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

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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: