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March 31, 2006

Reeler Link Dump: Westward Ho Edition

Circumstances beyond its control have forced The Reeler to retreat to California for the next week, possibly two. While I expect to continue portions of my coverage from out west, odds are I will not be able to make the transcontinental commute to catch the Gen Art Film Festival or--gasp!--the Scary Movie 4 premiere April 10.

But at least I am always good for binging on wreckage surveyed from afar. To wit:

--The Reporter's Gregg Goldstein offers a sweeping view of DIY distribution options available to independent filmmakers, with examples like New York's Kristian Fraga (Anytown, USA) and Susan Buice and Arin Crumley (Four-Eyed Monsters) showing at least two of the many ways to skin this particular cat. That is, before it rears back to life, claws their hearts out and ever-so-mischievously sets their negatives on fire.

--According to Page Six, George Clooney's publicist developed opposable thumbs functional enough the type out a plan for sabatoging the celebrity-sighting hotspot Gawker Stalker:

Flood their Web site with bogus sightings. Get your clients to get 10 friends to text in fake sightings of any number of stars. A couple hundred conflicting sightings and this Web site is worthless. No need to try to create new laws to restrict free speech. Just make them useless. That's the fun of it. And then sit back and enjoy the ride. Thanks, George.

Great idea! Almost as brilliant as giving your enemy free publicity in the New York Post! And the Associated Press! And IMDB! Gawker responded a few hours ago by placing a bounty on Clooney's head: Ocean's 11 and Ocean's 12 DVD's go to the first stalker to send a clear photo of the Oscar winner--"and if you can get a picture of him giving the finger, we'll even throw in a copy of Solaris." Another publicist, another job well done.

--Only at Lincoln Center could Polish and African cinema somehow overlap, and that is exactly what is happening in April and May: The Film Society will host a virtually complete retrospective of the late Krzysztof Kieslowski's work from April 5-23, while the 13th annual African Film Festival fires up for a month starting April 20.

--In other "festival" news, The Times's Laurel Graeber has the scoop on the New York International Children's Film Festival, which is now a year-round fixture at IFC Center and is on the verge of going national. Founder Eric Beckman calls it "art house for kids," while rumor has it theater boss John Vanco has promised to introduce a film in a clown suit if Beckman can help him hit April's attendance quota.

--Sure, it is relatively old news, but just say it out loud: Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic Manohla Dargis. Fuck. Yes.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 08:07 PM | TrackBack

Sundance Films Finally Set For Brooklyn Vacation

Just when I was wondering if that whole Sundance/BAM collaboration announced last January was ever going to result in, you know, actual screenings, BAM unveiled the selections and events that will finally land in Brooklyn starting May 12. And I have to say: It looks good--and even better if you are one of the anointed few with an invitation to the opening night screening of Fox Searchlight $10 million baby Little Miss Sunshine. Not that it is the same unless festival director Geoff Gilmore shows up for a stirring introduction, but still.

A few of the local kids in the mix include:

--Hilary Brougher, who will not only be screening her Waldo Salt Screenplay Award-winning Stephanie Daley, but also chat with producer Ted Hope about developing the film with the Sundance labs;

--Carter Smith, whose Bugcrush shared this year's Short Film Jury Prize;

--Byron Hurt, whose documentary Beyond Beats and Rhymes: A Hip-Hop Head Weighs in on Manhood in Hip-Hop Culture earned accolades for its treatment of sexism and homophobia in hip-hop, not to mention honorable mention for featuring the 2006 festival's longest title;

--Jennie Livingston, the beloved Brooklynite whose short doc Through the Ice chronicles a local man's wintry death through the recollections of eyewitnesses;

--So Yong Kim and Bradley Rust Gray, whose tiny masterpiece In Between Days will be acquired for distribution during the festival if there is any justice in the world;

--and Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg, whose The Trials of Darryl Hunt is the film I never forgave myself for missing in Park City and whom I am grateful (as you should be) to see get a hometown audience.

Bálint Kenyeres's stunning Before Dawn is also slated to screen with Bugcrush and Through the Ice in the shorts program; the one-take jaw-dropper was probably the best thing I saw over those 10 days and is the only film in the program I would call a "must-see." If I did that kind of thing, which I do not.

Anyway, full film program notes follow after the jump.

SUNDANCE INSTITUTE AT BAM PROGRAM

OPENING NIGHT SCREENING AND PARTY
Thursday, May 11 at 7pm
Launching the series, SUNDANCE INSTITUTE AT BAM''s Opening Night is a celebratory event that brings together invited artists, Sundance alumni and long-time friends from the creative community. The evening kicks off with a private screening of LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE. OPENING NIGHT SCREENING AND PARTY is presented by The Sundance Channel. GREY GOOSE Vodka is the Official Spirit Provider and Brooklyn Brewery is the Official Beer Provider for the OPENING NIGHT SCREENING AND PARTY.

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (U.S.A.), Directors: Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, Screenwriter: Michael Arndt, Cast: Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Alan Arkin, Abigail Breslin, Paul Dano - In LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, a family determined to get their young daughter into the finals of a beauty pageant take a cross-country trip in their VW bus. The film premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival to popular and critical acclaim, and opens nationally this summer.

This event is by invitation only.

FILM
The core of the SUNDANCE INSTITUTE AT BAM programming is the line-up of films selected from the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. The annual Festival is the premier showcase for American and international independent films, and focuses on finding new work from emerging artists. These films represent the range and diversity of storytelling and artistic sensibility that is featured at the Festival, and include eight feature-length dramatic, six feature-length documentary, and eight short films from the U.S. and around the world. This film program is a snapshot of the hundreds of films screened annually at the Festival. Film Series presented by Nokia Nseries.

All film screenings held at BAM Rose Cinemas.

For many of the screenings, the filmmakers will be available for Q &A sessions following the film.

THE SHORT LIFE OF JOSÉ ANTONIO GUTIERREZ (Germany/Switzerland), Director: Heidi Specogna - In this documentary about the first U.S. casualty in the war in Iraq, a Guatemalan emigrant is drawn into U.S. military service by the promise of a better life. THE SHORT LIFE OF JOSE ANTONIO GUTIERREZ screened in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Documentary Competition. Screens Friday, May 12 at 4pm; Saturday, May 13 at 12:30pm; and Monday, May 15 at 6:40pm.

STEPHANIE DALEY (U.S.A.), Director/Screenwriter: Hilary Brougher, Cast: Tilda Swinton, Amber Tamblyn, Timothy Hutton, Denis O'Hare, Melissa Leo, Jim Gaffigan - A forensic psychologist, herself pregnant, is hired to learn the truth behind a teenager's denial of accusations that she concealed her pregnancy and committed infanticide. STEPHANIE DALEY screened in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival Dramatic Competition, where Brougher received the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award. Screens Friday, May 12 at 9:30pm and Saturday, May 20 at 9pm.

IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS (U.S.A.), Director: James Longley - Contemporary Iraq is illuminated in three chapters that follow the diverse stories of Iraqis against a backdrop of war, occupation, and ethnic tension. IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS screened in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival Documentary Competition, where it received the 2006 Documentary Directing Award, Excellence in Cinematography Award, and Documentary Film Editing Award. Screens Saturday, May 13 at 5:45pm and opens at Film Forum on November 6.

TV JUNKIE (U.S.A.), Directors: Michael Cain and Matt Radecki - Culled from 3,000 hours of video that Rick Kirkham shot of his own life, this documentary offers a meditation on a generation obsessed with celebrity and technology. TV JUNKIE screened in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival Documentary Competition, where it received a Special Jury Prize. Screens Saturday, May 13 at 8:30pm.

DESTRICTED (U.S.A./U.K.), Directors: Matthew Barney, Richard Prince, Marina Abramovic, Gaspar Noé, Sam Taylor-Wood, Marco Brambilla, Larry Clark - Art meets sexuality in this unprecedented compilation of erotic art films made by leading visual artists and filmmakers. DESTRICTED screened in the Park City at Midnight category at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. Screens Saturday, May 13 at 11:30pm and Wednesday, May 17 at 9:40pm.

AMERICAN BLACKOUT (U.S.A.), Director: Ian Inaba - This stylish, intelligent and timely documentary examines the disenfranchisement of the black vote through the lens of Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (D-GA)'s political career. AMERICAN BLACKOUT screened in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival Documentary Competition, where it received a Special Jury Prize. Screens Sunday, May 14 at 3:30pm and Tuesday, May 16 at 6:40pm.

SON OF MAN (South Africa), Director: Mark Dornford-May, Screenwriters: Mark Dornford-May, Andiswa Kedama, and Pauline Malefane, Cast: Andile Kosi, Pauline Malefane, Amdries Mbali, Jim Ngxabaze, Sibuele Mjali, Mvuyisi Mjali - This gripping journey of love and betrayal translates Jesus' life to modern-day South Africa, where a new politics of compassion incites revolution during a military dictatorship. SON OF MAN screened in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Dramatic Competition. Screens Sunday, May 14 at 6:15pm and Monday, May 15 at 9:30pm.

FORGIVEN (U.S.A.), Director/Screenwriter Paul Fitzgerald, Cast: Paul Fitzgerald, Susan Floyd, Russell Hornsby, Kate Jennings Grant - On the eve of launching his Senatorial campaign, a D.A. learns that the governor has exonerated a death row inmate whom he'd prosecuted five years earlier. FORGIVEN screened in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival Dramatic Competition. Screens Sunday, May 14 at 9:15pm and Saturday, May 20 at 6:30pm.

THE TRIALS OF DARRYL HUNT (U.S.A.), Directors: Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg - A black man wrongly convicted of a white woman's rape and murder in North Carolina reveals the racial bias of the criminal justice system. THE TRIALS OF DARRYL HUNT screened in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival Documentary Competition. Screens Wednesday, May 17 at 6:40pm and Saturday, May 20 at 1pm.

BEYOND BEATS AND RHYMES: A HIP-HOP HEAD WEIGHS IN ON MANHOOD IN HIP-HOP CULTURE (U.S.A.), Director: Byron Hurt - This documentary by a former college quarterback and hip-hop head tackles issues of masculinity, sexism, violence, and homophobia in hip-hop culture. BEYOND BEATS AND RHYMES: A HIP-HOP HEAD WEIGHS IN ON MANHOOD IN HIP-HOP CULTURE screened in the Spectrum category at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. Preceded by GESTURE DOWN (I DON'T SING) (U.S.A.), Director: Cedar Sherbert - A graceful and personal adaptation of the poem "Gesture Down" by the late Native American writer James Welch. Screens Thursday, May 18 at 4pm; Friday, May 19 at 9:45pm and Sunday, May 21 at 6:30pm.

IN BETWEEN DAYS (U.S.A.), Director: So Yong Kim, Screenwriters: So Yong Kim and Bradley Rust, Cast: Jiseon Kim, Taegu Andy Kang, Bok-ja Kim, Gina Kim, Mike Park - A Korean immigrant teenager has trouble assimilating into American culture as she falls for her best friend and loses him to an Americanized Korean girl. IN BETWEEN DAYS screened in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival Dramatic Competition, where the film was awarded a Special Jury Prize for Independent Vision. Screens Thursday, May 18 at 6:40 pm and Saturday, May 20 at 4pm.

WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY (U.S.A.), Director: Goran Dukic, Screenwriter: Goran Dukic, based on the novella by Etgar Keret, Cast: Patrick Fugit, Shannon Sossamon, Shea Whigham, Tom Waits, Leslie Bigg, John Hawkes - An offbeat comedy, a love story, a road movie - but everyone is dead! WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY screened in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival Dramatic Competition. Screens Thursday, May 18 at 9:30pm and Sunday, May 21 at 3:30pm.

THE FOOT FIST WAY (U.S.A.), Director/Screenwriter: Jody Hill, Cast: Danny McBride, Mary Jane Bostic, Spencer Moreno, Carlos Lopez, Ben Best, Jody Hill - A Tae Kwon Do instructor in the South tries to keep his small kingdom together after his wife cheats on him in this staggeringly funny comedy. THE FOOT FIST WAY premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival where it screened in the Park City at Midnight category. Screens Friday, May 19 at 4pm and Saturday, May 20 at 11:30pm.

SHERRYBABY (U.S.A.), Director/Screenwriter: Laurie Collyer, Cast: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Brad Henke, Bridget Barkan, Ryan Simpkins, Danny Trejo, Giancarlo Esposito - After serving a three-year prison sentence, a young woman discovers that returning to the world she left behind is far more difficult than she expected. SHERRYBABY screened in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival Dramatic Competition. Screens Friday, May 19 at 6:50pm and Sunday, May 21 at 9pm.

SHORT FILM PROGRAM
Screens Sunday, May 14 at 12:30pm and Tuesday, May 16 at 9:30pm

BEFORE DAWN (Hungary), Director: Bálint Kenyeres - Before dawn, people will rise and other people will take away their hope.

BUGCRUSH (U.S.A.) Director: Carter Smith, Screenwriter: Carter Smith, based on a story by Scott Treleaven - A small-town high school loner, whose fascination with a dangerously seductive new kid, leads him into something much more sinister than he could ever have imagined. BUGCRUSH was a co-winner of the Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.

THE NATURAL ROUTE (Spain) Director: Álex Pastor - Soon Divad will find out that his destiny is already written and that he can't do anything to change it. THE NATURAL ROUTE was awarded the 2006 Jury Prize in International Short Filmmaking at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.

PREACHER WITH AN UNKNOWN GOD (U.S.A.) Director: Rob VanAlkemade - Performance artist Reverend Billy and his choir travel as they exorcize California Big Boxes and New York City Republicans.

THROUGH THE ICE (U.S.A.) Director: Jennie Livingston - Early morning dog-walkers relate a tragic story.

TRUE STORY (U.S.A.), Director: Stephanie Via - An elderly lady remembers a tragic childhood moment.

THE WRAITH OF COBBLE HILL (U.S.A.), Director: Adam Parrish King - It's up to Felix to either reciprocate the benevolence shown him, or perpetuate the neglect handed down as a family legacy. THE WRAITH OF COBBLE HILL was a co-winner of the Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.

DAYS OF PROCESS
Over the past 25 years, Sundance Institute has provided both creative and strategic support to hundreds of independent filmmakers and screenwriters through the various activities of the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program. By going behind-the-scenes of the creative process, DAYS OF PROCESS reveals what it takes to make an independent film and illustrates three primary aspects of the Feature Film Program.

UNRAVELING THE USUAL SUSPECTS -- A Look Inside the Making of an Independent Film Classic, moderated by Peter Hedges -- Friday, May 12 at 6:50pm at BAM Rose Cinemas

Academy Award-winning screenwriter Chris McQuarrie discusses the making of THE USUAL SUSPECTS (which premiered at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival), an independent film classic. With never-before-seen footage, this program reveals how specific scenes evolved from the script into the final film. The discussion is moderated by writer/director Peter Hedges (PIECES OF APRIL). Both Hedges and McQuarrie have served repeatedly as creative advisors at the Sundance Institute Directors and Screenwriters Lab.

CREATING STEPHANIE DALEY-- The Creative Journey of writer/director Hilary Brougher, moderated by Ted Hope -- Saturday, May 13 at 3pm at BAM Rose Cinemas

Hilary Brougher, writer/director of the Sundance Film Festival award-winner STEPHANIE DALEY, takes us through her journey as she developed her screenplay, and illuminates the way her involvement with the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program supported and influenced her work.

DISCOVERING STRINGBEAN AND MARCUS -- A screenplay reading of a work-in-progress -- Sunday, May 14 at 6pm at BAM Hillman Attic Studio

Tanya Hamilton's STRINGBEAN AND MARCUS focuses on the love story of two ex-Black Panthers trying to outrun their black power past while raising their nine-year old daughter. This reading provides Hamilton with the opportunity to hear actors bring her characters to life and gauge an audience response to her work, and gives audiences a glimpse inside a critical phase of the creative process. Hamilton participated in the 1999 Directors and Screenwriters Labs. This is a free event. Advance reservations are required. Visit BAM.org for details.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 06:00 PM | TrackBack

Screening Gotham--Craigslist Edition: March 31-April 2, 2006

A few of this weekend's worthwhile cinematic happenings around New York, as discovered on a random bump around Craigslist (and heavy on the sic):

--Join other Cinephiles for a great film and a discussion!

Thank You For Smoking and a Discussion

Friday, March 31, 2006 at 7:00PM

Short notice, but worth it!

This film has great buzz, one the new 'major' indies, that has been released in the larger theaters-

We will be seeing the 7:40pm show.

Hope to see you there,

Bea

See the full event details, including location, at

http://indiefilm.meetup.com/8/events/4887189/.

--Dead Director Comes to Life at Big Apple Convention

Tickets are available at the door for $15 per day or $40 for a 3 day pass. Advance tickets are available at www.bigapplecon.com and through Ticketmaster.

Legendary horror film director/producer George A. Romero will be hosting a rare live Q&A session and signing autographs at the upcoming Big Apple Comic Book, Toy, Horror & Sci-Fi Expo. ...

Over 30 celebrity guests will be appearing all weekend, including Elvira Mistress of the Dark; Ken Foree (The Devil’s Rejects, Dawn of the Dead); Gary Howard Klar, Gaylen Ross and David Emge (Dawn of the Dead); Eugene Clark (Land of the Dead) Corin Nemec: (Parker Louis, Stargate SG-1); Jerri Manthey: (Survivor : the Australian Outback); Margot Kidder (Superman the Movie); Brande Roderick (Baywatch); Bill Daily (I Dream of Jeanie); Karen Lynn Gorney (Saturday Night Fever) Charlene Tilton (Dallas); Jane Weidlin (Guitarist of the Go-Go's , The Surreal Life); Paul Orndorff WWE Hall of Fame Wrestler "Mr. Wonderful"; Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca, Star Wars), Chanel Ryan (FHM Model); Jasmine St. Claire ECW Wrestling and starring in the upcoming Lion’s Gate Film "Dorm Daze 2".

For Comic Book Fans, critically acclaimed creator Frank Miller (Sin City, Batman, Robocop) will be interviewing famed artist Neal Adams (Batman, X-Men). ...

--Blackkat.org, T.Beale and Complacent Nation invite you to:

Spaghetti Western

Friday, March 31st. - 9pm 'till sunup

Details: http://www.wildwildbrooklyn.com

Starting with a big screening of The Good The Bad The Ugly with remixed Ennio Morricone soundtrack by Jimmy Jackson and Nine90. Our favorite outlaw flic is re-awakened with new original music mixed with the full dialogue of the film. We will also be serving spaghetti (free!), drinks and other intoxicants along with the film. Starting at 9pm sharp.

Followed by music to move you in our two rooms of sound featuring:

+ Matty Dreadless [Bedlam Sound, UK/France] spinning jungle/ragga for her first gig in the US

+ Shortbus [Switchcraft Recordings, Oakland CA] spinning techstep and drum and bass

+ Criterion [Broklynbeats/Pure Fire] spinning broken/splatterbeat ...

Explore our dark corners and cozies nooks featuring new climbable sculpture by Thomas Beale, the Frontier Porch and Love Shack built by Danyell [Nine90] and Bunny, live screen printing by Antimart, new murals by CaiRobot and RenegadeVirus, chill in the TeePee lounge for a smoke and spaghetti western films including Once Upon a Time in the West, a First Full of Dollars and a Eight and a Half (close enough).

You must RSVP to get the location information and directions. RSVP at: http://www.wildwildbrooklyn.com

Only $5 buckaroos before 11:15pm $10 after

Free drinks for dandy buccaneers and randy cowgirls.

--Come one come all to the free screening from the Award Winning Producer of Trading Places and The Rose, Aaron Russo's America: From Freedom to Fascim.

A FREE PUBLIC EVENT AND ADVANCED SCREENING About Liberty and The "Capstone" First Amendment Right To Petition. Hosted by The We the People Foundation for Constitutional Education.

The highly anticipated documentary About the Fight for

Freedom INSIDE America!

The Battle for Liberty & our Constitution THEY don't want You To Know About.

PREVIEW AT WWW.GiveMeLiberty.org

SCREENING WILL BE FROM NOON TO 4PM SATURDAY APRIL 1ST AT THE COMMACK MULTIPLEX CINEMAS

Long Island Expressway Exit 52, North side of LIE entrance on Commack Road Phone: (631) 462-6952 for exact address

I have personaly seen this movie at the screening in Portland, OR and give it five stars you won't want to miss this one. A TRUE WAKE-UP CALL!

Posted by stvanairsdale at 04:40 PM | TrackBack

'Confidential'-ly Yours: Zwigoff, Clowes Next Up For Makor

Makor sends word that Terry Zwigoff and Dan Clowes are confirmed to drop by April 16 for a sneak preview and discussion of their latest collaboration, Art School Confidential. This is one that grew on me at Sundance, then grew off me and is now remembered chiefly for fresh-faced Max Minghella submitting to Jim Broadbent's outrageously dark scenery chewing. Oh, and John Malkovich not being John Malkovich for a change. I guess I need to see it again myself.

Anyway, Broadbent's wasted psychosis alone would be worth the price of admission, but when you add a droll, deadpan pair like Zwigoff and Clowes to the mix? All bets are off. Buy now to beat the comics geeks.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 03:05 PM | TrackBack

Tip the Bulls: 'Brick' Breaks Through

One thing that can be said about a quixotic is that for all his delusion and drama, a very real vision motivates his work. This is the paradox driving Rian Johnson's Brick, a high-school-detective noir inflated with conceits, characters and convolutions that defy the slightest glint of rational belief: A hard-boiled teenage gumshoe. A sinister, suburban heroin overlord. Fistfights twice-removed from comic books. A dead ex-girlfriend in the middle of it all.

Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, left) picks The Brain (Matt O'Leary) in Rian Johnson's high-school noir, Brick (Photos: Focus Features)

Fortunately for Johnson (and for us), however, film is not a rational medium, and Brick not only tilts at windmills but smashes them. It is the type of film that owes everything it has to antecedents like Dashiell Hammett novels, B-noirs and even Chinatown, yet thanks each of them by recasting their archetypes as kids. And if Brick evolves as the cult stand-by I think it will become, we are basically talking about destabilizing myths for an entire generation. Does it confuse? Occasionally. Does it explain? Sort of. Does it apologize? Fuck no.

Moreover, does Brick entertain? Does it emphasize precision--the exactitude of its language and imagery--over the genre conventions that influenced it? Does it risk its legitimacy and its director's reputation in the name of single-minded innovation? Yes, yes and yes. I already whistled its praises once during last year's CMJ Film Fest: Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Brendan, a brooding high-school loner whose ex-girlfriend goes missing before going murdered. He enlists his myopic chum The Brain (Matt O'Leary) in decoding the places and names instrumental to discovering her killer, but nothing is quite that straightforward: Ulterior and anterior motives implicate femme fatale Laura (Nora Zehetner), wife-beatered tough guy Tugger (Noah Fleiss) and cane-wielding drug dealer The Pin (a brilliantly droll Lukas Haas), while assistant vice principal Trueman (Richard Roundtree) negotiates conditions for Brendan to come and go as a suspect himself.

Johnson piles plots on subplots and jams in more jargon per square inch than a truck driver. "I'm not heeling you to hook you," Brendan tells Laura at one point, basically meaning he is not playing hard-to-get to seduce her (a two-page glossary appends the press notes). At least one colleague of mine insisted she may have appreciated the film more had it been "written in English," but the dialogue is essential to Brick's parallel noir universe. Obviously it sounds different, but particularly in the context of Johnson's wide-lensed camera, it explodes inside the frame and pulls identity from inertia.

(L-R) Tugger (Noah Fleiss), The Pin (Lukas Haas) and a vintage poultry pitcher share a philosophical moment

The eight years Johnson spent raising funds for Brick served as the testing ground for the film's visual momentum. "My cinematographer Steve Yedlin is one of my best friends since film school," he told me during a recent visit to New York. "He was the first person to read the script. While we were being frustrated by trying to find money for all those years, we were also talking about the movie and sitting down and planning it. We knew shot for shot what were going for when we showed up to the set because we had all those years to talk about it. And we needed it; we had a 20-day shooting schedule, so we needed to know exactly how we were going to do it when we sat down to do it."

And while most independent filmmakers plan, it takes an especially smart, confident filmmaker to craft. That ethos suffuses Brick; it is challenging art, but eminently watchable challenging art. "I remember one lunch," Gordon-Levitt told The Reeler. "No one really talked about this while we were making the movie, but at one lunch, someone brought it up to Rian: 'So what's going to happen with this movie when we're done with it?' And Rian said, 'I don't know. I just want to make a really good movie. ' And the extraordinary thing is that I believed him. Because everybody says that, but they're lying. They actually have their Oscar speech written in the back pocket. But Rian really, really was somehow able to just ignore all the labelmakers and all the kind of trendwatchers and just do what he believed in and make a movie that he would love for himself. And it's really hard to do, and it's very rare to find."

As far as box-office prospects go, Focus Features was equally intelligent to pick up a film that not only deserves re-viewing but kind of demands it. Johnson observed that teenagers appreciate Brick because of its disinclination to bow at the altar of that other crusty genre, the teen movie. I predict the Weinsteins will maneuver their own revisionist noir, Lucky Number Slevin, into best screenplay Oscar consideration before Focus can snag a nod for Brick, but maybe that is for the best. At any rate, brilliance endures. This Johnson kid is not going anywhere.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 12:12 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

'Guilty' is Charged: Author Targets Yari and Lumet in Copyright Case

Trouble seems to love Bob Yari, the real estate mogul-turned-jilted producer who notoriously filed suit over his credit (or lack thereof) on the Oscar-winner Crash. A new ensnarement has him playing defendant, however, facing allegations that his latest film, Find Me Guilty, represents a "blatant and wholesale theft" of a Newark journalist's 1992 book.

According to a press release, former Star Ledger reporter Robert Rudolph claims the film is an "unauthorized adaptation" of his Lucchese trial chronicle, The Boys From New Jersey: How the Mob Beat the Feds. But while Rudolph's protests ironically mirror a Yari-esque level of outrage, this guy absolutely has the market cornered on shrill, strident bitchiness:

Named in the suit, which alleges copyright infringement, misappropriation and unjust enrichment, are the film's noted Executive Producer, Robert Yari, its legendary Director, Sidney Lumet, screenwriters Robert McCrea and T.J. Mancini, and others. Rudolph charges the defendants with "blatant and wholesale theft" of a book that he "extensively researched, independently wrote, properly copyrighted and published to widespread acclaim." The book remains in print some fourteen years after its original publication. The film opened on March 17th to excellent reviews but weak box office sales.

So let's see: Not only does Rudolph reduce the "noted" Bob Yari and the "legendary" Sidney Lumet to garden-variety rip-off artists (much of Guilty's script was, in fact, based on court transcripts), but he also impugns their work's value and staying power like a middle-aged wife taking a drunken swing at her husband. And then there is the crystalline logic alleging "unjust enrichment" from a film that has "weak box office sales." But whatever--like Yari's suit against Cathy Schulman and Paul Haggis, it is the prinicple that matters here.

And as perversions of justice go, any film reviewed well enough to get Vin Diesel the green light for a big-budget, three-picture, dead- on-arrival language elephant ride deserves some kind of cosmic retaliation. Do what you have to do, Rudolph.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 07:50 AM | TrackBack

March 30, 2006

Soderbergh, Ramis, Kong Confirmed For 'Tribeca Talks' Series

Today's big Tribeca announcement graciously spares us any Greengrass platitudes in exchange for the more clinical pleasures of the Tribeca Talks series. While none of the discussions or panels scheduled for 2006 bear the pulse-accelerating potential of past festivals (remember the Martin Scorsese/Jay Cocks/Richard Price panel on New York cinema in '02?), you cannot possibly fuck up a mockumentary chat featuring Michael McKean, Lewis Lapham, Jeff Goldblum and Bob Balaban.

Other events include Lisa Robinson querying T-Bone Burnett about cornering the market on hick-music soundtracks, Harold Ramis discussing his influence on the comedy of rebellion, and a self-explanatory evaluation of "The Biology of King Kong." Perhaps best of all, Steven Sodebergh and his 2929 Entertainment colleague Todd Wagner will go toe-to-toe with MPAA kingpin Dan Glickman over the vialbility of movie downloads. I will save you a seat in the Soderbergh/Wagner cheering section.

Of course, the full list of panels can be found after the jump.

TRIBECA TALKS PANEL SERIES DISCUSSIONS:

--TRIBECA TALKS: T-BONE BURNETT
T-Bone Burnett has made a habit of broadening the rock, country and blues sensibility of music fans by working with artists from Bob Dylan to Reese Witherspoon. His most notable recent films -- the Grammy winning O Brother, Where Art Thou? and the Oscar winning Walk the Line re-introduced America to its musical canon. Join us for a special panel discussion with the man behind these spectacular soundtracks. Vanity Fair’s Lisa Robinson moderates.

Date: Friday, April 28, 2006
Time: 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Tribeca Performing Arts Center, Theater 2

--TOGA, TOGA, TOGA! What the Industry Learned at Faber College
Through films such as Animal House, Caddyshack and Groundhog Day, Harold Ramis has influenced a cottage industry of subversive comedies that takes aim at the American mainstream with a cast of rebels and outsiders. Join us for a conversation with Ramis and his heirs in American-comedy film as they discuss smart comedy, big ideas and sticking it to the man.

Date: Saturday, April 29, 2006
Time: 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Tribeca Performing Arts Center, Theater 2

--DOWNLOADING AT A SCREEN NEAR YOU
Hosted by The Hollywood Reporter
Some argue that legal downloads saved the music industry, so could the same hold true for the film industry? Director Steven Soderbergh, 2929 Entertainment’s Todd Wagner & MPAA Chairman & CEO Dan Glickman join us for a conversation about the changing distribution platforms that are revolutionizing the movie industry faster than you can say Multiplex.

Moderator: Georg Szalai (The Hollywood Reporter)

Date: Monday, May 1, 2006
Time: 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Tribeca Performing Arts Center, Theater 2

--ADALANTE MUJERES: Latina Women at the Helm
Latin women have become prolific in American culture, ascending to the top of the pop charts, box office and the Nielsen ratings. As their influence grows and expectations increase, how will Latin women balance the expectations of their ethnic culture with the demands of the marketplace? Rosie Perez (Just Like the Son, Fearless), Mia Maestro (Poseidon, Alias) and others join us to discuss.

Date: Thursday, May 4, 2006
Time: 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Tribeca Performing Arts Center, Theater 2

--BREAKING THE BAND
What Oprah does for books, Alexandra Patsavas and the other music junkies at the collective think tank known as the Chop Shop do for indie bands. Get an inside look at Patsavas’ collaborative, hit-making process with The O.C. creator Josh Schwartz as they take you from listening to weekly packages of up to 500 CDs to the big moment when a song hits TV…and inevitably becomes a hit. Up next for the duo? The big screen.

Date: Friday, May 5, 2006
Time: 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Tribeca Performing Arts Center, Theater 2

--WHAT WOULD JESUS…DIRECT?
The religious product market is an $8 billion a year business so it’s no wonder that following the blockbuster success of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, Hollywood began to mine the Christian market for some new ideas with hopes that the faithful would follow. And they have. In a movement that mixes spirituality with economics studios are embracing a future of filmmaking that includes having a little faith…in faith.

Date: TBA
Time:
Location: Tribeca Performing Arts Center, Theater 2

--Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Presents: THE BIOLOGY OF KING KONG
Peter Jackson’s special-effects extravaganza presents one of the most realistic movie monsters in cinematic history, but could a giant gorilla like Kong really exist? Well, yes. But feeding him could prove a bit challenging. 2006 Academy Award winner Joe Letteri (Special Effects, King Kong), world-renowned animal behaviorist Roger Fouts, biologist Amy Vedder and others discuss creating authentic creatures for the big screen.

Moderator: Robert Krulwich (ABC News & NPR)

Date: Saturday, May 6, 2006
Time: 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Location: Tribeca Performing Arts Center, Theater 2


TRIBECA TALKS/Doc@Tribeca:

--PROFESSIONAL AMATEURS: Mocking the Truth
Hosted by TIME
Straddling the line between truth and fiction, mockumentaries often reveal more about their subject than the films that claim to document them. It’s funny because it’s so true. As reality television and documentaries dominate American popular culture they ripen for satire and social commentary. From celebrity to dog shows to politics...nothing is safe from ridicule.

Panelists: Michael McKean (This is Spinal Tap), Lewis Lapham (Harper’s), Jeff Goldblum (Pittsburgh, The Fly), and Bob Balaban (A Mighty Wind)

Date: Saturday, April 29, 2006
Time: 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Location: Tribeca Performing Arts Center, Theater 2

--TRULY EMBEDDED: Candid Cameras & the Secret Lives of Soldiers
Hosted by TIME
Since the time of Homer, artists have struggled with how to describe the indescribable experience of war. In modern times, the tools of storytelling have hindered proximity, both physical and personal, to war. But new, ultra-mobile and barely noticeable cameras are making it possible to put soldiers both in front of and behind the lens to capture images and sounds of unprecedented vitality. How do their narratives—several of which are illuminated in 2006 Festival films—alter our perception of war, and what will be the long-term results of these new perspectives?

Moderator: Christopher Isham (ABC News)
Panelists: Deborah Scranton (The War Tapes), Anthony Swofford (Jarhead)

Date: Sunday, April 30, 2006
Time: 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Location: Tribeca Performing Arts Center, Theater 2

Posted by stvanairsdale at 03:55 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Boldface Barney: Times Gets Nowhere Fast at MoMA

Thank God for The Times's Boldface column, without which the outside world would never have known what transpired at Tuesday's Drawing Restraint 9 premiere at MoMA. Were it not for one of Campbell Robertson's fearless stringers, we would have missed out on John Cameron Mitchell and Cynthia Rowley sightings, we could not envision Björk in a kimono and we would not have felt this close to the ever-cryptic Matthew Barney:

"It makes for a very well-lubricated communication," said MATTHEW BARNEY at the premiere of his new film, Drawing Restraint 9, at the Museum of Modern Art. ...

(Björk) and Mr. Barney, who have a child, are both in the film.

"I think that's for me worth a lot in a situation like this," Mr. Barney said, "because these films aren't dialogue-driven, the story doesn't fall into place in a traditional way." ...

Had he considered moving on from petroleum jelly to other substances? Say, a condiment?

"Mayonnaise is nice," he said, with the air of someone who had given it some thought. "But it rots quickly."

A digressive report from Tuesday's Beastie Boys event curiously overlaps The Boldface/Barney Experience, but the general sense of unbridled absurdity masquerading as high art comes through loud and clear. You can thank them later.

UPDATE: Your kimono dreams come alive at indieWIRE, where party-hound Brian Brooks has the scoop behind his hard-won pics of Barney and Björk.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 09:28 AM | TrackBack

March 29, 2006

You Knew It Was Coming: Greengrass to Open Tribeca with 'United 93'

Don't look now, but Paul Greengrass is preparing "the DNA of our times" to open the Tribeca Film Festival. The real-time 9/11 film United 93, neé Flight 93, will premiere downtown April 25, and if you have not yet viewed the trailer ("From Paul Greengrass, director of Bloody Sunday and The Bourne Supremacy," natch), you just cannot know what kind of misbegotten treat you are in for.

"But STV, you asshole," you say. "You have not even seen the film!" True, but I have had to listen to this clown Greengrass soup up the drama of 9/11 to sell his movie for the last seven months, and so far, it looks like a History Channel reenactment: Flight attendants saying they "want to get home to see my babies"; scary, swarthy Muslims; military men barking into headsets; and all the other usual suspects.

And now Greengrass himself is back to leading the publicity charge:

“The events of 9/11 had a massive effect on me, like everyone, and I wanted to use my position as a filmmaker to contribute something so they are not casually forgotten,” stated Greengrass. “United 93 tells one story of that morning and I hope that by showing the film at Tribeca, whose roots and inspiration grew in response to the devastation of 9/11, we will be reminded of the courage of all those on board and also the thousands of men and women who confronted similarly unimaginable scenarios in New York and Washington. By honoring the families who lost those they loved, I hope we can ensure that their sacrifice is remembered and hopefully seek wisdom in the future.”

Yeah, well, check it out, Paul: We have a 16-acre hole in the ground where the World Trade Center used to be. And while we all appreciate you "using your position as a filmmaker" to jog our memories, nobody around here--especially in Tribeca--has "casually forgotten" much of anything about 9/11. Please, for once, let your film roll and just... stop... talking.

UPDATE: Cinematical's Martha Fischer writes that TFF organizers are playing it verrrrrrrry safe with United 93's premiere:

Instead of a traditional red carpet arrival ceremony, complete with a glamorous party following the opening event, the screening will be private, open only to the families of victims, first responders, and festival staff. Press will be accommodated in an overflow room, but will not be allowed into the actual theater. The screening itself will be followed by what is being called a "low-key conversation dinner," again with limited attendance. In addition, out of respect for the those affected by the events of 9/11, the opening will not be held in the Tribeca (the neighborhood that is home to Ground Zero); negotiations are currently underway to hold it at [a] landmark theater in midtown Manhattan.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 03:31 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

'Awesome': Three Rappers, 61 Cameras and a Garden Party For the Ages

Admittedly, I am not what you would call a Beastie Boys enthusiast. I am not even a casual fan. The depth of my Beasties appreciation runs shallow at best: I like the "Sabotage" video as much as the next guy; "Fight For Your Right" annoys me; the hip-hop clown thing is endearing; and I tend to just take their (many) devotees' word for it that the trio is rooted in prodigious creative genius. Fine.

I do watch a lot of movies, however, which is why I feel comfortable assessing the Beastie Boys' Awesome; I Fuckin' Shot That! as possibly the greatest concert film ever made. A second viewing at last night's New York premiere confirmed my first impression, and the standing-room-only audience attending the Museum of the Moving Image-hosted event seemed to share at least some of that judgment. Not that it came out when the Beasties themselves--"Mike D" Diamond, Adam "Adrock" Horovitz and Adam "MCA" Yauch--joined the crowd for the requisite post-screening chat.

"How do you stay in such great shape?" a viewer asked.

"As members of a basketball team, we have a very strong work ethic," Horovitz said.

"We have a workout tape we're gonna be selling," Yauch said.

Diamond spoke up. "Actually, the team, I think, has a poor work ethic, and I think everybody needs to talk about that before we get into next season," he said. "You guys talk about how you want freedom on the court. Show me the stats."

"Also, we rub ourselves down with monkey piss a lot," Yauch said.

That the Beastie Boys never actually got around to discussing how good their film is kind of helps define Awesome's transcendent appeal. The movie represents the raucous bastard offspring of goofball stunt and technical experiment; only a band that takes its mission as seriously as the Beasties do could conceive a film this determined to not take itself seriously. And only the Beastie Boys--whose interactive relationship with their fans manifests itself in multi-angle DVD's and do-it-yourself remixes--would count on concertgoers to hold them to their own expressionistic standards.

Awesome's central gimmick is old news: The band gave 50 fans 50 cameras to record the entirety of its Oct. 9, 2004, concert at Madison Square Garden. "You can rock out, you can do whatever you want," a producer advises the camerapeople at the beginning of the film. "Just keep shooting. ... In 20 years, you'll be able to look back and say, 'Awesome; I fuckin' shot that.' " The Beasties combined the crowd footage with that of a small backstage crew, and Yauch went to work.

"There were 61 different angles that we were cutting from," said Yauch, whose other alias, Nathanial Hörnblowér, claims directing credit. "It was all loaded into Final Cut and stacked and we were cutting from that. It was a pretty crazy job. The way we started out was there were actually theee different editors who went at it, and they had 20 cameras each, and they each did a cut. We were kind of looking it over and picked some parts that worked. We did a cut from that, and Neal (Usatin, supervising editor) and I stated cutting on top of that, and then spent about a year working on it. It was a good starting place, because it's pretty hard to start with just, like, a blank canvas and start cutting from nothing when you have that much material."

Beastie Boy Adam Yauch with Public Enemy frontman Chuck D at Tuesday's premiere of Awesome; I Fuckin' Shot That! (Photo: STV)

In the end, Yauch continued, Awesome comprises 6,632 cuts--an average of one for every 19 frames. It screens like a pixilated light show, drowning in color and kinesis, putting the "ADD" back in "addled." Meanwhile, the rich, refined sound defies the visuals' bootleg ethos. As occasionally challenging as this blend is to watch, it makes for revelatory viewing. No band since Talking Heads has preserved (or even established) such visceral identity while relinquishing this much aesthetic control.

But in downplaying posterity for the sake of experience, Awesome sets itself up as the anti-Stop Making Sense, the anti-Last Waltz, the anti-Woodstock, the anti-Gimme Shelter. Depeche Mode 101 trails a handful of fans on their journey to a landmark emotional event in their lives--DM's 1988 show at the Rose Bowl--but Pennebaker's film captures a sense of a moment more than any real sense of community. Dave Chappelle's Block Party evokes moment and community as sort of a hollow auteur wet dream, with no less a force than Michel Gondry doing little more than pointing and shooting Chappelle's swan song to swagger.

By placing them in the context of a genuine community (and if you have ever been to a sold-out show at the Garden, it is about as communal an atmosphere as 20,000 strangers are likely to find) Awesome de-mystifies its subjects. A man carts his running camera into the bathroom, while another tapes a concessionaire air-guitarring her way through the opening riff of "Sabotage." One hapless woman turns her device on her relatively idle section, imploring, "Come on, get excited! We'll be on the DVD." Boyfriends shout lyrics in girlfriends' ears, dances mimic each other. The most powerful stage presence, in fact, belongs to the Beasties' DJ Mix Master Mike, whose showcases contribute the virtuosic complement to Yauch's crude explosion of style.

That said, for all I lack in Beastie Boys knowledge, their film's reflection of unhinged New York musical tradition is unmistakeable. "That's the thing with growing up in New York City," Diamond said Tuesday night. "I think at the time we grew up, it was like hip-hop was evolving, there were incredible punk rock shows, hip-hop shows, reggae shows. Everything was in New York City. And then at the same time, I think even when we started playing shows ourselves--opening up for Run-DMC and LL Cool J and all these bands on tour--we learned so much from them. Being able to study that and everything, that was like..."

Horovitz gestured into the audience, "For me personally, I don't know if I'd be doing this if my brother never played me Jimmy Spicer's Super Rhymes," he said.

"I can name some shows," Yauch said. "Like when Funky Four Plus One came Downtown?"

"Oh, yeah," Diamond said.

"That was definitely a big deal," Yauch continued. "Slits, PIL, Clash."

"Gang of Four," Horovitz said, nodding.

But are the Beastie Boys a continuation of that spirit? That is for their fans to debate, although I should not be so quick to pass the buck--especially considering Awesome; I Fuckin' Shot That's influence, its magic and my slow assimilation into their ranks. For once, at least for me, the Beastie Boys are a sight and sound to behold.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 10:20 AM | TrackBack

March 28, 2006

Limited Time Offer: Clooney's Gift Bag on the Block Until Midnight

Heeding the call of noted humanist cinephile Anthony Kaufman, megastar George Clooney recently agreed to auction off his glamour-stuffed Oscar gift bag to benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina. And while I could only crank out about $72.50 in blood plasma for my own bid's sake, you high-rolling Reeler loyalists still have five hours to get in on the action.

The bag's reserve has been met, and at last glance, $30,200 was the amount to beat. This may not be "the ruby slippers of our time," but there is a bottle of wine in there somewhere, so not all is lost should you decide to go for it. And you will be helping so many people that it will be almost as if you never stiffed the housecleaner on last week's tip. Hey--it is your conscience.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 06:46 PM | TrackBack

'Keane,' Shaven: Soderbergh Trims Kerrigan Gem For DVD

This is interesting: The Washington Post reports (via Cinematical) that the recent DVD release of Lodge Kerrigan's masterful Keane contains an alternate edit of the film by its executive producer Steven Soderbergh.

The Oscar-winner, to whom Kerrigan evidently sent his own cut before locking picture in 2004, "loved the film and told [Kerrigan] so, but I also sent him this version to look at, in case it jogged anything (it didn't). In any case, we agreed it was an interesting (to us) example of how editing affects intent. Or something."

The Post's Michael O'Sullivan continues:

Despite being 15 minutes shorter than the already lean, 94-minute theatrical version, Soderbergh's cut belies the cliche of the producer breathing down the director's neck to make the film more "accessible." Though the sequence of events has been pretty radically reshuffled -- it's a measure of the film's open-ended, character-driven narrative that no sense is particularly lost or gained -- neither version caters to what you might call multiplex tastes.

Rather, the changes affect subtler things such as pacing, style and mood -- in short, the poetry -- of what is already a very poetic piece. Soderbergh's version, for instance, waits nearly a half-hour before revealing the nature of William's search, while Kerrigan's film introduces the character's quest (perhaps delusional, as we discover) in the film's first minutes.

I guess this is the part where I should say that you can ask Kerrigan all about it this spring at the Pioneer Theater, where The Reeler will be launching its "Reeler Presents" screening series May 20. Kerrigan will be on hand for a talk-show style Q&A and podcast with my colleagues Lawrence Levi (Looker, The Film Snob's Dictionary) and Karina Longworth (Cinematical). More details will follow here, but if I am allowed to assign homework beforehand, I think this new edit might be Priority A.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 05:06 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Chen Kaige Coming to Tribeca; Weinsteins Go Into Hiding

Good news for long-suffering fans of Chen Kaige: Not only is the Chinese director's eagerly awaited film The Promise slated for its New York premiere at Tribeca, but The Reeler hears that Kaige himself is headed to town for a festival Q&A May 1.

This can only end in tears for The Weinstein Company, which famously traded intercontinental blows with Kaige a few months ago before unceremoniously dumping his movie like a bad lunch on Canal Street. Expect Chen and his entourage of 1,000 berobed, sword-slinging "publicists" to make an appearance at Weinstein HQ for one final comeuppance. Regrettably, however, tickets for Bloodmatch: Chen v. Harvey will be sold separately, so shop early.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 03:13 PM | TrackBack

'Drawing Restraint 9': Yawn at Matthew Barney in Person

Knowing how excited all of you get at the pairing of Björk and Vaseline, artist/filmmaker Matthew Barney dumped 100 pounds of the former and 25 tons of the latter into the watch-if-you-dare conceptual sprawl of his latest film, Drawing Restraint 9. And while IFC has declined my request to cover tonight's premiere at MoMA (I sat through the fucking thing; the least they could do is give me a glass of wine), we are all invited to spend $10 to catch Barney at the film's opening Wednesday at IFC Center.

Barney is slated to drop by for the 6:40 and 9:30 shows, both of which are rumored to end with some ritual involving the artist and a kiddie pool full of truffle butter. That is all I know, however, so please do report back with specifics should you decide to check it out.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 02:08 PM | TrackBack

'The Devil and Daniel Johnston': Madness in the Key of Genius

Early in the new documentary based on his life, the musician and artist Daniel Johnston can be heard on tape matter-of-factly declaring, "I'm a manic depressive with grand illusions." The Devil and Daniel Johnston teems with such epiphanies, yet few echo with this one's dueling sense of entitlement and vulnerability--a sort of motto for the delusion that has attended so many of modern culture's greatest minds.

And make no mistake: Director Jeff Feuerzeig's exquisite portrait of Johnston absolutely addresses a great mind.

Daniel Johnston at home, c. 2004 (Photo: Sony Pictures Classics)

"Obviously his music and his art had a profound, deep effect on me, and I think it's very moving," Feuerzeig told The Reeler Monday afternoon. "His songs of unrequited love just bring you to tears, and I think he's a singular artist. But that’s not the reason I made the film. I believe it's a great story to tell, and I think he had an incredible journey, and I think it's very inspirational to go on that journey with him. And I think we can learn a lot about madness and creativity and perhaps genius from going on this journey with this artist who, as we now have seen, documented his entire life."

Indeed, the film anchors itself in decades of personal history that Johnston recorded on audio cassettes, 8 mm film, video, notepads, scrap paper, you name it. Benign rebellion against a religious upbringing in West Virginia threads into romantic obsession in Ohio, which gives way to the twist of fate that lands Johnston in Austin, Texas. The city would become his adopted home and the center of a creative surge that defined his legacy in the late 1980s.

But the prodigious scale of his output only reflected the pace at which he sought to outrun the devil--that eternally cosmic foil whose haunting came to symbolize the source of Johnston's mental decline. He was institutionalized, medicated, sprung by a surrogate family of Austin artists whom he threatened as easily as he loved. Feuerzeig channels their expansive memories into his narrative; Glass Eye vocalist Kathy McCarty's modest insights bounce off the myth-making of Butthole Surfers frontman Gibby Haynes, at whose concert Johnston once consumed a brain-exploding dose of acid from which neither friends nor viewers are sure he ever recovered. (It is worth noting that Feuerzeig humorously depicts Haynes submitting to an interview and a dentist's drill simultaneously; the singer seems only slightly more comfortable answering questions about Johnston.)

Feuerzeig's interweaving of those present-day conversations with Johnston's archives showcases splendid technique. The jump cuts of a slide show clear years of background in seconds. Close-up cassette playbacks reveal illustrations and comments splattered over tape labels. "(Daniel) is medicated," Feuerzeig said. "He wasn't able to host his own film, which I think makes the film so much better. He's not able to host his own film like R. Crumb, or like Isaac Mizrahi in Unzipped or like Mark Borchardt in American Movie. Those are all good movies, but those people were able to host their own films. Daniel cannot do that. His contemporary interviews are useless. There's nothing to be learned from them."

That said, The Devil and Daniel Johnston also flirts with the limited scope of hagiography, from which few--if any--personal documentaries have ever emerged uncompromised. In the moments the film overplays its subject's legend--his experience stalking MTV, for example--the calculated power of Johnston's brilliance comes off as the spoils of destiny and myth. On the other hand, as Feuerzeig makes explicitly clear, the very real illness on display in Johnston's life resembles none of the romantic, idealized danger that informs the popular conception of The Insane Artist. At his most emotionally destructive, he fires his devoted manager and signs a doomed contract with Atlantic Records; at his most physically destructive, Johnston and his father survive a plane crash of his own making.

Both episodes are devastating, as is an extended section revisiting Johnston's journey to New York in the late '80s. His goal on that trip was "to become famous," the film tells us--to spring from the squalid urban stage, out of the self-aware fringe and into a consciousness more attuned to his music's fluid pop undercurrent. His chaos was spirited and spiritual, a duality best demonstrated in an audiotaped interlude with police who plan to arrest him for drawing thousands of Christian fish on the inside of the Statue of Liberty. When he goes missing at one point, his devoted acolytes in Sonic Youth find him wandering the wastelands of New Jersey; their instinct is not to seek more institutional help, but rather to return him to Austin. For all of his striving and ambition, Johnston's appeal could not survive the superior will of his madness.

And for Feuerzeig, who found the magic in both over a 20-year love affair with Johnston's work, the time was finally right to explore that dynamic in depth. "No one ever thought he would live," Feuerzeig said. "He was in and out of the hospital and had so many brushes with death, and not only did he live, but he was still creating. I thought that was incredible, and I thought that now his life had an Act III, where he got to see thousands of people all over the world appreciating this music and art that he created when he was so young. And I wanted to celebrate that period of time when he made those tapes. Those are the tapes that people keep covering. Those are the songs."

As for Johnston's artwork--alternately crude, hallucinatory and elegant ink-on-paper designs that sell for upwards of $2,000 each--Chelsea's Clementine Gallery features a thorough showing through April 15. Think of it as a serendipitous double feature: one town, two venues and a pair artists near the top of their games.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 10:12 AM | TrackBack

March 27, 2006

Eight Reasons to Never Marry Harrison Ford

While neither Harrison Ford nor the recent trend in fake movie trailers elicit much from me besides a long yawn, The Reeler has featured an appropriate dash of both in the past. Now, however, New York filmmakers Steven Santos and Marcos Levy have finally joined these twin epidemics of poor taste in a short film that is both amusing and revealing.

Needless to say, Calista Flockhart is sharpening her self-defense techniques as we speak.

(Photo: The Onion)

Posted by stvanairsdale at 04:42 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

NY Post Brings 'Old Joy' Dog Thisclose to the A-List

Over the last 24 hours, The Times has offered not one but two glowing write-ups about Kelly Reichardt's riveting Old Joy, which won acclaim at Sundance and Rotterdam before finding an audience at this year's New Directors/New Films Festival. But as usual, a typically classy Manohla Dargis review and a sober, striking profile of Reichardt by Dennis Lim are no match for the one and only V.A. Musetto, who obviously has more Old Joy over at the Post than he knows how to handle:

"I didn't really know how long Old Joy would be," Reichardt confided. "I just sort of figured it would be whatever length it is meant to be."

It was meant to be 76 minutes, which seems just right to tell the story of two aging hippie pals - Mark (Daniel London) and Kurt (Will Oldham) - who reunite for a weekend camping trip in the Oregon mountains.

They take along a dog, Lucy, who just happens to be Reichardt's. It was her screen debut.

"She loves being included," her proud owner said. "She doesn't like being left alone. She was easy and great to work with."

Truth be told, Lucy the dog originally had a much bigger part in the film, but her species' distance from Mark and Kurt's more central struggles with aging, affluence, generational identity, politics and nature led Reichardt to slash her role to almost nothing. Hence Old Joy's 76-minute running time.

Meanwhile, rumor has it that Lucy is fuming with her publicist about her exclusion from both Times pieces. Jesus. Leave it a guy from the Post to harsh poor Reichardt's mellow.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 02:46 PM | TrackBack

The NY Daily News: Your Go-To Source For Repentant Filmmakers

You know your week is shaping up to be a good one when Kevin Smith backpedals into Sunday trying to neutralize Lloyd Grove. In today's Lowdown, Grove cites a report from the University of Pennsylvania's student newspaper detailing Smith's recent speaking gig there, and while Smith does not explicitly back down from his salty assessments of "cunt" Reese Witherspoon and a sexual interlude Jason Mewes supposedly had with Nicole Richie, he wants you to know his lecture was supposed to be, you know, just between friends:

In two agitated E-mails to this column, Smith confirmed the essential accuracy of the (Witherspoon) quotes. "The sentiment's roughly the same, but the wording wasn't nearly that concise," he advised. ...

The director cautioned: "It's not my story; it's Jay's. And it's one thing to tell that tale out of school at a college Q&A [in the context of a far larger, longer story about Mewes' hard journey from heroin abuse to three years of total sobriety], and a completely different thing to just pull the stuff about bathroom sex and run it in a gossip column. … [It] makes it all seem like unsavory locker-room chitchat."

In fairness to Smith, reporter Shruti Dave's story in the Daily Pennsylvanian does take a little more wide-ranging tack than Grove's column implies. Of course, the piece online seems to have been sanitized since its publication March 23; only a fraction of the Witherspoon comments remain, the Mewes/Richie tale has been excised entirely and nothing appears that would be offensive enough to provoke the reader comment: "The DP has hit a new low with reporters. Did he/she even stay past the first 15 minutes??"

Then there is documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, who made all kinds of new friends on his own recent trip to Philadelphia:

Morgan Spurlock, who porked up eating nothing but McDonald's for his Oscar-nominated film Super Size Me, gave a profanity-laced speech that used the F-word and poked fun at the mentally challenged at a suburban Philadelphia high school's health fair.

Speaking at Hatboro-Horsham High School, Spurlock joked about the intelligence of McDonald's employees, the "retarded kids in the back wearing helmets" and pot-smoking teachers in the balcony.

While most kids ate it up, teachers weren't lovin' it - and quietly led the special ed pupils out of the hour-long presentation.

"It just wasn't appropriate," said Superintendent William Lessa, who disinvited Spurlock from a second appearance Friday.

A defiant Spurlock was uncowed: "The greatest lesson those kids learned today was the importance of free speech," he said.

Meanwhile, over on his blog at indieWIRE, Spurlock offered his own I-apologize-if-I-offended-anybody-oh-and-by-the-way-fuck-the-media explanation:

As I told both the principal and superintendent of schools after my lecture, it is never my intent to insult or demean anyone – and I understand how some of my remarks may have offended some in attendance and if you feel they did, then I am deeply sorry. ...

I do, however, believe it is very important for me to address many of the points made in the media.

First and most importantly, it should be made clear that the only person I called “retarded” was myself when I was unable to hear a question from the audience. Having done work with special needs children in the past, something this hurtful would never come from my lips. I did make an aside about kids sleeping in the back wearing helmets, which was done with no malicious intent (I was playing it as a slacker reference to the Jon Heder character in the upcoming film “Benchwarmers,” a reference which was lost and, as I was later told, there were no actual students wearing helmets in the back). ...

Lastly, in the article it quoted me as saying that the greatest lesson those kids learned was the importance of freedom of speech. When saying that, I did not mean that you have the right to insult anyone at will (as many people have interpreted it.) I was referring to the fact that the group that hired me to speak asked that I not mention McDonald’s in any of my talk because one of their board members owns a franchise. That would be like asking Neil Armstrong to speak but tell him he can’t bring up walking on the moon, so needless to say, I didn’t agree to their censorship.

Please know that any comment I made in my speech was done in a comical tone without an ounce of vindictive purpose. While it may be too late for apologies for many in the community, I hope this in some small way can start to make amends with the rest of you.

Fair enough, but if my math is correct, the guy now owes Jon Heder an apology, and he still owes me 100 minutes for sitting through Super Size Me. Talk about digging yourself a hole.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 08:43 AM | TrackBack

MSNBC Presents: Getting to Know Natalie Portman

At least that is the rumor.

RELATED: 'V For Vendetta': Revolution Lite Premieres in New York (March 14, 2006)

Posted by stvanairsdale at 06:35 AM | TrackBack

March 24, 2006

Screening Gotham: March 24-26, 2006

A few of this weekend's worthwhile cinematic happenings around New York:

--There are a few films every year for which the critical reception resembles an especially fulsome pissing contest of hyperbole. In 2005, for example, The New World and A History of Violence sort of cornered the market on purple-prosed oneupsmanship among the "Take" poll crowd, while 2006 seems to the Year of a Thousand Blowjobs for the Dardenne brothers and their new film L'Enfant.

Although I went on the record last year with my own impressions, I really do not have anything to add for or against it. But what I do recommend is avoiding any more reviews of the film until you have seen it yourself; the story of a petty criminal whose garish irresponsibility compromises the lives and souls of everyone around him, L'Enfant has more to offer than a testing ground for the bons mots critics will eventually harvest for their year-end Top Ten lists. And make no mistake: You should see it, but without an allegiance to the burdensome analysis that the Dardennes' simplicity both invites and repels. In other words: Do not feel bad if the final credits are not interrupted by a shattering Earth. But do expect something worth at least the 90 minutes you paid for.

--New Directors/New Films is underway at MoMA and Lincoln Center this weekend, with a handful of those selected few scheduled to meet Sunday morning at the Walter Reade Theater for a discussion sponsored by HBO. You already know New Yorkers Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden (Half Nelson) and Ramin Bahrani (Man Push Cart) from Sundance, while Sarah Watt (Look Both Ways) and Aureaus Solito (The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros) will also swing by to chat up their own flicks.

Incidentally, the brilliant Man Push Cart gets what I'm fairly certain is its New York premiere tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. at the WRT, while Ian Gamazon and Neill dela Llana's riveting no-budget thriller Cavite gets a spin over there Sunday afternoon at 3. Sure, they might be getting distributed later this year, but only once can you say you knew them way back when.

--Director David Redmon and producer Ashley Sabin will be at Cinema Village this evening at 7:45 to introduce and discuss their acclaimed documentary Mardi Gras: Made in China. You might have heard about it: The filmmakers followed the path of Mardi Gras beads from their source in bleak Chinese manufacturing plants to the ribald streets of New Orleans. Revelers come face-to-face with laborers via video, you get all outraged about globalization and then remember that we are all fucked anyway so you might as well just go drinking. With this in mind, the producers have conveniently arranged an afterparty tonight at Antimart in East Williamsburg. Guilt is always more fun in a crowd, anyway.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 06:08 PM | TrackBack

Andrew Sarris: Plagiarist, Or Just Resourceful?

We all know from experience that the Observer's Andrew Sarris has literally been repeating himself for a while now, but at least we could draw some comfort from knowing that his contemporary revivals were originally his at one time. Not so with this week's latest trangression, which has the legendary critic all but calling it in with quotes lifted (verbatim in some cases) from Film Forum's program notes for its current Don Siegel series.

I do not know whether to attribute this to plagiarism or just old-fashioned laziness. In either case, I definitely doubt this is the way the auteurs do it:

FILM FORUM: THE GUN RUNNERS (1958) Fishing boat captain Audie Murphy (most decorated U.S. soldier in WWII) gets blackmailed by Eddie Albert into running arms to Cuban revolutionaries — then Albert double-crosses the rebels. Third adaptation of Hemingway’s To Have and Have Not.

SARRIS: Sharing the bill is The Gun Runners (1958), in which fishing-boat captain Audie Murphy (in real life, the most decorated soldier in World War II) gets blackmailed by Eddie Albert into running arms to the Cuban revolutionaries—before Albert double-crosses the rebels in this third adaptation of Hemingway’s To Have and Have Not.

FILM FORUM: THE DUEL AT SILVER CREEK (1952) Duel of the outrageous character names, as Audie Murphy’s “Silver Kid” hooks up with Stephen McNally’s Sheriff “Lightning” Tyrone to go toe to toe with “Ratface,” “Johnny Sombrero,” and Lee Marvin’s “Tinhorn” Burgess; while in back to back scenes, Faith Domergue strangles and seduces with equal aplomb.

CHINA VENTURE (1953) WWII, China coast, and Captain Edmond O’Brien leads a patrol, including Japanese-speaking Barry Sullivan and nurse Jocelyn Brando (Marlon’s sister), to bring in an ailing Japanese operative and find out his big secret. Shot on an incredible studio-created jungle, nearly washed away by torrential studio downpours.

SARRIS: The Duel at Silver Creek (1952): Audie Murphy’s “The Silver Kid” teams up with Stephen McNally’s “Lightening” Tyrone for showdowns with “Rat Face,” “Johnny Sombrero,” and Lee Marvin’s “Tinhorn” Burgess, while in back to back scenes, Faith Domergue strangles and seduces with equal aplomb. China Venture (1953): China coast where Captain Edmond O’Brien leads a patrol, including Japanese speaking Barry Sullivan and nurse Jocelyn Brando (Marlon’s sister so memorable in Fritz Lang’s 1953 The Big Heat 1953 [sic]), to bring in an ailing Japanese agent and find out his big secret. Shot in an incredible studio-created jungle nearly washed away by torrential studio downpours.

Find additional degrees of derivative fun following the jump.

FILM FORUM: RIOT IN CELL BLOCK 11 (1954) Attica precursor, as ringleader Neville Brand (off-screen, the fourth most-decorated soldier of WWII) plays the media and warden Emile Meyer (Sweet Smell of Success’ sadistic cop) while trying to keep the lid on a prison hostage takeover. Shot in 16 days at Folsom Prison, with actual cons as extras.

PRIVATE HELL 36 (1954) Two cops need money bad — Steve Cochran to romance cash-hungry singer Ida Lupino and Howard Duff for a new baby — then they stumble on stolen loot. With a near-continuous jazz score (played by the era’s West Coast all-stars) and an opening robbery sequence that’s pure Siegel.

SARRIS: In Riot in Cell Block 11 (1954), convict ringleader Neville Brand (in real life, the fourth most decorated soldier of World War II) manipulates the media and warden Emile Meyer (the sadistic cop in Sweet Smell of Success) while trying to keep the lid on a prison hostage crisis. The film, shot in 16 days at Folsom Prison with actual cons as extras (Johnny Cash would have approved), is one of the all-time classic prison movies. Sharing the bill is Private Hell 36 (1954), in which two cops with money troubles—Steve Cochran, ensnared by gold-digging singer Ida Lupino, and Howard Duff, in hock with a new baby—stumble on stolen money. The opening robbery scene is a Siegel standout.

FILM FORUM: COOGAN’S BLUFF (1968) “Eastwood gives New York 24 hours — to get out of town!” Cowboy Arizona cop Clint Eastwood, in the Big Apple to pick up captured fugitive Don Stroud, finds his Wild West methods making him a fish out of water, amid the disapproving glares of local Lieutenant Lee J. Cobb and social worker Susan Clark.

SARRIS: Coogan’s Bluff (1968): Cowboy-hatted and booted Clint Eastwood virtually rides into 60s New York City to pick up captured fugitive Don Stroud only to find his Wild West tactics angering local police lieutenant Lee J. Cobb and big-hearted social worker Susan Clark.

FILM FORUM: DIRTY HARRY (1971) “There’s only one question you should ask yourself... ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk?" queries Clint Eastwood’s .44 Magnum-wielding Harry Callahan of a recumbent crook, after breaking up a bank robbery attempt in between munches of his hot dog luncheon — and then the nutso “Zodiac Killer” (Andy Robinson, a pacifist in real life) strikes again. Eastwood’s first incarnation (followed by four not-quite-as-good sequels by other directors) of one of the icons of the American cinema gives the Miranda doctrine a workout — in between racing crosstown on foot for a kidnapper’s phone calls and breaking up a harrowing school bus abduction. ... “The movie’s moral position is fascist. No doubt about it.” – Roger Ebert.

SARRIS: Dirty Harry (1971): “You’ve got to ask yourself a question: ‘Do I feel Lucky?’ Well do ya, punk?” snarls Clint Eastwood’s .44 Magnum-wielding Harry Callahan of a recumbent crook, after breaking up a bank robbery attempt in between munches of his hot god [sic] luncheon. Callahan has more trouble with loony “Scorpio Killer” Andy Robinson, who winds up holding a busload of hostages because Callahan has ignored the Miranda Warning in his previous arrest of the Scorpio Killer, and has been handcuffed by a lily-livered Mayor (John Vernon) and a city administration that seems to be controlled by the American Civil Liberties Union. For his heavy-handedness, Callahan was termed a “Fascist” by some critics. Today he would be lionized for his War on Terror.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 02:35 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

Festival News Trifecta From Tribeca, Brooklyn and the Subway Cinema Gang

Thursday was partly a day of deferred maintenance around Reeler HQ, and as such, you might have missed the flurry of festival news that has hit New York over the last 24 hours. Of course, a day without a Tribeca update is like a hiccup that will not stop, so we should probably start with the titles named to this year's Tribeca Family Festival: 19 features and four shorts programs comprising more than two dozen films. The festival includes the usual variety of New York movies, including the world premiere of Constantine Limperis's When Fried Eggs Fly ("A great first documentary for precocious kids!" the press release says) and a mildly rare screening of Harold Lloyd's swan song, Speedy.

Special events include the return of Downtown Youth Behind the Camera--spotlighting the work of elementary- and middle-school (!) filmmakers--and the Family Festival Street Fair that runs all day May 6. Not-so-special events include Keeping Up With the Steins--the directing debut of Garry Marshall's son Scott (not exactly Reitman père and fils, you know?)--and Anthony Rapp dropping by to sign copies of his Rent opus Without You. Naturally, the full program follows after the jump.

Meanwhile, Asian film guru Grady Hendrix--whose rapturous praise for the Tribeca selection Hanging Garden evidently overrules his hatred for the festival itself--announced a few programming choices of his own for the 2006 New York Asian Film Festival. It seems Hendrix is especially big on Peacock, legendary cinematographer Gu Chang-wei's directorial debut about small-town life in 1970s China. "(It is) totally unexpected, absolutely glorious,
and downright thrilling, (so) it's no surprise that it won the Grand Jury prize at Berlin last year," Hendrix wrote in this week's Subway Cinema update. And an endorsement from Hendrix does not just ring--it resonates. Trust me on this one.

Finally, the Brooklyn Underground Film Festival is creeping up on us with its opening-night film My Grandmother's House. Adan Aliaga's documentary candidly explores the generational clash between a headstrong granddaughter and her equally headstrong grandmother; the film snagged prizes at Amsterdam's International Documentary Festival and the Chicago International Film Festival. The event kicks off at the Brooklyn Lyceum April 19, but expect the full 2006 program online by April 1.

TRIBECA FAMILY FESTIVAL FILM PREMIERES:

Elephant Tales, directed by Mario Andreacchio, (Australia) – World Premiere. In the spirit of Babe and Milo & Otis comes Elephant Tales, a live-action feature about two elephant brothers who set off across the African plain in search of their mother. Along the way, they encounter dangers and befriend a menagerie of wild creatures, including a thin-skinned giraffe, a flamboyant flamingo, and a headstrong chimp. Ages 7+

Keeping Up With The Steins, directed by Scott Marshall, (U.S.A) - New York Premiere. A Miramax Release. Weeks away from his bar mitzvah, Ben (Daryl Sabara) is panic-stricken about his pending adulthood and the stadium-sized party that his father (Jeremy Piven) has planned. Ben's only hope is to invite his estranged, eccentric grandfather to sabotage the day. This family comedy also stars Doris Roberts, Jami Gertz, Daryl Hannah, and the director's father, Garry Marshall. Ages 12+

Lassie, directed by Charles Sturridge, (U.S.A., U.K.) - U.S. Premiere. In this retelling of a classic, a financially strapped family is forced to sell their beloved collie Lassie. After traveling hundreds of miles away from her true family, Lassie resolves to return home. Set against stunning British landscapes, Lassie faces both human and natural dangers, but also finds help in unexpected places. With Peter O'Toole, Peter Dinklage, and Samantha Morton. Ages 7+

Laura's Star, directed by Thilo Graf Rothkirch and Piet de Rycker, (Germany) – New York Premiere. In this beautifully animated film, Laura's family moves from the country to the city. Laura is sad and lonely until one night a shooting star lands outside her window. With the help of this magical star, Laura finds happiness and friends in her new home. A tale about embracing life's changes, this colorful adventure is a perfect "first film" experience. Ages 4+

Mee Shee: The Water Giant, directed by John Henderson, (Canada, U.S.A) - North American Premiere. A Screenmedia Release. Complete with a beastie from Jim Henson's Creature Shop, this adventure epic in the tradition of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial follows young Mac as he searches a remote Canadian lake for a mythical aquatic creature. Upon teaming up with the local Native Americans, Mac realizes that finding Mee Shee is only the beginning of his true adventure. Ages 6+

Over The Hedge, directed by Tim Johnson and Karey Kirkpatrick, (U.S.A) – A Paramount Release. Go behind the scenes with the production team for a show and tell presentation of DreamWorks Animation's new comedy. When Verne and his woodland friends awaken from their winter hibernation, they find their forest has been invaded by the "burbs.” Featuring the voices of Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Steve Carell, William Shatner, Wanda Sykes, and Nick Nolte. Ages 6+

Peace Tree, directed by Mitra Sen, (Canada) - New York Premiere. When two best friends, one Muslim and the other Christian, announce their plan to celebrate each other's holidays, the girls are met with resistance from their parents. In response, they create a Peace Tree celebrating all religions and cultures. During the Festival, the filmmaker will be creating a Peace Tree at the Street Fair. Ages 5+

RV, directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, (U.S.A) - A Columbia Pictures Release. In Columbia Pictures' family comedy RV, an overworked executive, Bob Munro (Robin Williams), persuades his wife and children to give up their Hawaiian vacation for some "family bonding" on a cross-country RV trip. RV also stars Jeff Daniels, Cheryl Hines, and Kristin Chenoweth. Ages 10+

Speedy, directed by Ted Wilde, (U.S.A) - A Sony Repertory Release. One of the funniest movies ever shot in NYC, Harold Lloyd's 1927 classic and final silent film casts him as a cabdriver and baseball nut who meets Babe Ruth. The climactic chase scene through downtown's still-recognizable streets will bring viewers to their feet cheering. Silent, with orchestral score by Carl Davis. Ages 7+

When Fried Eggs Fly, directed by Constantine Limperis, (U.S.A) – World Premiere. A documentary that centers around a Greenwich Village public school music teacher who finds that he may be in over his head when he brings together more than 150 video-generation kids, their parents, and their teachers to compose, perform, and record an original piece of music about the environment. A great first documentary for precocious kids! Ages 8+

Zaina, Rider Of The Atlas, directed by Bourlem Guerdjou, (France) - In this "couscous Western," an 11-year-old girl's mother dies and she is confronted with the father she's never known. The pair make a peril-filled journey through Morocco's stunning Atlas mountains until a breathtaking horse race gives her a final challenge. A treat for children and parents alike. In French with English subtitles. Ages 10+

T4TEEN SECTION

Beauty And The Bastard , directed by Dome Karukoski, (Finland) - North American Premiere. Aspiring singer Nelli needs someone to produce her demo, while shy hip-hop DJ Sune is just looking for a pretty girlfriend. Dome Karukoski's feature debut throws them together in a romantic comedy about contemporary Finnish youth trying to find their way into adulthood. In Finnish with English subtitles. Ages 15+

Goal! The Dream Begins, directed by Danny Cannon, (U.S.A) – North American Premiere. A Buena Vista Release. A poor Mexican-American immigrant living in a Los Angeles ghetto gets a dream chance to play professional soccer in one of Europe's most prestigious leagues. But will he make the grade? This rags-to-riches fable features appearances by international soccer stars David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Alan Shearer, and Raul, and actors Kuno Becker and Alessandro Nivola. In English and Spanish with English subtitles. Ages 12+

One Last Thing, directed by Alex Steyermark, (U.S.A) - New York Premiere. A Magnolia Release. In this sweet comedy, terminally ill Dylan (Michael Angarano) and his mother (Cynthia Nixon) attend a televised event designed to grant last wishes to dying children. While on air, Dylan makes an eyebrow-raising request. As he gaily prepares to have his wish met, his mother becomes increasingly upset over her son's condition. Also starring Ethan Hawke, Gina Gershon, Sunny Mabrey, Nelust and Wyclef Jean. Some profanity, parental guidance advised. Ages 16+

Punching At The Sun, directed by Tanuj Chopra, (U.S.A) – New York Premiere. In the aftermath of his older brother's murder, a fiery South Asian teen struggles to find a path between rage and redemption in this coming-of-age film set on the streets of Elmhurst, Queens, during the politically charged aftermath of September 11th. In English and Hindi with English subtitles. Ages 14+

The festival will showcase four shorts programs: Just Like You, stories about kids from around the world, including a few from our own backyard (Ages 8+); Weston Woods/Scholastic's animated shorts program where award-winning and best-selling books come alive (Ages 3+); Just So You Know, the emotional roller coaster that is being a teenager is explored in this series of shorts for young adults, part of the T4Teen Section (Ages 13+); and I Am You Are, a presentation of short docs made by Palestinian and Israeli youth, presented in conjunction with the Jerusalem Cinematheque, TFF and the Tribeca Film Institute. A discussion led by Gilli Mendel, Director of Film and Media Education at the Jerusalem Cinematheque, will follow the screening of I Am You Are.

SHORTS SCREENING BEFORE FEATURES

First Flight, directed by Cameron Hood and Kyle Jefferson, (U.S.A.)
The Mantis Parable, directed by Josh Staub, (U.S.A.)
Sirah, directed and written by Cristine Spindler, (U.S.A.)
Twins of Mankala, directed and written by Jason DaSilva, (U.S.A.)

JUST LIKE YOU

Big Girl, directed and written by Renuka Jeyapalan, (Canada)
Rabbit (Kanin), directed and written by Jonas Felixon, (U.S.A)
My Radio (Mi Radio), directed by Mariana Miranda and Felipe G�mez, written by Mariana Miranda, (Mexico)
Mind Me Good Now, directed by Chris Cormier and Derek Cummings, written by Sugith Varushese, (Canada)
Rubber Soles, directed and written by Christine Turner, (U.S.A.)
Tuck That Shirt In, directed by Students and Staff of I.S.109 and the Producers’ Project, (U.S.A.)
Vincent, directed by Giulio Ricciarelli, written by Soern Menning, (Germany)

JUST SO YOU KNOW

Bloody Footy, directed by Dean Chircop, written by Marco Sinigaglia, (Australia)
Confessions Of A Late Bloomer, directed by Jen McGowan, written by Stuart C. Paul, (U.S.A.)
Like A Blade Of Grass In The Meadow (Come Un Filo D'erba Nel Prato), directed by Attilio Azzola, written by Azzola, Benedetta Tobagi and Mario Nuzzo, (Italy)
A Girl Like Me, directed by Kiri Davis, (U.S.A.)
Jellybaby, directed by Rob Burke and Ronan Burke, written by Pierce Ryan, (Ireland)
Majorettes, directed and written by Lola Doillon, (France)
Special People, directed and written by Justin Edgar, (U.K.)
Surviving 7th Grade, directed and written Amy Adrion, (U.S.A.)

WESTON WOODS/SCHOLASTIC

Cinderella, directed by Virginia Wilkos, (U.S.A.)
Emily's First Ten Days of School, directed by Gene Deitch, written by Rosemary Wells (U.S.A.)
Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story From China, directed by Kris Tercek and Ed Mironiuk, (U.S.A.)
Reading to Your Bunny, directed by Michael Sporn, written by Rosemary Wells, (U.S.A)

TRIBECA FAMILY FESTIVAL STREET FAIR

The Tribeca Family Festival will also feature the annual Street Fair on Saturday, May 6th from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. along Greenwich Street (between Hubert and Duane Streets). The fair, free and open to the public, promises to be a day of entertaining and interactive experiences for the entire family. Performers range from puppeteers and storytellers to dancers, stilt walkers, face painters and so much more! The Street Fair will also host over 30 restaurants, merchants and organizations from the Tribeca neighborhood.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 09:39 AM | TrackBack

Who Said It? Play the Movie Marketing Hack Match Game

Remember when we were young, and an early spring Friday at school meant some kind of fun game to start the weekend? The same ethos applies at The Reeler, where an extended Google binge last night called attention to a veritable shitstorm of amusing movie marketing gibberish.

You know the high-powered names who are responsible, but can you actually pin the quotes below to the appropriate industry topper? It is tougher than it looks, especially when we pull the sources' respective companies from their PR-ready bromides. But you can do it, so kick Friday off with a smile on your face and that same grinding pain in your stomach as always!

Solutions are listed after the jump.

ANSWERS

1. D

2. F

3. C

4. B

5. A

6. E

SCORING:

5-6: Yay! Take the rest of the day off!

3-4: Keep cracking the trades.

0-2: You are no movie lover. At least not like these folks.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 08:28 AM | TrackBack

March 23, 2006

Josh Hartnett: Slagging Off Lohan and Hilton For the Kids

The Reeler spent most of this morning hunkered down at the Regency with Lucy Liu, Sir Ben Kingsley and a few other principals from the nifty little neo-noir Lucky Number Slevin, due out April 7. And while our technical and aesthetic banter was enthralling as all hell, leading man Josh Hartnett's avowed resistance to being a "cog in the studio machine" reminded me of some fun criticisms he recently made of Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton.

"I don't think I even said that," Hartnett replied when asked about comments attributed to him by Jane Magazine (via Page Six). "But if I said something like that, I think it was more about what kids are trying to do these days with their lives. A lot of people are relying on, you know, 'I can be on a reality TV show and be a star tomorrow, so what does it matter?' You know? 'I'm just going to go to college and I'm going to party--prolonged adolescence.' But it's getting more and more (that) I think a lot of people are kind of betting on that.

"I probably used their names in some other context," he continued, a little more on topic. "I don't know. Anybody who makes a living in this business has done something right. I don't fault anybody for their way of doing things. But I think that that whole thing was totally misconstrued."

And yes--we did talk about Slevin itself, a fine film that I will cover here a little more conventionally closer to its release. But God only knows how much the nascent Hartnett/Lohan feud troubled you, so at least now you can get some sleep until the next misquote, decontextualization or whatever.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 12:42 PM | TrackBack

'Unknown' Gets Watergate Treatment From Washington Post

Just when you thought that the non-starting amnesia documentary Unknown White Male and its condemned distributor Wellspring were getting to the front of the line on death row, the Washington Post's David Segal creeped in Wednesday with a new round of suspicion about doc subject Doug Bruce (right) just in time for Unknown's D.C. opening.

At the time of its New York release lat month, Bruce's tale of severe memory loss fueled no shortage of skeptics (including yours truly) who thought the story was too jejune and contradictory to believe. Segal revisits the debate to some degree; the standard movie-profile stuff is all here, with a few delicious bursts of animosity ("I was telling his story," [director Rupert Murray] says at one point. "Not your story, not the story of a journalist. The story of a friend, and I don't have to [freaking] prove anything to anyone.") and a supporting role featuring Reeler pal Chris Doyle. But plow through to the end for a succession of scoops that makes GQ's recent cross-examination of Bruce look like a date with Liz Smith:

In a coincidence that defies Lotto-size odds, Bruce knew a man in Paris who suffered a weeklong bout of severe amnesia and used the ordeal to rethink his life.

According to a former girlfriend, who remains close to Bruce and is convinced he is telling the truth, a friend had an on-field collision during a pickup soccer game, landing him in the hospital without any identification and no memory of his life. His family thought he was dead, until they scoured area hospitals and found him.

It's not in the movie, but Bruce mentions this episode during the videotaped interviews shot a few days after the alleged onset of amnesia. In a copy obtained by The Washington Post, Bruce says the friend set aside his hard-charging business career and moved to either Bali or Thailand, where he learned to give massages. "And now he heals people," Bruce whispers.

And then there is Bruce remembering his first rainfall--twice--and the undefined period of Bruce's life during which he secured his independent wealth. Segal continues:

Why this is a mystery is itself a mystery, but it is a conspicuous obstacle to sifting through Bruce's past, and it produced this head-scratcher of an answer from Murray. "Somebody told [Bruce] the name of the film, but he forgot it. When I asked him about it recently, he said he thought it started with an 'L.' Lllllllle something."

Oh, sure--you mean LLLLLLLLiar?

Posted by stvanairsdale at 08:59 AM | TrackBack

March 22, 2006

MoMA Taps Mangold For 'Work in Progress'

You already know MoMA's got its hands full with this year's New Directors/New Films festival (which starts tonight with possibly its best film, Ryan Fleck's Half Nelson), but a note just over the transom tells me the Midtown busybodies are already looking ahead to honoring James Mangold at its annual A Work In Progress event in May.

The Work in Progress series spotlights the canons of acclaimed directors with both excellent work in front of them and the likely potential for better work ahead; previous honorees include Sofia Coppola, Alexander Payne and David Russell. The format unfolds as sort of a succession of This-Is-Your-Life vignettes, with clips from previous films and brief discussions with some of their stars.

And while Mangold and writer/moderator Anna Deveare Smith might not titllate the audience the way last year's Will Ferrell/Mark Forster tandem did, Mangold has directed a couple of Oscar winners (Angelina Jolie and Reese Witherspoon) and a score of other A-listers since 1995's Heavy. In other words, MoMA will not be lacking for star power May 23.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 03:54 PM | TrackBack

Tribeca Time Again: Festival Names Competition Shorts

Let's see: Wednesday morning, 11:30 a.m. ... It must be time to browse another batch of Tribeca releases. This time around, The Reeler has the list of this year's short films in competition: 76 titles in all, including work featuring David Strathairn, Elvis Costello and Don Cheadle. A few films ring a bell from previous festivals (RESFest '05 featured Jane Lloyd, while Sundance '06 offered New Yorker Levan Koguashvili's student short, The Debt), and no less a master than Abbas Kiarostami will crash the party with his documentary short, Roads of Kiarostami.

As usual, there are plenty more where that came from, and you can find them after the jump.

Shorts in Competition - Narrative:

This year the Narrative Shorts program includes international films from 15 counties, such as Chile, South Korea and Egypt. It also features works directed by New York music icon Laurie Anderson and actors Adrian Grenier and Melissa Joan Hart.

Afraid So, directed by Jay Rosenblatt, written by Jeanne Marie Beaumont (U.S.A.)
After June, directed by Michael Civille, written by Matthew Haberman (U.S.A.)
Alone at Last, directed and written by David Shuff (U.S.A.)
Attention (Intabih), directed and written by Akram Agha (Saudi Arabia)
Between 2 Houses (Tussen 2 Huizen), directed by Clara van Gool (Netherlands)
Blackberries, directed and written by Nicolas Panoutsopoulos (U.S.A)
The Booth, directed by Gabriela Yepes, written by Yepes and Kristin Tucker (U.S.A.)
Carla Cope, directed and written by Aileen McCormack (U.S.A.)
Dilemma, directed and written by Boris Paval Conen (Netherlands)
Errata, directed by Alexander Stewart (U.S.A.)
Euthanasia, directed by Adrian Grenier (U.S.A.)
The Falling Man, directed and written by Kevin Ackerman (U.S.A.)
Flow, directed and written by Scott Nyerges (U.S.A.)
Garden of Eden, revisited (Hof van Eden, revisited), directed and written by Titia Reiter (Netherlands)
Hidden Inside Mountains, directed and written by Laurie Anderson (U.S.A.)
I Did Not Expect You (Non ti aspettavo), directed by Barbara Rossi Prudente
Jane Lloyd, directed and written by HAPPY (U.S.A., U.K.)
K-7, directed and written by Christopher Leone (U.S.A.)
King of Central Park, directed by Max Winkler and David Gelb (U.S.A.)
Longtime Listener, directed by Keven Undergaro and Maria Menounos, written by Undergaro (U.S.A.)
Lure, directed and written by Mark Mollenkamp (U.S.A.)
Marion, directed by Ry Russo-Young (U.S.A.)
Mute, directed by Melissa Joan Hart, written by Kristin Lipiro (U.S.A.)
Octave, directed by Emily Hubley (U.S.A.)
The Offshore Reserves, directed and written by Jamie Bradshaw and Alexander Doulerain (Russia)
Out of the Woods, directed and written by Samuel Dowe-Sandes (U.S.A.)
The Package, directed and written by Brad Spencer (U.S.A.)
Paradox, directed and written by Jeremy Haccoun (U.K.)
Piece of Cake, directed and written by Cynthia Boorujy (U.S.A.)
The Secret Language (Teanga Runda), directed and written by Brian Durnin (Ireland)
Shiner, directed and written by Mike Doyle (U.S.A.)
The Shovel, directed and written Nick Childs (U.S.A.)
Spanish Boots, directed and written by Domenica Cameron-Scorsese (U.S.A.)
The Temptation of Victoria, directed by Michael Shamberg (U.S.A. and France)
Today 30 November, directed by Mahmood Soliman (Egypt)
Topor and me (Topor et moi), directed by Sylvia Kristel, written by Ruud Den Dryver (Netherlands)
Torte Bluma, directed by Benjamin Ross, written by Barry Langford (U.S.A.)
Wedlock, directed by Chris Callahan (U.S.A.)
Who cares how long the batteries last? (�Qu� importa cu�nto duran las pilas?), directed by Gustavo Rond�n C�rdova, written by Rafael Vel�squez (Venezuela)
Women Workers Leaving the Factory (Obreras Saliendo de la Fabrica), directed and written by Jos� Luis Torres (Chile)

Shorts in Competition – Documentary:

The Documentary Shorts program reflects real-life drama, from Don Cheadle's family trip to Africa in Journey Into Sunset, to Roseanne Cash's recollections of family and music in Marines and Musicians.

A Long Struggle, directed by Lea Rekow, written by Matthew Phillip (U.S.A.)
Dear Talula, directed by Lori Benson (U.S.A.)
I'm Charlie Chaplin, directed by Jay Rosenblatt (U.S.A.)
Ideas of Order in Cinque Terre, directed by Ken Kobland (U.S.A.)
Inside Out, directed and written by Zohreh Shayesteh (Iran)
The Highwater Trilogy, directed by Bill Morrison (U.S.A.)
Journey Into Sunset, directed by Rick Wilkinson (U.S.A.)
Mariners and Musicians, directed by Steven Lippman (U.S.A.)
My Empire, directed by Ted Ciesielski (U.S.A.)
Native New Yorker, directed and written by Steve Bilich (U.S.A.)
Never Like the First Time! (Aldrig som forsta gangen!), directed by Jonas Odell (Sweden)
Offside (Nivdal), directed and written by Daniel Sivan and Dorit Tadir (Israel)
Prom Date, directed by Poull Brien (U.S.A.)
Putting the River in Reverse, directed by Matthew Buzzell (U.S.A.)
Roads of Kiarostami, directed by Abbas Kiarostami (Iran, South Korea)
SARS, A Love Story, directed and written by Mathieu Borysevicz (U.S.A., China)
She Rhymes Like A Girl, directed by JT Takagi (U.S.A.)
Swan's Island, directed by Bill Brand and Katy Martin (U.S.A.)
The Tribe, directed by Tiffany Shlain, written by Shlain and Ken Goldberg (U.S.A.)

Shorts in Competition – Student:

Student shorts in competition represent projects from the leading film schools in the United States as well as international film programs in Israel, Mexico, South Korea, and Australia. Creative storytelling characterizes these works from talented emerging filmmakers.

Chicxulub, directed and written by Malona P. Voigt (U.S.A.)
Dead End Job, directed and written by Samantha Davidson Green (U.S.A.)
The Debt, directed and written by Levan Koguashvili (U.S.A.)
Duncan Removed, directed and written by Peter Livolsi and Matthew Schaefer (U.S.A.)
In a Single Bound, a documentary, directed and written by Ross Marroso (U.S.A.)
Interview, directed by Boyoung Lee (South Korea)
Kite Circuit, directed and written by Austin Andrews (Australia)
Night Visions, a documentary, directed by Kathy Huang (U.S.A.)
Orange Bow, directed and written by Dee Rees (U.S.A.)
Playing the News, a documentary, directed by Jeff Plunkett and Jigar Mehta (U.S.A.)
The Projectionist (Dian Ying Fang Ying Yuan), directed and written by Elaine Liu (U.S.A.)
Recalled, directed and written by Michael Connors (U.S.A.)
Shelter, directed and written by Luke Hutton (U.S.A., Canada)
The Substitute (Hayelet Bodeda), directed by Tayla Lavie, written by Lavie and Oded Binnun (Israel)
Twenty Dollar Drinks, directed and written by David Brind (U.S.A.)
Under the Rubble (Bajo los Escombros), directed by Carlos Davila Yeo (Mexico)
Walk on a Little More, directed and written by Minyoung Shim (South Korea)

Posted by stvanairsdale at 11:27 AM | TrackBack

Beasties Film Flash: Museum Hosts Videos, 'Awesome' Premiere Locks Yauch

Heads-up to all of you Beastie Boys fans: The Museum of the Moving Image sends word that it will screen the trio's music videos for three weeks in conjunction with the March 28 premiere of their new film Awesome; I Fuckin' Shot That. The videos start up this Saturday, March 25, while next Tuesday's premiere will feature a Pinewood dialogue with director Nathanial Hörnblowér (a k a Beastie Boy MCA, a k a Adam Rauch).

I will try and bring you some insights from the event, but I have to tell you: The $24 ticket price is worth it. Just buy one and go. A glimpse at Awesome last week revealed to me perhaps the best concert film ever made, and I do not even like the Beastie Boys. It achieves the perfect balance of performance and experience, art film and science project. I will write about it in a little more depth closer to the film's March 31 release, but seriously: In the contemporary climate of lukewarm concert chronicles like Dave Chappelle's Block Party and Neil Young: Heart of Gold, Awesome represents more than just an auspicious show--it is a refreshing near-miracle of filmmaking.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 11:09 AM | TrackBack

'Lonesome Jim' Premiere Makes Itself at Home

The Reeler high-tailed it Tuesday from the warm-hearted environs of the Ziegfeld to the more homey confines of, um, Home, where IFC Films and the New York Observer had gathered to toast the premiere of Steve Buscemi's latest directorial effort Lonesome Jim. While I had read a few things about the film, I had not an opportunity to view it; I thus avoided any further long waiting periods on line to embarrass myself with Buscemi or his stars Liv Tyler and Casey Affleck.

It's for you: Liv Tyler and Michael Stipe at Tuesday night's party for Lonesome Jim (Photo: STV)

Also not making their ways in front of my notebook were Lonesome co-star Seymour Cassell, cheerful party animal Michael Stipe, IFC kingpin Jonathan Sehring and a late-arriving Julian Schnabel, who indulged a pair of photographers outside with a half-dead slouch against Home's brick façade. "Julian, look here," they said, gesturing toward their lenses. It worked. Barely.

Lonesome Jim opens Friday in New York.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 09:49 AM | TrackBack

'Lucky Number Slevin': Bruce Willis, Incomparable Bad-Ass

The Reeler waited with its red-carpet colleagues no fewer than two-and-a-half hours Tuesday night to get a word with the principals behind Lucky Number Slevin, the buzz-wielding New York gangster noir premiering at the Ziegfeld Theater. Two-and-a-half hours for principals who trickled in for a screening that started at least an hour late. Two-and-a-half hours with a Josh Hartnett here or a Lucy Liu there, ostensibly sympathetic publicists retrieving soda from the upstairs lobby for reporters and with the 10 of us on line wondering if Bruce Willis would ever return from doing TV interviews out in the tent on 54th Street.

In the meantime, I caught up with director Paul McGuigan, a Scotland native who downplayed the impact of the city's noir mythology. " People make movies other places," he told me. "We made ours in Montreal, then came down here for a week or so and shot on the streets. Mostly East Village, Lower East Side, a little in the West Village."

Yeah, well, New York was still a fairly integral character that you had to direct in a way, wasn't it?

"Oh, New York City was the character," McGuigan said. "(Screenwriter) Jason Smilovic was walking down the road in the West Village and he saw these two big buildings with opposing facades. And that started the cool idea of one guy in one of them and one guy in a penthouse and their rival gangsters, and that's how it starts. New York is actually the genesis of the whole script."

I asked the filmmaker about his own vision for portraying a city moviegoers have watched onscreen for more than a century. "To me, there's a lot of the city that I like that perhaps people take for granted," he said. "I like going across the bridge with the big wide lenses, you know. I like showing New York as wide as you can. It's actually quite hard to shoot unless you shoot from the air; you have to keep the plane wide to get everything in because there's such a vastness to it. That was my approach."

McGuigan was less expressive about his NYC noir influences. "None."

What? None?

"I had no influences."

You had no influences?

"Nuh-uh. No."

This alone seemed discussion-worthy, but Willis bounded up the stairs behind McGuigan and that was pretty much the end of that interview. Willis put his arm around his director and called him the "number-one reason I wanted to work on this movie."

OK, OK, enough of that. Bruce, you've been a bad-ass on a lot of bad-ass movie posters. Is this Slevin one the baddest-assed or what?

"I've never seen this poster," he told me, stepping back to look behind McGuigan at the one-sheet taped to the outside of a glass poster box. "Oh, wow. Jesus. It's awesome."

Let's say compared to Die Hard, Last Boy Scout, on the bad-ass scale of 1-10--

"I wouldn't compare it to anything. It's pretty cool. Last question?"

Such a politician. And to think he would give the quote of the century after a 150-minute wait! Silliness. Even sillier was the moment immediately after that, when one of the tabloid reporters asked Willis how he deals with all those pesky Petra Nemcova stories.

"I don't pay any attention to them. But thanks for asking!"

And then, like my earlier dream of a swift, painless death, Willis was gone. This is the best job in the world. No worries, however--The Reeler will be catching up with most of the Lucky Number Slevin crew again later this week and will bring you a little more resonant burst of coverage the week of Slevin's April 7 release.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 09:35 AM | TrackBack

March 21, 2006

Reeler Link Dump: Sinus Headache Edition

In case this dizzying head pain strikes me dead before I can get my antibiotics prescription filled, check out the latest New York murmurings from around the Web:

--Murderball co-director Dana Adam Shapiro (left) has signed a deal with Paramount to adapt and direct the film version of his 2005 novel The Every Boy. Brad Pitt's Plan B shingle will produce, while Roger Friedman will continue to fuck Shapiro's name up no matter who or what is attached.

--indieWIRE notes that director Bennett Miller will be signing Capote DVD's tonight at 6 at the Tower Records on Broadway at West 4th Street. Miller's underappreciated 1998 debut The Cruise will be available for sale and signature as well, but just because you have not heard of it does not mean you get to go haggling a buy-one-get-one-free deal out of the guy. This is an Oscar nominee, after all. Behave yourself.

--David Spade did lunch with Boldface's Paula Schwartz Monday at the Four Seasons, laughing it up over a former assistant's stun-gun attack and trailing off nonsensically about Tom Cruise:

"I'll go after who I go after," he said. "I don't care." Then: "I just, the only problem is that it's been done, it was done well by. ..." He paused. "We just got to think of a new angle."

It is peculiar to see Spade keep his cards so close to his vest, especially considering that Comedy Central should be recalling it to wardrobe any day now after it cancels his show. Nevertheless, you have to admit that the terror in his eyes is kind of cute.

--In New York Post business news, booze and stripper stocks declined after a day of light trading on the East Side. Futures were mixed.

--If you thought Liza Minelli's career renaissance was nothing but an archive-aided fluke, the genius behind the blog fourfour has a wake-up call for you.

(Photo: The Age)

Posted by stvanairsdale at 02:40 PM | TrackBack

March of Tribeca Continues With Midnight and Showcase Selections

The Tribeca Film Festival is back on the offensive today with another 37 new titles in its Showcase, Rereleased/Rediscovered, Midnight sections. And before you go joking about sloppy seconds or whatever in the Showcase category (subtitled, "New to NY, these films have been highlights of other festivals"), check out the pedigree of this year's selections: Patrick Creadon's wildly entertaining documentary Wordplay; Toshiaki Toyoda's acclaimed suburban drama Hanging Garden; and the Pixies reunion chronicle loudQUIETloud.

The Midnight section features the world premiere of Mandy Stein's Ramones tribute concert rockumentary Too Tough to Die; the adults-only gay teen movie spoof Another Gay Movie; the SXSW fave (and DreamWorks muse) Air Guitar Nation; and some drug flick called Cocaine Cowboys, whose makers evidently have either no respect or no knowledge of the similarly named Andy Warhol/Jack Palance masterpiece from 1979. I am sure an anguished lawsuit is imminent.

The Rereleased/Rediscovered lineup offers an encore of last year's Lincoln Center coup The River and painstakingly restored prints of Lionel Rogosin's On the Bowery and Joseph H. Lewis's cult classic noir, Big Combo. The Spotlight program--announced last week--also features a pair of new additions, including the Michael Winterbottom's newly bought The Road to Guantanamo and excerpts from the Maysles Brothers' 27-years-in-the-making documentary about The Gates. Sure, you probably know how it ends, but Tribeca is hosting a discussion with Albert Maysles and Gates artists Christo and Jean-Claude as a little added incentive to check it out anyway.

As always, for the full program listings, follow the jump.

Showcase

New to NY, these films have been highlights of other festivals.

Akeelah and the Bee, directed and written by Doug Atchison (U.S.A.) - New York Premiere. A Lionsgate Release. Akeelah is a precocious 11-year-old from south Los Angeles with a gift for words. Despite her mother's objections, she enters several spelling contests, and with the support of a special tutor and the entire neighborhood, she earns a spot at the Scripps National Spelling Bee. This uplifting film stars Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne, Curtis Armstrong, and Keke Palmer.

Al Franken: God Spoke, a documentary directed by Christine Hegedus and Nick Doob (U.S.A.) – New York Premiere. This hilarious doc about one man's unceasing battle against the Right tracks Al Franken's transformation from mild-mannered comedy writer to full-on political player. Featuring appearances by Ann Coulter, Michael Moore, Al Gore, John Kerry, and Henry Kissinger.

Black Sun, a documentary directed by Gary Tarn (U.K.) – New York Premiere. Where there is no vision, does the artist perish? In this haunting, original first-person narrative, NYC-based French painter and filmmaker Hugues de Montalembert, who lost his sight after a mugger threw paint thinner in his eyes, narrates his journey into sudden blindness and out of despair, as composer-turned-filmmaker Gary Tarn's mesmerizing web of sounds and images recreates the world from his point of view.

Brothers of the Head, directed by Louis Pepe and Keith Fulton, written by Tony Grisoni (U.K.) – New York Premiere. An IFC Release. London, 1975. Conjoined twins with a creepy, crypto-erotic bond take the burgeoning glam/punk scene by storm in this eerie mockumentary-style adaptation of Brian Aldiss' novel. Luke and Harry Treadway deliver searing performances as two very different parts of one fatally compromised whole, and the film and its music will stick with you for days.

Close to Home (Karov La Bayit), directed and written by Dalia Hager and Vidi Bilu (Israel) – New York Premiere. In this critically acclaimed study of Israeli women and compulsory military service, two diametrically opposed women are thrown together on patrol in Jerusalem: Mirit is respectful of her military superiors, while Smadar barely conceals her desires for rebellion. When a bomb explodes, the two reconcile their differences, and a tenuous friendship is forged.

Eden, directed and written by Michael Hofmann (Germany) – North American Premiere. In this charming culinary comedy, Gregor is a distinguished chef who specializes in aphrodisiac dishes but can't seem to work his sensual magic on women. When the portly chef meets the delectable but married Eve, he gets a taste of true love. But can their shared gastronomical passions turn into something more substantial?

Hanging Garden (Kuutyuu Teien), directed and written by Toshiaki Toyoda (Japan) – New York Premiere. Meet the Kyobashis, a model suburban Japanese family. Or are they? In director Toshiaki Toyoda's skillful examination of contemporary domestic malaise, a mother's plan for the perfect family initially seems to be working, but we soon learn that her perceived perfection is a lie that each family member chooses to believe at the expense of reality.

The Heart of the Game, a documentary directed and written by Ward Serrill (U.S.A.) – New York Premiere. A Miramax Release. In the tradition of Hoop Dreams, this heart-pounding documentary about girls, race, and basketball follows a talented if occasionally self-destructive teenage star and her coach over the course of six years as she, her team, and her coach suffer crushing defeats and soaring victories on and off the court.

Kill Gil (Volume 1), a documentary directed by Gil Rossellini (Italy) – New York Premiere. Gil Rossellini (son of Italian filmmaker Roberto and brother of actress Isabella) documents his battle with a rare and devastating bacterial infection, which made him a paraplegic. Shot in a charmingly low-tech, off-the-cuff manner, Kill Gil (Volume 1) conveys a tremendous sense of hope and perseverance, while avoiding pat feelings of pity and morbidity. In English.

loudQUIETloud, a documentary directed by Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin (U.S.A.) – New York Premiere. The Pixies reunite 12 years after their inauspicious split and set out to re-conquer the world, and their own demons. This dazzling concert doc eschews rock-god clich�s and goes straight to the heart of four people who need music-and one another-more than they ever knew.

Madeinusa, directed and written by Claudia Llosa (Peru, Spain) – New York Premiere. The title heroine of this stunning debut work lives in a remote Andean village where, every Easter weekend, the villagers live sinfully without fear of celestial reprisal. When our ostensible hero blows into town from the big city and meets the heroine, what could spin into a classic fairy-tale takes a surreal, satisfying turn.

The Sacred Family (La Sagrada Familia), directed and written by Sebasti�n Campos (Chile) – New York Premiere. In this keenly observed debut feature, architecture student Marco brings Sofia, his new and impulsive girlfriend, home to meet his parents over Easter weekend. Sofia's flirtatious, manipulative ways soon crack the veneer of Marco's bourgeois family, turning the entire household upside-down.

The Shutka Book of Records, a documentary directed by Aleksandar Manic (Serbia and Montenegro) – New York Premiere. In the Balkan town of Shutka, the Romani (Gypsy) population is thriving and everyone is considered a champion at something. This droll film introduces us to a variety of Shutka's colorful, comically self-assured champions, from the boxer and the lovemaker to the grave robber and the vampire hunter.

Sound of the Soul, a documentary directed by Stephen Olsson (U.S.A.) – New York Premiere. In a world where religions often drive people apart, Sound of the Soul offers a joyfully welcome reminder that spirituality can also bring us together. The film explores Morocco's historic heritage of tolerance, and showcases a stunning array of brilliant musicians at the Fez Festival of World Sacred Music, whose profound expressions of love and longing are unforgettable.

Taking Father Home (Bei Ya Zi De Nan Hai), directed by Ying Liang, written by Ying Liang and Peng Shan (China) – New York Premiere. Filled with bitterness and a thirst for revenge, a 17-year-old boy leaves his rural Chinese village to seek out the father who abandoned him 6 years earlier. But once the boy arrives in the big city of Zigong, the long-awaited encounter with his father leads him to make a dramatic decision. In Mandarin.

Viva Zapatero!, a documentary directed and written by Sabina Guzzanti (Italy) – New York Premiere. When Italian comedienne Guzzanti's satirical TV show was canceled after Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's media corporation filed a 20-million-euro lawsuit, she got serious, sort of. Following in the footsteps of Michael Moore (only far more talented at imitating her target), Guzzanti exposes the seedy underbelly of Berlusconi's Right-wing regime in this viciously funny work.

Wah-Wah, directed and written by Richard E. Grant (U.K.) – New York Premiere. A Roadside Attractions Release. Partially based on childhood of this first-time director (and well-known actor) in British-controlled Swaziland, Wah-Wah paints a picture of colonialism on the wane and frames it with the story of a boy's awakening to the wider world. Starring Gabriel Byrne, Miranda Richardson, and Emily Watson.

Word Play, a documentary directed by Patrick Creadon (U.S.A.) – New York Premiere. An IFC Release. Tag along with Will Shortz, the legendary crossword editor of the New York Times, as he and his fellow word enthusiasts construct the newspaper's brainteasers and the annual American Crossword Tournament, which Shortz founded. Also featuring interviews with crossword-puzzle devotees Bill Clinton, Bob Dole, Jon Stewart, Ken Burns, the Indigo Girls, and others. Co-presented by the New York Times.

Restored/Rediscovered

Renewing the Festival's commitment to highlighting remarkable treasures from the history of cinema, this section, co-curated by Martin Scorsese and Peter Scarlet, includes newly restored or preserved copies from some of the world's leading film archives.

Barren Lives (Vidas Secas), directed and written by Nelson Pereira dos Santos (Brazil, 1963). A newly-struck copy of a classic early film by Pereira dos Santos, whose Brasilia 18% is premiering at the Festival. Adapted from a novel by Graciliano Ramos, the film follows a ranch hand and his family, who are forced off their land in the early 40’s by a severe drought and social injustice, and head off in search of work and a better life.

Big Combo, directed by Joseph H. Lewis, written by Philip Yordan (U.S.A., 1955) – World Premiere Restoration. The UCLA Film & Television Archive's new restoration of this memorably nasty film noir is especially good news since it was shot by the master of noir lighting, John Alton, and the prints available in recent years didn't do justice to his art. Cornel Wilde, Richard Conte, Brian Donlevy, and Lee Van Cleef give standout performances in this cult classic.

Burning Patience (Ardiente Paciencia), directed and written by Antonio Sk�rmeta (Portugal and Germany, 1983) – North American Premiere Revival. A postman's life is forever changed when Pablo Neruda, the famous Chilean poet and diplomat, is exiled to the postman's remote village. Writer/director Skarmeta's charming, sexy, and largely overlooked film was the original screen adaptation of his own popular novella, which was also the basis for the 1994 film, Il Postino. In Spanish

Fair Wind to Java, directed by Joseph Kane, written by Richard Tregaskis (U.S.A.) World Premiere Restoration. This 1953 South Seas adventure, starring Fred MacMurray and Vera Ralston, is the essence of Republic Pictures' "B" movie style, and it's been lovingly restored to its TruColor glory by the UCLA Film and Television Archive. Climaxing with a volcanic explosion that must be seen to be disbelieved, it's the ultimate Saturday matinee experience. Introduced by Martin Scorsese.

On the Bowery, directed by Lionel Rogosin, written by Richard Bagley and Lionel Rogosin (U.S.A., 1957). World Premiere Restoration. On the heels of its lovely restoration of Lionel Rogosin's Come Back, Africa (1960), which premiered at TFF last year, the Cineteca di Bologna has just finished restoring Rogosin's first film, the Oscar�-nominated documentary about the harsh and often shocking realities of life on what in the '50s was New York's Skid Row.

Prix de Beaut�, directed by Augusto Genina, written by Ren� Clair and G.W. Pabst (France). As her final starring role, the legendary Louise Brooks plays a typist who wins a beauty contest in this French-shot feature. We are screening the rare silent version, which is somewhat different from the sound version that is usually shown. Preceded by Giovani Pastrone's one-reeler, The Fall of Troy (1911). Both films with live piano accompaniment by Donald Sosin and live translation of French and Italian intertitles.

The River, directed by Jean Renoir, written by Rumer Godden and Jean Renoir (India, U.S.A.). A not-to-be-missed screening of a recent restoration, which returns one of the most memorable and lovely color films of all time to its original glow. A group of English colonials on the banks of the Ganges gradually succumb to India's eternal perspectives. Renoir's images flow with the same languor as the metaphorical river. In English.

Tribute to Nam June Paik, A collection of work by Korea-born, New York-based video art pioneer Nam June Paik, who died in January. Presented in collaboration with the Nam June Paik Studio, Electronic Arts Intermix, and John Hanhardt, Senior Curator of the Film and Media Arts department at the Guggenheim Museum.

Midnight

The Midnight section continues to challenge and reward viewers. Its twists and turns envelope and entertain the audience that desires something a little outside the mainstream. Whether it be a gay spoof on American Pie or a punk-rock tribute, Midnight also features new horror and slasher comedies to satiate any genre aficionado.

Air Guitar Nation, a documentary directed by Alexandra Lipsitz (U.S.A.) – New York Premiere. Fueled by pure rock energy, this doc chronicles the unlikely birth of the U.S. Air Guitar Championship and the intense rivalries that develop on the way to the event in Finland. Also featured are jam sessions and interviews with notable air guitarists and the "airheads" who follow them.

Alone with Her, directed and written by Eric Nicholas (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. In this skin-crawling, fact-based thriller partially shot on surveillance equipment, Doug (Colin Hanks) sets his sights on a young woman, slyly inserts himself into her life, and plants hidden cameras in her apartment. But when another man comes on the scene, Doug must take desperate measures.

Another Gay Movie, directed by Todd Stephens, written by Stephens and Tim Kaltenecker (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. TLA Releasing. In this raunchy, gay spoof of teen movies, a group of high school grads swear they will lose their anal virginity before going to college. And so they spend their summer-and this movie-trying to get laid. Lypsinka, Scott Thompson, and Graham Norton among others make some hilarious cameos. Jokes, costumes, vomit, sex, and gerbils included. Mature audiences only.

Cocaine Cowboys, a documentary directed by Billy Corben (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. When brutal Colombian cocaine lords moved to Miami in the early '80s, they brought with them a form of decadence, drugs, and debauchery that hadn't been seen since the Prohibition days. This stylized, high-energy film reveals how Miami went from a sleepy southern city to a drug-and-murder capital, as told by the people who put the vice in Miami Vice.

The Gravedancers, directed by Mike Mendez, written by Brad Keene and Chris Skinner (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Three old college friends visit their dead friend's grave, where they find a strange song printed on a condolence card. What they do next arouses a trio of psychopathic ghosts who will stop at nothing to see that the friends pay for their indiscretion. Starring Dominic Purcell, Josie Maran, and Tch�ky Karyo.

Hatchet, directed and written by Adam Green (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Green's note-perfect homage to late '70s and early '80s slasher movies pits a deformed, hatchet-wielding baddie against a group of young Mardi Gras revelers on a "Haunted Swamp Tour." Filled with boobs, beer, beads, and buckets of blood, Hatchet is sure to make you laugh and jump out of your seat at the same time.

Sam's Lake, directed and written by Andrew Erin (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. In this debut horror feature, a young woman brings some friends to a lakeside house in an isolated area, where 40 years earlier a deranged teenager murdered his entire family. Instead of relaxation and fun, the group discovers that the murderer's legacy persists and that their own lives are threatened by the legend of Sam's Lake.

Sheitan, directed by Kim Chapiron, written by Chapiron and Christian Chapiron (France) – International Premiere. Three buddies meet two gorgeous girls in a Parisian nightclub and count themselves lucky when the girls invite them to an isolated country house. Upon arrival, they meet a bizarre caretaker (Vincent Cassel) with a sinister smile, and it only gets freakier from there. Sheitan is sure to shock with its envelope-pushing absurdity, high-energy suspense, and first-rate bloody horror.

Too Tough to Die, a documentary directed by Mandy Stein (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. On September 12, 2004, just two-and-a-half days before Johnny Ramone's death, a group of musicians and friends-among them Deborah Harry, Eddie Vedder, and The Red Hot Chili Peppers-staged a benefit concert to celebrate The Ramones' 30th anniversary and to raise money for cancer research. Mandy Stein's touching rockumentary captures that unforgettable evening.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 01:12 PM | TrackBack

Cannes Do: Filmmakers Under the Gun For 2006 Festival

The last time I took someone's word for it regarding putative film festival selections, I wound up applying aloe vera to my blistered skin for a week. That said, I am rolling the dice with today's Hollywood Reporter dispatch revealing some of the favorites and unofficial locks for slots at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

Charles Masters's survey is an occasionally fascinating read, reporting Sofia Coppola (Marie Antoinette), David Lynch (Inland Empires) and New York's own Prince of Perverted Sophistry, John Cameron Mitchell (Shortbus), as virtual shoo-ins for the event this May. Masters also reports that Richard Linklater could sneak in with the long-awaited Fast Food Nation, while Darren Aronofsky may have his time-warped historical epic The Fountain finished--at last--just in time for programming.

And if worse comes to worse for any of the above, a rough cut always goes over well with the Cannes crowd. Here's wishing the filmmakers all the crunch-time luck in the world.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 09:48 AM | TrackBack

That's 'Chicago': Richards Kindly Asks Miramax to Fucking Pay Him Already

According to the Associated Press, Chicago joined Crash Monday in the pantheon of Oscar-winning films whose producers want to rip each others' throats out. Which would not really raise an eyebrow around Reeler HQ if two of those producers were not named Harvey and Bob Weinstein. And the aggrieved plaintiff were not badgering the Weinsteins' old home base Miramax for low eight figures.

Gotham-based Marty Richards--whose own Producers Circle Co. shingle produced Chicago with the Weinsteins in 2002--claimed the film's Best Picture prize on his own the following spring. But three years and $300 million in grosses later, Richards argues that he has the trophy in one hand, his dick in the other, and that is about it:

Richards says he and his company were victims of Hollywood-style accounting in which two types of accounting occur at the same time: One type is for financial reporting purposes, and the other is for calculating how much individuals will get.

Those who get "gross profit" deals earn huge sums while those who get "net profit" deals — money that is left after many deductions and expenses — generally get nothing from a film's profits, court papers say.

The lawsuit says Miramax is trying to impose upon PCC a "net profits" deal that it never agreed to.

I am totally speculating here, but a seasoned producer like Richards seems about as likely to sign a net deal with Harvey Weinstein as Dakota Fanning is to "star" in a Roman Polanski film. Then there is the cut from DVD sales, cable deals, foreign distribution earnings, you name it--Richards says his partners owe it all.

Miramax would not comment, and word around town suggests the exiled Weinsteins are far more concerned whether Renee Zellweger is fuckable enough to play Beatrix Potter. I will let you know when they settle out of court.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 09:30 AM | TrackBack

March 20, 2006

Universal: Tweaking the Media, One Journalist at a Time

Q: What does Hollywood Reporter insider Anne Thompson have in common with Reeler editor S.T. VanAirsdale?

A: Universal has ruled both out for tonight's Inside Man premiere.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 03:38 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

AIVF: Another Crisis Looms For Local Indies

Notwithstanding Ethan Hawke shoots and the occasional transit strike, you will find the Association of Independent Video and Filmmmakers' budget shortfall among the more insidious crises facing New York cinema. Not that it is really news--the organization has barely been scraping by for a while now--but an interesting post over at Paul Harrill's Self-Reliant Filmmaking blog offers a fairly level-headed perspective of the situation at hand:

As anyone who’s worked in the non-profit sector can tell you, a Board of Directors is often loaded with wealthy supporters of the organization. These individuals help support it directly (i.e., give money) and/or support it by raising money for the organization. Well, AIVF is in trouble because most people on the BoD are filmmakers. Independent filmmakers. That is to say, they don’t have money. And if they’re able to raise money, they’re raising it for their own projects. Hey, I don’t blame them — but you can see how this has turned into a problem.

Harrill has more at his site, and I will have some additional background in the days and weeks ahead. Meanwhile, if AIVF provides a service you use or have the potential to use as an independent filmmaker in New York (or anywhere in the country, for that matter), sources tell The Reeler that you might consider sending a check sooner than later. Like, a lot sooner than later--say, by the end of the week.

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Mysterious 'Speakeasy Cinema' Program Debuts Tonight in Tribeca

The Reeler just got late word about tonight's inaugural Speakeasy Cinema event in Tribeca. Organized by Call It Democracy director Matt Kohn, the event features a film screening followed by a discussion "in the mood of the Algonquin Roundtable." Which sounds enjoyable enough, except there is an arousing twist: The event's special guest host--in this case, actor/filmmaker/occasional Huff Post blogger Tom Gilroy (above)--will select a mystery film whose identity viewers will not discover until the lights go down.

There is no need to worry, however: Kohn assures potential viewers that Rape of the Soul is not among the films being considered, and he throws down the law that participation is a must but "industry talk is verboten." And at $5, you will not find a better moviegoing deal in town tonight unless you have tickets to the Inside Man premiere at the Ziegfeld. Which, face it, you do not. "Algonquin Roundtable" always had more of an irrestistably sexy, urbane ring to it anyway.

Full details--including address, time and ground rules--follow the jump.

SPEAKEASY CINEMA -- MONDAY MARCH 20TH, 7:30pm
Collective: Unconscious
279 Church Street, New York, NY 10013
(across from the Tribeca Grand)

$5 at the door.

SPEAKEASY CINEMA will provide an opportunity for the film community to watch movies and talk about them in the mood of the Algonquin Roundtable. Every third monday, Matt Kohn will introduce a different director, producer, actor, or editor who will present a film that they have chosen. No one in the audience will know which film it is until the lights dim. After the screening, the filmmaker will engage everyone in the room in ways that will bring about a greater appreciation of cinema, and break the fourth wall. At this intimate event industry talk is verboten, but your libations are welcome.

Our first guest is Tom Gilroy. Mr. Gilroy is a writer/director/producer/actor from New York and has appeared in over 30 films, having worked with such directors as Ken Loach, Sidney Lumet, Jean-Luc Godard, Jim McKay, Christopher Munch, Paul Auster and multi-media artist Robert Longo. He has written, directed and produced two award winning films--the short Touch Base (IFC/BRAVO), and the critically-acclaimed feature Spring Forward, (IFC/MGM) starring Liev Schreiber, Ned Beatty, and Campbell Scott.

His plays--most notably The Invisible Hand and Halcion Days have been produced in several US cities and around the world. With his theatre company Machine Full(co-founded with Lili Taylor and Michael Imperioli) Gilroy has produced over a dozen critically acclaimed productions, most recently Hamlet, starring Richard Harris, Jared Harris, and Lili Taylor. Last year he directed Rosie Perez, Robert Sean Leonard, Natasha Lyonne and Mary Louise Parker in the play Nine Ten for the 24 Hour play project. Tom has just completed his short 'Mr. Sycamore' and begins directing his new film Location, starring Aidan Quinn, this summer.

The Series is created and produced by Matt Kohn, director of the feature documentary Call it Democracy. It is co-produced by Eddie Gilbert Herch, dramaturge from the Fifth Night Screenplay Series, and promoted and co-sponsored by the AIVF.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 01:38 PM | TrackBack

'Rape of the Soul': Catholic Documentary Burns Up the Multiplex

While local reviewers last week digested the religious sentiment motivating The Passion of the Christ's new spinoff doc The Big Question, a much tinier film sneaked into the New York market brandishing some intense God fever of its own.

And if the title of the hard-right-wing Catholic "documentary" Rape of the Soul does not get your heathen ass to the movie theater, then maybe this mouth-breathing mouth-watering press release will:

Rape of the Soul documents and extracts pornographic and satanic images embedded in religious art, and presents shocking evidence that a major contributing factor to the rising incidence of priestly abuse can be attributed to prolonged exposure to the strategically placed images found in the everyday religious art that surrounds them. ...

"Artists from DaVinci to Botticelli have embedded subliminal images into their art for centuries," said producer/director of Rape of the Soul, Michael A. Calace. "In this case were found penises on crucifixes, occult symbols, swastikas, demonic faces and in modern works even the word 'sex' embedded into the images. The works in question include modern artist's [sic] work currently on the covers of hymnals that at this very moment sit in the pews of churches throughout the U.S. and on children's religious teaching aids.

"In my opinion, sex and horror is the fuel that promotes the scandalous behavior in the Church. Church leaders don't have to look very far because the problem is coming from within the Church itself," says Calace.

Calace, whose production company Silver Sword International boasts a mission to "merge media with morality," also wants you to know he has packed his film with only the most knowledgeable "experts from the fields of clinical and child psychology, hypnosis, spirituality, and deceptive advertising." And despite your first impression, this is not a hoax--Calace's film is actually playing downtown, in White Plains and in six other markets nationally. The MPAA has supposedly smacked it with an "R" rating--that hallmark of family entertainment--and Calace is positioning Rape of the Soul as the early ideological alternative to The DaVinci Code. You have to love the guy's ambition.

Anyway, I have long suspected the subliminal religious overtones behind Divine Interventions' Jackhammer Jesus dildo (above), so it is about time somebody summoned the nerve to investigate. And while I doubt I will get the opportunity to check this one out before the Rapture (or before the print is recycled--whichever comes first), I will happily run a review if any of you lapsed Catholics out there have a chance to give it a look. It may not be a Gibson-level, dead-language epic smash, but never underestimate the entertainment value of an undersexed priest.

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'Totally An "M" Thing': Jeff Wells Vs. NY Times in Sound-Effect Battle Royale

The Reeler would like to take this opportunity to thank Jeffrey Wells, the Hollywood Elsewhere gadabout whose close reading of the Sunday New York Times yielded an essential distinction:

Charles Solomon's N.Y. Times piece about how annoyingly verbal animated features have become refers to Chuck Jones' Roadrunner [sic] /Wile E. Coyote cartoons as an example of the non-verbal, all-visuals approach that used to rule in the old says. But hold on...Solomon says the Roadunner [sic] cartoons "took place in a silence broken only by music, sound effects and an occasional 'beep-beep.'" Inaccurate, dawg. The Roadrunner sound is an unmistakable meep-meep. Listen to one closely. At no time do you hear the "b" consonant -- it's totally an "m" thing.

As the unofficial arbitrator in all Times Movie Section corrections, I must side with Wells on this. A quick listen--not even as closely as Wells requests--indicates that Solomon not only mischaracterized the Road Runner's signature sound, but also truncated it; if we include that tongue-whip thing at the end, we get something along the lines of "meep-meep puh-THUNG-kitty-thung-thung."

That neither Solomon nor Wells upheld their usual, thorough factchecking standards here is a severe disappointment, but as we should expect, Wells regains his swagger with journalistic trash-talk like "Inaccurate, dawg" and "'it's totally an 'm' thing." And for the first time since before the Oscars, I feel alive again on a Monday morning.

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Killer Spotted in L.A.: Vachon Brings Indie Shingle to West Coast

It is not what you think, Variety swears in this morning's story about Killer Films going California: Christine Vachon's beloved NYC production company recently established an official bicoastal operation, with producer Jocelyn Hayes running a Los Angeles office and Vachon herself jetting back and forth to monitor development and financing and nurture relationships for future Killer projects.

Never mind that Vachon is leasing office space on the Warner Bros. lot--the shingle remains independently headquartered downtown on Lafayette Street. It is just that after Killer's decade of prosperity and growth, the West Coast emerges as one of those gruesome, necessary evils:

"We are a New York fixture," Vachon admitted to Daily Variety, "but I also feel like we're always trying to work both coasts. While we've been absolutely stellar at covering the New York film, literary, theater and musical scenes, we've never quite attempted to penetrate what was happening in L.A.

"What makes New York so great is that it's such a cultural stew. I think the same is true of L.A. You may just have to dig a little deeper."

Yeah, well, Paul Haggis has some of the cleanest fingernails in Hollywood, and look where it got him: stroking his Oscar, laughing so hard that he just spit his orange juice across the breakfast table. But Vachon is far more optimistic than she is naïve, and if, by extension, her new L.A. address means more potential opportunities for film in New York, I guess we will take it. Just say a prayer for the woman, will you?

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March 17, 2006

Screening Gotham--International Edition: March 17-19, 2006

A few of this weekend's worthwhile cinematic happenings around New York:

--Fuck the Irish on St. Patrick's Day and go to MoMA, where the museum's Canadian Front program rolls on today with a trifecta of premieres from our northern neighbors with all the universal health care. Carl Bessai kicks things off with the U.S. premiere of his Unnatural and Accidental, followed by Amnon Buchbinder's Whole New Thing (right) and Allan King's nursing home documentary memory for Max, Claire, Ida and company. And Sunday, you can really make things multinational as French Canadians Denis Côté and Denise Filiatrault crash the party with their respective premieres Drifiting States and My Life in Cinemascope/Bitter Memories. You may have to read a few subtitles, but it beats stepping in some hungover junior investment banker's vomit.

--Anthology Film Archives this weekend offers up the complete work of China's young master Jia Zhangke. A lot of critics will jump behind Platform as kind of the be-all, end-all of contemporary (and even classic) Chinese cinema, but I think I will have to go with The World for its shattering view of youth working at a Beijing theme park, swallowed by distorted visions of world-famous tourist attractions. Slow, cool and revelatory, with a mind-blowing opening shot foreshadowing the desperation to come, it is cinema of the highest order.

--So let's say you are like me and got shut out of last summer's wildly popular engagement of The Conformist at Film Forum. You are in luck: The Leonard Nimoy Thalia will screen Bertolucci's masterpiece in all it colorful glory Sunday afternoon. Plan now, leave early and do not screw this one up.

(Photo: Chris Reardon)

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Go West, Old Man: Shepard and Wenders Reteam For 'Don't Come Knocking':

As far as self-loathing, semi-allegorical, brooding revisionist Westerns go, the new Wim Wenders/Sam Shepard collaboration Don't Come Knocking might represent the gold standard. It still has a ways to go before achieving any sort of dramatic harmony, or before establishing an identity singular enough to break away from the pair's 1984 triumph Paris, Texas, and it occasionally shuffles along on a skinny horse named Incoherence. But there is a personal cinema here, and just when you think it belongs to no one you know, Wenders and Shepard sneak in to disassemble the myth with all the subtle force of a bronco.

Relax, recline, regret: Sam Sheaprd as Howard Spence in Don't Come Knocking (Photos: Donata Wenders)

"When we had the character of Howard, we didn't know what job he had," Wenders told The Reeler during a recent vist to New York. "Sam suggested that he be a Western actor, and I was all opposed to idea. The last thing I wanted to do was a film that was a film inside a film. I didn't like it. So he said, 'Let me write it, because I know you will like it in the end, and I know I'm on the right track.' So he wrote the first scene, and I read that the guy was running away from the movie set. I could live with that. It's really not a film that deals with film itself.

But it broadens into the world of the Western, and as we're writing the story, I realized the Western was really the only genre out there that deals with people who are trying to find where they belong. And that is exactly Howard's struggle: He doesn't know where he belongs, and he missed his life. And (with) all these Western heroes, there's always the scene where they're with the woman of their lives and they say, 'I'm gonna come back,' and they ride away, and you know they're all wasting their lives. So I figured the Western was the real background of the film, even if it's contemporary."

And the inside joke does not end with a lost movie cowboy. Sure, Shepard's aging Howard Spence flees his Utah movie set on horseback, and he lathers on the symbolism (and at least nominal self-reference) early when he trades his glimmering Hollywood wardrobe and muscular horse for the shabby "true west" get-up of a blitzed ranch hand he encounters in the desert. As the prodigal son, he roams to Elko, Nev., where he reunites with his mother (a mesmerizing Eva Marie Saint) and takes refuge from a fastidious bounty hunter (Tim Roth) charged with returning Howard to the production. But before long, Howard is the prodigal father, fleeing north to Butte, Mont., in his own father's old Packard, poking around for a son he conceived while shooting his first film 30 years earlier.

His journey reacquaints him with Doreen (Jessica Lange), a career waitress who was his partner in that youthful fling but who now regards Howard as the anachronism in a place where time stood still. Butte is her ghost town; her café the film's flatlining, Not-So-Wild West Saloon where sleepy locals indulge in poker and mysterious young Sky (Sarah Polley) observes Howard almost like an apparition. At a little more ribald watering hole--this one has live music--Doreen points out Howard's son Earl (Gabriel Mann) singing onstage, proud of his talent but promising nothing in terms of his character.

Earl's outrage at his father's return sparks one of recent memory's more irredeemably histrionic meltdowns, with Mann not just chewing scenery but chucking it from his second-story apartment to the street below. He wrings every last cliché of Shepardian theatricality from his tussles with Howard, prompting me to ask him how he worked to avoid painting himself into sort of a one-note corner. "I think if one is to watch closely in some of the performances," Mann said, "or in that particular character, there's a lot of vulnerability that's behind the sort of stomping and yelling. And then finally , I think..."

Mann stops for the briefest of pauses, waves his finger at me and smiles. "I'll bet you thought it was a little one-note, didn't you, my friend?"

Just playing devil's advocate.

"Well, you have to be," Mann continued. "It's a very slippery slope when you have to go to those places, but you kind of have no choice. And I just thought, 'Well, it's all motivated by pain,' as Sam says it. It's just fear and bravado. And there's different ways he's angry with his mother than he's angry with his father than he's annoyed with his girlfriend. And at the end of the day, I did what I did. And I felt like if there was sort of a consensus among Sam and Wim that it was good, then that was good enough for me. You know? That I was serving his words in a way that he felt satisfied. I mean, no one was going to know that better than Shepard."

Sarah Polley attempts to chill out Gabriel Mann. It does not work.

Yeah, well, legend or not, Shepard has yet to obtain a lifetime exemption for the whiny earnestness as inherent to his work as his trenchant explorations of fathers and sons or existential crisis. Mann wrecks almost every scene he is in, leaving Wenders to exploit Polley as an idealized feminine analogue--Howard's other, reverent child, the innocent one who shadows Howard while carting around an urn filled with her mother's ashes. (In different ways, Howard and Earl also carry the knowledge of their own living mothers with them like a burden.) The director lavishes Polley with close-ups, and rightly so; her silent gaze is the most authentic expression Wenders has at his disposal for nearly two hours.

But again, the Western genre's inauthenticity informs so much of Don't Come Knocking that Wenders's and Shepard's restless formalism kind of works. An early establishing shot features trailers circled like wagons on the desert film set. Wenders jump-cuts from a day-for-night lens to blinding natural sunlight as the production implodes in Howard's absence. The urban isolation of Edward Hopper creeps up in pastoral Butte. Roth's quest to locate Howard digs at Hollywood's efficiency rituals. As the man in black who storms through a swinging café door to wreack havoc, Earl is little more than a self-obsessed baby. In one fascinating sequence, Wenders toys with Howard's rootlessness by planting him on a couch in the middle of the street for 24 hours and circling the furniture with his camera from sunset to sunrise.

"But just as much as we have an ironic distance to Howard," Wenders said, "and as he really knew he was a failure, and that this freedom that he represented in his life was basically just a lack of responsibility, and that he was really not a grown up man, in the same way we sort of had a distance from the genre of the Western and looked at it with irony. ... We had fun with the Western genre. And the guy who inherits Howard's horse and his costume is stopped on the highway to show his papers. We didn't really believe in the Western."

That ethos helps Wenders and Shepard overcome whatever Don't Come Knocking owes to their earlier, superior collaboration on Paris, Texas--the character of landscape, the paternal wanderer and Western anomie in particular. That it will not change the world is hardly a criticism; for a litle while, anyway, one can find at least some reward in the world it inhabits onscreen. Typical Wenders, I know--but even for non-fans, this world may work out just fine.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 11:53 AM | TrackBack

March 16, 2006

Linde Off to Uni; Focus's Heart Will Go On

Well, the rumors were true: Focus Features co-president David Linde is on his way to the Mother Ship. IndieWIRE's Eugene Hernandez sends word that Linde will join Marc Shmuger as co-chairman of Universal Pictures, replacing recent DreamWorks defector Stacy Snider. This breaks up Focus's wildly successful Linde-James Schamus tandem, which scored from New York with Brokeback Mountain, Lost in Translation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Constant Gardener among other critical and commercial knockouts.

And, in the truest Hollywood spirit of adding insult to injury, Linde must relocate to Los Angeles for the job effective immediately. I do not know whether to offer congratualtions or condolences. Either way, best of luck to Linde on the new gig, and here's hoping he has the leverage to kill Evan Almighty even before his plane lands

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More Tribeca Titles as Fest Unveils Discovery and Spotlight Selections

Another day, another programming announcement from the gang at the Tribeca Film Festival. This morning brings word of the festival's Discovery and Spotlight (neé Wide Angle) sections, comprising 38 world premieres from more than a dozen countries. Sydney Pollack's Sketches of Frank Gehry (previewed last November on The Reeler) is in there somewhere, as are films by Guy Maddin, Chris Marker and Ed Burns.

Also look for the premieres of Chen Kaige's delayed-to-death The Promise and Claude Chabrol's Comedy of Power--yet another Isabelle Huppert collaboration, but one that boasts the undeniable appeal of "(d)elighting in the permutations of human stupidity." A few New Yorkish titles are scattered in the mix, including John Dower and Paul Crowder's pro soccer doc Once in a Lifetime and George Gallo's art-tinged coming-of-age flick Local Color.

Tribeca also announced the selections for its new NY Specials program, featuring Gerald Fox's documentary glimpse at filmmaker/photographer Robert Frank (Leaving Home Coming Home) and Rosie Perez and Liz Garbus's chronicle of New York's Puerto Rican culture, I'm Boricua, Just So You Know! Animation geeks will be excited to know that Bill Plympton has programmed the work of 12 local filmmakers in NY Specials' "Animated NY" section.

Read the full list of NY Specials selections after the jump; check out the TFF site later this afternoon for the complete Discovery and Spotlight programs.

NY Specials

The newly formed NY Specials showcases a varied group of out-of-competition titles that are quintessentially New York. In this years program there are portraits of experimental filmmakers, a film about 9/11 volunteers and about our Puerto Rican neighbors. Animated NY section is a curated program by animator Bill Plympton of talented animators in our own backyard.

The Heart of Steel, a documentary directed by Angelo J. Guglielmo Jr., written by Karen Lisko (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Produced in partnership with The September 11th Families Association, The Heart of Steel follows a group of volunteers who banded together-calling themselves The Renegade Volunteers-immediately after the attacks. Guglielmo's documentary highlights the profound impact that ordinary citizens can make in the face of tragedy.

Leaving Home Coming Home: A Portrait of Robert Frank, a documentary directed by Gerald Fox (U.K.) – North American Premiere. In this intimate and moving portrait of groundbreaking photographer and filmmaker Robert Frank, Fox engages the artist in a dialogue about his life and work. Creative tensions develop between Frank's desire to focus on the present and Fox's impulse to revisit the past.

Notes on Marie Menken, a documentary directed by Martina Kudlacek (Austria) - North American Premiere. A diary portrait of underground filmmaker Marie Menken based on the reminiscences of her family and friends. Various interviewees recount stories of how Menken and her husband, filmmaker Willard Maas, became the inspiration for the protagonists of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? In English.

Yo Soy Boicua, pa’ que tu lo sepas! (I’m Boricua, just so you know!), a documentary directed by Rosie Perez and Liz Garbus (U.S.A.) – New York Premiere. In her debut doc, the always sparkling Rosie Perez takes viewers down the route of New York City's Puerto Rican Day Parade and through an exploration of her heritage. Weaving snippets of family moments and the often bumpy history of the island, Perez and co director Liz Garbus build a pastiche of unbridled optimism and pride.

NY Specials: Animated New York

The Backbrace, directed by Carolyn London and Andy London (U.S.A)
Bar Fight, directed by Christy Karacas and Stephen Warbrick (U.S.A.)
Bathtime at Clerkenwell, directed by Alex Budovsky (U.S.A.)
Dentist, directed by Signe Baumane (U.S.A.)
Guide Dog, directed by Bill Plympton (U.S.A.) - World Premiere
Life in Transition, directed by John Dilworth (U.S.A.)
Puppet, directed by Patrick Smith (U.S.A.) – World Premiere
Roof Sex, directed by Sarah Phelps (U.S.A.)
Sita, directed by Nina Paley (U.S.A.) – World Premiere
Sex Life of Robots, directed by Mike Sullivan (U.S.A.) – World Premiere
Santa Goes South, directed by Peter Wallach (U.S.A.) – World Premiere
Soccer Time, directed by Edmond Hawkins (U.S.A.) – World Premiere

Posted by stvanairsdale at 12:13 PM | TrackBack

Lumet: A Rich Pain in the Ass is Better Than No Pain in the Ass

If my 56 seconds with Sidney Lumet did not provide the comprehensive background you need to get behind his new film Find Me Guilty, you might consider dropping in on Lou Lumenick's more 10-minute-esque chat running today in the Post. It features not only complete sentences and token introspection, but also offers an ambiguous bit of "praise" to Guilty producer (and Crash also-ran) Bob Yari:

"I honestly don't know what the studios are looking for these days," says Lumet, whose new film was financed not by Hollywood but by Bob Yari, the controversial real-estate mogul behind the Oscar-winning Crash.

"It's a very peculiar financing time in Hollywood right now," the director says. "It's terrific there are people like Yari who made money elsewhere and find movies a very glamorous place to invest. But they're a big pain in the ass because they don't really know what they're doing."

Jesus Christ--first the Producers Guild, now Sidney Lumet. Look for Yari's doctor is double his patient's dosage right... about... now.

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Spike Punch: Conspiracy-Minded Lee Sits Down with the Observer

It is Deadline City around Reeler HQ, which always makes for less-than-prolific blogging but at least means that somebody is paying me for a change. Lest I lose Thursday to a marathon transcribing run, allow me to refer you to Sara Vilkomerson's Spike Lee profile in this week's Observer. While you may not necessarily find any earth-shattering exclusives strung through the piece (OK, fine: I am a little giddy to share a ZIP code with the guy), Universal has to be thrilled that Lee's Inside Man interview yielded exactly one paragraph about the film and a bounty of gleeful indignance:

Mr. Lee recalled the story of a shopper who approached Ms. Rice at the pricey Ferragamo shoe store on Fifth Avenue during (Hurricane) Katrina and reportedly shouted “How dare you shop for shoes while thousands are dying and homeless!” before Secret Service physically removed her.

Mr. Lee picked up The Observer’s tape recorder and held it close in front of his face. “To the lady that got in Ms. Rice’s face in the store before you got pulled off by Secret Service,” he said. “If you read this article, please contact The New York Observer because we’re trying to find you for the documentary we’re doing on Hurricane Katrina.” Caggle, caggle. “If you are still alive, that is."

Then there are the usual yawny bio, background, compliments etc. before Lee fires off his grand finale:

Last October, he tussled with Tucker Carlson (“the guy in the bow tie”) on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher when Mr. Lee said he’d be including in his documentary the conspiracy theory that it was the U.S. government who bombed the levees.

“Here’s the thing,” he said. “Even today, a large part of the African-American community of New Orleans thinks that those levees were bombed. Now, whether that is true or not, that should not be discounted.” He rattled off past government trespasses: 1927’s Great Flood of Mississippi, when the levees were, in fact, blown up; the flooding of the Ninth Ward during Hurricane Betsy in 1965; the Tuskegee syphilis experiment.

“So, in the collective mind of African-Americans, it is not some science-fiction, hocus-pocus thing to say that the government is doing stuff,” he continued. ... Would he be shocked if it turned out to be true? “No. No, I would not,” he said.

You tell 'em, Spike. Now--anyone up for a heist flick?

Posted by stvanairsdale at 10:34 AM | TrackBack

March 15, 2006

Tribeca Competition Selections Named; Overwhelmed Programmers Seek Therapy

The Tribeca Film Festival sent word today that it has officially locked and loaded its competition lineup for 2006, and if the selections do not blow your mind, then the statistics will: 169 features and 99 shorts were cherry-picked from 4,100 submissions, 1,950 of which were feature films. That is about three times the total submissions to the inaugural festival in 2002.

Joining the insanity are 90 world premieres, 10 international premieres (and there IS a difference), 29 North American premieres, seven U.S premieres and 28 New York premieres from 40 countries. A quick overview reveals a few easy must-sees like Colour Me Kubrick, starring John Malkovich as a real-life conman who successfully passed himself off as Stanley Kubrick for the last decade of the filmmaker's life; Eric Steel's documentary The Bridge, which intercuts a year's worth of Golden Gate Bridge suicide plunges with interviews with the deceaseds' families; Marwan Hamed's The Yacoubian Building, a big-budget Egyptian epic that supposedly breaks all of its homeland's taboos; and Deborah Scranton's The War Tapes, edited from footage shot in Iraq by National Guardsmen to whom the filmmaker supplied digital video cameras.

And then there is the local flava: The 26 films selected for the festival's NY, NY competition include 13 narratives and 13 documentaries boasting all the high-strung New York themes we have come to expect from this classic sidebar. The Reeler will have plenty of interviews and coverage of these films and filmmakers in the weeks leading up to Tribeca's April 22 opening day; in the meantime, hit the jump for a full list of our newly blessed neighbors.

NY, NY Narrative Feature Competition

The NY, NY Narrative Feature Competition presents New York Stories ranging from the creation of a cult, to familial re-connection, to urban follies, to films that use experimental ideas and push the boundaries of technology. Includes thirteen films, all of which are World Premieres:

Brother’s Shadow, directed by Todd S. Yellin, written by Yellin and Ivan Solomon (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. A family's black sheep (Scott Cohen), once imprisoned and now on parole, returns home to Brooklyn after 15 years. But his return home packs more surprises than he bargained for. His brother has died, his father (Judd Hirsch) and sister-in-law don't trust him, and the family business is on the brink of being sold.

East Broadway, directed by Fay Ann Lee, written by Fay Ann Lee and Karen Rousso (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Grace is a Chinese American who longs to be a part of New York's high society. At a socialite event, she is mistaken for a Hong Kong heiress and meets her Prince Charming. Nothing is as it seems absorbing drama. What will happen to this Cinderella when the clock strikes midnight? Featuring Fay Ann Lee, Margaret Cho, Gale Harold, and Christine Baranski. In English and Cantonese.

Fifty Pills, directed by Theo Avgerinos, written by Matthew Perniciaro (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. College student Darren (Lou Taylor Pucci) has just lost his scholarship because of his partying roommate's antics. Now, in order to make his tuition payment, he needs to sell 50 tablets of Ecstasy-graciously supplied by his roommate-over the course of just one day. Avgerinos' directorial debut features Kristen Bell of Veronica Mars as Darren's girlfriend.

H.C.E., directed and written by Richard Sylvarnes (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. In this rapid-cut, experimental, tragicomedy collage of mythology, history, literature, and comic books, Sylvarnes bounces us through a fragmented, impressionistic history of the world from Napoleon to Jesus, from Socrates to Superman and back again with a 6-year-old girl as our guide.

Just Like the Son, directed and written by Morgan J. Freeman (U.S.A.) - World Premiere. A petty thief's mentoring of an apparent orphan takes a profound turn when he kidnaps the boy from a foster home and drives him cross-country to his sister's house in Texas. This charming road movie logs plenty of poignant moments without cloying sentiment. Starring Mark Webber and Rosie Perez.

Kettle of Fish, directed and written by Claudia Meyers, (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. A lifelong bachelor (Matthew Modine) confronts his intimacy issues when he sublets his apartment to a fetching biologist (Gina Gershon). His heartsick fish and his wise best buddy are on hand to provide perspective in this winsome feature debut that will appeal to romantics of any species. Presented by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Kiss Me Again, directed by William Tyler Smith, written by Smith and J.D. Hoxter (U.S.A.) - World Premiere. Kiss Me Again is a witty and provocative portrayal of a married couple that decides to test the boundaries of their relationship with a seductive Spanish woman. When an unlikely relationship ensues, all three are forced to rethink their definition of love. Starring Jeremy London, Katheryn Winnick, Darrell Hammond, Elisa Donovan, Mirelly Taylor, and Fred Armisen.

“Marvelous”, directed and written by Siofra Campbell (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. A sharp and shrewd satire of the celebrity generation, Síofra Campbell's "Marvelous" chronicles the rapid rise and fall of Gwen as an unlikely celebrity "healer," and how her life and the lives of her sister and brother-in-law are slowly twisted, first into a publicity machine and then, unexpectedly, a cult. Starring Ewan Bremner, Martha Plimpton, Amy Ryan, Michael Shannon, and Annabella Sciorra.

Metro, directed and written by Adolfo Doring (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Doring takes a rigorously observational approach to chronicling the relationships that a group of young, creative women form with one another over a period of months in New York City. By avoiding any trace of artificiality, he uncovers intimate character details that other films usually shy away from, making Metro truly unique.

New York Waiting, directed and written by Joachim Hedén (Sweden) – World Premiere. Hedén's debut film sensitively illuminates the effects of lovesickness and wanderlust. After Sidney sends his lost love a plane ticket and a letter, asking her to meet him at the top of the Empire State Building, he unexpectedly meets a lovesick woman. Together they wander the streets of New York, lamenting their lost loves while secretly wondering if they're falling in love with each other. In English.

The Treatment, directed by Oren Rudavsky, written by Daniel Housman and Oren Rudavsky (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Jake Singer is a frustrated, confused, and recently dumped New York schoolteacher who enters into therapy in an attempt to find guidance in his life. The treatment appears to be working, but when he suddenly falls in love with a beautiful widow, Jake is forced to battle his therapist's alarmingly strong influence. Starring Chris Eigeman, Ian Holm, and Famke Janssen.

A Very Serious Person, directed by Charles Busch, written by Busch and Carl Andress (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Actor/writer/drag performer Charles Busch makes a disarmingly effortless transition from high camp to conventional comedy-drama with this sweet-natured coming-of-age tale about a showtunes- and old Hollywood-obsessed boy and his effete Danish mentor. The two bond and teach each other lessons about self-acceptance over the course of one magical summer on the Jersey Shore.

Windows, directed and written by Shoja Y. Azari, (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Azari weaves together a loosely-constructed narrative based on 10 choreographed, single-shot scenes framed by windows. Preceded by 25 Letters, Grahame Weinbren's interactive project based on his one-minute films that generate the letters of the alphabet.

NY, NY Documentary Feature Competition

The NY, NY Documentaries Feature Competition section includes stories about immigration, reality TV flops, and the birth of a New York charitable institution. Includes thirteen films, all of which are World Premieres:

American Cannibal: The Road to Reality, directed by Perry Grebin and Michael Nigro (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. In this unflinching, behind-the-scenes look at a doomed reality show, a pair of novice TV writers team up with the distributor of the Paris Hilton sex tapes to create a reality show in which contestants are starved on a desert island. More than just gripping entertainment, this documentary poses important questions about how far people will go in pursuit of fame and fortune.

The Cats of Mirikitani, directed by Linda Hattendorf (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Jimmy Mirikitani is a fiercely independent, homeless 80-year-old Japanese-American artist who lost family and friends to both WWII internment camps in the U.S. and Hiroshima's atomic bombing. In this intimate and funny portrayal of the healing power of art, Mirikitani makes peace with his past and journeys from homeless to home. In English and Japanese.

Dorothy Day: Don’t Call Me A Saint, directed by Claudia Larson (U.S.A.) - World Premiere. Leftist writer and activist Dorothy Day had an abortion, got a divorce, and bore a daughter out of wedlock. She also co-founded the Catholic Worker movement, leaving an important social legacy. This film explores the complex life of a woman who has already been placed on the official road to sainthood by the Vatican.

Follow My Voice: With the Music of Hedwig, directed by Katherine Linton (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Jonathan Richman, Sleater-Kinney, Rufus Wainwright and a host of other musicians record a benefit album of songs from Hedwig and the Angry Inch for the Hetrick-Martin Institute, home of the Harvey Milk High School, the first LGBTQ high school in the nation. While the doc follows four students, the music creates a soundtrack for their lives.

Golden Venture, directed and written by Peter Cohn (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. The merchant ship Golden Venture was intercepted near New York City in 1993 with 300 undocumented Chinese immigrants onboard. Many of them went to jail for up to four years, and they're still seeking amnesty today. An engrossing chronicle of immigrants and their struggles for recognition and a better life. In English and Chinese

Jack Smith & the Destruction of Atlantis, directed and written by Mary Jordan (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Jordan creates a mesmerizing collage of images and audio from the life and work of Jack Smith, the underground filmmaker, photographer, performance artist, and anti-capitalist, who worked in New York from the '60s until his death in 1989. Highlights include the story behind the Supreme Court case over the banning of his 1963 classic Flaming Creatures.

Lockdown, USA, directed by Michael Skolnik and Rebecca Chaiklin (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. This powerful doc chronicles Russell Simmons' quest to repeal the Rockefeller Drug Laws and how it effects the convicted's families. Simmons gives it his all; from assembling a rally with celebrities like 50 Cent and Mariah Carey to help raise awareness with New York City's youth, to meeting with New York Governor George Pataki.

The One Percent, directed by Jamie Johnson (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Money can buy everything except social justice in this hard-hitting and hilarious documentary. By examining the lives of the rich and the poor, Johnson, heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune, uncovers frightening realities. Featuring a full spectrum of interviewees: Steve Forbes, members of Johnson's family, cab drivers, and victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Saint of 9/11, directed by Glenn Holstein (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. A loving tribute to Fire Department Chaplain Father Mychal Judge: parish priest, streetwise New Yorker, recovering alcoholic, and proud homosexual who gave his life on September 11 after administering last rites to a fallen firefighter. Saint of 9/11 traces the journey and struggles of a man whose compassion touched the world.

A Stadium Story: The Battle for New York’s Last Frontier, directed by Jevon Roush and Benjamin Rosen (U.S.A.) World Premiere. When a plan is unveiled to build a football stadium in Manhattan for the New York Jets, an epic battle ensues. The grassroots campaign against the stadium starts small, but when Cablevision, which owns Madison Square Garden, gets involved, what started as a David-and-Goliath battle soon becomes a clash of the titans.

Tell Me Do You Miss Me, directed by Matthew Buzzell (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. For over a decade, New York darlings Luna played lullabies for the indie set, but in 2004 they hung up their guitars for good. This documentary charts their bittersweet final tour as they travel around the world, down memory lane, and into the uncertain future.

Toots, directed by Kristi Jacobson (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. The '40s and '50s were a classic period in New York City nightlife, when the saloonkeeper was king and regular folks could drink with celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Jackie Gleason. In this warmly nostalgic doc, Jacobson profiles her grandfather, the king of kings: Toots Shor of the eponymous restaurant and saloon, which was once the place to be seen in Manhattan.

When I Came Home, directed by Dan Lohaus (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Iraq War veteran Herold Noel suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and lives out of his car in Brooklyn. Using Noel's story as a fulcrum, this doc examines the wider issue of homeless U.S. military veterans-from Vietnam to Iraq-who have to fight tooth-and-nail to receive the benefits promised to them by their government.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 06:24 PM | TrackBack

Lock Up Your Inhibitions as CineKink Returns for '06

The sweet perverts at CineKink return from their long winter's nap tonight with a screening and submission party at Anthology Film Archives. No, sicko--not that kind of submission (although I am sure it can be arranged), but the kind where you supply your best filmed exploration of altternative sexuality and get yourself a festival berth this October.

Do not worry--you will have additonal chances to, um, submit in the months ahead; check CineKink's Web site for deadlines and info. Meanwhile, I doubt you will find much better happening tonight than a shorts program screening Teale Failla's Open (description: "An open relationship turns the lives of three women into a whirlwind of betrayal, bingo and sex toys"), Vicki Sugars' Moustache ("Mother Nature lends a hand to spice up a woman's boring married life") or T. Arthur Cottam's Pornographic Apathetic ("Sex like you’ve never seen it"). Nearly all seven of tonight's films are award-winners from past CineKink festivals.

The reception starts at 7:30, so you should still have time to run home, grab your rubber suit and ball gag and get down to Anthology in time to sip drinks from someone's stiletto boot. Cheers.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 03:34 PM | TrackBack

Yari: 'It's Really About Correcting the System'

Also in town for last night's Find Me Guilty premiere was the film's producer Bob Yari, who has been in the news recently for producing a mildly successful indie flick called Crash. Except he was not the producer. Or maybe he was half a producer. Either way, more than two weeks after his failed appeal to the Producers Guild and 10 days after nominal producers Cathy Schulman and Paul Haggis claimed Crash's Best Picture Oscar, Yari is still stating his case.

"Very regrettably, we're in litigation," he told The Reeler. "But the litigation is not litgation to punish anyone or to extract money from anyone. It's really about correcting the system. It's about correcting a system that I think is a blemish on the Academy. Once that's fixed, I think the Academy can hold its head up high and do whatever it wants--as long as the process is open and fair, of course, and gives people a voice and a right to both respond to any allegations that may be (made) against them that they're not being told about, and there's the opportunity to for them to be properly scrutinized."

Whether or not Yari has the juice to get the Guild's arbitration rules revised remains to be seen (Sharon Waxman scraped together a nice overview of the Crash crisis last week in The Times), but I also wanted to get Yari's impressions on the backlash against the film's Oscar triumph. No fan of the film myself, it never occurred to me that its victory could provoke so many otherwise classy folks like Annie Proulx to such sustained, vitriolic revolt.

"I think a lot of people, when they don't get the film that they're passionate about winning, it comes out as an angry response," Yari said. "The odd thing is that attacking Crash is not the answer. It's sometimes just accepting the fact that maybe Academy members--as much as they liked Brokeback Mountain--liked Crash a little better in the majority. That's not a bad thing. Keep in mind that Academy members voted for two films of the same nature--Capote and Brokeback. If there was any hesitation to vote for a film like that, then they wouldn't have nominated those two pictures. Sometimes one picture is more liked by one group of people versus another. At the BAFTA awards, Brokeback won and Crash lost. So, you know, it's very hard to just say, 'I believe a film is better, and therefore everyone should agree with me.'"

And if Crash's banal self-loathing is indeed Hollywood's gold standard, then Capote probably came closer to a win than anybody outside Price Waterhouse Coopers will ever know. Who would have thought the gays could get a worse break than Yari? Oscar '06--the shocks never end.

(Photo: John Sciulli / WireImage)

Posted by stvanairsdale at 11:23 AM | TrackBack

'Guilty' Conscience: The Reeler Catches Up with Sidney Lumet

It is a rare film premiere that enables you to cross a goal off your "Things I Must Do to Die Happy" list, but that is how I would classify last night's Find Me Guilty event at the AMC Lincoln Square. After all, for exactly 56 seconds, I chatted with Sidney Lumet.

Technically, I guess I should still try to work out a conversation with the guy before I move on to Michael Herr, Harvey Weinstein and other interview subjects of my dreams, but it will do for now. Find Me Guilty has Lumet directing the true story of Giacomo "Jackie D." DiNorscio (Vin Diesel), a charismatic Lucchese crime family enforcer who, in the late '80s, defended himself in what became the longest (nearly two years) and most involved (20 defendants) trial in American history.

Despite the case's local legend, Lumet told The Reeler it was news to him. "I never knew anything about it until I got the screenplay," he said.

So he had to go back and revisit the record, right? Familiarize himself a little bit?

"No!" Lumet said. "The trial transcript was four feet high and there was no way. The trial lasted two years, so there was no way I was going to go through that."

OK, fair enough. But having two of cinema's best legal dramas (12 Angry Men and The Verdict) on his resume, what is it about this story that made Lumet want to revisit the genre?

"Well, it was such a unique case," he said. "It's the only picture I've ever done about a personailty so dominant they wiped out everythng else in the trial. And that's what happened here. That in itself is unique."

I know what you are thinking: "But Mr. Lumet, why cast Vin Diesel of all people as this 'dominant personality'?" Keeping in mind The Pacifier, The Chronicles of Riddick and the appalling hairpiece Diesel sports through Guilty, I do not necessarily hold your first impression against you. Nevertheless, you might be gettng a little ahead of yourself. Diesel has good roles in his past (Boiler Room, Saving Private Ryan), and Lumet coaxes just enough vulnerablity from DiNorscio to make the film Diesel's best in years. I mean, he is an actor's director--that is just what he does.

The many moods and faces of Find Me Guilty's Vin Diesel (Photos: STV)

If you don't believe me, ask Diesel. "I learned so much as an actor," he told me before last night's screening. "In many ways, it was the point of working with Sidney Lumet. As an actor, there are very few directors who are around today who actually take you to the next level and that allow you to grow as an actor. ... He created the environment. We had 300 people in this courtroom and never once hired an extra. He cast every single person in the scene. Every person you see in this movie was handpicked by Sidney Lumet. That's a testament to a director who appreciates the craft of acting so much that every person in the movie has to go through this process. The amount of confidence that instills in you, I think, helps you grow as an actor. Sometimes it can be harrowing to do a 10- or 15-minute scene in one take, but somehow it makes your performance."

But then there is Lumet as a director's director as well--another advantage not lost on his star. "As a director," Diesel said, "he was conscious of the fact that I was going to direct Hannibal and would take every opportunity to show me why he was picking the camera angles he was pickling, what tricks he was using--what dollies, multiple dollies, multiple cameras. He was so generous, so generous. So increíble."

The love was almost enough to fill two theaters ("Hey T!" Diesel shouted out of nowhere to a man heading upstairs on the escalator. "Oh my God! It's a family reunion! Bobby! Where's your mother, Bobby? Where's your mother, Bobby?"), and with a lumpy screenplay that reduces the story's nuance to hollow goombahs-vs.-the-world caricatures, Find Me Guilty will need all the love it can get. Still, Lumet draws remarkably rich work from Ron Silver as the Lucchese case's tortured judge, while Annabella Sciorra shines in a small part as DiNorscio's estranged wife. Just the structure of his long takes alone makes for fascinating viewing; in one sequence, Diesel flourishes with grudging restraint as the Lucchese boss effectively banishes him from the tribe over lunch. The silence that follows recalls his ascetic masterpieces Dog Day Afternoon and Network--the tone Lumet has long since abandoned for the incongruous jazz quartet underscoring portions of Guilty.

It is still Lumet, though, and if you cannot find something rewarding in one of his pictures--even in The Wiz or Gloria--you just are not paying close enough attention. Besides reacquainting themselves with Vin Diesel's chops, viewers face the bittersweet revelation that Lumet in 2006 only reminds us how great we all had it thirty years ago.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 09:27 AM | TrackBack

March 14, 2006

Jareck-ing Ball, Part II: Paging Mr. Denby

Just a quick plug for my colleague Ray Pride, who features a mind-blowing interview with Why We Fight filmmaker Eugene Jarecki in this week's Pride, Unprejudiced column. Does it beat last month's Scarborough/Hendrix/Donahue tilt over on Kaiju Shakedown? Only time will tell, but any exchange this profoundly inteligent and concentrated in its dismissal of David Denby has my undivided attention:

I'm happy for you to write anything you want about David Denby. I honestly believe that David Denby has hurt too many filmmakers by writing things in the mainstream press that are vicious, that reveal a too-great distance from the creative process. If that makes me unpopular with David Denby, I think that any artist should be unpopular with any critic who sets tyrannical parameters about art. I also was angry at the insult he dealt my cinematographers, my crews. To call what they're doing stock footage ignores their work, it ignores the commitment they made to time in the field. They wrote a note about this; they were extremely upset about it and co-signed it, 19 of them. It's a big deal. And it sends a shock wave. It's kind of like, I guess, the way Mr. Denby would see the world, you're either with him or you're with the terrorists.

Click now for this one-time-only Jarecki offer, and get Pride's chat with Oscar-winning Tsotsi director Gavin Hood thrown in free. Do not let anybody ever tell you we are not about the customer around here.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 03:10 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

'Dreamland' Via NYC: Gen Art, Tribeca Festival Updates

Gen Art unveiled the slate Tuesday for its 2006 film festival, piling together seven features, seven shorts and seven trademark, far-flung West Side parties into one week in early April. The event launches April 5 with Jason Matzner's coming-of-age drama Dreamland (right), followed by another Sundance '06 alumnus, Goran Dukic's wonderful Wristcutters: A Love Story. A few SXSW faves (Steve Anderson's documentary FUCK, Andy Robin and Gregg
Kavet's Live Free or Die) and Joshua Michael Stern's star-studded Neverwas.

The Reeler just got off the phone with Matzner, who confirmed he will be dropping in for Dreamland's opening-night screening. "It's right there in (Gen Art's) demographic," Matzner said of his film's selection. "They're kind of a 20-somehting organization and that's kind of like the target audience for this movie--a youthful, cool cast and that kind of stuff. And it's kind of a relatively feel-good movie, unlike some Sundance films. It's nice to kick off the festival with some thing that's not a dire, depressing story of child abuse and neglect or something like that."

Most of the festival takes place over at the Clearview Chelsea West, but Matzner gets to experience the pleasure of seeing his film projected on the ginormous screen at the Ziegfeld Theater. (Fun fact: The only other movie Matzner has seen there: Oliver Stone's The Doors). And while the director adds he is trying to round up as many cast members (including Agnes Bruckner, Gina Gershon and John Corbett) as he can for the event, co-stars Kelli Garner and Justin Long will be shooting films that day. Still, think about it--Ziegfeld, huge screen, Kelli Garner, that is close enough. Should be a blast.

In other festival news, Tribeca sends word that it has selected the 33 participating projects in this year's Tribeca All Access Connects program. The festival launched the program in 2004 to establish relationships between the film industry and independent filmmakers of color; this year's selections include 13 narrative features, 12 documentaries, six screenplays and two projects for established directors in Tribeca's Signature Series.

Meanwhile, 2004 TAA Connects alums Tanuj Chopra, Stanley Nelson and J. Carlos Peinado will premiere their completed work at the festival next month. Sadly, Kelli Garner will not be attendance there either. But we will try to do the best we can without her. Again.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 02:40 PM | TrackBack

'V For Vendetta': Revolution Lite Premieres in New York

Right off the bat, I should tell you that no, the Wachowski Brothers did not come to last night's V For Vendetta premiere at the Time Warner Center's Rose Theater. The transgender-recluse-disguise speculation swept the red carpet with photo-flash velocity before giving way to the more benign concern that star Natalie Portman would be shepherded into the theater before the men covering the event could slip her their phone numbers.

Natalie Portman, winding down the press-gantlet part of the evening at Monday's V For Vendetta premiere (Photos: STV)

The corresponding spectacle--bright lights, big mask (see below)--represented exactly the type of trouble Vendetta faces as the year's most anticipated film to date. Portman fans, readers of Alan Moore and David Lloyd's source graphic novel and not just a few twitchy government types have been on the lookout for this movie since the actress shaved her head, Moore swore the project off and Warner Bros. pushed back its release date more than four months in the wake of last year's subway bombings in London. Meanwhile, critics and cognoscenti awaited a Matrix-esque Big-Idea Movie that would signify the Wachowskis' return to form. Vendetta should be a film that had everything, the world gasped, and that it kept us waiting only underscored its disinterest in compromise.

Yet as far as Big-Idea Movies go, Vendetta has all the incendiary juice of a Che Guevara T-shirt. It fetishizes revolution to the point where it persuades viewers to let it do the work for them--an ironic phenomenon at best considering the very possible--nay, very real--circumstances behind its delayed release. And the $50 million budget does not even buy producers Joel Silver and the Wachowskis or director James McTeigue (left) an especially powerful surrogate. We get the sound and fury of totalitarianism, we get its dehumanizing force, we get its vulnerability, but we do not get the sense that this endangered world is really our own. In other words, as Hugo Weaving's masked freedom fighter V defiantly tells one of his victims late in the film, "Ideas are bulletproof." Perhaps, but movies are not.

Which is not to say that Vendetta is a bad movie. It IS slow and discursive, in love with the sound of its own voice. But it is also redeemed through striking traces of Moore and Lloyd's original dark vision; the bursts of violence that befall the naif Evey (Portman) and her English countrymen transcend Wachowski style, hinting more directly at First-World Apocalypse. From the start, we are to equate police with rapists, television with fascist propaganda and futuristic London with a city under siege. V and Evey's unlikely partnership ostensibly emerges from their having saved one another from government attackers, but whether or not Evey's complicity owes more to V's protracted brainwashing exercises than to any political awakening (her own backstory, it turns out, is fraught with crisis) is left open to interpretation.

As such, neither character is motivated by the moral sense that contemporary culture associates with brand-name martyrs like Guevara or Malcolm X (or even Guy Fawkes, the would-be Parliament bomber from whose 400-year-old legend V draws his mission and his mask). This is V For Vendetta, after all--it is all personal. Nevertheless, it would not be Holywood without at least some pandering to altruism, which is where Inspector Finch (Stephen Rea) comes in. Torn between his duty to bring V down and his knowledge of the government conspiracy responsible for V's grudge, Finch is supposed to represent a pervading ambiguity between right and wrong--he is Vendetta's central conflict.

But despite one of Rea's typically earthbound performances, McTeigue and the Wachowskis so overemphasize the "right" that Finch becomes almost all agenda and no tension. "Cops are logical people," Rea told The Reeler at Monday's premiere. "They like to see a pattern. They like to see it going a certain way, you know? They're best at getting subversive activity. It's supposed to lead him in a certain direction, but this leads him toward government. And he's freaked out. But he is a proper cop, and he says, 'Well, I have to believe what I see.' He doesn't cover up when he realizes there's something bigger going on. So he's a bigger person than just the Average Joe."

Sure, but Finch also symbolizes the potential for the Average Joe to come around--not only that, but also to take action. The film's high point, in fact, has nothing to do with its explosions or patently stupid domino tricks, but rather intercuts a revelatory Finch monologue with a swift-moving montage of civic uprising. It is as explicitly dark and sincere a statement as Vendetta makes, but it arrives too early in the final act to sustain its raw nerviness.

"What the movie is saying is that the governement is responsible for a lot of lawlessness and that isn't good enough," he said. "We hired them, and we'd like them to do their jobs a little more responsibly, please. We don't like to be lied to about weapons of mass destruction or anything else. We don't want to be lied to."

Nor do we want to be preached to, which is where V For Vendetta trips most violently. This is the film that overthrows a government so you do not have to; it informs you that you are not alone, even though you are. It is revolt as romantic fantasy and politics in black and white. V's control of Evey may provide the story's most perverse nuance, even as McTeigue mishandles it as a sort of banal, unrequited love. Portman's conversion from victim to true believer is about as grotesquely severe as Weaving's black wig, although the latter actor deserves commendation for fleshing out V's three-dimensional identity from behind his Fawkes mask.

"I think essentially, the essence of any character is not really what they look like, although of course that's important," said Weaving, who is currently starring opposite Cate Blanchett in BAM's presentation of Hedda Gabler. "But it's how they feel or what they say or how they think. And that's true with any character. Someone you talk to on the phone, you can still inderstand what they're saying and how they're saying it. You can't see their face, but you can imagine it. I figured with V, it was pretty much the same. The same approach to anything you would approach V in that way as well. Having said that, there was obviously a need to humanize the mask, and to bring the mask to life."

Easily fascinated, I asked how he went about doing that. "I think just keying in really to what he was saying was the thing that helped that. I kind of started to use the mask, it to puncuate things he was saying. There's a fluidity to the mask in some scenes which is important. But after the first couple of days, I didn't think technically or consciously about the movement of the mask. Except I tried to avoid lots of little shaking movements because they just looked appalling."

OK, then. Weaving moved on, and a murmur swelled to a roar several yards away. Mark Ruffalo, Gina Gershon, Petra Nemkova Joel Silver and Robert Downey Jr. had already come and gone. That left one person, one last red carpet icon.

Do not let the broad, beautiful smile fool you: Red-carpet refugee Natalie Portman flees in terror

You got it: David Carr. The Carpetbagger himself. He stood 20 feet behind the the photo well, observing a Natalie Portman frenzy with his twin daughters. "Am I going to like this?" he asked. I told him I did not know, that I thought it was just OK, definitely a second-act movie. He sighed. "How long is it?"

A few reporters shrieked from the carpet. "Miss Portman, what about your hair?" "Natalie!"

Ugh. Where is a Wachowski when you need one?

Posted by stvanairsdale at 11:43 AM | TrackBack

March 13, 2006

Friedman Swallows Pride, Real Estate Developers at 'Smoking' Premiere

Face it: New York's gossip ecosystem would just be Page Six's cold, cutthroat domain were it not for the adorably impaired ramblings of Fox's Roger Friedman. Whether reviewing movies or gagging on celebrity genitalia, Friedman is all about the real dirt, which is why I am so thankful he escaped his Michael Jackson beat for one night to report on MoMA's Thank You For Smoking premiere.

All the brain-damaged epiphanies are here: "I think (Aaron) Eckhart will be a big star after this"; "(Katie Holmes's) career is on its way to becoming a footnote"; etc. But perhaps most notable is Friedman's gratuitous plug of Extell Development, the surging New York builder that rolled out the red carpet:

The evening, which looked like it cost a lot more dough than usual, was sponsored by Extell Development Corp., a realty company launching two new luxury high rises on the Upper West Side. Owner Gary Barnett started the evening by awarding his top two salespeople year-long chauffeur-driven Maseratis.

I'm telling you, even Halle (Berry) looked envious. Extell's Raizy Haas didn't get the prize, but took home an even bigger one: one of the best events of the year.

Were it not for nagging space constraints, Friedman certainly would have noted that Extell was the perfect choice to sponsor the premiere of a lobbying satire; the company dropped $140,452 last year on lobbyists for the City Council alone.

Friedman likely would have added comments from worried uptown residents who hate the neighboring high-rise project, or maybe a wink and a nod from the Fox-friendly, neocon-affiliated Carlyle Group, which went in halfsies with Extell on a corresponding land deal that stirred enough shit to get Donald Trump to sue his own business partners. And then there is the hotttt incest action between Fox News and Smoking distributor Fox Searchlight, not to mention the Page Six dispatch guaranteed to extol Extell Tuesday morning.

So kudos to Raizy Haas--she may not have gotten her Maserati chauffered, but nothing says "immortality" like a multi-tiered endorsement from the Murdoch gossip apparatus. Only in New York, kids. Only in New York.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 10:49 AM | TrackBack

March 10, 2006

Chelsea Bank Robber Grosses More Than 'Failure to Launch'

Admittedly, I erred Wednesday when I disgraced the Failure to Launch premiere in Chelsea with my failure to give a fuck. And now that the good people at Open All Night tell me the event paid extra-special homage to Dog Day Afternoon, I am kicking myself into next week:

Just prior to the premiere, with a full coterie of camera crews waiting on the red carpet, the Citibank branch at 322 W. 23rd Street, across from the theater, had been robbed. ... The robber did apparently run right through the media setup, escaping through a walkway next to the movie theater, although those on hand weren’t aware of it until the police showed up.

An NYPD spokesman confirmed the robbery, and told OAN that no one was injured, and the suspect had no weapon, and that he took some money from a bank customer, and "fled north on 23rd Street". The spokesman would not disclose whether any money was stolen from the bank, or how much. We on the red carpet did not notice any exploding dye packs from a fleeing robber.

See? Who says there are no real reporters on the red carpet? At any rate, I could not have said it any better than OAN newshound Bennett Marcus: "Staging a bank robbery directly across the street during your movie premiere is fucking brilliant." And how, pal. And how.

(Photo: Open All Night)

Posted by stvanairsdale at 02:00 PM | TrackBack

Screening Gotham: March 10-12, 2006

A few of this weekend's worthwhile cinematic happenings around New York:

--Just as the ethos and logistics of horror filmmaking are famously friendly to independent filmmakers, the war genre is often perceived as the domain of explosives, costumes and other big-budget accessories out of indies' reach. But Brooklyn filmmaker Ari Taub spent the last decade proving that perception wrong with The Fallen, opening this weekend at the Pioneer Theater. A meditative glimpse at World War II as seen through the eyes of American, German and Italian troops on the European front, The Fallen expertly navigates the war's moral crises without stretching its no-budget premise beyond credulity or craft. Rather, Taub invests everything he has in story, and the labor of love pays off dramatically. In other words: Don't expect Saving Private Ryan, but maybe something even better.

--The New York Underground Film Festival continues at Antholgy Film Archives this weekend with programs all day Saturday and Sunday. Chiefly interesting among these is Google Me This, featuring a couple dozen underground filmmakers and visual artists scavenging Google Video for the most bizarre, dismaying and generally obscure movies on the Web. Also of interest: the shorts program Happy Together, which includes NYC filmmaker Shiri Bar-On's Making Me Happy and a somehow-enthralling documentary about a Swedish tax worker. On a weekend where filmgoing alternatives include Failure to Launch and The Shaggy Dog, trust me: Paying Tax is Sexy really is sexy.

--Check it out: Lionsgate rereleased Crash! And hey! Look over there! A swarm of locusts!

Posted by stvanairsdale at 01:27 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

'Game 6': A Tale of Two Hoffmans (and Some Guy Named DeLillo)

Don DeLillo stood across West 24th Street waiting to jaywalk, but the train of taxis and limos crept before him like a sluggish urban crisis from one of his novels. Or from one of his screenplays--from his only screenplay, Game 6, the film of which was hosting its premiere party on the north side of the street.

Game 6 co-stars Bebe Neuwirth and Michael Keaton, teetotaling the night away at their film's premiere party (Photos: STV)

I had snuck into Sapa only a moment before; bursting with cacophany and low-lit glamour, it was near the bottom of the list of places you could imagine DeLillo willingly attending. And he had arrived before the celebrity rush promised on the tip sheet: Game 6 stars Michael Keaton, Griffin Dunne and Bebe Neuwirth; newly crowned Oscar-winner Philip Seymour Hoffman (no relation to Game 6 director Michael Hoffman); filmmaker Noah Baumbach; actress Julianne Margulies and others. DeLillo had long ago carved his public niche somwhere on the slippery slope between introvert and recluse, and last night, in his jacket, glasses and a ballcap pulled low over his eyes, DeLillo had no less a figure than Paul Auster running interference for him inside the restaurant.

"Mr. Auster," I said, leaning close in the noise. "It would be really great to get a picture of you and Mr. DeLillo."

"No," Auster said. "No, I don't think Don would want that."

Ah, failure--DeLillo's muse, the evening's motif (for me and at least one colleague, anyway), and the theme undergirding much of Game 6 itself. The film takes place on Oct. 25, 1986, when playwright Nicky Rogan (Keaton) is preparing for both his new play's premiere and the possibility that his beloved Boston Red Sox could win the World Series that night at Shea Stadium. "This could be it," Rogan says to himself, invoking the mantra that will come to represent the film's wary, grudging embrace of hope.

And nothing is as hopeless as Rogan's attempt to cross Manhattan from his perch on the East Side. On one gridlocked street after another, he philosophizes in cabs, happens upon his jaded daughter (Ari Graynor) and a burned-out playwright peer (Dunne), stops for a quickie with his worrisome mistress (Neuwirth) and idles in the dread induced by Steven Schwimmer (Robert Downey Jr.), the city's most feared drama critic. An oft-produced playwright himself, DeLillo all but fetishizes the medium's potential for disaster; Rogan's legendary lead actor (Harris Yulin) suffers from a "brain parasite" devastating his memory, while Schwimmer indulges such paranoia that he attends plays in disguise--with a gun--lest some aggrieved writer(s) seek vengeance.

By no small measure, DeLillo also fetishizes his own obsessions. Rogan's preoccupations with baseball, technology and dysfunction mirror the vivid cultural traps in DeLillo's books; the film's virtual blizzard of asbestos recalls White Noise's "airborne toxic event," while Schwimmer's cloistered critic channels elements of Mao II's ultra-reclusive novelist Bill Gray. As DeLillo's first work to appear onscreen, Game 6 should flourish in its self-referential novelty alone.

But Hoffman so overplays the script's theatricality that the cinema yields little for DeLillo. Rogan's decision to forgo his premiere in favor of the World Series is too thin an existential epiphany to support the film's 87 minutes. As such, viewers face drama that makes sense in DeLillo's painstakingly crafted (and contained) books and plays but achieves little more than stasis onscreen. While Keaton is serviceable as Rogan, Hoffman conforms DeLillo's droll genius to a narrative too intense for its own characters; Downey's ritualistic jitters go nowhere for nearly an hour, while Dunne's haunted writer is more anchored in high-pitched self-pity than in any sort of built-out revelation. The film's last act corrects this to some degree, intercutting television footage of Game 6 with Rogan viewing the game at a Manhattan bar. Treated like the dreamy, out-of-body experience that emerges from all of DeLillo's most powerful conflicts, Hoffman's staginess works in spades. Its climax, also owing a debt to White Noise, works as well in its own proscribed context.

What precedes it, however, is no better than a loud, loving misfire, and watching DeLillo's grim wait across West 24th, I wondered if he knew exactly where he was going. I wondered about his cognizance of this and his process of relinquishing aesthetic control to a director, to actors, extras, a huge union crew. His plays, at least, are open to interpretation, reimagining, remaking. Even the Red Sox redeemed themselves with a world championship in 2004. But Game 6, like its namesake, is forever.

On second thought, Donovan, I DO see a lot of the Red Sox in your team... Keaton chats up Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb

Bless his heart, Paul Auster was having none of that psychic trauma, and he turned back to DeLillo before I had even finished thanking him. Indeed, DeLillo was not long for the joint, but I was. I made my way toward the rear of the restaurant, where Michael Keaton had just shown up and cut off interviews after one chat with The Times. I eventually spotted the lovely Bebe Neuwirth talking with Kindred Media president (and Game 6 distributor) Jeffrey Erb. A gaggle of Erb's friends broke that conversation up momentarily, and in keeping with both the lingering terror of Downey's twitchy theater critic and my own disappointment with the film, I asked the theater veteran about her own history with critics.

"It was about 20 years ago that I learned never to read my own reviews," Neuwirth told me. "I never read mine, and I don't read anyone else's. I only read other people's under very specific circumstances. But I never read mine."

Fair enough. But why?

"It has nothing to do with my process," she said. "It doesn't have anything to do with my performance as far what I go out and do eight times a week. I just feel that nothing good can come out of it--good review or bad review, it doesn't matter. But if you ask any actor or actress, they will be able to quote the worst review they've ever gotten. Nobody remembers their good ones."

Speaking of good reviews, Philip Seymour Hoffman eventually did drop in around 11 p.m.; his sudden, stunning arrival required a makeshift VIP corner to accommodate the newly coronated Oscar king. No one could take his or her eyes off him, least of all outside, where a simple smoke break with a friend became an abortive autograph session broken up by actual police officers standing by outside Sapa. Hoffman rewarded their services with a group picture before shuffling off toward Sixth Avenue. Drained and defiled, beaten half to death with the evening's ragged myths, I left before he returned.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 11:45 AM | TrackBack

March 09, 2006

NYUFF Hosts Outrageously Rare Screening of 'World's Greatest Sinner'

As noted yesterday, the 13th annual New York Underground Film Festival is off and running, and organizers are wasting little time in asserting the fest as this weekend's can't-miss event. To wit: The Reeler just confirmed that the NYUFF plans a secret, surprise screening of Timothy Carey's exceedingly rare 1962 film The World's Greatest Sinner tonight at Anthology Film Archives.

Probably most famous for its unavailability, like, anywhere, Sinner is a film so infrequently seen that to call it a cult classic would be to overstate its exhibtion history; it has not been screened in New York in almost 45 years. Inveterate character actor Carey wrote, produced, directed and stars as an insurance salesman who quits his job to start a new life as a charismatic rock star/preacher/politican. The film represents the only filmmaking credit for Carey--who came as close as anybody to being one of Stanley Kubrick's stock players in the late '50s and early '60s--and also features the music of a 15-year-old prodigy named Frank Zappa.

The screening features a few Timothy Carey trailers and an introduction by Lia Gangitano and Walter Ocner; it starts at 11:30 tonight in Anthology's upstairs theater. Tickets are $8.50 and go on sale at noon. Do not worry if you miss it, though--it should probably be back in New York around the year 2050 or something.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 11:39 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Vote Early, Vote Ondi: Timoner In the Running on MTV

The gang at Interloper Films passed along a bit of groundbreaking news to The Reeler late Wednesday: It appears that the filmmakers behind the Sundance Jury Prize-winning documentary Dig! are one step closer to cornering the shrieking-teenager market they have been chasing for years now:

Hey All,

An exciting FYI for those of you who can't be home at 3:30 in the afternoon...

Ondi Timoner's/ Interloper Films' latest video--"Mandy" by the Jonas Brothers-- has made it into the Top 10 on MTV's "TRL" in its debut week!

We're really just sharing with you the exciting news that we're making it with the teeny-boppers, but if you'd like to vote and help keep us cool with the kiddies... it's an interesting foray into the world of the high-schooler!

"Voting is simple," the note goes on to say, delineating a multi-step phone-voting routine that could push "Mandy," Ondi and the Jonas Brothers right to the top of the apocalypse. If the live "record a shoutout" option at (800) DIAL-MTV just is not going to cut it for you at the office, you can always just do your usual anonymous Web thing and vote online. This is an "interesting foray," after all, and God knows you will not be working anyway.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 09:23 AM | TrackBack

Media Bistro Presents: Mastering The Opposite of Oscar-Winning

In case you had any doubt that New York is nursing a lingering provincial resentment over a shitty Los Angeles film claiming the Academy Awards' top prize, the folks at Media Bistro have just the seminar for you:

From MB's course description:

How many times have you gone to the movies in the past year and thought, "I can tell a story better than that!" Truth is, you can. After all, you write stories of one kind or another all the time. What you don't know yet is how to write and develop that story so that it works on screen.

And on Oscar night. Oh, wait.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 08:12 AM | TrackBack

March 08, 2006

Reeler Link Dump: Four Screenings Today Edition

Ensnared in the catch-22 requiring continuous productivity yet disallowing blogging in movie theaters, I might be sort of scarce around these parts today. The New Directors/New Films press screenings kick off in earnest this morning with three features in quick succession, with an unrelated preview down the block at 6 p.m. I would think of it as job security if it did not make it near-impossible for me to do my job.

Meanwhile, there is plenty else going on around town:

--The Tribeca Film Festival is celebrating its fifth year by making it even more challenging for attendees to get from venue to venue. A new partnership with AMC Loews establishes theaters as far north as Loews Lincoln Square 12--five miles uptown from the festival's epicenter at the Regal Battery Park. No word yet on car rental discounts for the festival's duration, but American Express is a sponsor, and, you know, membership has its privileges. Or something.

--The news of Tribeca's expansion means Joaquin Phoenix now has that many more options in his no-nonsense quest for New York real estate.

--In his ill-conceived bid to be Takashi Miike's prolific, shitty American analogue, horror hack Eli Roth (above) now has no fewer than five films in development through 2007. Lest you wish he would go away after Hostel 2, Scavenger Hunt, The Box and The Bad Seed, Roth's latest threat is to adapt Stephen King's tech-zombie novel Cell for Dimension Films. In an e-mail exchange with Ain't It Cool News, the filmmaker enthusiastically revealed a project that you just know will be about as appealing as bird flu:

I fucking LOVE that book. Such a smart take on the zombie movie. I am so psyched to do it. I think you can really do almost a cross between the 'Dawn of the Dead' remake with a 'Roland Emmerich' approach (for lack of a better reference) where you show it happening all over the world. ... I'm so excited, I wish the script was ready right now so I could start production. But it'll get written (or at least a draft will) while I'm doing HOSTEL 2, and then I can go right into it. It should feel like an ultra-violent event movie. FUCK this is gonna be so damn fun!!!!!!! I can't wait!!!!!

Wow!!!!! I can't wait either!!! To fucking kill myself!!!!!

--It might be time to come to terms with the fact that we have lost Woody Allen to Europe. Insert breathless sobbing here.

--Both GreenCine's David D'Arcy and the Village Voice's Ed Halter offer up some nice coverage of the Whitney Biennial's film component.

--Also in the Voice: Michael Musto quasi-liveblogged the gay Oscars that weren't:

The show turned out to only be a moderate gropefest for the gays, tempered by the fact that Brokeback Mountain had peaked too soon and became abandoned by lily-livered trend pirates afraid to endorse out-of-wedlock buggering outside of their own. ... But as painful as it all was, I was still glued to the set, reveling in the timeless thrill of seeing four people lose in each category.

Each category except Best Song, that is, in which the Academy could only find two people secure enough in their talent to face the indignity of losing to Three 6 Mafia. Now that is fortitude.

--The New York Underground Film Festival kicks off tonight at Anthology Film Archives with Jim Finn's Interkosmos, while the rest of the slate gets going in earnest Thursday evening. Beyond the experimental films, shorts, documentaries and no-budget narratives strung through the program, the NYUFF also offers viewers a wonderful opportunity to find their inner alcoholic film snobs at one of several nightly afterparties. Meet me there this weekend and introduce me to yours.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 08:34 AM | TrackBack

Toback Hints 'Vendetta,' 'Bambi' Better Than Acid

When The Reeler last ran into James Toback, the filmmaker was winding down one of his quintessentially modest nights on the town with a little private head-clearing. And not the kind requiring a handful of Kleenex, either. At any rate, New York Magazine's red-carpet regular Jada Yuan apparently caught Toback in a little better shape at Vanity Fair's recent preview of V For Vendetta--not that the guy will ever fully recover from the last, oh, 40 years:

YUAN: You claim to have done the most hits of LSD ever recorded. Would you have liked the movie better if you had been tripping?

TOBACK: On acid, you can't like anything. When I was 19, I did 100,000 micrograms of pure LSD-25 from Switzerland. And during the eight days of that unspeakable trip, I actually went to a few movies. I don't recall which ones, but I do know that compared to what was going on in my head, they might as well have been Bambi.

Leave it to Toback to find the silver lining in Bambi, which, in fact, yields its own crushing hallucinations when viewed with a fifth of bourbon in one hand and a photo of Mom after the hunting accident in the other. If Swiss acid is the antidote to baby-talking skunks and rabbits, then I need to get my passport in order. We should all be such brave, brilliant survivors.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 08:25 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

March 07, 2006

NYC Productions Good For City, Bad For Parking

For those of you reading this from your hermetic domicile 1,000 feet below the city, it might be big news that the Mayor's Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting (you know, they of the ubiquitous "Made in NY" logo) wants film and TV productions to shoot here in New York. Which means good news and bad news, I suppose--the good news being that the Associated Press has its updated quarterly New York film trend-piece online at last:

Mayor Michael Bloomberg the city has taken big steps to change its reputation, including a tax credit that officials say has generated $600 million in new business, thousands of new jobs and has begun to transform the industry.

"The perception was, 'Ugh, New York. We really want to be there — great locations, great crews, but there's the hassle factor,'" said Katherine Oliver, Bloomberg's commissioner of film, theater and broadcasting. "So what we have tried to do is market, promote and change that." ...

It became clear to city officials they needed a tax credit, which went into effect one year ago. The program gives a 15 percent credit to productions that do 75 percent of their work here. The package also includes free media — including space on the Times Square Jumbotron — and discounts at city attractions.

The result has astonished entertainment leaders and city officials. The number of location shooting days, which is how the city measures the health of this $5 billion industry, swelled by 35 percent in 2005.

OK--and the bad news? That little fucker Ethan Hawke gets a write-off for stealing your parking spot. This town just gets crueler and crueler.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 11:24 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Harlem Music Festival Footage Resurfaces; Doc In the Works

It has become an all-doc morning here on The Reeler, I know, but this is kind of fascinating: Reuters reports today that footage documenting the 1969 Harlem Music Festival--colloquially known as "the Black Woodstock"--has resurfaced at long last.

Featuring B.B. King, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone among others, the festival organizer could not sell the footage domestically as a concert film nearly 40 years ago. But filmmakers Morgan Neville and Robert Gordon plan to give it another shot:

(Neville and Gordon) are editing the reels of film capturing 1969's Harlem Music Festival into a feature-length film, with the goal of having it ready for the Sundance Film Festival next January.

The Harlem Music Festival ... drew huge crowds to the northern end of New York's Central Park for six days in the summer of 1969. Hosted by Jesse Jackson, the concerts were sponsored by Maxwell House Coffee. Security was provided by the Black Panthers, a job said to have been declined by New York Police Department.

(The documentary) has a working title of "Harlem '69." Along with performance footage, the filmmakers plan to provide some historical context by interviewing surviving participants. Discussions with distributors are underway.

Wow--efficient and ambitious. Assuming the negative is still in shape, I do not see how a film like this could miss. Perhaps that is why I am a blogger rather than a distributor, but still, hats off and best of luck to Neville and Gordon--this one is way overdue.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 08:55 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

New York Memorials Planned For Late Filmmaker Scott

The stunning news of filmmaker Garrett Scott's death last Thursday from a heart attack at age 37 shook friends and fans around the world. Nowhere was this reaction more apparent than at Saturday's Independent Spirit Awards, where Scott's directing partner Ian Olds accepted the evening's Truer Than Fiction prize for their chronicle of American troops in Iraq, Occupation: Dreamland.

Now, back in New York, a friend of The Reeler notes via e-mail that the local film community will honor Scott's memory at a gathering tonight in Brooklyn:

I hope you can come over this Tuesday, March 7th, to a memorial/party for Garrett Scott. The event will be at our house at 8:30pmish, or whenever you can come-- early evening on. We'll have food, drinks, music, and screen Garrett's films. Think of it as a place to come, pay respects, be with friends, toast, honor... Trying to keep the spirit up, as I believe he'd want it. Even if you knew him only professionally, or were just a fan of his work, feel free to stop by for a drink and chat. And please pass this message on to anyone who might like to do the same. He was an astonishing, beautiful, and wholly unique filmmaker, artist and friend, and deserves to be honored. This will just be a start...

Our address is: 304 Boerum Street #21 in Bushwick. Take the L train to Montrose, walk down the hill two blocks, then left on Boerum, and out place will be a few blocks from there, a big loft building, buzzer #9.

Additionally, the New York Underground Film Festival--where Scott's brilliant first doc Cul de Sac: A Suburban War Story premiered in 2002--will host a memorial from 12 to 2 p.m. at Anthology Film Archives' Maya Deren Theater. I am also told that another, more formal event honoring Scott, is planned in the weeks ahead. Naturally, you will hear about it when I do.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 08:47 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

'Hardcore' Deal For a Couple of New York Punks

Big Tuesday-morning ups to Paul Rachman, the New York-based filmmaker whose punk documentary American Hardcore yesterday wound up in the Sony Pictures Classics stable. The deal locks down distribution in five territories, including North America, Australia and Germany; it also means Hardcore's swift, unceremonious yanking from the slate at South by Southwest, which begins this week in Austin.

The Reeler spoke with Rachman (above) and co-producer Steven Blush before Sundance, where Hardcore premired in the festival's Midnight program. "I'm hoping to educate a lot of people as to what American punk is," Rachman said, adding that he expected the doc to land a distributor sooner than later. "There is an audience for the film."

Blush, who wrote the popular, eponymous book from which Hardcore evolved, agreed with Rachman. "What we figured out is that it's almost a new chapter to the book almost--an addendum," he told me. "The film is an overview on the subculture. So while the basic premise that this was a tribal, regional, underground, early '80s movement is consistent throughout, everything else is different. There are different interviews, there are some different people, and of course, there's the visual element. So it's a very different experience. But I'm very pleased with it; they should be a little different."

Mission accomplished, evidently. Release dates are yet undisclosed, but I will send them along when I have them.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 08:09 AM | TrackBack

March 06, 2006

One Final, Excruciating Date With Oscar: Reviewing the Liveblogs

I originally planned to spend Oscar night liveblogging the broadcast, but decided after about 10 seconds that I just did not possess the perverse ambition or obsession to spend four hours in front of my television with my laptop. Additionally, after reading so many other film sites' plans for liveblogging, I thought it made far more sense to do what I do best and just throw down a bunch of abstract judgments about those whose Oscar fortitude clearly defies any rationality anyway.

While Defamer has a look at a few other liveblogs, I basically chose the following cross-section based on name recognition, institutional-strength levels of Oscar enthusiasm and potential for disaster. And when the likes of Harry Knowles and Arianna Huffington are in on the action, that sweet disaster smell creeps toward you like blood on the water. Or like barbeque, in Knowles's case.

As always, heavy on the sic:

--Ain't It Cool News

Blogger: Harry Knowles

General Tone: Ebullient, with a liberal dash of retarded. Knowles shits on a keyboard, and through some Texan miracle, words and ellipses come out.

Perceptive Highlight of the Evening: "I have to say, I’m a fan of seeing Dolly Parton on stage singing, if only because she feels so very unHollywood, and yet she exemplifies someone with independent character and strength. Great personality! I’ll never forget meeting her at that Premiere at the Paramount theater when I was just a little kid. And she has the audience clapping along. Heh. I don’t know if I’ve seen the Oscar crowd do that before. Cool! Awesome."

Moment Readers First Contemplated Suicide: "KEIRA KNIGHTLEY’s cheeks are sprinkled with GOD DUST! In fact I think her whole body is GOD DUSTED and I will sprinkle that body, again and again! 'Shameful!' "

Best Reader Comment: "screw...drunk here...Rachael Weitz...remember...drunk...cant spell...is gorgeous!" (Contributed by "earth")

Come Back in '07? Tough call. Knowles is obviously in peak form and stands to lose his edge. However, the comments section is a great place to organize a pickup game of multiplayer Halo. Among housebound fanboys, I think this evil falls under the "necessary" category.

Follow the jump for more trenchant Oscar whispers.

--Catwalk Queen

Blogger: Gemma Cartwright

General Tone: Basic fashion commentary, with uncomfortably high praise-to-bitchslap ratio.

Perceptive Highlight of the Evening: "And speaking of charcoal, my big hope for a fashion-forward choice, Maggie Gyllenhaal, disappointed in an ill-fitting grey Bottega Veneta number. What's with the saggy boobs, Mags?"

Moment Readers First Contemplated Suicide: "(and hands up who wants a big fluffy penguin now?)"

Best Reader Comment: (On Keira Knightley): "Someone needs to tell this child to stand up straight. Geeze the posture was HORRIBLE. She schlepped down the runway like a lumbering teenager with a humped back. She sat next to Jack all night looking like a frog. Beautiful girl. Great stylists. Needs a poise instructor. Terrible." ("Jennifer")

Come Back in '07? The Queen is going to have to do a little better than nailing Charlize Theron for looking like Judy Jetson. In a world where Cintra Wilson awards Jennifer Lopez the prize for "Most Burnt-Sienna Spray Tan" ("Her contouring had the unfortunate effect of making her forehead look wildly convex, as if a toboggan were trying to emerge from it, fully formed."), I think a little more explosive anguish is in order.

--Cinematical

Bloggers: Erik Davis, Martha Fischer, James Rocchi, Kim Voynar

General Tone: Faking the funk, albeit really, really thoroughly.

Perceptive Highlight of the Evening: Voynar: "(I)f Brokeback starts winning all the little awards, that may not speak well for it winning Best Picture later on. We'll have to see what happens. Ang Lee and the Brokeback gang don't look especially happy about winning this category. Also, this guy is talking way too long and thanking everyone he's ever known, and -- oooh! -- there's the gratuitous shot of the winner's spouse in tears. Yes. very touching. Lets move on."

Moment Readers First Contemplated Suicide: Davis: "5:32: Oohh, they have a blimp - I think I just saw Tom Sizemore's crack den!"

Best Reader Comment: "finally three 6 mafia won an oscar!!!!!!!!! hells yes!!!! most gangster oscars ever.........EVER!!! they finally get some recognition!!! Three 6 mafia!!!hells yes!! Hypnotize minds!!!! Congradulations to them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" ("Jimmy")

Come Back in '07? Cinematical being Cinematical, a bounce-back is likely. Nevertheless, new editor James Rocchi should let resident wise-ass Martha Fischer whup this trick on her own next time.

--Gothamist

Bloggers: Jen Chung and Karen Wilson

General Tone: More clinical than a courtroom transcript, but with lots of winking between witnesses

Perceptive Highlight of the Evening: (On Chuck Workman's film noir montage): "JC: I love film noir. KW: Me too. Ankle fetishes and smoking cigarettes and women with great wavy hair."

Moment Readers First Contemplated Suicide: "JC: I think the Brokeback music should win-- that music sticks in your head for weeks after KW: yeah, the music was great KW: I don't know how to quit you Itzak Perelman! JC: He is fabu"

Best Reader Comment: "i am amused that the three-6 mafia won an academy award, especially since it was not long ago that halle won for getting schtupped by a hick and denzel won for playing a crooked cop. hm. check the r-squared on that regression and tell me what you find?" ("Nobody Knows")

Come Back in '07? Reading Chung and Wilson's epic exchange brings back the haunting Oscar terror in excruciating detail--a perfect fit for OCD authenticity freaks like Michael Mann or Nick Sylvester.

--The Huffington Post

Blogger: Arianna Huffington

General Tone: Informative, if scattershot. Probably not an official "liveblog," but emphatically current, nevertheless. Huffington drops names the way Harry Knowles uses ellipses.

Perceptive Highlight of the Evening: " 'I predicted all the winners,' Salman Rushdie tells me, 'and when Jack Nicholson appeared to present the Best Picture award, I knew it wasn't going to be Brokeback Mountain. The world won't let Nicholson give the award to a "gay" movie.' "

Moment Readers First Contemplated Suicide: It actually takes a while, but Huffington eventually invokes her "HuffPost Movie Mashups." To wit: "Transerella Man: A Depression-era pre-op transsexual dreams of becoming heavyweight champion of the world. Batman Begins to Walk the Line: The Caped Crusader falls for a vivacious country singer who disapproves of his late-night carousing and addiction to latex."

Best Reader Comment: "Oscar for best male: the CAPOTE guy must be a good actor. Still in character, he made me almost puke. Ben Stiller in green: go kill yourself." ("tennow")

Come Back in '07? If policy-wonk entertainment reporting gets you the least bit hot, then Huffington is a fucking porn star.

--Innocent Bystander

Blogger: Gary Sassaman

General Tone: Average guy, with a hint of open-mic-night stand-up comedy

Perceptive Highlight of the Evening: "7:04pm: Oh, I get it! This forced spontaneity by Tomlin and Streep is supposed to be just like a Robert Altman film! 7:06pm: I feel like I'm stuck in a line for a movie with 2 really obnoxious women who WON'T. SHUT. THE. FUCK. UP. behind me."

Moment Readers First Contemplated Suicide: "5:12pm: Jack next to Keira Knightley...I wonder if Keira will get lucky tonight..."

Best Reader Comment: "The Oscar sign makes me think of Oscar Meyer weiners--probably not what they were going for." ("maryanne")

Come Back in '07? More hit than miss and quite down-to-earth. Sassaman finishes stronger than he starts, which is something to build on for next year if someone does not burn down the Academy before then.

--Middletown (Ohio) Journal

Blogger: Eric Robinette (a k a "Sir Critic")

General Tone: Folksy Midwestern twang. Also, tedium.

Perceptive Highlight of the Evening: (On King Kong's Sound Editing award): "KONG! KONG! KONG! KONG! At least the movie is doing well below the line."

Moment Readers First Contemplated Suicide: "Ang Lee is a filmmaker with a wonderfully diverse palette and a heck of an endearing guy….and you know what? Hulk’s not a bad movie at all!"

Best Reader Comment: "The background music was easily the worst idea since having a tap dancer perform to the Life Is Beautiful score." ("SRCputt")

Come Back in '07? Sure, assuming "Sir Critic" has not advanced to the New Times critics' syndication pool before then.

--VivirLatino

Blogger: Maegan la Mala

General Tone: Oscar bitchiness, now with 100 percent natural Latin flava

Perceptive Highlight of the Evening: "Holy carajo. 'It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp' won best song from a movie! No one thinks it's ironic to be thanking Jesus about winning for a song about being a pimp? Now you know all the blanquitos are mad confused."

Moment Readers First Contemplated Suicide: "Ewww did you all just see Beyonce in that makeup commerical? She looked lika a payasa!!Mira just because we women of color can wear bright colors doesn't mean we have to rock them all at the same time!"

Best Reader Comment: "Hey Maegan - I just switched over to the Premios Furia on Univision right for a bit. (is it a re-run?) WOW! What a different dress code - more skin, rhinestones and cowboy hats! :-)" ("kelly")

Come Back in '07? I am actually hoping to join this liveblog next year, so fuck yes. Stop in and say "Hola."

Posted by stvanairsdale at 05:37 PM | TrackBack

Sorry Yari, and Other Tales From the Carpetbagger

So while reliable Daliy News gossips Ben Widdicombe and Jo Piazza were writing up bits and pieces from New York's mostly stagnant Oscar scene, and while Page Six had something from every major Hollywood party (including an epic Weinstein rimjob) seemingly all at once, and while Cindy Adams played Impressionistic Mad Libs on the red carpet (Actual kicker: "Chiffon was big. And, thank you, gone were those tiresome cockamamie spaghetti strap jobs."), a quick look at the record indicates that NY Times Carpetbagger David Carr may have been the hardest-working reporter in show business over Oscar weekend.

Check Carr's 12 dispatches over the last two days, including video filings from the Independent Spirit Awards, prolific party coverage and revealing a dramatic security apparatus that sounds more West Bank than West Hollywood:

To get here, the Bagger went to wrong entrances in serial fashion until somebody finally took pity on him, scanned his badge and let him in. The Oscars are an odd combination of logistical gravitas and a souffle subject. Hollywood is very serious about its main infomerical of the year, and Lord help you if you are not credentialed, dressed, or comported correctly.

The Kodak Theater is ringed in two-foot wide, four-foot high concrete barriers. It was odd, after making his way through the seemingly endless checkpoints and people in headsets, only to find a bunch of people in frilly dresses.

And what would the Father of The Reeler be without extracting a burst of unadulterated pathos from an atmosphere of festivity:

Bob Yari, the Crash producer who has sued because he said he was denied credit by his partners, the Academy and the Producers Guild, held a party at Crustacean (Saturday) night to remind folks in town for the Oscars that he had a role in making the film happen. By the time the Bagger left at 10, none of the major members of the film’s ensemble cast had shown up, but Mr. Yari said many would be coming. Asked if a come-from-behind Crash victory would be tough to watch – Mr. Yari was not invited and so will be watching it on TV – he said: “It would be very sweet, but I can’t deny that I would be hurt. I am 100 percent behind this movie, but the Academy needs to come to grips with how movies are made out in the real world.”

Top that, Cindy. And do it in the active voice, or, better yet, in a complete sentence.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 12:53 PM | TrackBack

Celebrating Oscar Calamity With New York Magazine

This is a tough morning for me. As if the literal hangover from crashing New York Magazine's Oscar party Sunday night were not bad enough, I face the migraine-inducing reality that what is so often hyped as the world's most austere, powerful film body actually awarded its Best Picture prize to an abortion like Crash. I mean, I saw a half-dozen better films last year that were not even nominated, but I saw hardly any as intensely awful and overrated as Paul Haggis's pedantic "drama"--as accurate an approximation of race relations as a Winnie the Pooh cartoon is an honest depiction of forest ecology.

I know, I know. "But Stu," you say, "it is the Oscars. It doesn't matter." Except it does matter, because the Oscars connote a legitimacy to millions that is worth millions. And fuck if I have to live in a world where the junk merchants at Lionsgate shit $100 bills while something like In Between Days or The Talent Given Us cannot even get distributed. This is either proof that God hates movie lovers or, more likely, proof that there is no God at all.

I hesitated in announcing this theory last night at The Spotted Pig, where the lovely people at New York Magazine had gathered scores of guests in the interest of fun rather than fear. In fact, I did not talk to anybody I probably should have: I did not track down NYM editor in chief Adam Moss to thank him for conjuring an alternative to Entertainment Weekly's fumigation-tent (see below), B-list clusterfuck uptown at at Elaine's; I did not call out Rep. Anthony Weiner for stealing my seat less than 15 seconds after I stood up for a better peek at the Best Visual Effects nominees; I did not get Malcolm Gladwell's thoughts on King Kong, which, for whatever reason (probably drunkenness), I thought he might want to share; I did not find out where NFL linebacker Brandon Short thought he might wind up after the Carolina Panthers cut him last week; I did not inquire about MSNBC host Dan Abrams' Oscar favorites and the legal recourse Brokeback Mountain or Good Night, and Good Luck might take against the Academy; and I did not review New York cinema with Republican gubernatorial candidate William Weld, but only because he left about 10 minutes before the awards began.

I did, however, finally meet Gawker co-editor Jesse Oxfeld, a kind supporter of The Reeler who said 2005 was not his best year for getting out to the movies. As such, he had no Oscar favorites. I sought his prayers for Amy Adams anyway. Obviously, either he did not pray or, like I surmised before, God is just a shitty listener.

Before Crash ruined everything, (L-R) Gawker's Jesse Oxfeld, NPR host Brooke Gladstone and film critic David Edelstein quite enjoyed New York Magazine's Oscar party(Photos: STV)

I left Oxfeld and settled against a wall to watch Jon Stewart's opening monologue, but I was blocking a pair of women at a table behind me and had to move. I walked around them and pulled out a stool from an adjacent table. I thought I recognized one of them--a tall brunette--but I could not place her. The three of us got to talking; I introduced myself.

"Nina," the blond woman said--I think. It was loud.

I turned to the brunette. "Hi, I'm Stu."

"Famke," she said.

But you see, I still heard something else, and my knowledge of X-Men or Hide and Seek is Oxfeldian at best, so quite pathetically, I had no idea I was talking to Famke Janssen. Which was fine, since neither of us really had anything to say to the other, anyway. Until I extolled the virtues of Junebug. Again.

"What's it called?" Janssen asked me.

"Junebug."

"What's it about?"

"It's about an art dealer from Chicago who travels with her boyfriend to visit his family, and there's this... You know, kind of a culture clash, sort of. It's really, really amazing."

"Oh, that," she said. "I think I read that."

Director Nicholas Jarecki stopped by to introduce himself, blocking the TV and looking at me as if to confirm that yes, there is indeed an anonymous douchebag sitting next to Famke Janssen. The ladies had ordered burgers, which arrived moments later; Janssen went for the Roquefort-drenched patty and left the bun untouched. I asked if she would watch my seat while I went to get another Red Stripe. "Anyone tries to take it, you know..." I slammed my fist into my open palm. "Fucking take 'em down."

"I'll put my purse there."

She and Nina left not long after I returned, and I gave up trying to see through the crowd that had amassed at the television nearby. A sort of VIP alcove took shape behind me, with NYM critic David Edelstein scribbling furiously in a reporter's notepad as he gazed at a TV almost directly above him. Some other magazine staff and old pals from Slate had joined him; Edelstein's presence virtually guaranteed it as the place to be if you actually wanted to hear anything beamed out of Hollywood.

Tony Danza, a bit player in Crash and regular EW Oscar party attendee, fucked shit up with his friends on Second Avenue following his film's shocking Best Picture win

Honorary Oscar recipient Robert Altman's acceptance speech especially moved him. I had closed in on the space a while before for a better view, and Edelstein emerged at the commercial break to praise the director. "I've never been a big fan," I said.

"Of Altman?" Edelstein said. "Really?"

"Yeah, I know, I know," I said. "Seriously, though. I'll give him Nashville, maybe The Player--"

"What about McCabe?"

"Ugh. You know what it is? It's the zooms. I can't stand the slow, tracking zooms."

"Yeah, look, here's the... Look," Edelstein said, explaining in persuasive (but not persuasive enough) detail why Altman's zooms work. We went on to discuss the mystifying momentum of Crash; Edelstein said he had watched the film with Armond White, who spent portions of the screening just laughing. We also talked about King Kong, a film we both thought to be underrepresented at the Oscars but that we agreed was far too long. I noted that Miramax evidently does not need Harvey Weinstein in-house to win a foreign film Oscar, and my head was buried about 10 seconds too long to know how anyone on that side of the room reacted to the stupid fucking stuffed-animal show put on by the best documentary winners behind March of the Penguins.

Later, there were plenty of groans raining on Reese Witherspoon's "I'm just trying to matter" bromide, and far more head-burying followed when Jack Nicholson announced Crash's Best Picture victory. Like a prison beating, the reality faded from consciousness even as it acquired appreciable physical resonance; Edelstein simply threw up his hands, stood up and shuffled away from the TV. "OK," he said, visibly drained. "I gotta go write now. You gotta go write now."

And it is true. For what it is worth anymore--or at least for what it feels like it is worth-- we gotta go write. God help us. Or not.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 10:21 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

March 03, 2006

The Reeler's Housekeeping Hiatus

As Oscar's shadow blackens the film universe for one final weekend (until Oscar '07 predictions start up, like, Monday), the shadow of stacks of deferred maintenance looms around Reeler HQ. Even penniless bloggers must pay taxes, I am told, so wish my accountants luck with their own sealed, secret envelopes and pray for an underdog victory as I square that away. I will return Monday with whatever Oscar and Independent Spirit Awards coverage I can eke out before the cramps demand hospitalization; also look here next week for Isabella Rosselini, the NY Underground Film Festival and all the other New Yorkish odds and ends I can squeeze into these busy days. And if you only hear one bit of advice this drunken weekend, remember: Do not look directly at the awards show. -- STV

Posted by stvanairsdale at 08:46 AM | TrackBack

March 02, 2006

Today in JT Leroy: Weinstein, Shainberg Win Big in Gossip Synergy

Having suffered the indignity Wednesday of viewing Asia Argento's nigh-on-unwatchable The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things, I followed up with a 30-minute shower and de-licing treatment that I thought would reverse my misfortune once and for all. Alas, a splatter of related news carried over into this morning, and it appears Reeler HQ might face a complete fumigation, torching or both.

First, Ian Mohr writes in Variety that The Weinstein Company optioned Warren St. John's Times pieces exposing the tedious literary fraud Deceitful hoaxter/author JT Leroy as co-collaborators Laura Albert and Savannah Knoop. I know, I know--let's not all cheer at once. Meanwhile, an item over at Page Six notes the deal with an oddly strenuous indie spirit:

Secretary director Steven Shainberg - now completing his film about freak-obsessed photographer Diane Arbus (with Nicole Kidman in the lead) - is considering how to interpret the literary scandal, since he co-owns the rights to Sarah, the "JT Leroy" novel. Of his planned screen adaptation of the book that helped to mythologize the faux writer's tawdry past, Shainberg tells PAGE SIX'S Steve Garbarino, "My intentions are to make it utterly beautiful, mystical, graceful, daring and outrageous." Shainberg has his hands pleasantly full elsewhere, having just gotten engaged to ravishing filmmaker Rachel Boynton, whose own political comedy, Our Brand Is Crisis, just opened to raves in New York.

Ah, yes--"political comedy." I would not kick Boynton out of bed for eating crackers or anything, but she has a ways to go before her brilliant Crisis is funny (unless deadly Bolivian riots crack you up). Really, though, Page Six's 50 percent accuracy rate is neither here nor there compared to the bargain it struck to turn an ostensibly JT Leroy item into a Shainberg/Boynton item. In other words, how much Nicole Kidman gossip does it take to get your old-news book rights and your fiancée's Koch Lorber documentary mentioned in Page Six? Just asking.

I think I need another shower.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 01:11 PM | TrackBack

Profound Post Critic Takes the Short Way 'Home'

After prolonged consideration, I passed on writing up a piece about critic Matt Zoller Seitz's directing debut Home (opening today at the Pioneer Theater). There are a couple of reasons for this, not the least of which is that I have not seen it. The second reason is that I knew the Post's Vincent Musetto would be on it, and previous experience indicates that his precision and insight puts my own rambling hackwork to shame.

And after reading Musetto's review this morning, I feel confident I made the right call:

A lot of film critics (but not this one) dream of turning director. If Truffaut and Godard could pull it off, they fantasize, why not me?

Perhaps these wannabe auteurs should consider the case of Matt Zoller Seitz, a critic for the New York Press (where he reviews movies) and the Star-Ledger of Newark (where he covers TV): His directorial debut, Home, is a disappointment.

It concerns an all-night party in a townhouse in a yuppie-fied section of Brooklyn (safe but boring). Most revelers are white, hetero yuppies, with token gays, African-Americans and Asians thrown in to keep things politically correct.

There's nothing especially new or interesting about the guests, the party or the movie. One bright note is Nicol Zanzarella as the elegant Susan, a freelance TV editor and co-host.

And... scene. Hats off to Musetto, whose 131-word distillation confirms that while Truffaut's cinematic legacy may indeed be safe, his critical legacy had better watch its ass. Who says you have to cross over to shake the foundations?

Incidentally, Times critic Jeannette Catsoulis's exhaustive 203-word review is now available to help fill in any qualitative blanks. Because, you know, a lot of bloggers (but not this one) dream of turning responsible. Or thorough. Or something.

Posted by stvanairsdale at 09:33 AM | TrackBack

March 01, 2006

David Carr Officially an Oscar Casualty

When you think about it, David Carr's epic Oscar-hype takedown today at The Carpetbagger should not come as that much of a surprise. The Father of The Reeler has coolly been at it for about three months now, and it is clear he has worked hard to avoid any typically bloggish, self-indulgent meltdowns so common among his peers.

But that was then:

As he prepares to pack up the carpetbag and head to L.A. one last time, the Bagger would like to eschew all the reflexive friendliness for a moment – yes, we are all winners, just not on Oscar night – and talk about a few things that he hates about the Academy Awards and the parade of baloney that precedes it. ...

(Oscar bloggers are) nitwits who write about a “race” that has no data, no polling and very little in the way of revelatory moments apart from the opening of envelopes packed by mute accountants. As a group, they are forced to feed a perpetual-motion machine with all sorts of rants, non-sequitur links, and theories built out of chicken wire, gum, and duct tape. The Bagger has no idea how they, especially the MSM bloggers who serve as fig leaves for digital movie ads, live with themselves.

No. He. Didn't. Of course, the guy's right, but is it self-deprecation? Madness? Can he hack one more weekend in Los Angeles, is what I really want to know--do we need to yank Tony Scott off book leave and team him up with a camera intern while Carr decompresses in New York? Can we trust this guy to stay cool for one more night around all those Left Coast sycophants? How is Mr. Spoon holding up? Is Alexis Loinaz the only person left in New York who can get it up for the Oscars? Blink once if you can hear me, David!

Posted by stvanairsdale at 01:17 PM | TrackBack

'Our Brand Is Crisis': American Democracy as Commodity and Curse

I have good news and bad news about my coverage of Rachel Boynton's staggering new documentary Our Brand Is Crisis (opening today at Film Forum). The good news is that I had a great chat with Boynton last week about the film, which reveals the sweeping influence of American political consultants on Bolivia's 2002 presidential election.

And then there is the bad news: Crisis works best when you go in not knowing who won the race--a reality that dumps the context for almost everything I wound up asking her about.

"It's political idealism meets the profit motive," Boynton said. "I always approached the film as being fundamentally about America's relationship with the rest of the world, and I was always really interested in the Americans as idealists. I didn't make this film to try and show what jerks everybody was. I really tried to take them at face value and to make the movie in a very non-judgmental way."

And in the end, depending on your interpretation, Boynton may have succeeded. But even assuming the film really does invite you to join its director on the fence, nothing about Crisis allows you to stay there, and that is its bigger triumph. Boynton plows through her subjects' pink confetti and gauzy campaign commercials to peer at the musculature and momentum of spin, often in the early stage before it spins at all. Best intentions aside, her all-access chronicle is unflinching enough to leave viewers as awestruck as they are disgusted and to virtually guarantee Crisis as the last documentary of its kind.

After all, these are not just any political consultants. These are the machers from Greenberg Carville Shrum--the juice famously behind Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign and a major player in dozens of elections worldwide since then. In 2002, former Bolivian president Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada (a k a Goni, above) recruited the GCS team to boost his bid to recapture office. When Boynton introduces us to Goni and his chief consultant, Jeremy Rosner, the candidate trails his leading rival by double-digit percentage points. With months remaining before the elections, however, Rosner and his partners see a surmountable deficit. And by branding the country's social and economic woes "The Crisis," the consultants supply the basis for Goni's drive into contention.

This is about as innocuous as strategy gets for Goni's campaign, which battled the dual stigmas of an aloof candidate beholden to American interests (asking Bolivians' input on controversial matters like natural gas exports would be "like using a blunt knife to perform surgery," Goni says at one point). Boynton features fascinating conference calls and meetings brainstorming the structure of negative ads and press manipulations. Uber-consultant James Carville (left) drops in long enough to brandish his oracular, lethally charismatic insights, while brief visits to other campaigns reveal competitors far more attuned to their country's indigenous majority.

Rosner acknowledges his firm's ethos pusuing "progressive politics and foreign policy for profit," but also yields to a genuine astonishment about "traditions that democracy can't deal with." You know--like Bolivia's. The paradox here seems fairly obvious to me, and considering its consequences in Bolivia (which, like Marshall Curry's similarly themed Street Fight, are more black-and-white than you want to think and really must be seen to believed), I was surprised to hear Boynton stay on her own message about an overall commitment to objectivity.

"I think the film should speak for itself," she told me. "I don't think I whitewashed (the consultants) in the movie. I don't think I made them out to be saints. I was not trying to turn them into devils or saints. Personaly, yeah, I liked them, and I have a lot of respect for them. The consultants are choosing to tackle a job where the results of their job has an effect on the history of the world. It's a big deal. This is not a Mickey Mouse game. The stakes, as Jeremy said in the film, are very high and very serious. It takes a very brave person to recognize their mistakes and to still go forward in life and tackle a job where you can fundamentally alter the course of the future. And if they do their job well, they can have a very serious effect on how the history of a country unfolds. I respect him for trying to do something important and big. But I also think--and they think--that with this comes a serious responsibility to recognize what your assumptions are and to see what you're doing with warts and all."

Although the obvious implication there is for viewers to judge for themselves, my more instinctive sense was that Boynton is overcompensating for how repellent her subjects are. (It is a personal judgment, granted, but it only made the film that much more compulsively watchable.) As such, that is when I carelessly segued off into lines of inquiry that dwelled too much on Crisis's climax and epilogue, leaving me stranded here at what I guess is now the end of a review. And, to be honest, you should judge for yourself, because Boynton's near-flawless narrative pace and freakish access offer plenty to consider and just the right amount of time to consider it.

Seeing as I am sure we'll be discussing Crisis plenty more of the end of the year, maybe we can open up those spoilers and have another, more thorough go of it then. "Fun" might be not be the right word for it, but I could go for "necessary."

Posted by stvanairsdale at 11:27 AM | TrackBack