A collection of my idiosyncratic thoughts & film reviews. I find spending time sitting in the dark watching far too many films back to back a deeply relaxing experience. International, Indy, Hollywood, Vampires - I have very flexible tastes...
I'm finally getting my strength back after the monster length list in my earlier gift guide post. Here's a few more categories with suggestions for the film lover in your midst. This set is a bit less Seattle focused but still has some bias. Even if the specific suggestions don't quite apply to where you are I hope they'll be useful in kicking loose some creative ideas for the holidays for everyone.
The don't let school spoil your education options
The category of interesting things to read and do for film fansis of course pretty endless. Many of these are also pretty obvious. So I'll just point to a few around town that seem fun, and a few randomly selected books.
Over the years I've watched many a website trot out a holiday gift guide. It's so common that publicists will send ideas of things to include. In the case of film lovers there's typically a batch of DVD (or their blu ray equivalent) to checkout along with lots of other physical stuff ranging from chotchkies to expensive tech. Let's face it though we probably all have enough junk around the house already. Though if you're looking for something really comprehensive, interesting and broad here's a great example via Ain't it Cool News. And of course if you're just looking for a way to gift the movie of someone's choice it's hard to go wrong with Amazon Gift Cards
Given all this my goal with this post is mainly experiential gift suggestions. Easier on the environment - plus my taste in movies may be very different than your loved one's. Anyway - I don't tend to buy DVD's, so I wouldn't even know where to start. I've tried to include a broad range of price points - most of the ideas can be had from less than $50 up to quite a lot depending on what's selected.
This post is very Seattle area centric. My apologies in advance to international readers - part II will include things of broader geographic interest. Would love to see folks suggestions for Holiday giving for film lovers in the comments. I'll be sure to move some suggestions up to the main post as well...
Once upon a time there was a band named KARP. Three boys with a gleam in their eyes and a shared love of the Olympia WA music scene. Forming a band and chasing the dream. Playing louder and darker than their peers as they toured the country in the back of a beat up old van. With fungible jobs at theaters and bars to scratch by. Kill All Redneck Pricks: A documentary about a band called Karp is a story of comitted friendships crossed with a classic story of demons, adulthood drugs and incredibly bad luck tearing a promising thing apart. It's also a snapshot of a local music scene and it's ups and downs. KARP is a film that probably rewards how much intensity for the subject matter the viewer arrives with. And their personal tolerance for footage that sometimes would make the Blair Witch Project feel like it was shot on rails. It's definitely worth watching if you're a fan already or looking to devour anything you can find on the history of the NW music scene. Everyone else ... well ... it's perhaps less crucial. My full thoughts on why I came to that conclusion can be found over at Three Imaginary Girls.
{ Kill All Redneck Pricks: A documentary about a band called Karpopened Friday at the Grand Illusion Cinema in Seattle}
Geez - they've got a lot of stuff going on over at the new SIFF facilities. With SIFF Cinema at the Uptown and SIFF Cinema at the Film Center there are four screens to fill. And SIFF folks are definitely taking their new toy out for a ride. There are a ton of movies getting booked into the set of screens. Including special event screenings, the Italian Film Festival, and runs of films just making their way to Seattle. Plus Muppets, lots and lots of Muppets. So much stuff that their $25/month (less if you buy the whole year) all you can see pass starts to seem like a reasonable deal. Just don't forget that SIFF members pay just $5 for most shows.
Before I get into the films, a moment of editorial content... Maybe it's just me, but I feel it'd be a great time for SIFF to upgrade their website. It's getting a bit difficult to get a sense as to what's coming up. Each time I browse over there and poke through the calendar I get the feeling it's entirely possible I'm going to miss something really exciting that just shows up suddenly. I love the dynamism that's being brought to the programming, but it's easy to miss something. Not that I needed to plan two weeks in advance to see Human Centipede 2 (thank you very much, I was at the US premiere party early because I skipped the film at Fantastic Fest). But it still seems like it takes more digging than less nutty film fans may be willing to put in. The old style of site was totally fine for one engagement per week and the festival. But they may have outgrown the current design.
That said there are a lot of really interesting things showing up over the next few weeks. I've pulled out what I hope is a mostly complete list below. Personally I'm very excited to see The Swell Season, the documentary that follows the couple from Once. That was so even before Three Imaginary Girls gave it an absolute rave. Now it's on my must see list before it leaves town on 11/23. Also very intrigued by Le Havre which will be there through Nov. 24th.
What is the other F word you ask? Turns out it's "fatherhood." What happens when the ultimate spreaders of an anti-authority message are forced to be voice of that authority as a parent? That's the question posed by this documentary that dives into the parenting challenges faced by aging punk rock frontmen. Having been a big fan of punk (though not hugely of all the bands portrayed) and of a similar age as the subjects, I've been interested in seeing the film since it played at SXSW 2011.
Since I missed it there, I practically jumped at the opportunity to check it out ahead of it rolling into town at the Landmark Varsity theater. Overall it's an entertaining film to watch. Some funny moments, great access, and interesting subjects -- though mildly disappointing. Not because the film is bad, but because it left unexplored some the best parts of the premise.
The basics are none too earth shattering. For the men onscreen, having children changes everything. Trying to make a living in a business that requires you to tour 200+ days a year causes real pain in being away from your kids. Several of the guys mention having not-so-present fathers and are working hard to be there for their children. So far so good, although it's nothing you haven't heard before. But… the film misses the opportunity to really get into the juxtaposition between having a fuck-off attitude and whether they seek to either instill it in their children or fear passing it along.
Or, for example: how does a punk rock father deal with a kid that tells him he's got no authority over them? Their time on tour away from their kids isn't what makes the subject matter unique. People who have to travel to put food on the table and their conflicts aren't that hard to imagine. It's the rebellion as identity and how they reinterpret the punk rock ethos as they age that's the draw to the film. At least it was for me.
Bottom line -- interesting for the peek into their private lives. There are seriously cute moments like Flea recounting embarrassing his daughter and seriously touching/painful ones with Art Alexakis of Everclear describing his own childhood. So it's worth watching if you're interested in the the music or musicians. I just exited disappointed it didn't deliver more insight into the questions the film's premise (and marketing) so clearly points to.
But wait, wait, there's more - you can read my fuller review over at Three Imaginary Girls.
One of the films I most regretted missing at STIFF this year was the documentary Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone. So I was pretty happy to see it was going to be coming to the Grand Illusion theater for a week starting on Friday. The film embraces the fact that there are a subset of bands whose live show is so strong that it will forever diminish the feel of their recorded sessions. Personally, the top of that list of bands will always be The Ramones. Much as I enjoy their albums it always feels like a weak memory of their performances. More germane to this discussion is the manic but tightly orchestrated harmonic chaos of Fishbone playing live. We're taken on a ride through their origin story, the band's rise and fall, and into the present day as the diehard members deal with frayed but enduring friendships and compulsive need to keep playing for audiences.
Everyday Sunshine starts with the thesis that Fishbone is a band apart - due to their broad mix of styles, influence on others, and of course the strength of their live performances. It also provides a more in depth view of how a band can fall apart over the years. Something we hear about all the time - though few films deconstruct as well how it happens. The film begins with a series of talking heads espousing the skill and importance of Fishbone. It's hard to imagine a more diverse set of supporters on display. Ranging from front-men of the Circle Jerks and the Minutemen, Ice-T straight through to Branford Marsalis. For a band that can be lazily categorized into a punk-ska bucket the influences of Fishbone pretty diverse. One admirer describes it as "I've seen them do every style ... In the same song." Or in the more direct words of Ice-T, "It wasn't rock, it wasn't metal, it wasn't hip hop, it wasn't funk, it was just some different shit." Everyday Sunshine visually mimics that polyglot of techniques telling the story of Fishbone through a blend including talking heads, cartoon animation, moving photo recreations, voiceover and several other styles I've likely forgotten. It's a well matched approach and fills on gaps that may exist in archival video materials. There's not a lot to dislike with the exception of Laurence Fishburne's voice over. That just felt incredibly stilted. If you don't like music documentaries Everyday Sunshine may not entirely change your mind - it's deeper than many but will feel familiar in many ways. It's not my favorite genre truth be told. But Everyday Sunshine held my attention. My only lasting complaint is that for the life of me I can't get their song Party at Ground Zero out of my head now.
I've really enjoyed my tradition of trying to catch the latest Twilight film at the opening night midnight screening. I've gotten a vicarious thrill via the enthusiasm of crazy amped up fans, and their surprising DIY spirit when it comes to accessorizing. This year promised to be even more otherworldly with some folks encouraging fans to show up in wedding attire. I suppose to celebrate the onscreen nuptials between Edward and Bella. Or perhaps her romantic and chastity pledge approved rough deflowering by her 100+ year old dead yet sparkly husband. Followed of course by her accelerated pregnancy, hubby fang as scalpel c-section and subsequent love connection between Jacob and her infant daughter. Sure - maybe it's a werewolf thing - but it's still pretty freaky. Sorry, sorry .... getting a bit carried away. The final book of the Twilight series has always struck me as crazy weird if you stop to think about it, and possibly unfilmable. Some might argue they all have proved unfilmable. But I meant it as a challenge, not an insult to the prior films.
Anway - this is all a long winded way of saying I'm not going to the midnight screening starting in less than two hours. I've been battling a cold and getting zero sleep before having to be up for work Friday seems like a very, very bad idea. Instead I'm going to try and catch up on sleep and see the film as soon as I can over the weekend.
Normally I try to share some pictures from fans attending the screening. Obviously, won't be able to do that today. So instead I'm sharing the Spanish language poster for Breaking Dawn via my friends Kim and John who are vacationing in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. Appears John's attempt to get Kim out of the country to keep her from seeing the film may have backfired.
OK, maybe I'm just not keeping up with the times effectively. So it was with significant glee I learned earlier this week about a new event at the Northwest Film Forum that I promptly (and believe accurately) labelled "brilliant." They've decided to take their not so new beer/wine license out for a spin - hosting a monthly Happy Hour Saloon. Meaning that every third Thursday of the month from 5-6:30pm you can stop by for a drink and some film related conversation. Everyone's invited - Film Forum staff members, film makers, and film fans. Sounds more like a salon than a saloon - but they can call it whatever they like far as I'm concerned. As it turns out this Thursday 11/17 is the third Thursday of the month. So before you head out to see the midnight screening of Breaking Dawn (with or without a bridesmaids dress) it's a chance to offset that guilty pleasure with some conversation about arguably more significant cinema. I'm sure non-Twilight fans are welcome too.
There are a lot of reasons to think this is a good idea. If you haven't been to the Film Forum before here's a great opportunity to meet the friendly, knowledgeable staff that run it. You can checkout their upcoming schedule, learn about their great classes or just ogle their fine lobby area. Word on the street is that their new Winter calendar will be available for perusing. And if you're a strictly mercenary sort there will be drink discounts to be had ($1 off hand-selected wines and beers - resulting in $3 beer, $4 house win, and $6 wine specials). All good reasons to participate even if the Northwest Film Forum wasn't an important part of the Seattle film family. Though of course they are.
As an added bonus this week's happy hour host is Janna Wachter - the next commissioned artist for their Live at the Film Forum Series. Giving everyone a chance to meet her performers and learn more about the upcoming event, aka Don't Assume I Cook.
As long as you're there you might want to consider sticking around or the 7pm screening of Curling on its last day in Seattle. I saw the Canadian film in Vancouver a year ago. Not necessarily for everyone and a bit uncomfortable at times - but I thought it well worth watching. The director Denis Côté is an interesting character. He'd been visiting the Film Forum earlier in the week for a retrospective of his work. If you want to try and pretend you saw him earlier in the week (or just recreate the experience post Curling) here's a way too dimly lit Q&A he did at the Vancouver Film Festival. The audio is fine, but the camera work does not do his tattoos proper justice.
Most importantly - everything ends early enough to get your way up to see Bella and Edward's nuptials at a midnight screening. Which for me is likely the most important constraint of the night. I'm hoping to stop by myself - so feel free to ask me if I'm kidding. Though don't be surprised if you get an earful bemoaning her co-dependent relationship with that sparkly bastard.
If the thought of a nearly two and a half hour ode to deep deep depression sounds like your cup of tea, then boy - have I got a film for you. The latest film from the never boring Lars von Trier is considerably more easily watchable than Antichrist. Though you certainly won't mistake it for the feel-good experience of the season. Where it works it works well, and where it doesn't that's more a personal "do I really need to be watching this?" evaluation than a criticism of the film. He delivers a very localized story about relationships and dysfunctional family on the eve of mankind's extinction. Combining a keen visual look with strong performances and the ever present strain of Wagner it's both character study and perhaps a fantastical wish fulfillment scenario from inside the head of someone suffering deeply from depression. I'm glad I saw it. But you might want to temper your plans afterward. To give you a calibration, I wasn't as deeply down on the universe after seeing something like Precious or a recent Adam Sandler film. But it definitely left at least a small mark.
The film opens with the end of the world. Shot in incredibly beautiful super slow motion which takes ones mind off the contrast with the horribleness of the event. Not as dramatically as the beginning of Antichrist but in a similarly lovely looking manner. Then after an opening title card we're thrown back a few days to Justine's (Kirsten Dunst) wedding to Michael (Alexander Skarsgård). They're late to the reception as the ridiculously large limo she hired can't navigate the turns on the road leading to her brother in law John's (Kiefer Sutherland) estate. It's a home, hotel of a sort filled with all the accoutrement's of a lavish English country home, stables and all. The event is costing him a fortune, something the perpetually pissed off John isn't shy to point out. He's the least of the problems as we follow along at the reception meeting a surprisingly high number of dysfunctional relatives. With Dunst at the center as the depressive bride and her for some reason befuddled new husband. If you don't feel like being annoyed with family members there's also Justine's incredible asshole of a boss who both promotes her and gives her a work assignment to complete on this most special of days. Yep, he's in advertising...
Justine clearly has had her battles with depression and this evening doesn't do anything to help it. Everyone keeps asking her if she's happy or not. Each time it looks as though she'd rather someone rub sand in her eye than answer. As a rule of thumb something ain't right if the bride is crying and pounding alcohol from the bottle to stem the tears. Also not so good if same bride jumps some random non hubby dude out on the golf course between courses. Hence it's not a great surprise that things unravel pretty seriously as the night wears on.
That's just the first part. After much of the wedding might has been run through we're skipped ahead a day to continue the story from sister Claire's (Charlotte Gainsbourg) perspective. This second act is when more comes out about the rogue planet that's heading (allegedly) past earth. Why it's named Melancholia isn't clear at all - not the sort of name you should give to a planet you expect not to ram into the earth.That second half deals more with the relationship between the siblings and how they deal with the time they have left. Keeping in mind that for one of the two the end is probably a much desired (and expected) relief.
From a visual perspective most of the scenery is ominously beautiful. Shots of the people interacting feel harsher and uglier in contrast. The other-worldiness and ever present classical music reminded me of a more downer version of Tree of Life throughout. The film is leisurely paced, though not in a bad way. At about the 30 minute mark in this 2.5 hour odyssey is when I recall thinking that all this family strife just seems like a waste of time. Which I think is somewhat the point of the involved demonstration of the people emotionally hurting each other at the wedding as doom bears down. And perhaps that feeling of pointlessness is exactly the intent of a film that seems to be a metaphor for battling chronic depression.
The performances of the two female leads are strong, without a sense of believability for both Melancholia would be a dud. Given the other films I've seen Dunst in it;s shocking to see her smile so little. It took me a while to realize that was somewhat what's so unsettling about the whole affair. Her performance holds everything together. To the extent that if you've ever had personal experiences at similar to what Dunst's character is going through the film may hit a little too close to home. Enough to ruin the joy some might derive from her nude scenes. Point being this film demonstrates that Ms. Dunst has lots more ahead of her than cheerleader roles and being Spider Man's girlfriend.
I generally don't go in for purposefully downer films. But this one was interesting enough to hold my attention throughout. Certainly many of the visuals will stick with me for a while. Most positively, this time no one got any portion of their genitals snipped off. Instead everyone died together in a crash of planets. For those looking for a silver lining on the way out of the theater at least this spares the Alexander Skarsgård character a lifetime of a bad marriage.
Personally I'll keep hoping Van Trier will make a return to comedy someday. I really did enjoy Boss of it All.
I'm sure there's a formal genre that covers films about guys trapped in a spooky cabin in the woods. I can't really think of many at the moment. But it feels as though people away from civilization and driven insane by an ancient unnamed evil has been done a few times before. Even so, The Corridor comes across as a fresh take on things. Mashing up themes ranging from
adults growing apart from childhood friendships,
realizations that you're getting older and things aren't all going to work out as you'd hoped, and
a mystical corridor of light in the woods that drives everyone into a homicidal rage.
Or perhaps more accurately everyone except the friend just released from a mental facility for maybe killing his mom. Though we know for sure about his slashing one friend in the face and stabbing the other. Hmmm ... Maybe I should back up a bit?
The picture opens with a rush as we watch the complete breakdown of a man. His mother lies dead on the floor. Bursting out of a room he hacks away at everyone in sight, wounding two friends who are trying to help. Fast forward and five friends arrive at a cabin in the snow covered woods. They're there to scatter the ashes of the dead woman and mark her son's release from the institution he was at. The official story is that the mother committed suicide which caused her son to have a break from reality. Though as we learn it may (or may not) be more complicated than that.
In the early parts of the film the gang sits around, sharing secrets in small groups, giving each other grief, and rehashing old memories and dreams. You might be forgiven for drawing parallels to The Big Chill except perhaps for the little issue of one of the gang appearing to hallucinate. When he drags one of the "sane" ones out into the woods though it becomes clear he's not hallucinating. The woods has a glowing walled off area that has some unusual effects on anyone stepping into it. Including feelings of euphoria, nosebleeds, telepathic ability to read the thoughts of one's cohorts and the aforementioned homicidal leanings. Ironically the only one immune is the guy on psych meds which block the effect of the supernatural force. This force tends to extend in a corridor like manner as its control over people grows. So there's the matter of preventing it from reaching civilization. But first the one sane member of the group needs to prevent them all from killing each other.
Things slide pretty quickly into bloody mayhem at this stage. Perhaps a little too quickly for my taste. I was enjoying the dialog between the characters and wouldn't have minded the downward spiral to be stretched out a bit more. But at the same time once the the section starts where they stop being "real" and start being bat shit insane things more forward at a good clip. So as opposed to a fair number of other horror films there's not just endless scenes of people brutalizing each other. This one is short and to the point. While there is some gore it's in reality pretty restrained. The film though does suggest a lot of things that take place offscreen that the brain fills in the blanks on. They're some pretty squirm inducing blanks at that. The film did make me jump (and hard) at least once, though most of the terror isn't really scare focused. More of a how far will these characters go freed of any moral constraints and with the ability to hear each other's weaknesses and fears.
Horror isn't my favorite genre and I wouldn't say this is one of my most standout experiences this year. I do tend to like my horror more tinged with a feel of malevolent fun, such as Rabies which also screened at Fantastic Fest. But I think there's definitely a lot to commend in The Corridor - most specifically the characters and dialog created by writer Josh MacDonald. I wouldn't at all mind watching the first half again to listen even more closely to the discussions between the friends. The other achievement of the film is the smart use of the closed in cabin spaces by director Evan Kelly. I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for what comes next from these guys.
If you were starting to think that mountain climbing might be for safe enough for you along comes A Lonely Place to Die to convince you otherwise. What starts out feeling like a tense if familiar man against the mountain flick becomes so much more more. When I first sat down to watch this Fantastic Fest entry I'd only intended to watch the first 15 minutes or so and then straight to bed to rest my cold. But that plan was blown to heck minutes in. There was no way I was voluntarily walking away from this thrill ride. Before reading further I'd suggest putting this on your checklists of films to see if the opportunity presents itself.
The picture starts with three climbers ascending a terrifyingly sheer cliff. At least to a wimp such as myself. I'm not entirely sure how the climbing scenes were filmed. But the dynamic and zooming camera work gives an intensely dramatic sense of scale to the climbing events. Making nature just as much a character as the people involved throughout the course of the film. The opening sequence pounds in that the land is not to be trifled with. As a momentary lapse of judgment almost kills two-thirds of the party. Setting the tone that danger is around every corner.
The three ascend to a rental cottage where they meet up with another couple who've left their child in the care of grandparents to join the outing. After a night of socializing they awake to set out for the day's climb. Unexpected weather changes their intended destination slightly. Randomness that results in a chain of events that are deadly for many of the team. And as remarked upon by one of the climbers, not necessarily to the positiveness of those that they try to help.
Hiking towards their day's destination the group makes a horrible discovery. A young girl trapped in an underground cell. She doesn't speak English and she's been there a while. Seeking to find help as quickly as possible but constrained by the girl's pace the group decides to take alternate paths for help. But of course someone put her in that box. And it wasn't the mountain. Meaning everyone is suddenly facing a far more dangerous vacation than they signed up for.
I'm going to stop there to avoid giving away any more away. This is a really well put together effort that keeps the tension high throughout the film. Not to mention delivering a storyline that while horrific makes a good amount of logical sense. The picture kept me wondering to the end what the outcome would be. Acting is solid, the dialog realistic and the characters well drawn enough to care. Development of the team isn't super deep but enough for the choices and sacrifices they make for each other to feel right. And there's more than enough to emotionally bond with to enjoy one of the more satisfying shoves in my recent cinematic memory. It's worth saying once more that the outdoor photography really was breathtaking.
In short, worth the time. And the adrenaline crash afterward.
Horror overtones, debatable black comedy, and maybe a fair amount of yuck/ewwww mash together to create a memorable -- if not altogether compelling -- mix in the latest film by Pedro Almodóvar. Starring Antonio Banderas and Elena Anaya, the visuals are as luscious and darkly seductive as ever. To some, Almodovar's latest will be a fascinating character study, stuffed with multiple interpretations ranging from sexual identity to how grief can drive you crazy. To others, maybe more a technically-gifted piece of filmmaking that's less emotionally engaging than it could be. Personally I'm in that latter group. Still worth a look for Almodóvar fans - unless you really want to avoid films about doctors conducting immoral experiments on gorgeous people of indeterminate origin. In which case, stick with Harold & Kumar this weekend. Not that those tastes are mutually exclusive.
There are a lot of reasons to suspect Tower Heist may be the latest overly engineered star-vehicle that seriously screws up a beloved beloved genre for a new generation of fans. There are occasional moments of excessive seriousness (all involving Ben Stiller). Plus a few spots where things threaten to stall. But in the end it's an entertaining romp that's worth a look. I know - I couldn't believe it either. Almost makes me want to go double or nothing next week with the new Adam Sandler flick. Hey, I said almost....
One of the films I most regretted missing at STIFF this year was the documentary Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone. So I was pretty happy to see it was going to be coming to the Grand Illusion theater for a week starting on Friday. The film embraces the fact that there are a subset of bands whose live show is so strong that it will forever diminish the feel of their recorded sessions. Personally, the top of that list of bands will always be The Ramones. Much as I enjoy their albums it always feels like a weak memory of their performances. More germane to this discussion is the manic but tightly orchestrated harmonic chaos of Fishbone playing live. We're taken on a ride through their origin story, the band's rise and fall, and into the present day as the diehard members deal with frayed but enduring friendships and compulsive need to keep playing for audiences.
If the thought of a nearly two and a half hour ode to deep deep depression sounds like your cup of tea, then boy - have I got a film for you. The latest film from the never boring Lars von Trier is considerably more easily watchable than Antichrist. Though you certainly won't mistake it for the feel-good experience of the season. Where it works it works well, and where it doesn't that's more a personal "do I really need to be watching this?" evaluation than a criticism of the film. He delivers a very localized story about relationships and dysfunctional family on the eve of mankind's extinction. Combining a keen visual look with strong performances and the ever present strain of Wagner it's both character study and perhaps a fantastical wish fulfillment scenario from inside the head of someone suffering deeply from depression. I'm glad I saw it. But you might want to temper your plans afterward. To give you a calibration, I wasn't as deeply down on the universe after seeing something like Precious or a recent Adam Sandler film. But it definitely left at least a small mark. 
