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September 28, 2007

etriganEntertainmentFantastic Fest - Day 8

Draft - final revisions by 9/30

I am exhausted and cranky…and a little sad. This was the best festival I have attended, so far. I will beef out my reviews and assault you with the flash video player I just acquired. Stay tuned.

Thu, Sep 27

Run, The (short) - short and funny. credits longer than the content.

Finishing The Game (88 min.) - fans of the christopher guest movies will appreciate this similar attempt at a mockumentary about attempts to cast Bruce Lee’s final movie after he died with only 12 minutes of film “in the can”. however, it comes off as an uninteresting reality show at times.

There Will Be Blood - a beautiful, powerful film that is sure to garner several nominations. My only dislike is that the score was occasionally distracting.

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September 27, 2007

etriganEntertainmentFantastic Fest - Day 7

Draft - final revisions by 9/30

Wed, Sep 26

Raymond (short) - Strangely compelling and often laugh out loud funny.

Devil’s Chair (90 min.) - This attempt at a Matthew Vaughn/Guy Ritchie horror movie is cliched and predictable. With all the subtlety of early Rob Zombie and the complexity of red corn syrup, the film makers fell far short of creating anything compelling. It is a real shame since the cast and production values are top notch for the most part. p.s. When the protaginist in your film says “Never saw that coming, did ya’?” and everyone in the audience really did see it coming…it’s time to rework your movie.

Ange (short) - Creepy to the point that I believe that was the only point. Fans of weird will embrace this short while most people will wonder why it isn’t shorter.

Belle bête, La (110 min.) - Simple and slow with a French take on inappropriate family relationships. There are no real surprises in the film but the quality of story and the actors makes you believe in what you see on the screen. Caroline Dhavernas (“Wonderfalls”) is so committed to her role that she is almost unrecognizable.

El Orfantano - El Orfantano actually made me jump once, and it wove such high tension that I needed hand holding at times. By the end of the film I was completely enraptured. How is it possible that this is the first film for so much of the crew? Viva España!

Faeries of Blackheath Woods, The (short) - Despite a few questionable effects this short is fun to watch.

Death Note (126 min.) - Rather long, but well produced and fun to watch.

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September 26, 2007

etriganEntertainmentFantastic Fest - Day 6

Draft - final revisions by 9/30

Tue, Sep 25

Criticized (short) - an unoriginal and predictable short about a director who is upset over a bad review. blech.

Five Across The Eyes (95 min.) - Were I a man of means, I would give this director a wad of cash with instructions to buy new equipment, replace 50% of the cast and shoot/edit the exact same film. About 5 minutes after the exposition is over you forget the low quality and become committed to the story. This film is why these festivals are in place.

Demonology of Desire, The (short) - Funny, well-shot and original short about a manipulative school girl who would love nothing better than to have someone love her so much they would die for her.

Jack Ketchum’s The Girl Next Door (90 min.) - This is one of those films that hurts to watch. Not just the physical torture, but the emotional torture of a person in a bad place making bad decisions and knowing that no good will come of it. The director should be proud of this film even though I don’t think I would tell anyone that they should see it.

Un-Gone (short) - Looking like a Doctor Who special, this short presented an intriguing hard science concept with almost no special effects.

Timecrimes (103 min.) - Timecrimes is a labyrinth of story with repeating layer passages that are fresh each time around. A script this original and complex deserves to be seen cold. Possibly the most accessible film at the festival.

Far Out (short) - Cute story that leaves you with more questions. It is a little heavy-handed on the “hey, this is the 70s!” sets, costumes and camera work.

Hell’s Ground (90 min.) - If Adam Green lived in Pakistan, this is the movie he would have made. It is especially rewarding to see this film and catch an insight into Pakistani teenage lifestyles and Pakistani culture including a couple hijra. I am over-recommending considering the source of the film and ignoring some of the stylized choices used as transition devices, but the director hits all the right notes in this slashers vs teenagers rewrite for the Middle-East.

Waiting for Yesterday (short) - Highly technical camera work combined with highly trained performers seals the professional look of this world in reverse. Great sci fi.

Inside (90 min.) - Extremes of blood and gore with high tension in this film about a pregnant woman attacked in her own home the day before she is to be induced. It must have cost the filmmakers a fortune in fake blood and rubber body parts since so much of the violence is meted out in detail in flesh. This film may not be suitable for expectant mothers, but gore fans will flip over it.

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September 25, 2007

etriganEntertainmentFantastic Fest - Day 5

Mon, Sep 24

Ferryman, The (100 min.) - The Ferryman is a well made thriller with a refreshing lack of CGI. That may have been due to budgetary constraints but it shows a solid commitment from the director and actors that the story never gets silly. The tension is not as taught as I would want but I was never bored and maintained my suspension of disbelief. It is (so far) one of my top 5 from the festival.

Tyger (short) - Nonsensical but gorgeously brilliant blend of puppetry and animation.

Aachi and Ssipak (90 min.) - Aachi and Ssipak is certainly a film that every animation fan will enjoy, but the frenetic animation and silly story development will turn off a lot of animation non-fans.

Everything Will Be Ok (short) - It is hard to rate this film honestly. Hertzfeldt’s depiction of spiraling schizophrenia is creepily accurate, and his desire to upset the audience is 100% effective but this foray into a more serious narrative is not easily consumed. Fans of his previous work will be galvanized in his new effort.

Sniffer (short) - This strange, funny, stylized live-action short about a man who samples live deodarant effectiveness in a world where people float left me with many questions.

Maiko Haaaan!!! (120 min.) - Leave it to Fantastic Fest to program a Rom-Com at a genre festival. Of course it is a wacky Japanese Rom-Com with a Jerry Lewis inspiration that involves some inappropriate relationships. I laughed and loved, wondering the whole time how it would resolve itself. The film is a little on the long side and (typically) American audiences will be scared off by the subtitles, but I wouldn’t be surprised if someone tries to rewrite this for US consumption.

Gary’s Touch (short) - The only successful point of this short was to be uncomfortably inappropriate. Like the bastard mentally-retarded sex-fluid-crazed child of Michael Barney, this film is useful as a torture device.

Never Belongs To Me (90 min.) - Plot holes; cheap sets; lousy sex scenes; story that made almost no sense at all. Avoid this film at all costs. The only laughs were unintentional. Ignore the Tim League and Lars Nilsen reviews of this film. They only want to make you miserable. (Believe me! You know they’ve done it before and they’ll do it again!)

Posted by etrigan at 3:48 AM | TrackBack (0)

September 24, 2007

etriganEntertainmentFantastic Fest - Day 4

Sun, Sep 23

Uncle’s Paradise (64 min.) - At times nonsensical, “Uncle’s Paradise” is not nearly as compelling as “The Glamorous Life of Sachika Hanai” but still reveals that Japan has an abundance qualified actors and directors and a dearth of studio projects that has created the “pink” film genre. The pink film industry is providing some talented directors who can’t catch a break the ability to make soft porn films with meaning. This director is better than most porn directors but he has a long way to go to make something worth exporting.

Persepolis (120 min.) - Persepolis is a beautiful story told beautifully. A young girl from Iran growing up during the Islamic revolution is depicted in mostly black and white simple animation. The only detraction I would offer is that the print version is a more appropriate medium — however I recognize that graphic novels are an under appreciated art form and that this film will reach more eyes. Considering the current environment for Muslims in the “Western World”, this film will hopefully create more bridges between us.

Blood, Boobs and Beast (75 min.) - Don Dohler has been a horror movie powerhouse in Baltimore, part of the same creative group that created Art Speigelman and R Crumb. The subject matter and personal insights are compelling but the lack of a solid climax makes this documentary less attractive than others in its field. If you grew up watching Dohler’s films you might enjoy this, but I look forward to the director finding a new subject.

Kiltro (141 min.) - Seeming like a foreign language version of the 80’s USA films where overcoming personal defeat in a montage was the centerpiece, ala The Karate Kid, Kiltro also takes the bad in that era with the good. The performances are sometimes two dimensional, the fight sequences are sparse, and the story is obvious, but it is easy to see why Mirageman — their second film — was encouraged.

Dai-Nipponjin (120 min.) - Not for your average round eye, Dai Nipponjin is a spot-on Japanese take on the mockumentary with Hitoshi Matsumoto performing like an Asian Christopher Guest. As a man whose job is to fight the mega-monsters that attack Japan — after he’s electrocuted and grows to a humongous size — Matsumoto is sympathetically pathetic and hilarious. Fans of Guest’s work, and men in rubber suits stomping on model Tokyo skylines will unite in laughter.

Posted by etrigan at 3:47 AM | TrackBack (0)

September 23, 2007

etriganEntertainmentFantastic Fest - Day 3

Sat, Sep 22

Girl Who Leapt Through Time, The (98 min.) - This fairly standard piece of anime carries a story that is touching and sweet. I would particularly recommend this story for fans of anime and anyone with an obsession of time travel, but I think the story is easy for most people to enjoy.

Devils-Helper: the Folk Art Films of Phil Chambliss - Phil Chambliss is an anachronistic filmmaker and his creations, when seen in the light of his resources, are beautiful and thoughtful. In the editing room the saying goes “you edit what you shot, not what you wish you shot”. In the same manner Phil Chambliss makes films about and for sub-rural America with little budget, low tech equipment and locals recruited as he can convince them to perform. He is a fresh reminder how easy it is to make a film without “the right backing”.

Southland Tales (120 min.) - This film is so full of information that it is difficult to honestly review it after only one screening. Normally a film like that would compel me to see it again but there are too many elements that I did not enjoy that are restraining my enthusiasm. At times the dialog is used for exposition where the viewer should need no explanation, while at other times details are left out making the viewer even more confused. The almost complete lack of establishing shots may be a conscious choice on the part of the filmmaker, but it makes the audience spend brain-power on “how/why/what” while the film continues its rapid-fire delivery. Three weeks later. After the film the studio gave us copies of the graphic novels that cover chapters one through three. The movie covers chapters four through six. Now that I have read the novels I can see the filmmakers were attempting to wrap up the story in the books. Unfortunately for anyone who hasn’t read the books, this film is hard to watch.

Sex and Death 101 (100 min.) - It is easy to love this made-for-distribution movie about a man finding himself through a mysterious list. The writer of Heathers returns to the same look and feel after a long span of lesser movies. This time he tells the story of an affianced man who receives an email listing all of the woman he has had sex with and all the women he will have sex with in the future. At times warped and funny and then touching and personal, it is almost flawless. There need be no Heathers 2 since this film was made.

Postal (90 min.) - It would be irresponsible to recommend that the viewer get stoned before seeing this film. It would be wrong to point out that this outrageous, funny film would be all-the-better if viewed with an altered state of mind. So, I will just say that this is the best video game movie ever made, and i hope Leslie Nielsen lets Uwe Boll direct his next film…and that even a middle-aged nude Dave Foley is as funny as a cross-dressing young Dave Foley. Postal is a fun ride of outrageous moments that will have you constantly saying “oh no, he didn’t”. There is good reason that South Park is giving these guys a discount on advertisements in the new season.

The best Q&A ever! This night will go down in history. This clip is only a taste of the 45 minute thrill ride that Zack and Uwe took us on after the film. Zack is the funniest manic I have ever had the pleasure to see perform.

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September 22, 2007

etriganEntertainmentFantastic Fest - Day 2

Fri, Sep 21
Sword Bearer, The (110 min.) - Beautiful European cinematography behind two very attractive Russian stars is unfortunately paced like a Korean food/romance film. The action in this film is rare, brief and abstracted. Don’t be confused by the marketing. This is Russia’s version of a Merchant Ivory romance that happens to use fantasy as one element of the story. You should only watch this movie if you enjoy handsome naked Russian men being all “swoony”.

Backwoods, The (98 min.) - The entire cast (including Gary Oldman, Paddy Considine and Virginie Ledoyen) delivers powerful performances in a film that is possibly a metaphor for how we destroy our own relationships, or maybe how extreme situations can discover the deep differences that will tear people apart. …I don’t know but like any good film there is more than the surface story. One of my predictions for the future of powerful cinema in America is that it will be bilingual. The Europeans have beat us to the punch on this one.


Moebius Redux: A Life in Pictures (70 min.) - Jean Giraud is one of the primary artistic influences on science fiction films, and his story with his friends and collaborators is the story of the rise of artistic vision in that genre. Any fan of The Fifth Element, Tron, and/or Alien needs to see this film to understand where the beauty in science fiction art originated.

Spiral (90 min.) - Leveraging the powerful script and nuanced performances of Joel David Moore, Adam Green collaborated with Moore to deliver a knock-out film that will draw you in and shake you hard. Zachary Levi and Amber Tamblyn provide such a strong supporting cast that it is hard to imagine anyone else in their roles. Visually compelling with a driving score — and I don’t even like jazz! — this is a disturbing film that everyone must see.

Wrong Turn 2 (90 min.) - I should have known better when they were passing out posters that clearly stated this was going “straight to video”. It is a fun but predictable rehash of the hillbilly slasher theme with overdone special effects. It might be worth a laugh or two…but not much more.

Posted by etrigan at 3:45 AM | TrackBack (0)

September 21, 2007

etriganEntertainmentFantastic Fest - Day 1

Draft - final revisions by 9/30

Fantastic Fest 2007 kicked off with a back yard party, Alamo Drafthouse style. In an apparent partnership with Make magazine, several makers were showing off while trays of foodie-licious hors d’oeuvres were passed around. There was a man with propane-flame powered graphic equalizer, a doll-head theremin, and a gore cannon that was used on Drafthouse employees — not to mention the beer filled piñata, hot sauce tasting and full-bodied roasted cabrito. (In our gift bags we received an issue of Make’s Halloween special edition…too bad we didn’t have that before Morte dal Disegno did Bloodshots 2007.)

Thu, Sep 20
George A. Romero’s Diary of the Dead (93 min.) - If the Drafthouse hosted an hour and a half of George Romero speaking about his views on the current socio-political status, I would buy a ticket. This film is more entertaining than that because Romero is a better filmmaker than public speaker, but it still comes off heavy handed. Still this is a solid film from a devoted director and is especially an attraction for zombie fanboys (and fangirls…and fan-undeads.)

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Suityman (short) - Suitably brief but what may seem an obvious climax is buoyed by clever engaging actors and beautiful country-side cinematography.

Last Winter, The (107 min.) - 80 minutes of this feature are some really well-crafted classic suspense horror. Somewhere near the end, though, CGI and literalism invade and make it not as fun as it was. See the trailer featuring Ron Perlman (of Hell Boy fame) and Kevin Corrigan (the wacky brother in “Grounded For Life”, and the boyfriend of the pants-stain making girl in Superbad).

Les Petits Hommes Vieux (Men from Older Space) (short) - A stilted drawn-out premise that is saved only by a clever poignant ending.

End of the Line (95 min.) - It is rare to see an honest scary movie — one that doesn’t rely on precedents to establish an audience’s mood or frame a story. What initially seems like a confusing weak start eventually delivers a reason for audiences to discuss the facts and return to the plot, trying to decipher the true story. A budget-limited film thus well-crafted bodes well for director Maurice Devereaux’s future. Check out the website for End of the Line.


Posted by etrigan at 3:24 AM | TrackBack (0)

September 19, 2007

beckyEntertainmentCall for Backporchers

Saw this on Freakanomics today and instantly thought of several backporchers who fit the bill. Any takers?

Hi,

My name is Laina Rose, I’m currently casting a new reality show. You are being contacted because our research team thinks you might be great for the show!

We’re looking for geniuses from all walks of life to become part of Sci Fi’s “Brain Trust” –– a super–smart swat team to tackle previously unsolvable problems. But we’re leaving global warming and world peace to the other guys –– the “Brain Trust” will solve the every–day, insidious annoyances that vex us all. What’s the most efficient strategy to snag the best parking spot at the mall? How can you make it statistically more likely that you’ll get some action tonight? SCI FI is going to put the best minds and most original thinkers on the case!

We’re looking for people from all disciplines and all walks of life –– from rocket scientists to backyard inventors to puzzle fanatics. The only requirements are ingenuity, a knack for out of the box problem solving, and an outgoing personality!

Think you’re up for it? E-mail casting@idiotboxproductions.com with your name, address, contact info, age, and a recent picture. Plus, provide detailed answers to the following questions:

1. What is your educational background?
2. What do you do for a living?
3. Are you a genius? If so, how has this affected your life?
4. Do you have any intellectually rigorous hobbies? How about not–so–intellectually rigorous hobbies?
5. How would your friends describe your personality?
6. If you could put the greatest minds in the country together to solve a single everyday problem OF NO MAJOR SOCIAL IMPORTANCE (i.e. developing a theory of how to pick the fastest line at the supermarket), what would it be? And what out of the box approach would you use to solve it?

Or, if you’re feeling creative (and we like creative!), give us your answers on video, and send the DVD to:
Idiot Box Productions
c/o Casting Department
1419 Wilcox, Suite B
Hollywood, CA. 90028

Casting only lasts for a couple weeks, so send your submissions in ASAP!

The submissions, including the videos, become our property and will not be returned, and we can use the submissions, including videos, in any way we see fit, including, without limitation, in and in connection with any program and any advertisements, promotions and publicity, in any and all media, whether now existing or hereafter discovered.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 323.463.0180.
Hope to hear from you soon,
Laina Roses

Posted by becky at 1:44 PM | TrackBack (0)

September 10, 2007

etriganEntertainmentUpcoming with a laugh

I’ve been really lax at posting around here for some time. It’s mainly been due to a conservation of psyche energy, but all that will change over the next few weeks. We just finished our fifth 48 hour film competition — the third collaboration with Square-Bear — and you’ll be seeing more about it at the Morte dal Disegno website, plus Fantastic Fest starts in about 10 days so there should be at least 8 posts — one for each day I attend — and before that I hope to post a Fantastic Fest preview. Oh, and I started a DIY camera dolly rig that I will review as soon as I finish.

Until all that, here’s a funny that should generate laughs for the GOPers and the Liberals with a sense of humor.

Posted by etrigan at 1:17 PM | TrackBack (0)

September 4, 2007

etriganPoliticsMiss me? I'll fix that.

It’s time to take a swing. Maybe the GOP will field someone who believes in fiscal responsibility this year.

Posted by etrigan at 9:44 AM | TrackBack (0)