Because scheduling kept me from making it to Santana Row Sunday night, I started the day early by viewing my press Screener of NEW CHEFS ON THE BLOCK. Not the best way to see a film, but with a home projector and Chromecast it was a bit better than watching on my laptop screen.
Most new restaurants fail. 30% fail before opening the doors. All restaurants put a huge strain on the lives and relationships of the owners and chefs (and especially chef/owners.) This film follows two chefs as they embark on this risky endeavor. Aaron Silverman opens Rose's Luxury, which serves fresh cuisine in an informal settings (much to the chagrin of those who think they're important and want to cut the line, they don't take reservations.) Frank Linn is following in his family business, opening his own pizza shop, Frankly Pizza. They both go through great pains to get the restaurant right. To get the food right, of course, but also all the difficult business part. Most importantly, getting good, reliable help. No-show, no-call, no more job. Which seems harsh, but the most important part of good hiring is good firing. And...well, it seems silly to hold back a spoiler because you can easily Google whether Rose's Luxury and Frankly Pizza are still in business. And while the film doesn't belabor the point, one key to success is good, loyal employees who actually enjoy working there and want to stay, contrary to the high turnover typical in the industry. Remember, the customer is not always right. And good business isn't all about taking care of the customers. Take care of the employees and they'll do a good job (or fire them if they don't, I guess.)
NEW CHEFS ON THE BLOCK plays again:
Tue, Mar 7 4:00 PM in Redwood City
Tue, Mar 7 4:00 PM at the Hammer Theatre
Then I headed over to Redwood City just in time to...realize I forgot my wallet and wouldn't be able to park there, so I turned around, drove back to Fremont, and back to Redwood City just in time to miss the opening short but catch the opening credits of THE NIGHT WATCHMEN. Rocker turned security guard has a hard time on his first day. The guys haze him. The boss is a creepy perve. And a mistaken delivery leaves them watching over a coffin with the body of a beloved clown in it. Oh yeah, that clown died in Romania...the land of vampires. So crazy shit happens, it's bloody, it's campy, it's hilarious. It's the Cinequest return of Mitch Altieri (half of the Butcher Brothers, from THE HAMILTONS in 2006 and A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO SNUFF from...just last year!) Great way to start the day.
THE NIGHT WATCHMEN plays again
Fri, Mar 10 10:00 PM at the California Theatre
Sat, Mar 11 9:45 PM in Redwood City
Then I headed over to The Spaghetti Factory right around the corner for a quick drink before the next film.
First up was the short SHOW BUSINESS. Comedian Clark Duke takes us through the fictional but all-too-realistic world of a moderately successful actor. His career, his friends, his...girl he likes hanging out with but is not necessarily his girlfriend unless they decide yes, they are a couple... Very funny.
Then the feature, THE TWINNING REACTION. Now here's a weird, weird story. In the 1960s a study on nurture vs. nature was launched. The plan--when twins are put up for adoption, separate them, give them to different families, and monitor their progress. Do they take up different interests, or are there some things that are just in their DNA? Problem is, this was in the time before "informed consent" and neither the babies (of course) nor their adoptive parents were told of the study. Decades later, some of the now adults go looking for their birth families, and find the truth. Or stranger yet, one pair happens to attend the same college, one year apart. Even weirder...they aren't twins...they're two out of three triplets. At first the story is kind of an oddity, and despite the ethical problems of how it started, things seem to be...happy, when the twins are reunited. They've always felt like something is missing in their life, and when they meet, it seems like that's solved. In a way, I envied them. Doesn't everyone feel something's missing? And wouldn't it be convenient if the answer was "long lost twin?" But it turns far more complicated. Even with happy, comfortable lives these kids all grew up with emotional issues. At least two subjects committed suicide. No papers were ever published from the study, and the details are locked away at least for now. But if I were to hazard a guess, the first finding is that separating twins at birth...really fucks them up.
Even stranger, my friend I watched this with, turned to me at the end of the film and confessed that he was adopted (I knew that, actually) and might have a twin...back in Russia. So good luck finding those records.
THE TWINNING REACTION plays again:
Tue, Mar 7 6:15 PM in Santana Row
Wed, Mar 8 7:30 PM in Redwood City
Then over to Blacksmith for another drink. Have I mentioned how many great restaurants and bars are in Redwood City. It's actually a really cool place to hang out for a day, as long as everyone knows where to meet.
Then I caught a pretty crowded screening of INDIA IN A DAY. The ultimate crowd-sourced film, on October 10, 2015, in a cooperative project with Google, millions of Indians filmed their day. Director Richie Mehta (AMAL, Cinequest 2008, also CAAMFest back when it was called SFIAAFF) put it all together, with the help of Ridley Scott's production company, and create a sort of cinematic tone-poem of a day in India. Waking up, washing, breakfast, going to school, going to work, from the bustling cities to the quiet rural areas. India's a country of over a billion people, so it's impossible to describe it in such a short time. You get some distinctly Indian flavor, but more important is the universality of human life everywhere. Really made me want to visit India.
That was the last screening of INDIA IN A DAY...sorry.
Then in an alternate universe I saw what I was originally scheduled to see--Shorts 3 - Truth in Art. And through the power of press screeners, I will see them, I promise. But in the meantime, here are...a couple of them. Including one from a returning filmmaker.
A DAD: Absurdity, art, a collage of found footage, to celebrate a dad's 100th birthday. Or is that Dada's 100th birthday. Voice-to-text can get really weird, when the text is not really text. I want this film as an unplayable blu-ray sculpture!
THE JOHN SHOW: An art show featuring nothing but portraits of one man. John Riegert. An artist, an entertainer, and a man suffering from depression. So it's not just an art show, it's a way to save his life. At least...they hope. A beautiful film from Cinequest veteran Julie Sokolow (ASPIE SEEKS LOVE, Cinequest 2015)
Shorts 3 plays again one more time, Fri, Mar 10 1:45 PM at the Hammer Theatre. Hopefully I'll catch it and see anything I missed.
But in this universe, I saw a different show, starting with the short THE QUARE IN THERE. From the South African term for queer, the term is explored and used to explore black and queer activists in Oakland. Their lives, and their stories. Very moving.
And then the feature SEAT IN SHADOW. Albert is an old painter, and a strange sort of psychologist ("strange psychologists" is another theme of the festival.) His friend asks him to counsel her grandson Ben. Ben is gay, and Ben has boyfriend problems and depression (maybe triggered by his boyfriend problems.) Their interactions are shot with a sumptuous, queer beauty. And then I fell asleep. Don't know if it was just too late, or just too much to drink, but I couldn't keep my eyes open. And I wasn't the only one. When I woke up at the end credits, the only other person left in the theater had also fallen asleep. Oh, well.
SEAT IN SHADOW plays again:
Wed, Mar 8 3:30 PM in Santana Row
Thu, Mar 9 8:45 PM in Santana Row
Sat, Mar 11 1:45 PM at the Hammer Theatre
Total Running Time: 338 minutes (only counting what I saw in theatres)
My Total Minutes: 421,357
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Monday, March 6, 2017
Jason goes to Cinequest--Day 6
Another full night of partying last Saturday, then a full day of films on Sunday, as my favorite drinking-festival-with-a-movie-problem marches on. First up...was a lot of morning drinking in the VIP lounge. A little breakfast, a little mimosa, a Bloody Mary, a couple of beers. Because I was explicitly told by the makes of WILD MAN that I should drink before seeing their film (oh yeah, and I snuck a flask of whiskey in.)
WILD MAN is a very funny but heartfelt movie about a drunk loser living off former glory and never really growing up. Bo is a former high school football star and currently barely successful actor. He doesn't get the big parts, or even the small-ish parts. He's got one commercial for Bulldog Insurance, and he basically lives off his catchphrase, "I don't got a dog in that fight." But his contract even prevents him from taking other commercial work. So with a stalled career he heads back to Tennessee for his high school reunion to relive his glory days...and to get laid. Instead he gets shit-faced drunk, gets pulled over for DUI, and pisses on the cop. Oh, and the dashcam video of his arrest goes viral. So he's under house arrest...living with his sister...kinda. Actually, he's living in his niece's pink princess fantasy house in the backyard. Lead actor Ted Welch is perfect as the wretched slob with a (barely detectable) heart of gold, and does a great job humiliating himself through the whole film. He meets Elliot, the kid across the street (whose mother happens to be an old flame of his) and teaches the tubby, picked-on kid how to play football. Maybe if Elliot makes the team Bo can turn his life around. Or at least get with his mom. Funny and light-hearted with a semi-serious message about growing up. How hard it is to do as a kid, and how much harder it is to do as an adult. I can relate.
WILD MAN plays again:
Tue, Mar 7 6:15 PM in Redwood City
Fri, Mar 10 5:00 PM in Redwood City
Next up was FIXED, a comedy about vasectomy that is totally nuts. The funniest thing at the festival so far, I totally had a ball with this film. Allan is a father of three, and no matter how much he loves his kids, they're still a pain in his...lifestyle. He loves his wife, too, but they just don't have time for sex anymore. And when they do...she's not on the pill anymore. The hormones were doing bad things to her. And so...the conversation starts. Should he get a vasectomy? Of course, this makes him a bit testy. Men just always associate vasectomy with castration, even though there's a vast difference between them. So he's got his friends teasing him, even though one has already been snipped. They play a little like the angel and devil on his shoulders. Plus, as if that's not enough, his Jeep is falling apart and so maybe it's time to get...a minivan. His crisis leads to some pretty hilarious adventures, especially when he goes on a "rumspringa" from fatherhood and can indulge in his fantasies one last time (no spoilers, but the different idea of fantasies of a middle-aged father are pretty hilarious.) The jokes come at you rapid fire, so even though I was laughing pretty much the whole time, I'm sure there are some jokes that I missed. Maybe I'll just have to see it again. It's a potent comedy that couldn't possibly be improved by cutting anything out.
FIXED plays again:
Tue, Mar 7 9:15 PM in Redwood City
Fri, Mar 10 2:00 PM in Redwood City
Then back to the lounge for a few more drinks, and back to the California Theatre for ACTORS ANONYMOUS. It's based on a book by James Franco, and features Franco as a successful and conceited actor. But it's mostly about Sean and Ben, two different struggling actors. Sean (Scott Haze) has had bad problems with drugs in the past, but is now sober with the help of his sponsor, played by Eric Roberts. Ben (Jake Robbins) is a recent transplant from South Dakota, where he got the acting bug in a school play--while also taking some liberties with Shakespeare's script because he was inlove lust with Juliet. Yeah, his romantic problems will be...more problematic as the film goes on. Obsessions escalate, and personal demons resurface, causing bad decisions and worse decisions. Because it's James Franco, there's always this uneasy tension on whether it's all fiction, whether it's based on something true, or whether it's purely fiction that Franco wants you to believe is true. In any case, it's a very...unappealing portrayal of the life of an actor. But it's a very well done, compelling, unappealing portrayal of the life of an actor.
ACTORS ANONYMOUS plays again:
Tue, Mar 7 8:30 PM at Santana Row
Fri, Mar 10 7:00 PM in Redwood City
Sun, Mar 12 6:15 PM in Redwood City
The screenings were running a little late. So I didn't make it to Santana Row for NEW CHEFS ON THE BLOCK. I apologize to them, and I will find a way to see it later in the festival.
I did stop by for the final moments of the VIP Soiree at Chacho's and Deluxe. And then I did something I rarely do at Cinequest--or any film fest. I skipped a time slot to go get a proper, sit down, not rushed dinner (at a great pizza place called Pieology, but I don't think it's on the CQ Dining Circle, so let's keep that a secret.)
And then I ended the night back at the Cal for SWEET GIRLS, a semi-dark comedy from Switzerland. Elodie and Marie are two teenage girls with no jobs and no prospects. Not even a place to live. And all because those stupid old people refuse to die or move away or otherwise give up their nice, affordable apartments (well, especially affordable if the old folks' pension checks are auto-paying the rent.) So they hatch a plan. It isn't entirely evil. Just a way to relocate the senior citizens. No need to spoil their machinations, but suffice it to say their plot is successful, somewhat. The senior citizens are quarantined underground, and the teenagers get to take over topside, and rule based on their naive world views. But the seniors find a community they've been missing, and the teenagers find how shitty they really are at running a community. Very funny, although it dragged on a bit. A great idea, mostly well executed, and just needs some editing for pacing. I wouldn't quite call it a "90 minute short" like so many independent films. But at 100 minutes...and the last film of an exhausting day...it was just a little bit too much.
SWEET GIRLS plays again:
Wed, Mar 8 8:30 PM at Santana Row
Sat, Mar 11 7:00 PM in Redwood City
Sun, Mar 12 10:45 AM in Redwood City
Total Running Time: 368 minutes
My Total Minutes: 421,019
WILD MAN is a very funny but heartfelt movie about a drunk loser living off former glory and never really growing up. Bo is a former high school football star and currently barely successful actor. He doesn't get the big parts, or even the small-ish parts. He's got one commercial for Bulldog Insurance, and he basically lives off his catchphrase, "I don't got a dog in that fight." But his contract even prevents him from taking other commercial work. So with a stalled career he heads back to Tennessee for his high school reunion to relive his glory days...and to get laid. Instead he gets shit-faced drunk, gets pulled over for DUI, and pisses on the cop. Oh, and the dashcam video of his arrest goes viral. So he's under house arrest...living with his sister...kinda. Actually, he's living in his niece's pink princess fantasy house in the backyard. Lead actor Ted Welch is perfect as the wretched slob with a (barely detectable) heart of gold, and does a great job humiliating himself through the whole film. He meets Elliot, the kid across the street (whose mother happens to be an old flame of his) and teaches the tubby, picked-on kid how to play football. Maybe if Elliot makes the team Bo can turn his life around. Or at least get with his mom. Funny and light-hearted with a semi-serious message about growing up. How hard it is to do as a kid, and how much harder it is to do as an adult. I can relate.
WILD MAN plays again:
Tue, Mar 7 6:15 PM in Redwood City
Fri, Mar 10 5:00 PM in Redwood City
Next up was FIXED, a comedy about vasectomy that is totally nuts. The funniest thing at the festival so far, I totally had a ball with this film. Allan is a father of three, and no matter how much he loves his kids, they're still a pain in his...lifestyle. He loves his wife, too, but they just don't have time for sex anymore. And when they do...she's not on the pill anymore. The hormones were doing bad things to her. And so...the conversation starts. Should he get a vasectomy? Of course, this makes him a bit testy. Men just always associate vasectomy with castration, even though there's a vast difference between them. So he's got his friends teasing him, even though one has already been snipped. They play a little like the angel and devil on his shoulders. Plus, as if that's not enough, his Jeep is falling apart and so maybe it's time to get...a minivan. His crisis leads to some pretty hilarious adventures, especially when he goes on a "rumspringa" from fatherhood and can indulge in his fantasies one last time (no spoilers, but the different idea of fantasies of a middle-aged father are pretty hilarious.) The jokes come at you rapid fire, so even though I was laughing pretty much the whole time, I'm sure there are some jokes that I missed. Maybe I'll just have to see it again. It's a potent comedy that couldn't possibly be improved by cutting anything out.
FIXED plays again:
Tue, Mar 7 9:15 PM in Redwood City
Fri, Mar 10 2:00 PM in Redwood City
Then back to the lounge for a few more drinks, and back to the California Theatre for ACTORS ANONYMOUS. It's based on a book by James Franco, and features Franco as a successful and conceited actor. But it's mostly about Sean and Ben, two different struggling actors. Sean (Scott Haze) has had bad problems with drugs in the past, but is now sober with the help of his sponsor, played by Eric Roberts. Ben (Jake Robbins) is a recent transplant from South Dakota, where he got the acting bug in a school play--while also taking some liberties with Shakespeare's script because he was in
ACTORS ANONYMOUS plays again:
Tue, Mar 7 8:30 PM at Santana Row
Fri, Mar 10 7:00 PM in Redwood City
Sun, Mar 12 6:15 PM in Redwood City
The screenings were running a little late. So I didn't make it to Santana Row for NEW CHEFS ON THE BLOCK. I apologize to them, and I will find a way to see it later in the festival.
I did stop by for the final moments of the VIP Soiree at Chacho's and Deluxe. And then I did something I rarely do at Cinequest--or any film fest. I skipped a time slot to go get a proper, sit down, not rushed dinner (at a great pizza place called Pieology, but I don't think it's on the CQ Dining Circle, so let's keep that a secret.)
And then I ended the night back at the Cal for SWEET GIRLS, a semi-dark comedy from Switzerland. Elodie and Marie are two teenage girls with no jobs and no prospects. Not even a place to live. And all because those stupid old people refuse to die or move away or otherwise give up their nice, affordable apartments (well, especially affordable if the old folks' pension checks are auto-paying the rent.) So they hatch a plan. It isn't entirely evil. Just a way to relocate the senior citizens. No need to spoil their machinations, but suffice it to say their plot is successful, somewhat. The senior citizens are quarantined underground, and the teenagers get to take over topside, and rule based on their naive world views. But the seniors find a community they've been missing, and the teenagers find how shitty they really are at running a community. Very funny, although it dragged on a bit. A great idea, mostly well executed, and just needs some editing for pacing. I wouldn't quite call it a "90 minute short" like so many independent films. But at 100 minutes...and the last film of an exhausting day...it was just a little bit too much.
SWEET GIRLS plays again:
Wed, Mar 8 8:30 PM at Santana Row
Sat, Mar 11 7:00 PM in Redwood City
Sun, Mar 12 10:45 AM in Redwood City
Total Running Time: 368 minutes
My Total Minutes: 421,019
Sunday, March 5, 2017
Jason goes to Cinequest--Day 5
Saturday was a pretty intense day, starting with a little free breakfast in the VIP lounge, courtesy of Whole Foods Market. Just one beer with breakfast (I was pacing myself) and then off to the California Theatre.
The first show started with the short MAY 15TH IN PARIS. A beautifully shot, somewhat experimental take on French history and current politics, juxtaposing May 15th, 2016 with May 15th, 1848.
That was the lead-in to FORGOTTEN MAN, a story of class divisions in London, revolving around a theater company for homeless actors. Appearances can be deceiving, as we see in the beginning when an audience member comments that he expected the actors to look "more homeless." Carl (Obi Abili) doesn't necessarily look homeless, especially when dressed in the nice suit from his play. He wasn't exactly looking to fool Meredith (Eleanor McLoughlin,) just show her around some of the spots he likes in town. But he isn't forthcoming when a little romance blooms. She's wealthy, in town for a family gathering, and they hit if off well. But he has to keep his life secret from her, while dealing with the violent temper of his buddy in the theater. And it all comes to a head when Meredith invites him to a play...the very play he wrote and is starring in. Very cool.
FORGOTTEN MAN plays again:
Sun, Mar 5 9:00 PM in Redwood City
Thu, Mar 9 1:30 PM in Santana Row
Sat, Mar 11 9:00 PM in Redwood City
Then back to the lounge for a couple of drinks, and back to the Cal for another show, starting with the short YOU. A clever, very short film about love addiction that gets the story across with very few words.
That was the lead-in to the Norwegian film, ALL THE BEAUTY (ALT DET VAKRE) which is also about love, and sex, and does so in a great many words. David is a famous writer, dying of cancer, who asks his ex-lover Sarah for help in finishing his play. Thing is, their mullti-decade love affair was not always kind, especially as David exploited their sex life for material for his very graphic, very scandalous writing. And his new play...well, it's re-examining all of that, and tearing open old wounds. We see the characters through four sets of actors at various ages from 24 to 51 years old. We see her going from a medical student to a respected doctor, while he goes from a promising writer, to a sensation, to kind of a jerk whose entire career has been based on exploiting his lover. Not that she wasn't a willing participant. It was kind of her idea to have an open relationship and tell him about her other lovers. It makes for a fascinating premise, and it's well executed. It did kind of drag on, though. It's an example of something I see all the time at film fests--what I call "the 90 minute short." Films that have an idea that could be explored in a 20-30 minute short film, but are expanded out to feature length.
ALL THE BEAUTY plays again:
Sun, Mar 5 4:00 PM at Santana Row
Thu, Mar 9 6:45 PM in Redwood City
Fri, Mar 10 9:15 PM in Redwood City
Then another quick drink in the lounge, and back for film 3, starting with the short TIME TO LOVE. A little bit of a romantic mindbender, as a jealous man knocks on his girlfriend's door at midnight trying to catch her with another man, but finds something far more surprising.
And then the feature, PRODIGY. In keeping with a multi-year theme of Cinequest, the black-and-white films tend to be my favorites. Inspirations for this film range from THE TWILIGHT ZONE to SILENCE OF THE LAMBS to a little bit of 12 ANGRY MEN and more (oh, even X-MEN, I guess.) Dr. Fonda (Richard Neil,) a psychologist specializing in troubled children is approached by an old friend who needs help on a case. They have a very special, very troubled, very dangerous little girl. This isn't a typical case, the child is kept locked up in a military base, in a strait jacket, under heavy security. That little girl is Ellie (Savannah Liles) and she's a genius, evolved beyond mere humans, and living in pure logic without the constraints of primitive emotions. She also has...powers. Powers that are better left unspoiled, but safe to say there's a reason there's so much heavy security around her. As Dr. Fonda learns more about Ellie, and about the military's plans for her, it becomes a race against the clock to find a way through her mental walls and find the little girl inside so that he can save...well, everyone. A wonderful, thrilling, smart film.
PRODIGY plays again:
Sun, Mar 5 11:00 AM in Redwood City (that's like, really soon! Go there...now!)
Wed, Mar 8 9:30 PM in Redwood City
Fri, Mar 10 10:00 PM in Redwood City
Then a little bit of Soiree time at the Fairmont, and then over to the Hammer Theatre for LOVESICK. One of the hallmarks of a Cinequest film, in my opinion, is emotional honesty. It's interesting to compare this film to any superficially familiar Hollywood romantic fantasy. Dash (Jacob Tierney) is a 30-something artist in Winnipeg who has recently lost his longtime girlfriend Lauren (Jessica Pare) to a total douchebag (Jay Baruchel.) And so he's a pathetic mess who can't take care of himself and constantly disappoints all his friends. In the Hollywood version of this, he'd meet a beautiful girl and learn to get over his ex and love again. And he does meet a very beautiful girl, Nora Van Denbrock (Ali Tataryn) and...well, there's something clicking there. But actually...he's still hung up, and just because he meets someone new, or goes to therapy, or has friends who care about him...if you're fucked in the head none of these external forces are going to fix you and make everything okay. A very smart, real, and also very funny movie about love and heartbreak.
LOVESICK plays again:
Sun, Mar 5 1:15 PM in Redwood City
Fri, Mar 10 2:15 PM at Santana Row
Sat, Mar 11 9:45 PM at the California Theatre
And finally, the last film of the night was QUALITY PROBLEMS. A true family affair, married directing duo Brooke and Doug Purdy also star as a married couple and cast their own children Max and scout as their son, Max, and daughter, Scout. They're a crazy little family that yells, fights, teases, and totally loves each other. They've got a grandfather losing his mind to Alzheimer's, and mom's breast cancer has returned (in reality, Brooke is cancer free since 2008, but a lot of this was based on real events.) What was I saying earlier about Cinequest films and "emotional honesty." This film is overflowing with emotional honesty. But also hilarious family moments, insanity, bar fights, ruined cakes, dancing in your underwear, and the best birthday party ever. I loved it.
QUALITY PROBLEMS plays again:
Sun, Mar 5 6:30 PM in Redwood City
Fri, Mar 10 9:30 PM in the Hammer Theatre
Sat, Mar 11 3:45 PM at Santana Row
Sun, Mar 12 10:40 AM in Redwood City
Then I passed by the Farmer's Union right as the Maverick Meetup was closing down, but continues on to SP2 where the team from LOVESICK was keeping the party going until a little past 1:00. Then back to my party suite at the Fairmont for some unofficial after-after hours partying. A small, select group of die-hards stayed up until sometime around 3:00-3:30, before finally crashing. I promise, the after-party suite will happen again next weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, after the official Cinequest partying is over. Because I never want this party to end.
[Update: I forgot the most important part of my blog!]
Total Running Time: 476 minutes
My Total Minutes: 420,651
The first show started with the short MAY 15TH IN PARIS. A beautifully shot, somewhat experimental take on French history and current politics, juxtaposing May 15th, 2016 with May 15th, 1848.
That was the lead-in to FORGOTTEN MAN, a story of class divisions in London, revolving around a theater company for homeless actors. Appearances can be deceiving, as we see in the beginning when an audience member comments that he expected the actors to look "more homeless." Carl (Obi Abili) doesn't necessarily look homeless, especially when dressed in the nice suit from his play. He wasn't exactly looking to fool Meredith (Eleanor McLoughlin,) just show her around some of the spots he likes in town. But he isn't forthcoming when a little romance blooms. She's wealthy, in town for a family gathering, and they hit if off well. But he has to keep his life secret from her, while dealing with the violent temper of his buddy in the theater. And it all comes to a head when Meredith invites him to a play...the very play he wrote and is starring in. Very cool.
FORGOTTEN MAN plays again:
Sun, Mar 5 9:00 PM in Redwood City
Thu, Mar 9 1:30 PM in Santana Row
Sat, Mar 11 9:00 PM in Redwood City
Then back to the lounge for a couple of drinks, and back to the Cal for another show, starting with the short YOU. A clever, very short film about love addiction that gets the story across with very few words.
That was the lead-in to the Norwegian film, ALL THE BEAUTY (ALT DET VAKRE) which is also about love, and sex, and does so in a great many words. David is a famous writer, dying of cancer, who asks his ex-lover Sarah for help in finishing his play. Thing is, their mullti-decade love affair was not always kind, especially as David exploited their sex life for material for his very graphic, very scandalous writing. And his new play...well, it's re-examining all of that, and tearing open old wounds. We see the characters through four sets of actors at various ages from 24 to 51 years old. We see her going from a medical student to a respected doctor, while he goes from a promising writer, to a sensation, to kind of a jerk whose entire career has been based on exploiting his lover. Not that she wasn't a willing participant. It was kind of her idea to have an open relationship and tell him about her other lovers. It makes for a fascinating premise, and it's well executed. It did kind of drag on, though. It's an example of something I see all the time at film fests--what I call "the 90 minute short." Films that have an idea that could be explored in a 20-30 minute short film, but are expanded out to feature length.
ALL THE BEAUTY plays again:
Sun, Mar 5 4:00 PM at Santana Row
Thu, Mar 9 6:45 PM in Redwood City
Fri, Mar 10 9:15 PM in Redwood City
Then another quick drink in the lounge, and back for film 3, starting with the short TIME TO LOVE. A little bit of a romantic mindbender, as a jealous man knocks on his girlfriend's door at midnight trying to catch her with another man, but finds something far more surprising.
And then the feature, PRODIGY. In keeping with a multi-year theme of Cinequest, the black-and-white films tend to be my favorites. Inspirations for this film range from THE TWILIGHT ZONE to SILENCE OF THE LAMBS to a little bit of 12 ANGRY MEN and more (oh, even X-MEN, I guess.) Dr. Fonda (Richard Neil,) a psychologist specializing in troubled children is approached by an old friend who needs help on a case. They have a very special, very troubled, very dangerous little girl. This isn't a typical case, the child is kept locked up in a military base, in a strait jacket, under heavy security. That little girl is Ellie (Savannah Liles) and she's a genius, evolved beyond mere humans, and living in pure logic without the constraints of primitive emotions. She also has...powers. Powers that are better left unspoiled, but safe to say there's a reason there's so much heavy security around her. As Dr. Fonda learns more about Ellie, and about the military's plans for her, it becomes a race against the clock to find a way through her mental walls and find the little girl inside so that he can save...well, everyone. A wonderful, thrilling, smart film.
PRODIGY plays again:
Sun, Mar 5 11:00 AM in Redwood City (that's like, really soon! Go there...now!)
Wed, Mar 8 9:30 PM in Redwood City
Fri, Mar 10 10:00 PM in Redwood City
Then a little bit of Soiree time at the Fairmont, and then over to the Hammer Theatre for LOVESICK. One of the hallmarks of a Cinequest film, in my opinion, is emotional honesty. It's interesting to compare this film to any superficially familiar Hollywood romantic fantasy. Dash (Jacob Tierney) is a 30-something artist in Winnipeg who has recently lost his longtime girlfriend Lauren (Jessica Pare) to a total douchebag (Jay Baruchel.) And so he's a pathetic mess who can't take care of himself and constantly disappoints all his friends. In the Hollywood version of this, he'd meet a beautiful girl and learn to get over his ex and love again. And he does meet a very beautiful girl, Nora Van Denbrock (Ali Tataryn) and...well, there's something clicking there. But actually...he's still hung up, and just because he meets someone new, or goes to therapy, or has friends who care about him...if you're fucked in the head none of these external forces are going to fix you and make everything okay. A very smart, real, and also very funny movie about love and heartbreak.
LOVESICK plays again:
Sun, Mar 5 1:15 PM in Redwood City
Fri, Mar 10 2:15 PM at Santana Row
Sat, Mar 11 9:45 PM at the California Theatre
And finally, the last film of the night was QUALITY PROBLEMS. A true family affair, married directing duo Brooke and Doug Purdy also star as a married couple and cast their own children Max and scout as their son, Max, and daughter, Scout. They're a crazy little family that yells, fights, teases, and totally loves each other. They've got a grandfather losing his mind to Alzheimer's, and mom's breast cancer has returned (in reality, Brooke is cancer free since 2008, but a lot of this was based on real events.) What was I saying earlier about Cinequest films and "emotional honesty." This film is overflowing with emotional honesty. But also hilarious family moments, insanity, bar fights, ruined cakes, dancing in your underwear, and the best birthday party ever. I loved it.
QUALITY PROBLEMS plays again:
Sun, Mar 5 6:30 PM in Redwood City
Fri, Mar 10 9:30 PM in the Hammer Theatre
Sat, Mar 11 3:45 PM at Santana Row
Sun, Mar 12 10:40 AM in Redwood City
Then I passed by the Farmer's Union right as the Maverick Meetup was closing down, but continues on to SP2 where the team from LOVESICK was keeping the party going until a little past 1:00. Then back to my party suite at the Fairmont for some unofficial after-after hours partying. A small, select group of die-hards stayed up until sometime around 3:00-3:30, before finally crashing. I promise, the after-party suite will happen again next weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, after the official Cinequest partying is over. Because I never want this party to end.
[Update: I forgot the most important part of my blog!]
Total Running Time: 476 minutes
My Total Minutes: 420,651
Saturday, March 4, 2017
Jason goes to Cinequest--Day 4
Friday kicks off a big weekend, and the start of my vacation. For the next week I'm not working my regular job, I'm a full-time Cinequester!
We started with...drinking! A couple of beers in the festival lounge, then off to the Soiree at Mosaic. More Stella Artois, a little vodka, and a tasting of Glenfiddich, so I was nice and toasted for my first film of the day.
THE SOUNDING is the story of Liv, and how she chooses to live. She doesn't speak, and she lives on an island with her grandfather. He was a successful neurologist, and has called his colleague and former student Michael to come take care of her. He comes to learn that his former mentor is dying, and the reason he brought Michael there was so he could take care of Liv when he passes away. Michael also comes to realize that she can speak, she just chooses not to. And when she does, she speaks exclusively in Shakespeare quotes. So Michael, despite his mentor's explicit wishes, decides to have her committed to a psychiatric institution. And that's when she starts to get really feisty. Unfortunately, that's also when all the booze started catching up with me, so I'm a little hazy on this bit. But her rebellion plays out entirely in the words of Shakespeare, and revolves around the question of whether she's really insane or just a strong-willed maverick. At times it plays like an exercise in whether Shakespeare really does encompass all of life--can you have any and all conversations solely through Shakespeare quotes? But the strong vision and acting keep it grounded in the human drama rather than literary theory. And the end result is pretty powerful.
THE SOUNDING plays again:
Sun, Mar 5 4:15 PM at the Hammer Theatre
Tue, Mar 7 9:10 PM in Redwood City
Fri, Mar 10 2:15 PM in Redwood City
And then I caught Shorts 7 - Comedy Favorites. Hooray for funny shorts!
NO OTHER WAY TO SAY IT: A voice actor tries to nail just the right tone for an ice cream ad, while also getting disturbing texts from her mom. With some autocorrect mischief thrown in.
POINT AND SHOOT: A couple of would-be criminals get a little lesson, from Donald Sutherland.
RUSSIAN ROULETTE: Not actually Chatroulette, but using a similar website a lonely London girl meets a lot of strange and unappealing men. And then a Russian cosmonaut, chatting from space. But space is boring, he wants to see her tits.
SHOUT AT THE GROUND: A rock band in New Zealand. Driving, yelling, examining the heist that cost them their entire pay for the weekend. Also puking. Lots and lots of puking.
THE CALL OF CHARLIE: One of my favorites from Holehead last year. Don't you hate it when you set up a date between your two friends (one of whom is a tentacle-faced monster) and some other friends stop by unannounced and ruin everything?
THE CARD SHARK: The game is 5 card draw. The players are a little boy and...his goldfish.
THE ELEVEN O'CLOCK: A psychiatrist tries to treat a patient with a very difficult disorder--he thinks he's a psychiatrist. Hilarious hijinx ensue, as the audience is left to wonder who's the real shrink.
THE GAMES WE PLAY: A night of drinking with friends. And a new relationship is put in jeopardy by a silly "what if?" game. Just for the record, if given the chance I would travel the universe with aliens rather than stay here. I'd miss my friends, but...traveling the universe with aliens!
WHO'S WHO IN MYCOLOGY: A hilariously bizarre Czech film. A girl who is passed out drunk. The trombone player who takes her home. Her home full of mold samples and books on famous mycologists (scientists who study fungi.) And a bottle of wine and a tricky corkscrew. At one point, everything gets upside down.
Shorts 7 plays again:
Sun, Mar 5 3:50 PM in Redwood City
Mon, Mar 6 4:30 PM in Redwood City
Thu, Mar 9 8:30 PM in Redwood City
We started with...drinking! A couple of beers in the festival lounge, then off to the Soiree at Mosaic. More Stella Artois, a little vodka, and a tasting of Glenfiddich, so I was nice and toasted for my first film of the day.
THE SOUNDING is the story of Liv, and how she chooses to live. She doesn't speak, and she lives on an island with her grandfather. He was a successful neurologist, and has called his colleague and former student Michael to come take care of her. He comes to learn that his former mentor is dying, and the reason he brought Michael there was so he could take care of Liv when he passes away. Michael also comes to realize that she can speak, she just chooses not to. And when she does, she speaks exclusively in Shakespeare quotes. So Michael, despite his mentor's explicit wishes, decides to have her committed to a psychiatric institution. And that's when she starts to get really feisty. Unfortunately, that's also when all the booze started catching up with me, so I'm a little hazy on this bit. But her rebellion plays out entirely in the words of Shakespeare, and revolves around the question of whether she's really insane or just a strong-willed maverick. At times it plays like an exercise in whether Shakespeare really does encompass all of life--can you have any and all conversations solely through Shakespeare quotes? But the strong vision and acting keep it grounded in the human drama rather than literary theory. And the end result is pretty powerful.
THE SOUNDING plays again:
Sun, Mar 5 4:15 PM at the Hammer Theatre
Tue, Mar 7 9:10 PM in Redwood City
Fri, Mar 10 2:15 PM in Redwood City
And then I caught Shorts 7 - Comedy Favorites. Hooray for funny shorts!
NO OTHER WAY TO SAY IT: A voice actor tries to nail just the right tone for an ice cream ad, while also getting disturbing texts from her mom. With some autocorrect mischief thrown in.
POINT AND SHOOT: A couple of would-be criminals get a little lesson, from Donald Sutherland.
RUSSIAN ROULETTE: Not actually Chatroulette, but using a similar website a lonely London girl meets a lot of strange and unappealing men. And then a Russian cosmonaut, chatting from space. But space is boring, he wants to see her tits.
SHOUT AT THE GROUND: A rock band in New Zealand. Driving, yelling, examining the heist that cost them their entire pay for the weekend. Also puking. Lots and lots of puking.
THE CALL OF CHARLIE: One of my favorites from Holehead last year. Don't you hate it when you set up a date between your two friends (one of whom is a tentacle-faced monster) and some other friends stop by unannounced and ruin everything?
THE CARD SHARK: The game is 5 card draw. The players are a little boy and...his goldfish.
THE ELEVEN O'CLOCK: A psychiatrist tries to treat a patient with a very difficult disorder--he thinks he's a psychiatrist. Hilarious hijinx ensue, as the audience is left to wonder who's the real shrink.
THE GAMES WE PLAY: A night of drinking with friends. And a new relationship is put in jeopardy by a silly "what if?" game. Just for the record, if given the chance I would travel the universe with aliens rather than stay here. I'd miss my friends, but...traveling the universe with aliens!
WHO'S WHO IN MYCOLOGY: A hilariously bizarre Czech film. A girl who is passed out drunk. The trombone player who takes her home. Her home full of mold samples and books on famous mycologists (scientists who study fungi.) And a bottle of wine and a tricky corkscrew. At one point, everything gets upside down.
Shorts 7 plays again:
Sun, Mar 5 3:50 PM in Redwood City
Mon, Mar 6 4:30 PM in Redwood City
Thu, Mar 9 8:30 PM in Redwood City
Friday, March 3, 2017
Jason goes to Cinequest--Day 3
Once again in Redwood City. Once again pretty sparse crowds, but it might be picking up a bit. Here's hoping for a good weekend there, with the interest continuing on through next week.
I saw an Australian film and then a Canadian film. With the two Canadian films from yesterday, my theme so far is "people who speak English, but with funny accents."
The Australian film was WHAT IF IT WORKS? Adrian is an obsessive-compulsive germophobe. He washes things all the time--even things that don't really need all that much soap and water--like the interior of his car. Oh, and he loves cars and driving fast. And he's a genius, but his mental illness is preventing him from completing his post-doc work. He also obsesses over his ex-girlfriend, and the guilt he has that his OCD actually injured her, leading to their breakup. Anyway, Adrian meets Grace, a young, vibrant street artist who suffers from dissociative identity disorder (formerly known as multiple personality.) And there are movies where crazy meets crazy and it's cute and romantic and reminds us that there's love for everyone. But that's not quite this movie. I mean, that's a part of it, but the strength of the film is that it doesn't sugarcoat it all. Adrian doesn't stop having OCD just because he falls for Grace. And Grace's other identities don't go away or integrate together just because of Adrian. To a large extent this isn't a "love conquers all" movie--this is a movie that, for all it's sweet tender moments, never loses sight of the fact that mental illness is terrible and it takes a lot more than love to deal with it. In the Q&A afterwards, director Romi Trower revealed that she has a personal, family connection with mental illness, and that realness comes through in the film. Excellently made, the acting is fantastic, with compelling characters who are shown with affection, but not through rose-colored glasses.
WHAT IF IT WORKS? plays again several times:
Fri, Mar 3 4:00 PM in Redwood City
Sat, Mar 4 2:45 PM in Santana Row
Mon, Mar 6 4:30 PM at the Hammer Theatre in Downtown San Jose
Fri, Mar 10 12:00 PM in Redwood City
And then to Toronto, for some absurdist comedy with THE DEATH (AND LIFE) OF CARL NAARDLINGER. Carl Naardlinger is an IT specialist. He leads a pretty boring life, dreaming of adventure. Carl Naardlinger is also a baker, but he's a different Carl Naardlinger. When the baker Carl Naardlinger goes missing, the Missing Persons person erroneously knocks on IT Carl Naardlinger's door, setting off a bizarre series of incredible coincidences. This includes a dead neighbor who secretly told his family how great the Naardlingers were and how much they took care of him. And mysterious luggage showing up. And Carl Naardlinger's exact doppleganger. Are these all just ridiculous coincidences? Is there someone controlling all of this? Is fate real? Or is life just funny sometimes? And how many times can I use the name Naardlinger in this review? Naardlinger, Naardlinger, Naardlinger. It's very funny, and a fun reminder that the most important thing in life is to not take it too seriously.
THE DEATH (AND LIFE) OF CARL NAARDLINGER plays again several times:
Sat, Mar 4 10:30 AM at Santana Row
Tue, Mar 7 6:45 PM in Redwood City
Thu, Mar 9 9:30 PM at the Hammer Theatre
Total Running Time: 190 minutes
My Total Minutes: 419,997
I saw an Australian film and then a Canadian film. With the two Canadian films from yesterday, my theme so far is "people who speak English, but with funny accents."
The Australian film was WHAT IF IT WORKS? Adrian is an obsessive-compulsive germophobe. He washes things all the time--even things that don't really need all that much soap and water--like the interior of his car. Oh, and he loves cars and driving fast. And he's a genius, but his mental illness is preventing him from completing his post-doc work. He also obsesses over his ex-girlfriend, and the guilt he has that his OCD actually injured her, leading to their breakup. Anyway, Adrian meets Grace, a young, vibrant street artist who suffers from dissociative identity disorder (formerly known as multiple personality.) And there are movies where crazy meets crazy and it's cute and romantic and reminds us that there's love for everyone. But that's not quite this movie. I mean, that's a part of it, but the strength of the film is that it doesn't sugarcoat it all. Adrian doesn't stop having OCD just because he falls for Grace. And Grace's other identities don't go away or integrate together just because of Adrian. To a large extent this isn't a "love conquers all" movie--this is a movie that, for all it's sweet tender moments, never loses sight of the fact that mental illness is terrible and it takes a lot more than love to deal with it. In the Q&A afterwards, director Romi Trower revealed that she has a personal, family connection with mental illness, and that realness comes through in the film. Excellently made, the acting is fantastic, with compelling characters who are shown with affection, but not through rose-colored glasses.
WHAT IF IT WORKS? plays again several times:
Fri, Mar 3 4:00 PM in Redwood City
Sat, Mar 4 2:45 PM in Santana Row
Mon, Mar 6 4:30 PM at the Hammer Theatre in Downtown San Jose
Fri, Mar 10 12:00 PM in Redwood City
And then to Toronto, for some absurdist comedy with THE DEATH (AND LIFE) OF CARL NAARDLINGER. Carl Naardlinger is an IT specialist. He leads a pretty boring life, dreaming of adventure. Carl Naardlinger is also a baker, but he's a different Carl Naardlinger. When the baker Carl Naardlinger goes missing, the Missing Persons person erroneously knocks on IT Carl Naardlinger's door, setting off a bizarre series of incredible coincidences. This includes a dead neighbor who secretly told his family how great the Naardlingers were and how much they took care of him. And mysterious luggage showing up. And Carl Naardlinger's exact doppleganger. Are these all just ridiculous coincidences? Is there someone controlling all of this? Is fate real? Or is life just funny sometimes? And how many times can I use the name Naardlinger in this review? Naardlinger, Naardlinger, Naardlinger. It's very funny, and a fun reminder that the most important thing in life is to not take it too seriously.
THE DEATH (AND LIFE) OF CARL NAARDLINGER plays again several times:
Sat, Mar 4 10:30 AM at Santana Row
Tue, Mar 7 6:45 PM in Redwood City
Thu, Mar 9 9:30 PM at the Hammer Theatre
Total Running Time: 190 minutes
My Total Minutes: 419,997
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Jason goes to Cinequest--Day 2
My first day in the new Cinequest location, Redwood City. It was...sparsely attended. Here's hoping things pick up over the weekend and next week.
Anyway, I ran into my new friends from CADENCE and had a drink with them at Quinto Sol before the film. This was unnecessary, as I had drunk with them on opening night and so was already honor bound to see their film. But that's just the kind of fun people they are (they're Canadians.)
So, CADENCE is a slowly burning and surprising bloody psychological thriller. Cadence is dating famous pop star Taylor Lake (Charlie Kerr of LOST SOLACE from Cinequest 2016.) They're trying to enjoy some private time on her family's secluded farm. Problem is, she has recurring nightmares--that sometimes become vivid waking hallucinations--of Taylor dying. Or, more specifically, of her killing Taylor (like slicing his neck with a knife when she thought they were just playing with waffle batter.) That's freaky enough, but things get worse when JJ and KC show up. They're Taylor's buddies from his recent tour, and at first they're just obnoxious. Then they get deadly. Then there's a big twist payoff at the end, which I can't reveal. But I will say it's effective, it's a good payoff, and it helps explain some of the oddities throughout the film (like how the only meal they ever seem to eat is breakfast.) And I almost want to spoil it (I won't, of course) because it probably makes a second screening even richer, when you can see the twist coming.
CADENCE plays again Friday March 3 at 9 pm in Redwood City and next Monday March 6 at 4 pm in Santana Row.
Then between films I was looking for a filmmaker to drink with, and along came the director of MENORCA. Back to Quinto Sol for a quick beer to seal the deal (and two meet his stars) before the film.
MENORCA is a very independent film, as well as a film about independence. Claire is a soccer mom. Never mine the film opens with a couple of naked men snorting coke off her ass before she shoos them out as he husband comes home. She's a soccer mom, but just can't take the dull suburban life. So she steals a minivan from another mom at her son's game, and takes off. That's not the first time she's done it. But this time is a little worse. First because she gets robbed at a motel. Second, because when she calls home both her husband and her son tell her they don't want her back. So she starts walking. She's picked up by Jenny, a cynical young woman on her way to work--the morning shift in a total dive of an "exotic dancing" bar, where the men appear to be mostly zombies who stare blankly at the stage waiting for something to happen. They make an interesting team, with different and not necessarily complementary strengths and insecurities. They're going to have a little adventure, with a bit of violence and a great deal of self-discovery. Great performances, beautiful cinematography, and made by some wonderfully friendly people (also from Canada. Hey, that's the theme of the night!)
MENORCA plays again Thursday, March 2 at 4:45 (Hey! That's like in a couple of hours! Get there now!) Saturday, March 4 at 10:35 and Friday March 10 at 4 pm, both times in Redwood City.
Anyway, I ran into my new friends from CADENCE and had a drink with them at Quinto Sol before the film. This was unnecessary, as I had drunk with them on opening night and so was already honor bound to see their film. But that's just the kind of fun people they are (they're Canadians.)
So, CADENCE is a slowly burning and surprising bloody psychological thriller. Cadence is dating famous pop star Taylor Lake (Charlie Kerr of LOST SOLACE from Cinequest 2016.) They're trying to enjoy some private time on her family's secluded farm. Problem is, she has recurring nightmares--that sometimes become vivid waking hallucinations--of Taylor dying. Or, more specifically, of her killing Taylor (like slicing his neck with a knife when she thought they were just playing with waffle batter.) That's freaky enough, but things get worse when JJ and KC show up. They're Taylor's buddies from his recent tour, and at first they're just obnoxious. Then they get deadly. Then there's a big twist payoff at the end, which I can't reveal. But I will say it's effective, it's a good payoff, and it helps explain some of the oddities throughout the film (like how the only meal they ever seem to eat is breakfast.) And I almost want to spoil it (I won't, of course) because it probably makes a second screening even richer, when you can see the twist coming.
CADENCE plays again Friday March 3 at 9 pm in Redwood City and next Monday March 6 at 4 pm in Santana Row.
Then between films I was looking for a filmmaker to drink with, and along came the director of MENORCA. Back to Quinto Sol for a quick beer to seal the deal (and two meet his stars) before the film.
MENORCA is a very independent film, as well as a film about independence. Claire is a soccer mom. Never mine the film opens with a couple of naked men snorting coke off her ass before she shoos them out as he husband comes home. She's a soccer mom, but just can't take the dull suburban life. So she steals a minivan from another mom at her son's game, and takes off. That's not the first time she's done it. But this time is a little worse. First because she gets robbed at a motel. Second, because when she calls home both her husband and her son tell her they don't want her back. So she starts walking. She's picked up by Jenny, a cynical young woman on her way to work--the morning shift in a total dive of an "exotic dancing" bar, where the men appear to be mostly zombies who stare blankly at the stage waiting for something to happen. They make an interesting team, with different and not necessarily complementary strengths and insecurities. They're going to have a little adventure, with a bit of violence and a great deal of self-discovery. Great performances, beautiful cinematography, and made by some wonderfully friendly people (also from Canada. Hey, that's the theme of the night!)
MENORCA plays again Thursday, March 2 at 4:45 (Hey! That's like in a couple of hours! Get there now!) Saturday, March 4 at 10:35 and Friday March 10 at 4 pm, both times in Redwood City.
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Jason goes to Cinequest--Opening Night
The best 2 week party in San Jose started last night, and of course I was there (as I have been for every year since...holy cow, 2002!)
As soon as I picked up my press badge, there was much celebrating, drinking, hugging old friends, making new ones...at the festival lounge in The Continental. My standard rule for scheduling my festival is already rolling along--drink with me, and I'll see your films. The disperse nature of the festival complicates things this year (it's split between San Jose and Redwood City, rather than being a tight festival village like in recent years.) But the films that I've already drunk with and are honor-bound to see are:
CADENCE
THE DEATH (AND LIFE) OF CARL NAARDLINGER (love that title!)
PAINLESS
NEW CHEFS ON THE BLOCK
SHORTS 1 (specifically, BRIAN MICKLER)
SHORTS 3 (specifically, BAE)
SHORTS 5 (specifically...I don't actually remember which one I drank with)
THE DUNNING MAN
Good job, you filmmakers are doing Cinequest right! Everybody else, step up your game!
Okay, then it was time for the opening night show. The glorious California Theater. More friends and more hugs. The mighty, mighty Wurlitzer organ. The introductions, the thank-yous, and then the film, THE LAST WORD.
Shirley MacLaine plays Harriet Lauler, the ultimate powerful, controlling woman. And given the politics of the past year it's tempting to draw parallels about getting to know and sympathize with the old bitch and realizing that her bitchiness is the result of a lifetime of having to be twice as smart, twice as strong, twice as forceful, and twice as dedicated as the men she worked with. But I don't think political allegory is the intention. And I'm a little uncomfortable using the "b-word" but it's there in the movie and hard to ignore (in particular, a little joke about how she puts the "bitch" in "obituary.")
Oh yeah, the obituary. After an incident with booze and pills--which she insists was an accident--she peruses the obituaries and realizes the local writer Anne (Amanda Seyfried) has a talent for making the recently deceased sound like wonderful people with grand lives--even people whom Harriet personally knew were awful and boring. So she marches into the newspaper office and demands that Anne writes her obituary. Of course, she's not going to just let Anne do it. She's a control freak, so it has to be done just right. And when her first draft is inadequate, Anne challenges Harriet that maybe the problem isn't her writing, it's Harriet herself. And so Harriet takes charge to rather cynically make her obituary look good. She already had an impressive career in advertising--before she was forcibly ejected from her own company. But she needs friends, family, an adorable underprivileged youth to mentor (introducing the adorable and funny AnnJewel Lee Dixon.)
Even the minor roles are excellent in the film, including Joel Murray as a former colleague, Anne Heche as Harriet's estranged daughter, and Philip Baker Hall (Cinequest alum with DUCK back in 2005) as her ex-husband who has no illusions about who Harriet is, but still loves her. His role is brief, but provides a powerful emotional ground for the film.
Ultimately the film succeeds, not just in making the audience appreciate Harriet, but in doing so without softening her edges too much. We don't appreciate the nice person she becomes, we appreciate--maybe even love--the strong, inspirational, even wise woman she always was.
Director Mark Pellington sat down for a brief Q and A afterward, and was gracious and humble, and I believe truly appreciated the audience as much as we appreciated the film. Even when the questions veered into strange territory of numerology, he had a good attitude about it all.
And then the party, over at the Farmers Union. And also Olla, although I didn't actually get next door for that. I'll have to check them out later in the festival. Anyway, plenty of drinks, a bit of food, and soon enough it was time for me to head home. Had to get a little sleep, because there's a lot of Cinequest left to do.
Running Time: 108 minutes
My Total Minutes: 419,640
As soon as I picked up my press badge, there was much celebrating, drinking, hugging old friends, making new ones...at the festival lounge in The Continental. My standard rule for scheduling my festival is already rolling along--drink with me, and I'll see your films. The disperse nature of the festival complicates things this year (it's split between San Jose and Redwood City, rather than being a tight festival village like in recent years.) But the films that I've already drunk with and are honor-bound to see are:
CADENCE
THE DEATH (AND LIFE) OF CARL NAARDLINGER (love that title!)
PAINLESS
NEW CHEFS ON THE BLOCK
SHORTS 1 (specifically, BRIAN MICKLER)
SHORTS 3 (specifically, BAE)
SHORTS 5 (specifically...I don't actually remember which one I drank with)
THE DUNNING MAN
Good job, you filmmakers are doing Cinequest right! Everybody else, step up your game!
Okay, then it was time for the opening night show. The glorious California Theater. More friends and more hugs. The mighty, mighty Wurlitzer organ. The introductions, the thank-yous, and then the film, THE LAST WORD.
Shirley MacLaine plays Harriet Lauler, the ultimate powerful, controlling woman. And given the politics of the past year it's tempting to draw parallels about getting to know and sympathize with the old bitch and realizing that her bitchiness is the result of a lifetime of having to be twice as smart, twice as strong, twice as forceful, and twice as dedicated as the men she worked with. But I don't think political allegory is the intention. And I'm a little uncomfortable using the "b-word" but it's there in the movie and hard to ignore (in particular, a little joke about how she puts the "bitch" in "obituary.")
Oh yeah, the obituary. After an incident with booze and pills--which she insists was an accident--she peruses the obituaries and realizes the local writer Anne (Amanda Seyfried) has a talent for making the recently deceased sound like wonderful people with grand lives--even people whom Harriet personally knew were awful and boring. So she marches into the newspaper office and demands that Anne writes her obituary. Of course, she's not going to just let Anne do it. She's a control freak, so it has to be done just right. And when her first draft is inadequate, Anne challenges Harriet that maybe the problem isn't her writing, it's Harriet herself. And so Harriet takes charge to rather cynically make her obituary look good. She already had an impressive career in advertising--before she was forcibly ejected from her own company. But she needs friends, family, an adorable underprivileged youth to mentor (introducing the adorable and funny AnnJewel Lee Dixon.)
Even the minor roles are excellent in the film, including Joel Murray as a former colleague, Anne Heche as Harriet's estranged daughter, and Philip Baker Hall (Cinequest alum with DUCK back in 2005) as her ex-husband who has no illusions about who Harriet is, but still loves her. His role is brief, but provides a powerful emotional ground for the film.
Ultimately the film succeeds, not just in making the audience appreciate Harriet, but in doing so without softening her edges too much. We don't appreciate the nice person she becomes, we appreciate--maybe even love--the strong, inspirational, even wise woman she always was.
Director Mark Pellington sat down for a brief Q and A afterward, and was gracious and humble, and I believe truly appreciated the audience as much as we appreciated the film. Even when the questions veered into strange territory of numerology, he had a good attitude about it all.
And then the party, over at the Farmers Union. And also Olla, although I didn't actually get next door for that. I'll have to check them out later in the festival. Anyway, plenty of drinks, a bit of food, and soon enough it was time for me to head home. Had to get a little sleep, because there's a lot of Cinequest left to do.
Running Time: 108 minutes
My Total Minutes: 419,640
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