stealing movie star. Yeah.

Jonathan Lenoch

For my second lived experience blog post, I decided to watch the independent film, The Ten. The Ten was directed by David Wain, who also directed Wet Hot American Summer. The film was released in 2007 and was made for a budget of $3.75 million. The Ten has many familiar faces in it. Such faces are: Jessica Alba, Paul Rudd, Wynona Ryder, Famke Janssen, Adam Brody, and Liev Schreiber. The Ten tells ten mini stories that have to do with the ten commandments of the bible. Let’s have a little refresher course on the Ten Commandments. 1. I am the lord your god 2. You shall have no other gods before me 3.you shall not make wrongful use of the name of your god 4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy 5. Honor your father and mother 6. You shall not murder 7. You shall not commit adultery 8. You shall not steal 9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor 10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. Story one is the story of a guy who jumps out of an airplane without a parachute and becomes a celebrity idol. He becomes arrogant, and refers himself to a god. His fiancé leaves him for a TV anchor. (Thou shall worship no god before me). The second story is the story of a librarian who has a sexual awakening in Mexico with the real Jesus. Later she marries a coworker and is reminded of her affair when she prays (thou shall not take the lord’s name in vain). Next, there is a doctor who kills a patient by leaving a pair of scissors inside her as a “goof” he is sentenced to life in prison (thou shall not kill). A white mother hires an Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonator and tells her two black kids that he is their father, it is later revealed that Arsenio Hall is their father (honor thy mother and father). A police detective sees that his neighbor has bought a CAT scan machine, so he buys one; they each keep buying machines until they hit the bottom and they go for a drink. While they are gone a bus full of nuked kids need the CAT scan machines, but they are gone and they all die (thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s goods). The fiancé, after marrying the TV anchor, falls in love with a ventriloquist’s puppet, and runs off with it (thou shall not steal). The ventriloquist is told by a homeless man about a fake rhinoceros who was a liar, but learns that a band of wiener dogs plan on infecting others with an STD. he warns everyone but no one believes him (thou shall not bear false witness). A prisoner desires a fellow inmate’s wife to be his (thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s wife). The husband from story two skips church to get naked with his friends and hang out (remember the Sabbath and keep it holy). The presenter of the stories has a constant struggle between choosing his wife and his younger mistress (thou shall not commit adultery). Overall The Ten was very enjoyable. The many different actors were great to watch as this smart stretch on something so old and well known as the Ten Commandments was told. I would recommend this story to anyone who wants a few laughs.

By David Michels

Mean Creek

For my second live blog post, I want to talk about the movie Mean Creek. It is directed by Jacob Aaron Estes and was made in 2004. It all begins in a small Oregon town, when shy Sam (Rory Culkin) confesses to his protective older brother Rocky that he is getting pummeled daily by the towering school bully, George. Together, they plan the perfect payback, inviting George on a birthday river trip tailor-made to end in the bully's humiliation. Rocky's pals Clyde and Marty and Sam's budding girlfriend Millie also join the journey, which starts almost immediately with misgivings. Seeing George in a new light, as a lonely kid desperate for friendship and attention, Sam wants to call the whole thing off. But the boat and the plot are already in motion, and no one can foresee the surprises and accidents that are to come.

This is a great independent film with a superb, but unknown cast. It won numerous awards on the film festival circuit including Independent Spirits Award for best director and best ensemble cast, and also best director debut award at the Stockholm Film Festival. It was independently produced by Whitewater Films.

This film gets under you because it starts off light and some what humorous. There is a bully issue, but like all bullies they are just lonely and want some real friends. The older brother knowing this because he is somewhat of a bully, tell his younger brother to invite him on a rafting trip and act like his friend. As the film moves along the bully realizes that no one actually likes him and so he starts to cut down everyone, especially Marty the older brother. He has a crazy father that is in a mental hospital, and the bully starts ripping on him. I don't want to say what happens last, but it puts the young kids into a situation that either they can run from or grow up and except the consequences. The ending is intense and brilliant, and not Hollywood material at all.

Bryan Pechacek

Will There Be Blood?

Oh, yes. There will be, Eli. There Will Be Blood is centered around the Upton Sinclair novel titled Oil! This film, recently nominated for the Academy Awards Best Picture honor, is another from the independent monster that dominated Hollywood this year. Daniel Day-Lewis plays Daniel Plainview, a miner who accidentally strikes oil when blasting in his mine. He becomes a successful prospector of sorts and dominates the west coast oil market. However, like the making of this film, he does so independently of big companies. He trusts no one and is only willing to make his son and brother partners in his business. I do not want to elaborate on what becomes of that, because if you have not seen this movie it would be completely spoiled. But Daniel struggles his entire life, trusting almost no one, and any trust he gives is usually on certain conditions. A story about the terror of greed and self-centeredness, this film is a must-see. Of course, everyone knows that being an independent film does not necessarily mean it will be a great film that all should view. There Will Be Blood definitely is. The film was produced by Paramount Vantage as well as Miramax. With these two companies behind it, the film definitely got the financial backing necessary to make a believable and complex set of oil rigs and old West towns. However, by being produced independently the film was able to deal with more complex issues that are challenging to the viewer. It deals with selfish ambition, betrayal and hatred. It deals with manipulation and greed. It relies very heavily on character development as the audience begins to see Daniel shift from a smart ambitious man into a complete profit-driven monster. The pastor of the local “church” is extremely controversial, mimicking the development of faith-healers and charismatic manipulation of unwitting people. The film could never deal with these topics and extremely flawed characters if produced within Hollywood. The film makes great use of landscapes and open areas, very much reminding me of the cinematography in No Country For Old Men. And Daniel Day-Lewis is astounding. He absolutely carries his role with dignity and power. His passion for his role was obvious and is usually obvious in most of his characters. He picks and chooses his parts, rarely taking two roles in one year. He focuses his energy on one role, and does it superbly. If you have not taken the time to see this film, see it. If you have not taken the time to watch Daniel Day-Lewis in many of his roles, watch them. Buy them, they are worth it. And There Will Be Blood is absolutely no exception.

Great success or great lawsuit?

First of all, I will explain the premise of the film titled: “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.” Borat Sagdiyv is Kazakhstan’s leading journalist. He is sent to America and makes a documentary about American society and culture. He exploits his obsession with actress Pamela Anderson. Starting out in New York, he decides to cross the country and travel to California to marry Pamela Anderson.

It is no surprise to me this film has undergone harsh criticism and a few lawsuits (as of now).

This film was so disturbing. I watched “Borat” about two weeks ago, and discussed the film with my mother. Surprisingly, she had seen it! We were equally appalled at Borat’s mockery of American Culture (although sometimes true, presented in an extremely inappropriate manner). I can not believe this film was nominated for an Oscar.

In one instance of the film, he is at an etiquette dinner and excuses himself to use the restroom. He comes back with a bag of his feces and proceeds to set it on the dinner table. This is just one of the many outlandish behaviors that occur in the film.

The problem is, people such as the host of the etiquette dinner were not in on Borat or director Sasha Baron Cohen’s gag. Many are claiming to be misled by Sasha Baron Cohen regarding details of the film’s release (where it will be released and what purpose it is being created for).

Borat earned 27 million dollars, and Kazakhstan only received a measly three thousand dollars. Kazakhstan is portrayed as a poverty-stricken village. Its citizens in the film are full of male incestuous rapists and sexually liberal women. A grandfather in the village has pooled the funds together in order to sue filmmakers. In the film, Grandfather Nicu had only half an arm and Borat attached a rubber sex toy to it. He allegedly had no idea what the sex toy was at the time, and is deeply ashamed now (because Borat took advantage of the uneducated and poor hardships the country endures).

Many villagers were given the title of abortionist are very disturbed as well.

Also in “Borat” was a scene that included fraternity boys/college students. Borat and the college students begin watching the Pamela Anderson/Tommy Lee sex video and discuss how they treat women, and give Borat advice on how to ‘get’ women, etc. in America. Their response definitely caused damage and defamation to the boys. The response of the boys was not very becoming of them.
The fraternity boys are claiming they were coaxed into drinking alcohol before signing the film release agreements, and were told the film would only be released in the U.S.
The European Centre of Antiziganism Research even went so far as to take preventative measures so the film would not play in Germany!
I just think this movie is a great lesson in independent film – yes, stretch the boundaries of creativity and limits of linear editing. Independent films should test the limits and be risky –but be risky only until you reach the question of legalities!

James Benning and the use of the still

Going to the Saturday night James Benning Screening, “RR,” it was interesting to
contemplate a different kind of “independent” film then what is discussed in
class. James Benning is a film artist that explores pieces of space through
still single shots. “RR” consisted of 43 different stills where the viewer
watched trains from different geographic regions move through the frame. The
shot remained the same, or in other words didn’t use any cuts but just captured a moment through one single shot on a tripod, until the train passed and was out of site and then the film would switch to a new still of a different train. This film not only made me contemplate environment and space but also the definition versus the feeling of an independent. Technically Benning’s film is obviously independent. He received limited funding, obviously not from a large Hollywood production company, and did all the shooting himself, driving around to different states and locations in the United States and composing a shot from one angle, leaving the camera there to document a moment. There is only one shot that tells each story and no cuts which challenges the viewer to say the least.
While this film is technically independent it probably wouldn’t cater to a
large majority of people who consider themselves independent film buffs. Since
there are no cuts, the story and documentation all takes place in one shot witch
can be very trying for the viewer and can make it hard to focus. Thinking more about independent cinema, it’s quite interesting to me because it seems that there is a certain niche associated with many people who watch independent films, say found at Sundance. There are definitely many films that feel independent and cater to an audience that desires an “underground” type of film. Yet at the same time Jame’s Benning’s work would probably cater to a different type of niche.
While obviously what’s considered American Independent cinema differs from a film such as Benning’s which is more of a documentary art film than the narrative films we’ve been discussing, I still think it’s interesting to compare art films to cinema watched in class because there are certain elements that are similar. The idea of many independent films as we’ve discussed in class is to convey real life in a film and looking at Bennings work we can better understand the more realistic approach to film making.
I feel that there is no better example than Jim Jarmush’s Stranger than Paradise. Benning’s approach to film making is to let a stationary camera role to capture a real live moment. Jarmush uses a similar technique in attempt to make the film feel like a “real,” non fictional “moment.” Early in the film we notice that he uses few cuts and just lets many of the scenes play out whether the camera is documenting Willie and his cousin watching football on TV, eating TV dinners or sleeping. These scenes feel real because Jarmush doesn’t use many, or any cuts at times unlike a majority of films but lets the scene splay out and relies on the actors to tell the story. In real life there aren’t “cuts” so Jarmush’s style feels more like we are watching a real life.
As seen in Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino also uses long shots (although he obviously also uses many stylized cuts). While Tarantino uses style, he also has moments that feel more real as we watch actors for extended periods of time having conversations. In most films cuts are used constantly, barraging the audience so when we see a still moment we feel a greater sense of real, just like a Benning film. We are watching a moment of interaction that isn’t broken into pieces.

www.wristcutters.com

I havent’ seen Wristcutter: A Love Story, but from other people’s review who has seen it, it sounds like a very good movie. I’ve added it to my Netflix queue and I’m just waiting for it to come in. In the meantime, I decided to check out the website to get a better insight on the movie. I just Googled the movie and clicked the link that has the title in it. It’s kind of confusing to navigate at first because when you’re directed to the link, you actually have to enter in and once you do that, it takes you to another site.

Anyway, once inside, it’s a lot easier to navigate than the Donnie Darko’s website and the homepage is very cute. It puts you in the driver’s point of view so you’re seeing the open road and the links are items on the dashboard and car parts. The steering wheel is picture gallery, the stereo is the music link, and the bobble head is the videos. I can see why the producers choose this layout. Reading the synopsis from the website, the film is about a guy who takes a road trip to find his ex-girlfriend who has also killed herself; a very clever use of the movie context.

So I decided to watch the trailer under the video link. The trailer looked interesting. It’s about a guy who kills himself after a break-up with his girlfriend and finds himself in an afterlife that’s worst than his previous life. He finds out that his ex-girlfriend also killed herself so he and a friend set out to find her. On their way they pick up a hitchhiker who also wants some answer and somehow they fall in love. I also watched the three animated webisodes that help promote the film and they were funny, but in an unsettling way. I’m not sure if it has a similar theme as Wristcutter, but it was about a guy who likes a girl who didn’t like her. So in order to get her to feel guilty for not loving him, he tries to kill himself, but keeps getting save by this other girl who is crazy for him. At the end he realizes her love for him and gives and loves her back. The moral of this short animation was that love survived. It had a link for it and I went to it, but it directed me to the main page of Wristcutter. That just makes me wonder if the moral of the movie is love survives. It seems like it is.

After seeing this website, I don’t really know how I feel about the issue it’s presenting. It’s a comedy romance, but how funny is suicide? I guess this film just goes to show that life isn’t as bad because you never know what’s on the other side. You learn how to appreciate the little things in life like a smile or a laugh. Reading other people’s comments about wanting to see this film for two years and how good it is after finally seeing it, makes me excited to see it. I hope it’s as good as everyone says it is. It didn’t win the Sundance Grand Jury award, but it has won the Best Narrative film at the Wisconsin Film Festival and the Audience Award for Best Director at the Milwaukee International Film Festival, which is awesome.

For my second lived experience blog I wanted to talk about a website that I just discovered about 20 minutes ago called filmmakermagazine.com. Yes it is the same people who make the magazine, FILMMAKER MAGAZINE. This was my first class that had anything to do with film. I am actually a business major looking to fulfill my arts credit so all of the things we went over in class was completely new to me. On this website there is an amazing amount information on everything you could ever think o f on film. From biographies on independent film directors and producers to ads for the glide cam, this website has it all. As I was paging through the site I found some really interesting information on directors I have never heard of before. Most likely because I don’t know anything about independent film or film general, but I really enjoyed this site and would most enjoy the magazine as well. One of the biographies I read was on Nick Broomfield. I guess he is quite the distinguished director in the independent film world. He’s directed around 15 independent films with huge success and from what I’ve read has no intensions of slowing down. Some interesting things I remember on the article was that he was the son of a photographer and a Czech refugee. He also went to school for political science at Essex university. That is not even close to film. After a little while he finally made his way to film by attending the National Film School in his home town of London. His films combined both his interest in films and his interest in sociopolitical issues. He wrote and directed several documentaries about murderers the slum clearance in Liverpool. He also wrote and directed an unofficial biography of Margret Thatcher and a documentary on biggie smalls and tupac. He didn’t just do documentaries. He also did a couple fictional stories. His fictional film debut was with a film called dark obsession. It is a thriller about the cover-up of a hit and run death by British soldiers. Nick Broomfield isn’t the only person on this site however. I believe any and all students taking a film class should take a look at this site. It is based more on independent films but isn’t that where most everyone starts when trying to become a famous director or writer. I really wish I had discovered this site before hand to really spark my interest in film. I am excited to tell everyone about this site and I hope everyone takes a look. Whether you’re a film major or not, take a look, it’s really interesting.

Jarmusch on The Simpson's

A week or so ago, the new Simpson's had Lisa going to the Sundance film festival. She had gone tailgating with her family and not eating meat left her out of the festivities. Instead, she filmed the festivities, and showed her film in school. Encouraged and financially backed by principal Skinner (who it turns out had screenwriting dreams once upon a time) and Super nintendo Chalmers, she made a new film that was sent on its way to be submitted to Sundance. Her video was a documentary about her family, and dealt with the issues of being an honest about what is shown. After showing it, the Simpson family had to deal with the public assaulting and criticizing them, which they blamed on Lisa's portrayal of them. Lisa defends her position by saying she was trying to capture her "unique family". Notable Guest stars included John C. Riely and Jim Jarmusch, who claimed to be able to eat a whole onion without crying. Homer of all characters, knows Jim Jarmusch's name, but not what he does and approaches him to ask him exactly who he is. Jarmusch also talked about the role of the director for a films direction and attitude, joking about directing cheaper by the dozen 13 and in turn talking about the crossover dream of most directors from independent to Hollywood. In the episode, the festival directors also talked about the lack of creativity and innovation today in Independent Cincema. It also showed The Simpson's perspective of Sundance, portraying producers as money driven and showing that buzz at Sundance rarely lasts as it is quickly replaced by the new hottest thing. Lisa's film buzz was placed by none other than Nelson's film buzz, again under the production of Principal Skinner and Super Nintendo Chalmers. Nelson's film was about his home-life with an alcoholic mother and neglect. Lisa film also was a Simpson's style satirical version of independent style: montage, crying and synchronization were exaggerated. To see the episode for yourself check it out online at hulu.com.

Dogtown and Z-Boys

For my last post, I decided to discuss an independent documentary since it is always a main category during film festivals such as Sundance. I decided to take a documentary that I love. I figured I'd try to discover what makes a documentary independent compared to the many dramas we have watched this semester. This 2001 film was directed by Stacy Peralta, and it is about the Z-Boys and their influence on the world of skateboarding in the 1970s. The Zephyr skateboard team set up shop in Santa Monica, California, in a neighborhood known as "Dogtown." All of the skaters revolutionized skateboarding because they brought their surfing style to the ground, and were able to do so with the release of urethane wheels, which gave them more grip allowing them to take hard cuts. The main three skaters from the Zephyr skate team that became famous were Stacy Peralta, Tony Alva and Jay Adams. Most of the footage in the film is from the 70s of the young skaters, and was shot by their friend Craig Steyck.

What felt independent about this documentary was that most of the footage was recycled from the 70s, and the footage was shot at the time to promote the skaters. However, when Stacy was making this film about himself and his friends, he used the footage and filmed contemporary interviews with the Zephyr team to tell the story. No major studio was involved, the director was one of the Z-Boys, and most of the footage is in black and white. However, there are parts of this film that do not necessarily make it feel independent. For instance, Sean Penn narrates the entire film, and the soundtrack is composed of famous musicians such as Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, and many more.

Mostly all of the footage had to be converted to 35mm for the film, which was done through editor Paul Crowder. The budget was mostly put to the music, but some of the musicians gladly gave their work to the film, such as Ted Nugent and Bowie. This documentary is wonderfully done and tells a fantastic true story of a team of skaters who revolutionized and changed the world of skating. I do not even skateboard, and this movie interested me. This piece won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary Feature and won the Audience Award for Documentary at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. This documentary went on to later inspire the film "Lords of Dogtown," starring Emile Hirsch, John Robinson, Victor Rasuk, and the late Heath Ledger.

Trike Warz

For my second lived experience blog post, I decided that instead of reflecting on another film, I would interview my mom, who directed, co-wrote, and co-produced an independent short film entitled Trike Warz. I was about 8 or 9 when she made it. It was shot at the house we were living in at the time. My best memory of it is being upset at my mom because she wasn’t making a film using my idea, which included just a bout the entire DC universe of comic book heroes and more special effects than Star Wars. Hindsight has proven her idea the better one given the circumstances.

Q) About how long had you been in business when you made Trike Warz
A) I had been in the business about 6 or 7 years by the time we made it. I was working as a production manager at that point.

Q) How did Trike Warz come about?
A) I wanted to build a reel. So I wanted to make an independent film that I could shoot easily. Since I had three kids, knew them well, and had a lot of kid things around, I knew a story involving children would be best. It’s the classic write and shoot what you know, and I knew kids.

Q) Was Trike Warz completely yours?
A) No, I directed, but it was Meighan McGuire’s story, and Mike Hartzell was the DP.

Q) How does Trike Warz go?
A) Well it’s based off a story from Meigahn McGuire’s childhood. Meighan has an aunt who was the same age as her, and they would hang out all the time. When her aunt turned five, she got a brand new tricycle. Meighan really wanted to ride it, but everyone kept trying to tell her that it was too big for her. So Meighan plotted that when everyone else was busy with the cake, she would take the tricycle for a ride. But once she got outside to it, she realized that it was too big. So she took it to the top of the hill on the block and was just going to ride it down. It was right about then that everyone at the party realized that she had gone. So, as she comes screaming down the hill on the trike, the adults run outside just in time to stop her from going in to the middle of a busy street. This taught Meighan to stick to her own tricycle.

Q) How did you finance Trike Warz?
A) Well the first round of financing was calling in favors and seeing what I could get for free. The second round involved some bartering. I had to work a few free days on projects to get film. Then we agreed to feed everyone who worked on it, and I had to pay for my own processing.

Q) Was it hectic shooting a film in your own house?
A) Yea, because the crew would treat the house like any other location, it got to be pretty stressful.

Q) How did Doug Elliot’s death affect the film?
A) Well, when he died a lot of people wanted to know what happened to the footage, and if there was a cut so that they could show it at the memorial. Unfortunately we didn’t have the money to cut it together, so we couldn’t show it. But at the memorial, everyone who worked on it with him talked about it a lot.

Q) Any final thoughts on Trike Warz?
A) I probably wouldn’t do such a collaborative thing again. Since the three of us, Meighan, Mike, and myself, didn’t really have defined roles, we just kept stepping on each other’s toes.
I was also a bit upset that I couldn’t process for free, since I had worked so much with the same lab over the years.

It was a lot of fun using people who worked behind the camera as actors. Like Lisa Van Dyke, who is a grip, played the mom; and Doug Elliot, who played the dad, was a production manager/coordinator.

It was also a lot of fun working with the people who were there because they were there because they really wanted to be. They all had great attitudes, and they all were people I love to work with anyway. And your dad (who at this point was in the middle of earning a culinary arts degree) cooked all of this really amazing food for everyone, so they felt really appreciated.

Q) Any plans to get Trike Warz cut and do the voiceovers? You shot it MOS, correct?
A) Yes, we shot it MOS. We did that to save money, and we knew we could fill it in with music later. Plus we liked the idea of doing voiceovers more because, since the film involves a lot of kids running around, we felt that trying to have sound would inhibit that.

As to cutting it, I would like to, but it costs too much. I basically did the film because I was tired of being told by directors that I didn’t know about this or that, so I just did the project for myself. I wanted to prove that I could do it.

Mallrats

Instead of responding on the film itself, I decided to interview my dad, who was on the crew for Mallrats, which was shot at the Eden Prairie mall in Minnesota. I remember as a young child getting to go to the set a couple of times, and this film has always been one of my favorite projects that he worked to talk about with him.

Q) What was your position on the crew?
A) I was the key grip.

Q) And about how long had you been in the business when you worked on Mallrats?
A) I had been in the business somewhere around 10 years at that point.

Q) What was it like working for Kevin Smith?
A) It was a bit of a pain. It was only his second film, and since it was a lot bigger than Clerks he was still basically a rookie. He didn’t really communicate that well with the crew. He would sometimes seem to make it a contest as to what he could do that the crew couldn’t, which I never really understood.

Q) What do you mean by contest?
A) Well, part of it was inexperience, but one example would be when his character (Silent Bob) was running down a stretch of hallway, he would sprint full speed. Literally as fast as he could, then he would be upset when the two guys pushing the 400lb dolly couldn’t keep up. He also wouldn’t let us get a head start, so we had to try and keep up with him with both of us starting from a dead stop.

Q) Were there any particularly hard scenes to shoot?
A) There wasn’t anything that was particularly hard, but one of the day-to-day challenges was that, since we were in a mall, we had to be mindful of all the glass and keeping things from reflecting of the glass in to the camera. Other than that there weren’t really any hard technical challenges. I mean we worked hard, but it wasn’t the hardest shoot I’ve been on.

Q) So do you have any memorable stories from the set?
A) Well the best thing that happened to me on set was I got to meet Stan Lee (Co-Creator of Spider Man, X-Men, and The Incredible Hulk). I got to have an actual conversation with him which was really cool, he just a regular guy.

I remember it was a first time DP on the film too, he was a sharp kid, but he didn’t know much lighting. That made it kind of tough on the gaffer and me. Especially the gaffer, the DP relied on him a lot. I’d say he is more responsible for the look of the film than the DP.

I remember one time; one of the electricians shot a roll of gaff tape with his gun in the mall.

Q) Wait, he shot a roll of gaff tape in the mall?
A) Yea, it was before everyone became so mindful of being politically correct, he would have never of gotten away with pulling something that today.


So there it is, some of my dad's thoughts on Mallrats, and the making of.

Kids

Click on image for trailer.

Kids was written by sixteen year old Harmony Korine and directed by Larry Clark in 1995. The film surrounds urban teenagers in their everyday lives over the summer. It stars Leo Fitzpatrick, Chloe Sevigny, Justin Pierce, and Rosario Dawson, all unknown actors at the time. The film was shot on a low budget and filmed using no staged sets.
I have watched this film several times and with many different people. Every time I showed it to someone, I think they walked away thinking I was a little crazy for liking it. The first time I watched this film, I remember covering my mouth several times and clenching my fists and shouting at the screen. No, it's not exactly action-packed, but rather extremely moving. The characters make several life-changing decisions, basically always for the worst.
The film starred Tilly, a teenage boy out on the prowl to pop the cherries of as many virgins as he can get. Jennie, a girl who had lost her virginity to him, goes to a health clinic to keep her friend company who is getting tested for STDs. Jennie takes the test just to comfort her friend so that she's not the only one. But then Jennie shockingly discovers she has the HIV virus and we see her on her journey trying to find Telly to let him know that he has it. (Beware: Spoilers about) Before she can get to him, however, we see him with not one, but two young girls and it's heartbreaking knowing that these young girls have now contracted HIV. When Jennie finally finds Telly he is at a party having sex with a girl. Jennie has given drugs that knock her unconscious and she is then raped, which is where the film ends. Tragic.
This film is intensely gripping, touching, sad, yet incredibly real. I found this film to be very characteristic of independent films. The themes of the film especially; kids having sex and partying. I don't imagine a film like this could ever possibly be made in Hollywood. It is too risky of a subject. I found the film's raw and harsh dialogue to also be very independent-esque. The kids swear consistently, and use words like "fuck" and "pussy" more than I care to hear. The film was also shot hand-held a lot, which gave it more realism. I do love this film though for its honesty of the way city kids often talk and for the portrayal of urban kids' lives. I don't necessarily think that every big city kid is like this, but I think parents would be surprised at just how real this film is.

I think this interview with the writer Harmony Korine is hilarious and is a good prologue to the film.

'Shattered Glass' is a hit!

One of the films that I have recently viewed has become the best suspense and dialogue- driven film I have ever seen is “Shattered Glass.” “Shattered Glass” is a story of a young journalist, Stephen Glass, played by Hayden Christianson. Glass is a reporter at a ‘The New Republic.’ He is basically the ‘nice guy’ in the office-always apologizing to someone for doing almost nothing wrong, and plays himself off as a very humble guy. However, in actuality he a deceitful reporter who does not question or feel remorse for misleading his co-workers and the people who read ‘The New Republic.’ His honesty is questioned by his boss regarding a mini-bar in a hotel room he described his subjects as using (the hotel did not have mini bars in the hotel room). Stephen was safe on that one because he proved you could rent the mini bars at the hotel desk. However, his new story that was the focus of the movie was called “Hack Heaven.” It dealt with a hacker’s convention and featured a few stories in the paper. The problem is, there was no convention, and even the restaurant he had said he had ate at that day was closed during his alleged dinner. Everything was fabricated.

In the beginning of the film, Stephen is at a convention and his voiceover citied reporters who show off in order to get ahead. He is then shown at his old high school giving advice on how to be a successful journalist to a journalism class. He was an incredible contradiction. He made up stories he knew would get him attention and jealousy in the newsroom he worked at. He had a way of making everyone like him and not question him too often about the factualness of his stories. In the end, it was revealed that the entire classroom scene was in Glass’ imagination. We all know someone like Stephen Glass, which is what makes this story so enjoyable—you want to trust him because he seems nice, but you just know you cannot!

This makes for a great independent film! It was not an inexpensively made low-budget film at $6,000,000. It was fantastic quality. Although I could see the mainstream not being interested in a documentary-type movie in which a magazine journalist’s vice is serial fraud, I think they should be! This story is based off true events (so it was definitely realistic), and this film definitely made it eerie and dishonest enough to believe this journalistic deception did, and could happen very easily once again. The more Glass lied in the movie, the less people questioned his integrity! The script was also very humorous, and not just intensive.

It was a thrilling movie to watch, and SO educational. Perhaps I was interested in this because one of my majors is Journalism, but this is something everyone should see—if not for enjoyment, to actually think more critically when you read something from a magazine or newspaper!

The lighting was fantastic, and looked above ambient lighting so an adequate amount of lighting was brought it. It surprises me it cost this much to make. The locations only involved a classroom scene, a bedroom, a restaurant, an office, and a party-room. Most scenes took place in a very mundane setting. There was more dialogue to this movie, but well worth it once you add in the suspense factor. Not to mention the outstanding acting by a well known-actor, Hayden Christianson.

Renaissance

WATCH TRAILER

For anyone who is interested in animation, film noir, or science-fiction, Renaissance is a must-see. It is a foreign film by an independent French production company, Onyx Films. Although it is foreign, it is simply the best example of an independent animated film that I have ever seen. The film brings the dark film noir style of Sin City, the futuristic vision of Blade Runner, and some of the most incredible 2-D animation and coalesces them all into a completely new film. The film has one famous character, voiced by Daniel Craig (Casino Royale). The themes of Renaissance touch areas that most Hollywood or big budget productions are unwilling to deal with. Its overarching theme is the idea of eternal youth, and the power and danger that comes along with that pursuit. It is a risky subject, one that has been dealt with by the likes of Indiana Jones, but in a much darker, more sinister way. The lines between good and bad are blurred; a mob boss helps the protagonist, a beautiful, seemingly naïve young woman turns into a vehicle of possible destruction. The film, set in 2054 Paris, is a comment on where our world is headed with advertising and the constant pursuit of perfection by whatever means necessary. Even if it means death for some or betrayal for others, Renaissance glides along leaving no one untouched by the fascination of what eternal life could be. Yet the idea has a consuming aura of darkness and fear, as the pursuit is fraught with murder, greed and exploitation. What makes it independent is obviously in its creation by an independent studio. Onyx Films has two producers and a short list of nine films that they have produced, only five of which came prior to Renaissance. The cinematography is very much about two things, the city as a character and characters within the city. The city plays a menacing, terrifyingly lonely place full of evil, corruption and greed, not really the normal perception of Paris. The characters, once again are vague. The protagonist is a renegade with a past of hard crime. The women are strong and susceptible to the same greed as men. The mafia is a friend to a policeman. Good and evil are not all as they seem. And the mis-en-scene shows exactly this. There are numerous close-ups and character studies. And, because the film is animated, Renaissance is able to do amazing things using reflections, shadows, and camera angles that would be impossible to achieve in almost any other type of movie. And once again the themes really set this film apart from almost all Hollywood (or for this purpose, Pixar) types of films. The animation deals with very adult themes, and watches the pursuit of youth and beauty, a thing that many strive for, blow up into something terrifying and haunting.

For those of you who were big Juno fans, I recommend to you The Tracey Fragments. It’s in all, or at least many, ways different from Juno with the exception of Ellen Page, who plays a nearly identical character, and the theme of a young adolescent high school outcast coping with her life. Its differences are refreshing though, since the film is much darker and more experimental. It’s a Canadian film, shot almost exclusively in Ontario and features a soundtrack by indie rock fav’s Broken Social Scene.
The film’s premise begins by introducing us to Tracey Berkowitz, just another 15 year old girl with lots of problems. Her dysfunctional parents are too strict whenever they even seem to care about her. Everyone at school calls her the “It” and rejects her. She falls for a new, rebellious boy named Billy Zero. Amidst all these things, when we meet Tracey she’s wrapped in a blanket on the back of a city bus and she tells us she’s looking for her little brother.
The story unfolds in a nonlinear fashion, which isn’t new or unfamiliar to the independent cinema scene, but what’s interesting about this film is, as the title suggests, it is fragmented. The entire film is told through fragmented windows, sometimes repeated moments we have seen or that foreshadow and sometimes it’s just another angle of the current scene. Ultimately for a first viewing this makes the film a little tough to watch, even if you have the stamina or patience for it, it’s almost exhausting to try and capture everything that’s taking place on the screen. For many, including myself, the fragments feel a little obnoxious at first and you won’t really feel like sitting through a whole film of this, but it’s sink or swim. You may adapt to the style or decide it’s not for you.
In the end, I think you’ll feel as though you haven’t wasted any precious time. The ending is fairly typical in indie film fashion in that it’s fairly open ended, leaving you to try and forge some answer from the clues it has provided. You may even appreciate the style of the film. For some felt that the fragmented style was unnecessary and just an artistic attempt that failed. It is interesting nonetheless and a recommended watch.

What makes The Savages an independent film?

For my second blog post, I chose to watch the film The Savages. I was drawn to the film, because of the strong cast and critical acclaim. The film was the official selection for 2007 at the Sundance Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival and many others. It also was nominated for two Academy Awards, and won for Best Male Lead at the Independent Spirit Awards. The Savages follows Wendy (Laura Linney) and Jon Savage’s (Philip Seymour Haffman) journey in taking care of their estranged father Lenny Savage (Philip Bosco). The film focuses on the issues these two middle aged siblings face in their lives, which was the result of their father’s abuse to them when they were children. For instance, Wendy Savage was an unsuccessful playwright working through a temp agency, who was having an affair with a married man, and who throughout the film lies. She lied to Larry (Peter Friedman), her married lover about her Pap smear results, and she also lied to Jon about where she really got the funding to do her play. It is also apparent that Wendy has depression and anxiety issues, for she is always popping various tranquilizers and pain killers. Jon Savage is an unmarried professor of Drama, who won’t marry his girlfriend of three years. Throughout the film he is very distant and reserved during typical emotional situations, but then will be seen crying when his girlfriend makes him eggs.
This film follows a very typical linear structure, and blurs the lines between independent and Hollywood, as have many of the later films that we viewed in class. The film contains a well known cast, though it wasn’t a major blockbuster hit, for it was platform booked on opening weekend, only showing on four screens. However, the film does deal with an uncomfortable subject, especially when Lenny in the beginning of the film is handling with his feces. Also there is no resolution between the siblings and their father. There is no forgiveness, making peace, or apology in the movie between them and their father. The siblings are nontraditional and deal with matters in nontraditional ways. And what I feel makes this film most independent is the arty tone of the movie. Not in the sense of the way that the film was shot, but there is a heavy influence of theater in the film. Both Wendy and Jon are involved in theater, and often make reference to specific plays or playwrights. All in all this film was very good. The tone is very sad and depressing, though it does end on a subtle happier note.

30 days, $1100, a video camera, and Drew Barrymore

With all this talk about Hollywood blending with independent cinema, I felt like I needed a film that brought back the simplicity and charm that we seldom see nowadays. I recently rented the film, “My Date with Drew.” The film is a documentary about one man’s quest to get a date with Drew Barrymore. The film was kind of structured like “Supersize Me” in that the audience follows a certain driven individual as they reach a goal under a strict timeframe. In “My Date with Drew,” this certain individual is Brian Herzlinger, an awkward, yet enthusiastic production assistant living in Los Angeles. After many years of dead-end jobs and limited connections in the entertainment industry, Brian decides to do something “big” with his life and try to reach the unreachable – Drew Barrymore, his crush of over 14 years. What sparks this decision is Brian’s recent victory on a game show in which the winning answer was “Drew Barrymore” and Brian receives $1100. Brian, as well as two of his friends, buy a video camera at Circuit City with the intentions of returning it within 30 days for a full refund. Then, using the $1100 as their film budget, the three filmmakers embark on a journey full of phone tag, missed connections, and enormous frustration.

The film did not exactly move mountains or provoke any profound thought, but I found the film incredibly endearing. As an independent film, “My Date with Drew,” gives the audience an inside look at the crazy world of Hollywood. Although it is very cliché, the film proves that getting anywhere in the film industry is all about who you know. Constantly throughout the film, Brian cuts the action and offers the audience an updated list of his “degrees of separation.” Example: “I know Kerry, who worked on a film with Jon, whose sister is engaged to McG, the director of ‘Charlie’s Angels’.” Brian has to fish through assistants, receptionists, limo services, and distant relatives in order to reach a personal connection with Drew. In the end, Brian does not even reach his goal in the time allowed due to missed calls, incorrect information, and people who basically just “don’t give a shit.” The audience feels Brian’s frustration because after awhile the circumstances become a little ludicrous. Why can’t people just be reliable?!

Although the filmmakers’ camera has to be returned to Circuit City after the 30 days are up, all hope is not lost. The team finally decides to put their footage on the Internet and let their mission grow in popularity through word-of-mouth. Their website becomes so popular that it finally reaches Drew’s “people” and (spoiler alert!) Brian finally gets the date. The triumph is so great it feels like Brian just won the World Series. Although the premise appears rather superficial (an ordinary guy seeks a date with a celebrity), the film is all about rooting for the underdog. It is refreshing to see that three guys with limited means can create such a splash. Hollywood may be intimidating, but this independent film proves that tenacity and ambition can prevail in such a negative environment.

Final Exam Addendum

Additional Reading for Question 3:

J.P. Tellotte, "The Blair Witch Project Project"

Clips for Question 4:

Primer by Connor Murray

I recently watched the Independent film "Primer" and I must say that it was both the most confusing and best Sci-Fi movie I have ever seen. This film is described many different ways when explaining, so here goes... This film is about an engineer who (basically by accident) creates a machine that can transport the user back in time. This is not your typical time travel plot by any means and the movie gradually gets weirder and more confusing. But at the same time the movie gets more suspenseful and more intriguing as well. The two main characters Aaron (Shane Carruth) and Abe (David Sullivan), realize that Abe's accidental invention is much to valuable to market, thus, they begin to use the machine for simple financial gain in the beginning. But when something goes terribly wrong, they realize that they may be in over their heads. I was actually kind of frustrated at the end of this movie because I liked the movie but I still had a lot of questions that had to be answered. Reading some of the threads on IMDb.com was quite helpful and after having many of my questions answered, I realized just how good this movie was. This is like no time travel movie I have ever seen, because it was made in a much more realistic and believable sense than the typical time travel movie. Not only were many of the terms and ideas in the movie actually related to the real-life explanations about, and aspects of time travel, but the acting and directing in general were also quite impressive. Shane Carruth also wrote and directed this gem which won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance in 2004. The main reason I decided to blog about this film is because it is an Independent film that was made on a budget of about 7,000$. That aspect of the film reminded me of El Mariachi which was also made on a budget of 7,000$. I think the fact that Carruth and Rodriguez were both able to make award winning movies on such low budgets truly shows just how talented both of these directors are. After having watched Primer, there was a certain sense of mystery behind the film that I have never felt before. Carruth did an amazing job of giving the audience snippets of information to keep them interested and build the suspense, while he left the main questions at unexplained. I found that the second time you watch this film, you understand and see A LOT more of it and it is very helpful in truly understanding what is going on. I can't say that I would recommend this film to anyone, but I would certainly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good and at times confusing Sci-Fi movie.

WIFF

I was fortunate to be able to attend this years Wisconsin International Film Festival(WIFF) a couple weeks back. Over two days I went to screenings of The Park, dir. Lichuan Yin, Getting Home, dir. Yang Zhang, and Mongol, dir. Sergei Bodrov. Ranked in personal preference, I'd have to say that Getting Home came out on top, followed by The Park and Mongol.

Getting Home was the story of two construction workers who spent their days drinking, until one of them died. The other man, Zhao, had promised to see his remains home, which is across China in Three Gorges. Though it sounds like something Chevy Chase would have done in the late 80's, the film becomes more than just a black comedy or buddy film. Beautiful imagery abounds throughout the film, with the director unafraid of letting a certain amount of silence exist. The people met upon the duo's journey are a fascinating cross section of humanity, from the good (a young man biking to Tibet who helps carry the load up a hill) to the bad (robbers and cruel restaurant owners). The film is sad, no doubt, with it's questions of mortality and futility, but by the end of the film, the viewer is left with what can only be described as a warm feeling inside, filled with the thought that perhaps humanity does have a hope after all.

As a review? 5/5. The only real flaw was that the festival was unable to show a 35mm print(it was held up in customs) and the audience was shown a digital version that was more of a promotional copy, with a time-stamp and image quality lower than a true 35mm print.

The Park was a touching story of a young woman and her father, set in a world where old values and youthful vitality and views are at odds with each other. A fascinating, well shot and acted film. As for a personal rating, I'd say 4.5/5.

Mongol could be described as the big budget film of the festival, as far as I am aware. It seemed like something Hollywood could and would pump out. An attempt at an epic retelling of Genghis Kahns childhood and rise to power, the film was nominated for something like 10 Academy Awards. It was an interesting film, but too flashy at times for it's own good. Had they shot it in two parts and focused more, rather than allowing the quick and at times confusing jumps in time, I feel it could have been much stronger. Not that it was bad by any means, it just lacked the charm of Getting Home and the emotional investment of The Park. Numbers again...4/5.

So, there we have it. A brief, nutshell retelling of the WIFF from my personal point of view. Any time you get to go out and see a bunch of foreign movies AND have some drinks equals a great time in my book.

On Donnie Darko and The Blair Witch Project

Reading/Perusing:

Blair Witch website

Donnie Darko website

Salon.com: "Everything You Were Afraid to Ask About Donnie Darko"

Donnie Darko Frequently Asked Questions @ Stainless Steel Rat

Question:

Discuss your experience navigating the Blair Witch and Donnie Darko websites. How do they add to your experience/understanding of the films?

On Walking and Talking

Hi everyone,

There is no blog due this week. I wanted to give you the opportunity to focus on your Hollywood vs. Independent projects which are due one week from Wednesday (if you are wondering why it's not next week's blog that I am forgoing, it's because I want you to plan ahead).

BUT, that said, you do still have homework! Come into Wednesday's discussion of Walking and Talking with thoughts/ideas/answers about/to the following questions:

1. How would you compare and contrast Walking and Talking and Go Fish?
2. What do you think about Walking and Talking in terms of Christina Lane's article "Just Another Girl Outside of the Neo-Indie" that you read for class a couple of weeks ago?

I look forward to a great discussion on Wednesday!

Ghost World

click on image to see preview

Ghost World was made released in 2001 as a collaboration of Daniel Clowes and Terry Zwiggof. Daniel Clowes had written 'Ghost World' as a comic book which was later made into the film. He co-wrote the script alongside Zwiggof, who directed the film. Daniel Clowes also wrote the comic 'Art School Confidential' which was later made into a film of the same title. They made the film with an aim at trying to depict daily life of the so-called "social outcasts." The film doesn't really have climactic movements. Watching it makes you kinda feel like you're just following these girls around and seeing what they do with their time. The film's actors are relatively known, but mostly in the independent world. The film stars Thora Birch (American Beauty) plays the lead alongside Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation) with Steve Buscemi (Reservoir Dogs)in the lead male role.
The films centers around Enid and Rebecca, two teenage girls that have just graduated high school and are in the process of "growing up." They plan on moving in together and are trying to figure out what they're going to do with their lives. Rebecca is a little more subtle and has a steady job and is psyched to get stuff for her new apartment. Enid is a little lost and not too sure what she wants. To bide their time, they bother their friend at the local gas station about getting rides around town and make up wild stories about strangers and follow them. To amuse themselves, they respond to an ad in the personal section of the paper and hide out, watching their nerdy victim as he embarrasses himself waiting for a date that doesn't exist. They then follow him to his house and visit him at his rummage sale on a later day. This man, Seymour, becomes Enid's new interest, eventually developing on a very personal level. The more Seymour and Enid's nerdy relationship grows, the more Enid and Rebecca part ways.
The film is very edgy in the sense that you sort of see into the minds of the "strange" people that normally stand out when you walk into a crowded place. Enid has a very rebellious character just basically doing whatever she wants, whenever she wants. Rebecca is more laid back is more willing to conform and enjoy herself. Seymour is about forty and is a total geek who cuts himself off socially and spends his time collecting old blues records. I also thought this film was very independent-esque in the the sense that it relies more on dialogue and the girls' quirky characters rather than an action-oriented plot line.

Juno

For my second lived post of the semester I will be discussing the movie Juno. It is actually really interesting to me that this film is classified as independent. First of all it seems that for some reason to me anyway a film should be independent for more than just the reason of being financially made by ones self, with no help from a big studio. Even if this film had no help from a big studio it is filled with established Hollywood stars and should therefore not really be classified as independent, because, I am sure, that they didn't have as much trouble making it as one of us in film school would have. The director is an already established person in Hollywood so making this movie was probably not very difficult for him. I am sure he had the support of most if not all of the actors and I am also sure that money wasn't that big a deal anyway seeing as he is a famous actor in Hollywood.

I am not trying to diminish the films integrity or deny that it is a good piece of work all I am saying is that the system for making movies in our society is a little one sided. People that have the money or the connections already in place seem to make all of these movies and want to advertise them as independent films as to say they are on the same page with El Mariachi for example. Rodriguez was a nobody and had no money and made that film what it is today. He is a true inspiration for young filmmakers that are trying to make it in the film world. It was an excellent movie dont get me wrong, but when it comes right down to it, it just seems like the system sort of sucks.

Enough of my ranting and raving, I think that one thing that stood out the most about this film though was its acting, it was up for some academy awards and I guess it deserved to be. I was really impressed by the leads acting as well as some of the supports like Jennifer Garner. It sort of surprised me that she was in here because she doesn't really seem like the person to do an independent, lower budget film. She seems like she would want the bigger paycheck in the end, but I suppose I could be wrong too.

Beloit Film Festival

For my blog lived experience, I want to write about the Beloit Film Festival my buddy entered in this past summer. Every summer my buddy and I mess around with shooting short films with our friends. Every summer we write and then create them, but never think about submitting them to a film festival. We would think that our films were not professional enough to submit and no one would take them seriously. Well this past summer I unfortunately could not work with him this summer because I have becomes very busy in my own life. He wrote and directed a film called The Capability. It is a twenty three minute short film about three guys and one has the capability to kill. They get put into a situation and in the end you find out what one has the capability to kill. It is a great short film especially being made on no budget with four guys and a camera.

The end of the summer came and my buddy called to tell me how everything went and also decided to tell me he entered this film into the Beloit Film Festival. He was like, “I probably won’t get it in, but it is worth a shot isn’t it?” I said yes of course and wished him good luck. A couple weeks went by and I get a voice mail from my excited friend saying that they accepted his short film into the festival. This festival is by no means at all small, last year the main movie that won starred Katherine Heigel from the movie Knocked Up. He asked me if I would go with him to it and I said I would not miss it.

I feel this whole story relates with what we are learning in American Independent Cinema. The way my friend got into the festival, is like every other indie filmmaker in the world. They might work with larger budgets and better equipment, but he is starting off in the right direction. He also kept a journal like Robert Rodriguez did when he was filming El Mariachi. He explained all the troubles he went through with lighting and places to shoot. He also used actors that are not known at all, which are his friends. His production budget really just included food and mine dv tapes. His friends did not ask for money and he had no one assisting him because I could not help out. This whole procedure shows the independent filmmaker versus the Hollywood production route that was broken down in class for us. I feel it is a great example that you can start off at smaller festivals and work your way up to bigger ones.

In the end he did not win a prize, but being accepted to his first film festival at the age of 19 was winning enough. He was happy with the audience’s response to his movie. They laughed when he wanted them to laugh and jumped when he wanted them to jump. He also felt the Q&A was very fulfilling because a lot of people were interested in his topic and asked him questions. It shows that you don’t need a blockbuster, Hollywood production to start off in this industry. Bryan Pechacek

On Southland Tales

Click Image for Trailer.

Southland Tales is writer/director Richard Kelly's second film, his first being Donnie Darko. Southland Tales is very much in the vein of Independent cinema both in production, story, and visuals. Production was the film had a rough road, shooting was delayed a year until the full cast was in place and funding came after it's festival release. Cherry Road Films funded the initial production for around 15-17 million, which is quite a lot for an independent, but due to the cult following and video release success of Donnie Darko, Kelly was in a prime spot to get better funding for Southland Tales. The films initial edit was 160 minutes long and once it hit festivals it was purchased by Sony Pictures. Kelly and Sony negotiated a deal where more funding for post production would be granted if the film's length was cut. Once more funding came in, Kelly added 90 visual effects and cut the film by 20-25 minutes. The film itself got horrible reviews, especially at the Cannes film festival and it only brought in around $350,000 at the box office. One could say Southland Tales was a hugely independent failure, but don't underestimate the complexities of Kelly film making abilities.

Visually the film was some what traditional in terms, but what was interesting was the use of flat colors within the film. I think Kelly tends to keep his images very dismal and gray, which fits the mood of this film, which puts the present day US in a doomsday situation. But where this films independence really shines is in it's content. Kelly has a unique voice in film and his stories are unique and very complex in nature. Donnie Darko is a prime example, if anyone had visited the website for the film it is very detailed in it's background stories and outlining stories. Southland Tales is the same way, it is actually only three parts of a six part story, the other three were written into books and were going to be released monthly up until the release of the film, this however did not work out. The film starts with the start of World War III, and the US has now blocked off state boarders and citizens need state visa to enter other states. Extremist groups develop and radical political parties and developed. The story centers around an action film actor who suffers memory lose who has ties to right winged political members. He is being sought out by the US and kept tabs on by a Neo-Marxist group. The film is narrated by an Iraq veteran who spins the tale with among other things quotes from the book of Revelation. The film is a satirical fantastical story critiquing ideas of religion and post 9/11 America. Kelly describes it as "creating a piece of science fiction that's about a really important problem we're facing, about civil liberties and homeland security and needing to sustain both those things and balance them." He also sites the films inspirations were the films Kiss Me Deadly, Pulp Fiction, Brazil, and DR. Strangelove. I would recommend this film to people who liked Donnie Darko because it's in the same nature of that film, a world on the brink of destruction with science fiction themes and rips in time. Although not critically of financially successful, the film is worth seeing and Kelly again displays a unique and independent way to weave a good story. Let's just hope Richard Kelly gets the praise he deserves as an American independent film maker.

When Robert Rodriguez first conceived of El Mariachi, he intended to release the film direct to the Spanish video market. By his account, he really did not expect the film to be successful, at least not in the way that it was. His intention was to make it a trilogy, using the three films to practice his filmmaking. To his purported surprise, the film became wildly successful. When columbia initially picked up the distribution rights there was discussion on wether or not the film should be remade with a larger budget with Antonio Banderas starring as the guitar player. Columbia eventually decided they wanted to cash in quick and release the original version of El Mariachi as well as make a Hollywood film using the same character.

Eventually Rodriguez would go on to complete his trilogy. It becomes an interesting study of film making because each film would have a bigger budget, but through it all Rodriguez maintained his steadfast adherence to maximizing his budget by staying cheap. Rodriguez made El Mariachi for $7,000 while trying to make it look like a $7 million dollar movie and Desperado while trying to make it look like a 30 million dollar movie. He finished off by making Once Upon a Time in Mexico for around 30 million.

Even though the movies get successively more expensive I Still always get the feeling the I am seeing more on the screen then was spent for the film. 30 million dollars is a lot of money but it is still relatively cheap for big budget hollywood action movies. Movies similar to Once Upon a Time in Mexico often spend between 50 and 60 million and don't look that much better or even different (at least to my eye) than that film.

Personally watching the films with the commentary or listening to Rodriguez's 10 minute School series provides a revealing example of the way the independent spirit of film making can be applied to Hollywood movies with results that are at once unique and refreshing AND familiar and digestible. Rodriguez ways of maximizing the budget is as much a style in and of itself and are the reasons that he is valuable to the art not just for his films but his ideas and theories of film making.

Saw

While skimming around to find a film to watch or one I’ve already seen for this lived experience blog I ran into the movie Saw so I decided I would watch it again to give myself a refresher on it. At first I was confused because I thought for sure Saw wasn’t an independent film due to how well it was put together but sure enough it was first shown at the Sundance Film Festival in 2004. Some of the actors in it are Leigh Whannell, Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, and Dina Meyer to name a few. The original cut that was shown at Sundance was rated NC-17 but for releases in theaters it was edited a little to drop it down to an R rating. There were only a few changes made to drop it down which cut the length of the movie by only about a minute or so. The film was made in only 18 days, which if you’ve seen the movie it doesn’t seem like it was possible. For those who haven’t seen the movie before I’m going to first say if you’re squeamish don’t watch this movie, there is a lot of blood and gore involved in it. There are also many parts that would seem like torture basically to the victims who are trying to save their own lives, ending with some ultimately ending their own lives. The plot starts out with two men wake up at opposite ends of a run down bathroom chained to some pipes with a dead man lying in the middle with a tape recorder and a handgun. Both men have tapes that explain what’s going on. What it boils down to is one of the men must kill the other or his wife and kids will die. Some flashbacks of other “death-puzzles,” I guess you could put it, are thrown into the movie to show what other traps this psycho who is nicknamed Jigsaw, due to his practice of cutting up the victims skin into jigsaw puzzle pieces, has planned out before. Jigsaw doesn’t actually ever kill his victims first hand. He either lets them die from the people not completing the sick and twisted games he plays or the victims end up killing themselves. There are many twists and turns in this horror flick that will keep you watching up until the very end. For people who love horror films, especially the bloody gory kinds I’d recommend this movie and all of the other Saw films to watch.
-Dustin Fletcher

On Welcome to the Dollhouse

Readings:
Salon.com interview with Todd Solondz

Geoff King, "Industry" from American Independent Cinema. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2005. pgs. 11-57.

Questions:

1. In the salon.com interview, Solondz talks about the lack of cinematic representations of adolescence. Do you think that Welcome to the Dollhouse offers the "realistic" representation that Solondz was aiming for? Why or why not?

2. The King reading provides a comprehensive overview of the industry framework within which independent cinema emerged. According to King, in what ways did the major studios' involvement in the sector in the 1990s affect independent film production?

Little Miss Sunshine

I recently decided to watch the independent movie Little Miss Sunshine. Believe it or not I missed the craze that this Sundance sweeper, and academy award winner brewed up about a year and a half ago. In case you are like me and have missed this smart, genius, comedy, Little miss sunshine tells the story of a very dysfunctional family as they try to make it to California so little Olive can compete in the beauty contest to become little miss sunshine. The script was written by first time writer Michael Arndt, and directed by husband-wife duo Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. The film has some pretty big name stars. Such as, Steve Carell, Greg Kinnear, and Toni Collette, and was made for $10 million. After The film was screened at Sundance in 2006, fox Searchlight pictures bought the distribution rights for $10.5 million plus ten percent of the gross profit, one of the biggest deals in Sundance history. I personally thought the different characters really brought great differences to the film and kept me enthralled to keep watching. Sheryl Hoover is the mother of two kids and married to Richard Hoover. Richard is trying to support the family as a motivational speaker and has a theory to success called “The Nine Steps” the he is trying to get off the ground. Sheryl’s brother Frank is a homosexual professor that is living at home temporarily because he tried to commit suicide. Dwane, the son is a mute who refuses to talk until he can become a fighter pilot. Edwin, the grandpa is living with the family because he was recently evicted from his retirement home for snorting heroin. Olive is the daughter and the movie circles around the family trying to get to California so that Olive can compete in the little miss sunshine competition. The tensions between the family members play throughout the movie. The family travels in an old beat down yellow VW van from the 70’s, which needs to be pushed up to about to 20mph before it can be put into gear and started. Along the way the horn in the van stays on all the time, the grandpa dies in an overdose and they smuggle the body illegally to California because they don’t have time to burry it, Dwayne finds out he is color blind so he can’t fly and goes in to a turrets break down to end the muteness, but somehow the family makes it to the competition in time. Olive gets to the talent portion and performs a provocative dance that “her grandpa taught her” to Rick James’ Superfreak. Overall, the movie was very funny and entertaining. I recommend that everyone go and check this one out.

~David Michels