Review: "Tennessee Queer"

The more things change, the more they stay the same. I’ve heard and used this phrase more times than I care to count, but, much like its meaning, it never gets tired despite the more it’s used. And yet, the lessons that can be learned from it often go in one ear and out the other. Repeating a phrase over and over to people who are constantly repeating the same actions over generations makes me ask; Is an uphill battle worth fighting?

With a sense of humanity and an optimistic radiance, Tennessee Queer says yes.

Review: "Where Y'at? (hello.)"

Q) What is Hollywood South?

A) The southern (specifically Gulf of Mexico) region of the U.S., which hosts a good amount of Hollywood film and television productions, because of very attractive tax incentives.

It’s tough out there for up and coming independent filmmakers, especially in New Orleans. Sure, there are tools like social networking and crowd funding that are paramount for artists, but there is no guarantee that any of that will work. And if they do, the benefits aren’t enough to qualify for the same privileges that bigger productions enjoy.

If you’re from Hollywood, they’ll roll out the red carpet. If you’re local, they’ll hire you to be a roller. Despite this, there are people and organizations in the area that are working around the clock to sponsor home grown talent, from festivals and lectures to collaborative projects. Collaborative - what a great word.

A Festival for "Steve Chong..."

The New Orleans Film Festival, run by the New Orleans Film Society, was recently listed as one of MovieMakers’ film festivals worth the entry fee for filmmakers. While I have never submitted a movie to the fest (I’m a critic), I can tell you that the NOLA audience appreciates indie cinema. And if you have an exceptional indie film, the benefits you receive will match the quality you give.

Like most fests, there is a submission process, where a plethora of films are whittled down to dozens. Competition is fierce on the festival circuit. The more organizations turn your movie down, the more youtube looks like a viable option. Good movies ought to be viewed on good screens.

To the people behind NOFS, allow me to recommend a good movie for this years fest, during this submission season - Steve Chong Finds Out That Suicide is a Bad Idea. 

@NOFS Review: "Dead Man's Burden"

Cross posted from MoviePass:

For most of New Orleans, Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained" will be THE western film event of the year. While I don't doubt that it will be an event, to call it a western is way too simple. I think it's obvious that Tarantino's works - especially since "Kill Bill" - have been beyond traditional notions of genre, and fit more under the term remix. I will most certainly be in line for that movie, but what flick should local (or any) western fans catch? What would I pick as a must see?

I would not only recommend "Dead Man's Burden" - which will be playing at this years New Orleans Film Festival - as a great western, but also as one of the best films of 2012. I'm not sure where it would be ranked exactly, but I would bet it'd be in my top 5.

The story is about a young married couple. The wife has just buried her father, and is ready to sell the land she lives on to an opportunistic mining company rep. Just before finishing business, her long thought dead brother shows up, wanting to catch up on time lost. Secrets are unearthed, justice is had and bonds dissolve. A real American tragedy unfolds.

There were two scenes in this movie that represent for me why this was extraordinary. In the first example, the mining company rep appears as the only person in the shot. No score, just the man. Suddenly, the brother moves from into the shot, and the score kicks in. I paused this moment and recorded the timecode - 00:49:50. While this bit might seem too silly (and maybe lame) as an example of a movie's great attributes, I assure you it is THAT GOOD, and just ONE OF MANY similar shots/edits. It's wonderful how a modern first time feature filmmaker has a knowledge and execution mastery of such filmmaking techniques. Too often will I see independent films that are just the screenplay on camera. Use ALL THE TOOLS at your disposal, and you will amaze!

The second example shows the level of tension. In the scene, the wife, husband and mining company rep are about to enjoy a drink and make their deal official. Before a drink could be enjoyed, the brother comes into the room, and drops a bullet into the reps drink. While he doesn't say it, we know - and the characters know - that he dug it out of his father's corpse(!). The mood is thick here. This is western storytelling at it's most hardcore. Emotions run as high as the heat in New Mexico...

"Django Unchained" comes out just before the year ends, but "Dead Man's Burden" is already making the festival rounds. The jury is still out on Tarantino's latest, but Director Jared Moshe's first is an expertly crafted cut of cinema. It is what I would pick as a must see.

5/5 *'s

@NOFS Review: "Now, Forager"

Cross posted from MoviePass:

There is a scene in the independent film “Now, Forager” that deserved not only some more time, but its own movie. It features a meeting of sorts between one of our protagonists and two Eastern European men. The two foreigners rob our main character with a machete and some vague dialogue. The loot? A bundle of mushrooms.

Yes, you read that correctly – this is a movie that has mushroom bandits in it. Well, briefly has them in it, as they are only on screen for a few minutes, and never return. Had those two thieves been in this more, my enjoyment would’ve been greater.

We follow Lucien and Regina, a married couple who live off of selling exotic mushrooms they find in the wilderness. They sell these items to New York restaurants, but barely make enough income to put gas in their car. Lucien would rather continue what they are doing, as it makes him happy, but Regina wants more stability; she wants to make cooking a career. Their individual passions lead both of them on different paths, which will ultimately test the strength of their relationship.

It’s hard to pick a side with this couple. You got Lucien, who is easily annoyed by people and is deliciously passive aggressive – scenes between him and an upperclass woman write themselves – and Regina, who is warm and a bit naive. I suppose both have personalities to agree with, but in the end, they are too idealistic to last with each other, and with others – namely the audience.

Now, I’m not saying that the main characters are unlikable, but I am saying that there isn’t much to like. They’re smart and their job is interesting, but that’s about it. The majority of the story, they talk about food and mumble about their relationship. This would’ve worked much better as a short.

Wouldn’t a sequel starring the mushroom bandits be amazing? Two thieves who’ve decided to ONLY rob mushroom foragers; something interesting has GOT to be found in that somewhere. Well, as long as they don’t spend their screen time wasting my time.

2/5 *'s

You can follow the movie @NowForager and catch a screening of it at the New Orleans Film Festival on October 13th and again on the 18th. Get your tickets here and follow @NOFS for more festival info.

Review: "0s & 1s"

Cross posted from InvadeNOLA and MoviePass:

When I was making the transition from elementary to middle school, my family had just gotten AOL - which, at the time, was a major IP. Before this, we had only used the computer as a video game system and word processor. Now, we can chat with users in other countries!  Incredible!

Almost two decades later, the technology has improved; from dial up to DSL, from by the minute to by the month, from chat room to social network, and from computer to phone/tablet/tv. Everyone is now reachable at just the click of a button. Any button.

But, almost two decades later, has the technology improved or worsened our social skills? Is so much access overkill?

James Pongo is about to learn something about himself. He enjoys a wired lifestyle that allows him to stay connected to old friends and keep enough physical distance from the ones he dislikes. But, when his laptop goes missing, James is forced to *gasp* confront people in an effort to get back his all important tool.

"0s & 1s" is the story not only of a generation, but of where we are at right now. There is a relatable anxiety going on here. I'll admit that it's easier for me to send an email or a tweet than to meet the actual person in a real world setting. There is something now uncomfortable and almost unfamiliar about communicating face to face. Whenever I leave the house, I hook my phone on my holster (yes, a holster). When I get home, I check my inbox, my facebook newsfeed and my twitter stream. I keep my browser up for days on end. I'm so attentive to all of this, I even get annoyed when an email isn't responded to quickly enough. Social etiquette? Is that a thing?

The film doesn't just express this problem through the story itself, but through the visuals as well. When the movie begins, and James wakes, a computer boots up, and a desktop appears. His real life is then represented by various digital components - chat room conversations, social network profiles, video games, DVR platforms, texting, viruses, etc. Screens and windows are everywhere. It's so oversaturated, but oh so familiar and comfortable. This IS where we are at.

During Hurricane Isaac, we lost power for two days. I used up my macbook and mp3 player battery power pretty fast. I was almost lost without my online self. But, at my low point, I reached up and picked a book. Then, I opened it, and read a few chapters. I may have lost one connection, but I still had another one; a more important one. But man, was I glad when the lights on my router came back on.

5/5 *'s

>>>> This film will be making its New Orleans debut on Sept. 27th at The Alamo Underground... but only if we can secure at least 10 tickets. Go to Local Screen right now and make this happen!

Review: "Gravity Was Everywhere Back Then"

I've never read Don Quixote. A downloaded version of the classic sits inside a folder in my computer, but I have yet to double click on the icon; I just keep putting it off. Of course, I've already spoiled the story for myself thanks to wikipedia, but still... What am I waiting for? Why do I leave it there?

Maybe I ought to delete it.

When Leonard Woods' wife Mary became ill, he began to build her a house. Not just for them to live in, but to serve as a healing machine for her. Oblong shapes, numbered stairs, unconventional ceiling heights and floor levels would, in his mind, be the cure; a way to reach the heavens and invoke a miracle. She died despite this. And he continued to build, despite that.

Does prayer work? "Gravity Was Everywhere Back Then" really made me ask that question seriously. I was raised Roman Catholic, but was always told by my parents that there were other possibilities out there. At this moment, I don't follow any religion, and subscribe more to Arthur C. Clarke than King James.

When I was in therapy for OCD, I was told that positive thinking could help me in getting through certain anxiety ridden scenarios. I now look at the act of prayer as a form of this. And, while thinking positively did indeed help, I realize now that I was in control. Why should I have to communicate to someone I've never met or seen when I can just accomplish what I need to myself? Talk about tilting at windmills. 

Maybe I ought to read the damn thing already.

Through this hopelessly romantic tale, director Brent Green is put in the duel role of both director and narrator/viewer. He ponders about religion, blind faith and even the nature of pondering. His voice goes from steady to uneasy. His thoughts go from his own to those of Leonard. His own philosophy - how he interprets the real life story the movie is based on and how he relates with Leonard despite their differing beliefs - is actually the second story here. And, in a way, the attempt at understanding how a house can cure someone is just as silly as, well, building a house that can cure someone. Talk about tilting at windmills.

This film acts as a loving, essayic, musical poem. The stop motion live action evokes both the feel of a silent movie and of an alternate world, an alternate mindset. The music, performed live and in front of the screen, provides such wonderful emotion - it may be the best score to any movie you'll see this year. These elements combined make up one of the most imaginative and moving performances I've ever seen in a motion picture.

The main characters' actions may be both futile and foolish, but they are also admirable and beautiful; can you say that you loved someone as much as Leonard loved his wife? Can you say you have been so fascinated by a person as Brent Green is by Leonard?

In the end, I guess practicing and trying to understand religion are both just quixotic acts. The director even states, "Our nets are just not big enough" to comprehend it all. I think I relate more to Sancho Panza than Quixote himself. I'm the guy that acknowledges the reality, but will ride along with the person who sees only the fantasy. Does that make me more foolish? Maybe I should read the book this weekend.

5/5 *'s

Review: "The Unspeakable Act"

Earlier this year, I was asked to watch "Mirror Mirror". There was a scene in that movie where Armie Hammer's character is given a puppy love potion, which turns him into a devoted and even obsessive love slave for the queen. When separated from her, all he does is cry and demand to be near her again. Snow White is able to break the spell with a kiss, and all becomes well again.

Jackie Kimball's situation involves no potions, but she is certainly under a spell. In "The Unspeakable Act", we witness a very difficult period of time for her. See, she's in love with her brother Matthew. Now, he doesn't share her feelings, but remains close to her anyways. Most family members would probably be uncomfortable with this knowledge, but Matthew seems to understand that it's all rather harmless.

She meets his girlfriend with a smile and a friendly conversation, but dismisses her as soon as Matthew breaks the relationship off. She sometimes smokes, but when Matthew recommends they quit, she obeys immediately (though she does smoke a little pot later). She accepts answers and advice from him with little to no counter. She even picks his college as her first choice for higher education.

Now, this dependence is a bit unhealthy, but is it really any different than most first love's for teenage girls? The belief that the first love is the only love, that you can't live without the other, etc. She even glows in certain scenes when with her brother. When her therapist asks Jackie is she shares similar feelings for her other brother, she dismisses that idea as disgusting. In her mind, Matthew is more of a lifelong friend than a sibling.

These therapy sessions may provide some answers as to why she acts the way she does, but the movie isn't really concerned with this, and neither am I; WHO is Jackie is more important than WHY is Jackie. She is a very powerful character with a personality that is both naive and wise; always analyzing herself and others, but still stubbornly holding on to her own hangup. She's my favorite teenage girl in a movie since the lead in "Juno".

In the end, this is no fairy tale; a kiss won't break the magic that possesses her. This case of puppy love may never quite be understood (even by her) or even something that she fully gets over - who forgets their first love? - but I have a feeling that she'll be ok. There are lots of fish in the sea, and lots of seas in the world; once she moves out, she'll understand.

4/5 *'s

Review: "Wrecked"

Wrecked (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Do you remember the end of the movie "Snake Eyes", and the condition of Nicolas Cage's character? He was limping, bruised, bleeding and a bit hysterical (of course). Wasn't that cool? Now, imagine that a near unknown independent feature comes along, with little to no dialogue, just one main setting, and an actor that has to START the movie from where Cage ended the one listed above. Oh, and the actor is Adrien Brody. How much would that rock?

Luckily, someone already imagined it. In "Wrecked", Adrien Brody plays a man with no name, who wakes up in a crashed car in a forest. A few dead bodies surround the area, making him the only known survivor. His leg is broken and trapped, his face is cut up and heavily bruised and he is scared shitless. Remember, this is the beginning of the film.

Throughout the next 90 minutes, we witness Brody (who I explained in an earlier post is a sex symbol) cry, piss on himself, hallucinate, crawl through the woods and make friends with a dog. Slowly, through flashbacks and some evidence on the ground, we get the idea that he was somehow involved in a bank robbery - but he has more pressing matters to deal with; finding help and staying sane.

As an oscar winner, Brody ought to be choosing cushy roles - the kind that guarantee large paydays and maybe critical acclaim. Instead, he fucks a genetic hybrid ("Splice"), kills alien hunters ("Predators"), portrays Salvador Dali ("Midnight in Paris") and stars as Psycho Ed ("High School"). When he picks a role, it must be because it sounds fun.

And, you know what, watching Brody grunt for an entire movie IS fun.

Holding this movie back are the flashbacks and the ending. It would've been much better to have seen Adrien not remember ANYTHING, and just watch his character struggle with a broken/infected leg, trying to survive another day. Instead, we find out exactly how he ended up in the accident, what the hallucinations meant and that it was all some weird PSA for seat belts.

What was the point of all of this? *Spoilers* Brody was a hostage who caused the accident to get away from the robbers, and the hallucination was his wife, who we thought was a representation of guilt or something (which he shoots at one point). Was this just about survival? A guy loots the car at one point, and is later found dead in a cave - what happened and what did that mean?

I think this was all just an excuse to watch Adrien Brody do a mix of "127 Hours" and "Cast Away", minus the dialogue and hope. A new genre called Brody-sploitation has been created, and for that, I thank the filmmakers. Oh, and Adrien Brody, of course.

3/5 *'s

Review: "Hot Cakes"

Cross posted from InvadeNola, where this will be appearing on June 16:

On the first episode of the #TeamNOLAFilm podcast, we discussed the need for a real investment in local filmmakers and their projects. We have so many out of town productions coming IN to the area which is great, but not enough local projects coming OUT. Do producers need a good example of what New Orleans talent can make?

"I have been waiting all morning for a man with half a heart."

Marty, fresh out of prison, visits his regular post jail release diner.  His body language says he's yearning for a calmer future, but the scars on his face suggest something different; something deeper. Two other ex cons see this as well, and soon the three men are conversing over plates of pancakes. But there is more to their encounter than just short stacks...

Described as a sort of neo noir / urban western, "Hot Cakes" has a surreal nature to it; at times like Lynch, other times like Aronofsky. The appropriately timed music, the cryptic at times dialogue, the interesting framing (there is a Knight suit behind Marty in some shots) and even the setting - which comes off like a purgatory type meeting place for these characters - all makes the audience ask "what's this all leading to?" and "what does this all mean?".

Well, what DOES it all mean? What IS it leading to? A fortune teller in the diner is drawn to Marty, and makes a startling prediction for him; will it turn out to be correct? Will Marty be forced into a compromising position? His new friends certainly wish to pull him back into his harsh past. Will they succeed? The film's aesthetic gives everything - including eating breakfast - a sense of impending doom. And by the time the end credits roll, this sense still lingers; things just don't look good for Marty, in OR out of the diner. Is he in trouble no matter what? I absolutely loved this.

"No one should ever come here. I had teeth when I came here."

My only complaint is that it ended. I would like to see what the director Jo Custer could do with a feature length script. She's an example of the kind of local talent who deserve a shot. For Hollywood South to move forward, out of town producers bringing projects to the area need to make a meaningful investment in local filmmakers. Is an example of good local work needed? I just provided one.

4/5 *'s

Review: "Steve Chong Finds Out That Suicide Is A Bad Idea"

An existential crisis always makes for some good drama. We've all been there, I think; Why am I here? What's the point? What do I do now? Sometimes, this kind of deep thinking can lead to an even deeper sadness (especially if you realize how insignificant most of this is), which inevitably leads to a final question - Why shouldn't I end it all?

Steve Chong is asking that final question. With a string of bad luck (from dropping a plate of lasagna to getting fired) and a rather flat and distant attitude towards most people, suicide seems to make some sense to him. But, at the last minute, he decides to hold off for at least one more weekend - a hangout with his three pals at a lake house - to maybe find the answer he's been looking for.

I can relate a bit to Steve's problems. No, I've never considered suicide (nor do I strangely own a gun) but I am pretty shy and have suffered from depression. Medicine helps, but I've learned that the best way to break out of your shell is to act - to go out and do what you're too timid to do (exposure therapy, it's called). Steve's three friends, who discover his intentions during a night of drinking, slowly try to break down his wall and get him to live a bit.

But, what I can't relate to is Steve's attitude towards changing. He wants a reason not to kill himself, but doesn't seem willing to change. For example, when presented with an opportunity to loosen up with a girl he likes - a situation set up by his friends - he essentially blows off her attempts at a deep conversation. Someone once asked me if I enjoyed being depressed and stressed out. I don't, but maybe Steve just can't help it - maybe this is who he is, and he's just frustrated, when he should just accept himself. His friends already have.

Currently a work in progress, this is a nice little independent film. I really liked how, unlike some other indy films I've seen, this one doesn't overly rely on obnoxious humor or the word "fuck" - everybody in it acts, talks and feels like real people. Real people, real problems - that's all I ever wanted from a movie.

More about the strengths of friendship than suicide itself, I recommend this be viewed once it hits the road.

3/5 *'s

* I noticed on the movie's IMDB page that one of the assigned keywords for it was "long title". This made me chuckle, as the title is pretty long and a bit spoiler-ish. Maybe shorten it a bit? Just something to consider.