Before movies I want to say that last night it was 3 degrees outside. This morning my feet have never been colder. Ever.
IN PRISON ALL MY LIFE
On the day MUMIA was sentenced to death in Philly the director for this film was born and 24 years later decided to make a doc about all that action. The Filmmaker talks to people about Mumia's case, possibility of release and race relations around his issue and race relations of the country and Philadelphia, even slavery. While the information and archival footage for this film are amazing, the film falls short because the filmmaker is the through line of the film. It takes away from the arc and structure of the film- which is also a bit too long. Basically the kid needed to get out of his movie.
There is one piece of footage of a bomb being dropped on a building in Philly from a helicopter that will make you ashamed to be American- it happened in 1985. So sad.
Katie didn't see it
FROZEN RIVER
Smuggling immigrants into the country to keep her family above water. There are some great concepts and parallels in this film- between the indentured servants being smuggled and the smugglers struggling to earn a living and keep their family together- but all in all, the performances from almost every character except the female lead felt stilted and contrived. The cinematography was at times very breathtaking- even for video. I read in Variety that someone bought this film- I'm not sure I would do that
SHORTS
DENNIS
Here’s the pitch: Imagine Cassavetes directed a short film version of Marty but replaced Ernest Borgnine with a giant bodybuilder. That is Dennis- and everything about it is wonderful, uncomfortable and amazing. I love this short.
KING OF PING PONG
I was really excited by this film, youth in trouble and ping pong- but it was ultimately boring and unimpressive despite my love for the bleakness of the setting and the use of a at least a half dozen hairless cats. Oh, I almost forgot tons of heavy anti American sentiment including one character that wore a hat with am American flag in it with the word FUCK written in sharpie in the flag. That’s ball-z…huh?
THE WAVE
I’m down with this film although the concept is not anything new....but I found out based on reality- it happened in South America I believe. A teacher tries to get through to his apathetic, valueless class of German high school students about fascism by making them fascists- things go too far. Very well done, although I wish the film would have gone somewhere a little less expected at the end, But very high energy and some MTVish sequences for the kids. The film falls into the new wave a political films geared towards a generation of youngsters that couldn’t care about anything and have nothing to rebel against because no one has any values to challenge. See it. It raises tons of great issues to tackle over a few bottles of wine with a group of people that do that stuff. Katie met the writer an one of the actors- she said they were super great guys. I met another actor who was also very pleasant. The film has US, UK and Spain sold- so you'll see this one somewhere.
That’ll catch you up. I have been LOVING my volunteer position as a Transportation Liason. I have fun, only work 4 hours and get to joke around with folks that leave me shortly thereafter. Great Job, I like being the AD of my little bus stop.
I went to MAIN STREET- the main nerve of Sundance. What a zoo. The Anti-Fur guys were raising hell – that was cool. I just walked around for a few minutes and went back to the Yarrow where I watch movies at the Press an Industry screenings because no other volunteers go there. I always see Tom Hall and Holly Herrick, Film Festival Bob, ran into the Atlanta Film Festival’s ex-pat Brian Newman and I ran into:
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MIKE TULLEY!!! He’s got a sweet writing gig reviewing films for INSERT WEBSITE LATER. Love talking movies with that guy.
Here's an FFB ( Film Festival Bob) What is this? pic
Ran into Dennis Harvey at my stop who wrote Blood Car’s VARIETY review. I’m sure I have been chatting with tons of really important people.. but who cares? What are they gonna do, give me a 3 picture deal at Miramax because I know where the yellow bus line goes?…..nope. Better to just be myself, have fun and watch movies. If things are gonna happen, they will happen. I don’t like networking unless networking means talking movies an making fun of the scenesters.
The cold ain’t shit- I don’t spend any money, - not even on food and since that high altitude bitch slap by the booze at the volunteers party- I don’t touch the sauce. I have breakfast at 8am- work 9:30am to 2pm watch movies till there aren’t anymore (last show 12am) and go to bed around 2 or 2:30am an do it again. What could be better? Parties? Looking for clelebrites? Getting turned away from parties? Waiting in cold lines for parties? Fuck that shit- I watch movies. Katie and I plan on hitting 30 before we leave- so shove that in your party pipe guest-listers.
I am in the lobby waiting to go to the FUNNY GAMES PREMIERE with Katie. We hope to see a Haneke Q&A…will we…….
more moview thoughts to come:
Katie saw Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?
i've seen:
Baghead, Pretty Bird, Momma's Man, The Broken, Trouble the Water, Ballast, Strangers,
August, My Mother's Garden, Gonzo:The Life and Work of Hunter S Thompson- plus shorts and plan to see Golaith, The Wackness, Hamlet II and more!
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