Last Spring I had the pleasure of seeing THE PRETTY ONE starring Zoe Kazan, Jake Johnson & Ron Livingston. It is a very funny quirky little comedy that ended up being one of my favorite films at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival. It is finally coming out on February 7th and the first trailer has just been released. While the trailer give a little too much away, it does feature my favorite moment of any trailer this year.
Yep, that is my quote that pops up singing the praises of the always charming Jake Johnson. I stand by it and I will go one further by saying the film is also charming as hell. Check out the trailer below & look for it when it hits a theater near you.
Is there anything more American than baseball and zombies? Sure, that’s not how you’re normally used to hearing such a question, but since we’ve learned that neither applies or pie are truly American in their origin, we need to replace it with something. Anymore, it seems, zombies fit the bill fairly well.
I imagine asking myself, “what two things have never been put together on film,” and then I realize what writer and director Jeremy Gardner must have realized at some point when he developed the idea for making THE BATTERY. This is a film that combines these two very American things, baseball and zombies, doing so in a simplistic way that preserves the core essence of both. You won’t find any rage-induced superhuman zombies or off-the-wall pseudo-scientific explanations for the cause here.
Gardner sets out to tell a story about survival, not unlike that of THE WALKING DEAD, but with a much smaller cast of characters and a much smaller budget. The film centers around two baseball players, Mickey and Ben. They have found themselves wandering through rural Connecticut by foot, or, when the opportunity arises, by abandoned vehicle. Months ago, while in the midst of a baseball game, when the world succumbs to a zombie plague.
Mickey, played by Adam Cronheim, was a relief pitcher in his former life, now a whining, lazy crybaby who feels deprived of life’s amenities that disappeared along with so much of the human population. Mickey is weak, somewhat useless by choice and a liability to Ben, but they are all each other have in what’s left of the world. Ben, played by Jeremy Gardner, was a starting catcher, in control but wild and fun-loving. Ben is capable of taking care of them both, knowledgeable enough to live off the land and scavenge for the rest while Mickey mostly sits around and blows through precious batteries listing to his portable CD player.
THE BATTERY sets in with as much character development, portraying the two somewhat opposing personalities with a minimally confrontational mood. It quickly becomes apparent that they need each other for their own reason, whether they realize it or not, which ultimately proves to be the very heart of Gardner’s film. Only later on, when they encounter the first character outside themselves does the truth of this begin to set in for themselves and for the audience.
The film is shot (Christian Stella) mostly handheld, grainy and immersed in a sort of endless amber glow of the golden hour, as though to suggest the inevitable end of days. This fits splendidly with the backdrop of the rural landscape of Connecticut as Ben and Mickey venture blindly across fields and down lonely stretches of two-lane highway. Accompany this with an appropriately somber and folksy soundtrack and equivalent score (Ryan Winford) and you’ve got a very down home, personal approach to surviving a zombie apocalypse.
As the relationship between Ben and Mickey develops, like so many buddy comedies but with a bit more drama, the zombie epidemic is but a backdrop itself. Only on a few occasions are the zombies scene, until the end and even then as more of a visceral audio presence that serves as a psychological mind f*ck for our central characters. The special effects are minimalistic and far from groundbreaking, but effectively used in a story not truly about the undead to begin with. Armed only with a six-shooter revolver and a baseball bat, Ben and Mickey do their share of damage on the zombies while picking at each others’ nerves as well.
The game of baseball serves as a wonderful icebreaker, and binding agent and a metaphorical storytelling device for Gardner. THE BATTERY blends this in with the zombie survival story nicely, with moments often resembling those between BULL DURHAM’s Nuke and Crash, while others seem a bit more reminiscent of Shaun and Ed from SHAUN OF THE DEAD. Fully realizing a blend of baseball and zombies may seem too random and ridiculous to work, I suggest going into this film with an open mind. Accept the understandable absurdity of the concept and embrace it, then allow Gardner to show you just how well it works when the story itself has little to do with either baseball or zombies.
I want to start off by apologizing for the delay in my coverage this year. I thought I’d get everything written & posted sooner this year since I was actually staying in the city but I have been getting back to the room exhausted every day. I am taking the next few days off from the festival to catch up and watch a few more of the films available in the online screening room. But before I get to that, let’s start at the beginning…
As always, my first experience of the Tribeca Film Festival was picking up my press badge at the Cadillac Press Lounge. It also doesn’t matter how early it is, this experience is always marked by my first of hopefully many free Magnum Ice Cream bars. After browsing the tables for film postcards / fliers, which there were practically none, I made my way over to Clearview Cinemas Chelsea for my first screening.
ALMOST CHRISTMAS is almost a good movie. I know that seems like a pretty easy jab but the film actually opens itself up to it quite well. With everything going for this production, especially the fantastic casting of Paul Rudd & Paul Giamatti, this film could have (and should have) been so much more. My expectations probably had a lot to do with my level of enjoyment but in the end, if this really was meant to be a comedy, it simply is not funny.
Following my first screening (and first major disappointment) of the festival, I randomly bumped into Alan LaFave of the Hells Half Mile Film + Music Festival in the theater lobby. I had seen him the last two years at Tribeca so we hung out for a little to catch up. Now that I am a board member for the Orlando Film Festival (Submissions open NOW), we talked a bit about running a smaller festival as compared to TFF. Afterward, I made my way to the next screening.
ADULT WORLD was the most packed I have ever seen a Tribeca press/industry screening. While ALMOST CHRISTMAS was a disappointment because of the quality compared to the cast involved, this film was quite the opposite. ADULT WORLD is a good film mainly because of all the talent involved. It is easy to see how this could have been a mess or at least far less interesting had it not been for the fantastic performances and great skill behind the camera. ADULT WORLD may not be the most original coming of age story but it is a satisfying and darkly funny film.
Outside the theater I again bumped into Alan LaFave. These random meetings may give the illusion of TFF being a small intimate gathering but I promise the festival is actually spread out all around Manhattan (and ironically mostly outside of the Tribeca area). We both decided to check out the RIDER AND THE STORM premiere party a few blocks away at SPIN NYC. Despite Olivia Wilde’s name being plastered all over my invite, I did not see her in attendance but there were a lot of really nice and fascinating people that I did get to meet. One of them being Bryn Mooser, co-director of RIDER AND THE STORM and co-founder of RYOT.ORG. I have not had a chance yet to view his film but I hope that changes before the end of the festival. I left the party after about 90 minutes, thus ending my first day at TFF 2013.
Later this month I will begin my annual coverage of the Tribeca Film Festival but this post is actually about the only other festival I attend every year. I am of course talking about the Orlando Film Festival. And truth be told, if I could only pick one, I’d go with OFF every time. Their 2013 Call For Entries just opened up and I urge any filmmakers ready to hit the festival circuit toSUBMIT NOW.
My love for OFF dates back to when my first feature, STUCK LIKE CHUCK, screened in 2009. That led to the festival’s creation of the Jerry Cavallaro Indie Spirit Award and I’ve been going back ever since to hand it out. In 2010 & 2011, I brought Nic Baisley from FilmSnobbery.com along to help cover the festival. In 2012 they debuted my second feature, NIC & JERRY GET OFF, which as you can tell by the title is a gay porno. Just kidding. It is actually a fun and surprisingly honest documentary about my experience at OFF 2011.
Now after being part of the festival for four years, they have officially brought me on as their Director of Social Media & Submissions. I am honored to be picked for this position and humbled they trust me with so much responsibility. I know this will sound incredibly biased but OFF truly is an amazing festival. I thought about writing some of the reasons why but I already did that this morning when I put together our official press release. So after this quick trailer for NIC & JERRY GET OFF, which also works as a promo for OFF, you can read all the details about this awesome festival. And for anyone interested in submitting, here is a special Withoutbox Waiver Code exclusive to WAMG. The first filmmaker to enter HRGEDMX when submitting their film gets to submit for FREE. Submit now at http://bit.ly/send2OFF
ORLANDO FILM FESTIVAL CALL FOR ENTRIES BEGINS APRIL 1ST
No, it’s not a joke. Submissions for the 2013 Orlando Film Festival are now open. This will be our 8th year and it’s also guaranteed to be our biggest. Our mission is to showcase incredible indie cinema against the beautiful backdrop of Downtown Orlando. OFF selects films of all genres from around the world to celebrate the movies, the talent behind them and the filmgoers themselves.
From October 16 – 20, filmmakers can expect large appreciative crowds and amazing parties that have become legendary to those who have previously attended. For anyone wondering, yes the beer & food are often free. Festival Chairman Dan Springen has even been known to create spontaneous after-after-after parties in the hotel lobby just to keep the celebration going. Other perks include impressive discounts at many local bars, hotels & restaurants, as well as discounted passes to Universal Studios Theme Parks. Filmmakers can even attend a private backlot tour at Universal. Perhaps the biggest perk is the incredible Cobb Plaza Cinema Café, which features twelve beautiful theaters with high-end digital projection & sound. Virtually all our events take place in or around this theater, which is just a free shuttle ride away from our official festival sponsored hotels.
At OFF we do not care about premiere status or if you are in the middle of a distribution deal. You can have a film full of A-list celebrities or something you shot at your Grandma’s house with some friends. Whether a student, feature, short, narrative or documentary production, all we care about is finding high quality independent cinema. If your film fits that simple criteria, please send it our way!
To submit to the Orlando Film Festival, please visit our Withoutabox page – http://bit.ly/send2OFF
Silver screen icon Bette Davis is generally credited with this adage, “Old age isn’t for sissies.”. This is well illustrated in the Spanish feature-length animated film WRINKLES based on Paco Roica’s award-winning graphic novel. The prime focus of this tale is Emilio, an elderly widower (and former bank manager) residing with his son’s family until he becomes too difficult (tossing his soup seems to be their breaking point). The son and his wife drop him off to live in a cold, sparsely furnished old age home. There the stiff, buttoned-down Emilio is assigned to share a room with the gregarious conman Miguel (“I’ll take care of that for ten Euros!’). As they tour the facility, the men walk near the stairwell and hear the howls emanating from the dreaded second floor. Miguel explains that this is where those with extreme dementia and Alzheimer’s’ Disease reside. As the year slowly passes, Emilio begins to deteriorate physically and mentally as Miguel tries to figure out a way to hide his pal’s condition from the supervising doctor and the staff. The stories of neglect and loneliness are balanced out by some of the home’s eccentric residents and Miguel’s rebel spirit. The animation is put to good use in flashback sequences involving Emilio as a child and a young father and also with several of the residents (we see how one couple met as young children). We also get to go inside some of their fantasies (one lady sees alien kidnappers everywhere while another believes she’s an elegant passenger on the Orient Express). The style of animation is close to the old school, hand-drawn cell animation (I was reminded of the excellent Batman TV cartoons of the 1990’s) as opposed to Pixar-type CGI. This is an expertly told tale that will have you reflecting on how to care for your own family, and what will happen if you need some help yourself when you enter the “golden years”. This film proves that animation can tackle the most challenging subject matter.
WRINKLES screens as part of the 21st Annual Whitaker Saint Louis International Film Festival on Sunday, November 11 at 4 PM and Monday, November 12 at 9 PM at the Plaza Frontenac Cinemas
Dan Riesser’s horror/comedy short NIGHT OF THE PUNKS has played quite well at various film festivals. The full film, less than twenty minutes long, is available for viewing right here.
So, is it worth a look?
That depends. Can you stomach gore that’s simultaneously gross and funny, due to its over-the-top, low-budget nature? Do you have a deep-seated affection for the spook-a-blast stylings of the 1980’s? Can you find it in yourself to root for punk rock musicians? If yes, then I’d say that this short is more than worthy of checking out. Riesser, who shot the movie on a micro-budget, wants to turn it into a feature, and he displays more than enough chops to get the job done. I wish him the best of luck.
The story follows the members of Brain Dead, a small-time punk band who get booked for their first road show. But when they arrive at the venue, they find nothing but a dingy bar, almost devoid of customers. And once they start playing, they discover that most of the patrons who are there are actually demons hungering for human flesh. A bloody, slap-sticky fight for survival ensues.
The script often goes overboard on reference humor, and sometimes the dialogue can be horribly stilted, although that aspect may or not be intentional, given the feel that the movie is going for. The actors sometimes fail to sell their situation all that well, although this too actually adds to the movie’s campy, tongue-in-cheek atmosphere. Really, while the movie is far, far from perfect, it really wouldn’t feel right to lambast it too heavily for its shortcomings. It’s a small-time production that’s available for free. And since it’s more of a proof of concept than anything else, I’ll give it a pass. NIGHT OF THE PUNKS is a fun little movie.
I will throw myself onto the altar as a sacrificial lamb so that fellow critics much better than I do not fall prey to using the following super cheesy & painfully obvious opening statement in their future reviews of this film. Remember me as a hero…
Much like the parked ice cream truck Jess Weixler finds herself stuck in for the majority of the running time, FREE SAMPLES goes nowhere. Yes, I know that’s bad. It’s the sort of line your friendly neighborhood entertainment guru will say in his segment on the local news in attempt to be clever. Unfortunately it does perfectly apply to the film. Hungover and unsure of pretty much everything in her life, Jillian (Jess Weixler) finds herself working all day parked in a vacant lot handing out free samples of an ice cream-like substance to a cast of quirky characters. There are a few subplots including a distant “kind of” fiance, a quick-witted guy she met the night before (Jessie Eisenberg), and a friendship with an elderly patron (Tippi Hedren).
In the end, there is some very minor character growth but it is in no way a substantial arc. This would be fine if the journey was entertaining but even at 80 minutes, the film seems to drag its feet far too often. This is not the fault of the actors; everyone seems to do well with what little material they have to work with. Jess Weixler channels her inner Winona Ryder as the smart yet irritatingly bitchy Jillian and Jason Ritter seems to have fun as Wally. Jessie Eisenberg is on his game as a much more confidant version of the character we have seen him play many times before. Sadly many of the hilariously quirky characters that show up for free ice cream fail to be hilarious or even relevant to the story in any way. The jokes falling flat could be due to poor delivery but it is more likely due to the script that could have used a bit more love before cameras started rolling. There are a few really good moments, namely the ones with Jason Ritter and Jessie Eisenberg, but they do not appear nearly often enough to save this slow mess.
Not since David Lynch’s THE STRAIGHT STORY have I enjoyed a film about the charm of an elderly man’s unwavering determination and loyalty. THE DROUGHT, written and directed by Kevin Slack, is a 12-minute short film starring Edmund Lyndeck as Jonas, a senior resident of Brooklyn who struggles with his efforts to sell umbrellas from a small street cart during a summer drought. During his down time, Jonas recollects his life through visions of his late wife Janet (Kathleen Hope Reilly) as a young woman, the only thing that makes him smile during these dry, hot days of summer.
THE DROUGHT is an extremely romantic film, not in the contemporary sense, but in the nostalgic heart-warming sense. Jonas is a good guy, sad and lonely, but he’s pure and true. Lyndeck gives a quaint performance of a likeable old man, stubborn in his ways. Other than the memory of his wife, only one other thing in this world puts a smile on Jonas’ face… umbrellas, especially his first, which holds a special place in his heart and on his wall.
Cinematographer John Paul Clark works closely with director Kevin Slack to create an absolutely beautiful film, shot with a warmth that conveys the dry, summer heat, but still feel comfortable and inviting. The rest of the world around Jonas is happy and enjoying the weather, but Jonas dreams of the rain’s return… and therefor, the return of demand for his umbrellas. Rob Gokee supplies the original music for the film, adding to the overall romanticism of the story.
THE DROUGHT has two primary characters. The first is obviously Jonas, while the second is Marco (Ivan Goris), a supporting character and fellow street vendor. Marco and Jonas are friends despite being each others indirect competition. Marco makes efforts to help out the struggling Jonas, but he remains committed to his umbrella passion, despite his unspoken uncertainty. This friendship adds a level of generational perception, an element of the changing times to compliment the metaphorical use of the seemingly unchanging weather.
As is usually the case with short films, THE DROUGHT won’t be found in any theaters, except maybe for the occasional film festival. With that said, short films are often well worth the time it takes to seek them out and deserve more attention than they receive. Kevin Slack’s THE DROUGHT is gorgeous. It tells a simple but smart and pleasing story without being condescending or too cute.
With that said, I am privileged to say you can watch the film below:
Review originally published on September 27th, 2011 as part of our Fantastic Fest coverage.
My favorite science-fiction stories are often the subtle ones, films and literature that delve deeper into the philosophical of the genre pool, more than simply wading in the shallow end with fantastic technology and the sensationalism of aliens. THE CORRIDOR, written by Josh MacDonald and directed by Evan Kelly, does this well, while also mingling nicely with the psychological thriller genre.
THE CORRIDOR begins with a jolt to the viewer’s attention, firing a bullet of essential back story at point blank range, leaving a residue of smoldering mystery to ignite the slowly burning story that follows. Stephen Chambers stars as Tyler, returning from a stint of recovery after having a breakdown triggered by his mother’s death. In a show of support and to celebrate Tyler’s return, his four best friends decide to reunite with him for a weekend at his mother’s small house out in the Canadian wilderness.
David Fleming plays Chris, Tyler’s closest friend and probably the most level-headed of the five. James Gilbert plays Everett, the wilder of the friends and a musician with a borderline drinking problem. Matthew Amyotte plays “Bobcat,” the big, burly ex-football star turned family man. Finally, Glen Matthews plays Jim, or “Huggs” as he’s called by the rest of the crew, the smart and somewhat nerdy friend. Together, they’re an unlikely group of characters with a natural chemistry.
In the beginning, the friendly get together seems harmless enough, despite an underlying thread of mutual reluctance and trepidation amongst the friends. It’s difficult for them to feel at ease around Tyler, and the opening scene of THE CORRIDOR offers a more than reasonable explanation for this uneasiness. Over the course of their time together, Tyler’s four friends become more relaxed, but after Tyler takes a late night walk on his own into the woods, he begins to fear the worst about his condition.
Tyler’s mother Pauline (Mary-Colin Chisholm) has a very small role on screen, but the character has a much more significant role in the story as her and her son Tyler share a unique connection, but may not be what it appears on the surface. THE CORRIDOR refers to something Tyler’s discovers on his solitary walk into the woods, leading him to gather his friends to witness for themselves, but Tyler’s actions will ultimately lead to events that change their lives forever.
THE CORRIDOR showcases a cast of relative unknowns, young talent that collectively delivers a high caliber performance. This plays directly into the success of the director’s vision, as this is a dialogue driven story with strong, well developed characters. The viewer is given ample time to empathize with each of the characters and their motives, but the pacing of the film is also crucial, maintaining a comfortably controlled release of clues enhanced with properly placed brow-raising twists.
As THE CORRIDOR rises to a boiling point it morphs gently into a horror story wrapped around a science-fiction puzzle. What exactly is the Corridor? What does it mean? Where does it lead? These are the questions the filmmaker sews within our minds and leaves to germinate and take root. Evan Kelly tells a strong, engaging story that raises curious ideas, but he stands back and allows the viewer to come to their own conclusions about the Corridor.
Evan Kelly makes some bold but effective choices in his use of CGI. The special effects are minimal and simple, but not cheesy or distracting. THE CORRIDOR is a precise description of the anomaly presented in the film, while maintaining an nearly indescribable nature. The makeup effects are brutal and graphic, but do not exceed necessity. THE CORRIDOR seamlessly blends human drama with science fiction, psychological and visceral horror, and even a touch of metaphysical philosophy for one of the more mesmerizing but accessibly cerebral films I’ve seen in years. Enter THE CORRIDOR with your thinking cap on, but there’s no need to turn it up to eleven on the dial.
THE CORRIDOR opens theatrically in the United States and Canada on March 30th, 2012.
LAMBENT FUSE is an independent drama made entirely in Minnesota by college students, pre-professionals and new professionals in the filmmaking field. An ambitious project that strives to shed a more realistic light on issues of mental illness, LAMBENT FUSE has a lot going on within it’s 99-minute running time. While I applaud and encourage such ambitious undertakings, the rule of thumb known as “less is more” is often a philosophy one does well to heed, which applies to filmmaking as easily as anything else. However, that should never keep a storyteller from offering the viewer a challenge.
The film revolves primarily around two characters, Freddie (Rhett Romsaas) and Allison (Heidi Fellner), a couple near their two-year anniversary. LAMBENT FUSE follows a similar structure as more recent films including CRASH (2004) that feature multiple plots that converge across an indirect narrative structure. While this gives the film more to play with, and therefor more for the audience to keep up with, the overall outcome can be equated to five lanes of rush hour traffic trying to squeeze onto a three-lane expressway. Once again, this is not meant as a deterrent, but let’s be fair and call it what it is.
LAMBENT FUSE begins with two rather bumbling, inexperienced small-time crooks going from one convenience store to the next, sticking them up for their cash. This pair of supporting characters struck me as slightly too comical to fit into the rest of the story, and when it’s all said and done, serve little significance to the overall message and plot. This does, however, help introduce the audience to Lt. Phillip Richter (Matthew Feeney) who serves a crucial role in Freddie’s story, which is sprung into emotional liftoff by the death of his sister Emily (Jennifer Mergen). Richter also is primarily a supporting character, serving as a catalyst for the choices Freddie makes as he deals with his own state of mental distress, which goes from loss-induced depression to rage fueled by revenge.
When it comes to the filmmakers’ intent to convey a more realistic depiction of mental illness, Allison’s story is much more readily accessible. As her relationship with Freddie begins to deteriorate after Emily’s death, we witness an old, seemingly dormant case of kleptomania emerge once more, causing a downward spiral in her own life as a result of Freddie’s mental state constructing a wall between them. Unknown to Allison, another threat is building parallel to her hardship with Freddie as Paul (Eric Hanson), the chef at her favorite restaurant, begins to reveal an unhealthy and dangerous obsession. I found myself deeply intrigued by this arc of LAMBENT FUSE, partially as a result of the tension, but also partially because I found Paul reminded me a lot of a creepier version of Howie Mandel. This isn’t a knock on Eric’s performance… I actually really admire Howie.
LAMBENT FUSE certainly held my attention, and while it had my curiosity firing on a commendable level, I found that the suspense leading up to the various outcomes was somewhat lacking. In other words, some of the film plays out more predictably than I imagine was intended, but this isn’t enough to draw a death card for the film as a whole. The film’s pacing is spot on, never feeling slow nor rushed. In addition to directing the film, Matt Cici also served as the editor, which very likely played a role in this pacing accomplishment. The cinematography (Zachary Nelson) looks great from a lighting perspective, and there are frequently some great choices in framing and composition. However, I also found a number of moments when an erratic use unstable handheld shots, intrusive focus shifts and spontaneous zooms threatened to yank me from the story.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to locate detailed soundtrack information for LAMBENT FUSE, but I can say that the original music composed by Ross Hackenmiller and Blake Hosler is refreshing and lends greatly to the overall tone of the film, shifting with the mood of the characters and the implications of the events happening on screen. Once the multifaceted story comes full circle I found this make-believe world of human drama came to a natural, albeit creatively poignant conclusion. these characters all have their own, individual issues they must overcome, but at no point do any of them feel over-the-top or unrealistic. On that note, mission accomplished.
LAMBENT FUSE is directed by Matt Cici and co-written with David Marketon. The independent drama made it’s Minnesota premiere on March 18th, 2012. LAMBENT FUSE was awarded Best Minnesota Feature from Twin Cities Film Festival and Best Drama Feature from Highway 61 Film Festival.
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