Emerald City Comicon 2012

Last year on a lark I went to the Emerald City Comicon in downtown Seattle. I'd been to "the" world famous Comicon event in San Diego the year prior and I guess I was just looking to experience some of the cosplay enthusiasm with a lot less of the headaches. For some reason standing on line for hours to see film doesn't phase me, but equal time to listen to folks talk about The Vampire Diaries is less appealing. Even if that show is one of my guilty TV pleasures. So I decided to give the Emerald City event another shot this year. Giving Saturday attendance a shot, up from last year's late Sunday attendance.

The Washington State Convention Center was swollen beyond recognition for the 10th anniversary of the annual event. To the extent I began wondering which Washington State residents were not in attendance. The line to buy a ticket off the street (yes, I planned poorly) were super long. Before committing myself to the queue I wandered off in search of a restroom. Apparently I must walk with authority because after finding one I started to notice that everyone around me was wearing an event badge. Didn't take long from that point to realize I was somehow within the "secure" area. Seems I had walked right past security. At this point in hindsight I should have resolved to mail the organizers my entrance fee and begun to enjoy myself. But instead I retreated to try and go pay. That turned out to be a mistake. Due to the Fire Marshall noticing how many people were around (and making them stop letting new folks in) and some confusing instructions about where to wait I didn't get back in for another hour or so. But at least I got a chuckle out of it when the guy behind me on line, yes the line outside in the rain next to the smoking section of the convention center, muttered, "You fuckers think just because a guy reads comics he can't start some shit?"

Eventually I did become a legit registrant and wandered around the tradeshow area. The selection of panel presentations looked particularly interesting this year but I didn't have the energy for them. All in all it was fun and I'm glad I stuck it out. I tried to capture a sense of the event through photos. Which I think was a reasonable success, though some are softer focused than I'd like - an issue I need to dig into more on tomorrow.

You can flip through the sideshow below or click in to be directed to the full sized layout. It's pretty fun to open up the full sized crowd photos - think of it as a sci-fi/comic-book version of Where's Waldo".

In conclusion - a big thanks to the organizers for making Seattle a spot to be reckoned with on the "Con" scene. As well as a hearty congratulations on their runaway success with respect to this event.

SIFF Big Lebowski Bowling Bash

I've really got to hand it to the folks over at SIFF. They've just been delivering one fascinating film experience after another over at their Seattle Center/Uptown location as Clinton programs the heck out of their four screens. I hope they're seeing attendance worthy of the effort as SIFF brings the annual international film festival to life on a weekly basis in lower Queen Anne.

Every once in the while the creative minds at the Seattle International Film Festival go just slightly outside of their theater comfort zone. This past Wednesday night was one of those locations as they held a benefit at The Garage. Which for that evening became the "Big Lebowski Bowling Bash." Or in their words "Have fun raising funds for SIFF! This one-night-only celebration of everything Dude-ly includes a pair of drinks, hors d'oeuvres, bowling, prizes and yes—even the shoes! Don't miss your chance to party like Lebowski."

Sounded like fun so I wasn't gonna let this chance slip by. Even if in reality I may not be the biggest fan of the film. Heresy as that may be. The event featured bowling (which was pretty crowded), eats (pizza, cold cuts and the like which were plentiful) and of course a bar. With the inspiration for "The Dude" aka Jeff Dowd in appearance and mingling with the crown. Apparently one of his chaperones for the day learned a ton about the film booking scene in Seattle of yesteryear, as well as other things. Small world I suppose.

Had a fun time and it was great to catch up with SIFF staff members and fellow film fans alike. Some of whom are alarmingly good at bowling. I am not in that group.

More pictures after the jump...

Bad Brains: A Band in DC

My most anticipated film at SXSW was also my most feared. Would I truly enjoy Bad Brains: A Band in DC as much as I hoped, as much as the subject matter deserved? A film about about legendary but not well known enough punk rock legends The Bad Brains needed to be great. I so wanted it to be thorough, informative and fun for fans and non fans alike. One early SXSW morning a rather insightful gentleman from Los Angeles and I were talking as we waited on a long line, swapping thoughts on music documentaries. "The best ones are often the ones where you really know nothing about the band beforehand," he remarked. The truthfulness of that statement knocked my back for a moment. If you already know a lot about the band how much will you really get out of the documentary? And there's always the time documentary makers have to spend time pointing out how significant a group is - when you already know all that. So it's with this sense of diminished expectations I walked into the humongous Vimeo Theater at the Austin Convention Center to watch the second SXSW screening of Bad Brains: A Band in DC. But all that worrying was for naught. In the end I thoroughly enjoyed the film. It's made up of great footage and intensive interview material tightly edited together. Producing a very watchable and informative unvarnished look at one of the most important bands - ever. That's not just Henry Rollins and Ian MacKaye saying that - it's me saying that. Though as it turns out they say the same thing in the film, perhaps more convincingly than I can. Even the dude from Murphy's Law gets in on saying it - which has had me meaning to look where I put their green wax self-titled album as soon as I get a chance. Sorry, sorry ... point being, if you like punk rock, if you like music docs, or if you've never heard of the band and want to learn some true American history - see this movie when you can.

The Aggression Scale

The Aggression Scale was exactly the sort of midnight film I was looking for at SXSW - fast violent and satisfying. Well worth the sleep deprivation I dealt with the day after seeing it.

Two teens (with issues) go to war against a team of professional hit men over a bundle of cash. An adrenaline fueled, morally questionable ride with the impact of a shotgun blast to the chest. Which coincidentally is literally how the film opens. Do you really need to know more?

Right - fine......

If you're looking for a straight to the point midnight film experience I believe it'll scratch that itch in a very satisfying way. Probably my favorite of the midnighter films I saw at SXSW. Not gonna be an Oscar nomination coming out of it for anyone. But these days I think they only give those out for movies about movies anyways. I could probably say a lot more. But I respect The Aggression Scale for being lean and to the point. So I'll try and be the same.

I dug this film. 'nuff said.

How Not To Be Lame at SXSW

SXSW tends to have some of the best bumpers of an film festival I've been to. This year they outdid themselves in terms of number of unique ones produced. That doesn't seem like a big deal, but when you see 30+ movies in less than a week (or near 100 in the case of SIFF) just picture how boring it can be to see the same bit over and over again. Each of this year's bumpers was based on the theme "How not to be lame at SXSW" - and then proceeded for the most part to present people being a bit lame. Think of it as the anti-pattern bumper approach. Looks like the festival is going to trickle them out slowly. First one became available today. Thankfully it's also one of my favorites - though I dug them all (with one possible exception).

Kudo's SXSW people, for reminding me how awesome a time I had in Austin, and how I'd so rather be back there right now. ;-)

The Raid: Redemption (Indonesia)

Jakarta has a problem. One of their most infamous drug lords has set himself up at the top of an apartment building. Physically and in practice above the law. Many of the local cops are bought off. But even if they weren't his policy of renting rooms to the city's lowlifes guarantees an early warning system and armed/machete swinging response to any and all police incursions. That leaves him feeling pretty comfortable. Too comfortable for the SWAT team sent in to extract him. A team that includes the rookie who leaves home his pregnant wife at the picture's start. Ensuring that he's going to have to beat and shoot his way through many many people to get safely back to her. 

This Indonesian action film delivers the goods in a raw, focused style constrained within a single apartment block. The men get in, but not surprisingly trip some of the alarms. What follows is an offer of lifetime free rent to anyone who kills the cops. At which point all hell breaking loose. Meaning some seriously intense violence in all directions as the team must fight their way back out of the building. Did I mention the snipers picking off anyone who ventures near a window? Clearly Mr. Mobster has thought this through. Ain't no one getting out alive.

Things start-up relatively slowly - even after the team realizes things have gone wrong. But there's a moment where they cut an escape channel between floors and jump down. In synch with taking that step through the rabbit hole the film clicks up its intensity to eleven (or maybe twelve). And holds the pedal down for maximum intensity until the film ends. It's easy to say that - but I don't bring that imagery lightly. Director Gareth Evans truly doesn't let off until the gas until the very end. 

There's a twisting plot of betrayal and character back story, none of which is either super original or surprising. In fact I expect most viewers would eventually understand the plot (even before the big reveal) without the subtitles. But you won't particularly care because the action is so well choreographed, yet feels so real. My understanding is that some of the fight scenes were shot over 20+ hour days. In which case no one would have been "acting" exhausted. I don't know the history/backgrounds of the fighters. But the hand to hand combat is nothing but incredible to behold. No Jason Bourne 5-second multiple cuts at work here. I wasn't able to stay for the SXSW Q&A but someone later filled me in that Evans discovered many of the actors while shooting a documentary about their martial arts club years back. Also that one of the unforgettable, bug eyed machete wielding bad-guys is in reality a mild-mannered architect who belongs to that same practice group. Regardless of how Evans assembled the cast they do a remarkable job bringing entertaining intensity and top shelf fighting chops to the big screen.

It's rare that a movie makes me want to shout along with it. But The Raid delivers that sort of emotional "heck yeah" feeling throughout. I wasn't alone - as I watched it with a 2000 person crowd at its SXSW screening at the Paramount Theater everyone responded loudly and appreciatively to the efforts onscreen. I suspect so will you - catch it in a theater, with a riled up crowd if you can. The way it's meant to be seen. And get ready for a wild n entertaining ride.

Oh, and don't fuck with anyone who knows Silat, the martial art used in the film. They will seriously mess you up. The Raid: Redemption is scheduled to open in the Seattle area on March 30th.

By all means - checkout the trailer below. It's not going to ruin anything and will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt if you're the right person for this film. It's not a romantic comedy is what I'm saying.

The FP adds an extra date in Seattle + a chance for free tix!

The folks at SIFF Cinema have been doing a bang-up job filling their four screens with a rotation of really diverse stuff. The inclusion of the somewhat insane Drafthouse Films distributed The FP makes me proud of them, and proud to live in Seattle. I saw this film at SXSW last year in a screening memorable enough to briefly become an internet controversy. I liked it well enough then, but the film has been steadily growing on me since I saw it almost a year ago. So I was super glad it made a stop in Seattle this week at SIFF Cinema. Even more glad that an extra date was added on the big screen 3/27.  You can watch the first ten minutes of the film below to whet the appetite. Just be aware it's not entirely safe for work. But it is pretty awesome.

I'm also very pleased to announce a bonus opportunity The FP fun as well as a chance to win some tickets. There's an event this Friday evening at the Pink Gorilla in the University District (4341 University Way NE). If you haven't been to Pink Gorilla Games this cool retro gaming store alone is worth a trip. Add in a chance to win free tickets to the Tuesday screening, prizes, and free Dance Dance Revolution (a prominent feature of The FP, albeit a more deadly version) and it seems like the perfect way to kick off the weekend.

My friend Brent wrote a review that does a bang-up job describing the film. I strongly suggest checking it out.
The film is set in a world where everything and everyone is a throwback to something you've seen in an 80's action movie. Gangs reign supreme and settle their scores through a deadly version of the video game DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION (DDR). Which to me reads as a picture destined either for total awesomeness or screaming while aflame into the side of a mountain failure.  Which is the sort of high risk/high reward proposition I'm drawn to like a moth to a flame. I cannot guarantee which side you're going to be on with respect to The FP - but I still think everyone should give it a whirl.

It's an impressive send up of too many to name genres of 80's cinema, which by playing things 100% straight is also pretty damn funny.  The FP maybe lags a bit mid-way as even a fairly tight production is going to drag a bit when it's all roughly the same joke.  Because of that it falls short of perfection (for me) - but the ride is well worth taking.  "For reals" as they say in Frazier Park (aka The FP). A phrase I guarantee (based on personal experience) you'll be saying repeatedly for at least the next week to folks you saw the movie with. The film opens with JTRO and BTRO about to walk into a battle against their cross town enemies.  Hard not to draw comparisons with other classic films from Rocky to The Warriors.  With a touch of Escape from NY thrown in due to JTRO's Snake Plissken eyepatch and hairstyle. It's a style that combined with many of the characters simply screaming their lines works surprisingly well.

It's cool, it could be free, and even if it's not you can play DDR. 'nuff said. Just don't forget to brush up on your vocabulary before hitting the theater.

SXSW 2012 Photo Tour

I like to drag my camera along during SXSW. I wish I actually had more photos to share, but I've tried to cull out some of the less terrible ones for folk's viewing pleasure. Because I know there's nothing better than sitting down to look over someone's vacation photos. ;-) You can watch inside the blog, or click through for a larger slideshow (either below or here).



Also, because a still doesn't quite to it justice I've included a video below I took one night of Austin's busy 6th street as I waited on line for a movie at the Alamo Ritz.

21 Jump Street

We all have our own assumptions about what movies are going to be good based on the concept, the trailer, or whatever. An evolved defense mechanism designed to protect us from choosing the wrong entertainment on a Saturday night. A shield in case some marketing executive thinks that our childhood memories of Stretch Armstrong ads playing over Saturday morning cartoons means we'll show up on opening night for the full screen treatment. Most of us know better. Which is a very long winded way of saying it didn't think I needed to see a movie version of 21 Jump Street. Turns out our instincts do occasionally fail. 21 Jump Street is clever, brings the funny and even with an imperfect end never made me regret sitting in the theater. Hopefully it won't do anything to insult the original fans. Truth be told I never watched the original. Perhaps too consumed with Brenda's issues on 90210 to tune in. But for them there's a good chance they'll find some of the in-jokes funnier and maybe even get thrown a cameo or two.

The concept of the 21 Jump Street is as simple as it is ridiculous. With high school drug use and crime on the rise the police is forced to look at creative ways to attack the problem. Failing that they decided to drag out an old program to avoid having to come up with anything new. Or as it's explained to rookie officers Jeno (Channing Tatum) and Schmidt (Jonah Hill) by their commanding officer, "All they do is recycle shit from the past and hope nobody notices." That could be just a throwaway line of writers hanging their heads in shame. Instead it's a positive signal of the the comedic subversion that 21 Jump Street is gunning for. More a one note joke than some other TV adaptations the cop buddy-comedy manages to deliver solid entertainment for much of the ride. As surprising as that may be. Perhaps equally surprising is that a film set around high school experiences and second chances comes across mainly as sweet/funny as opposed to mean.

Jeno and Schmidt have known each other from high school where Jeno was one of the cool jocks and Schmidt … well he was not. Thrown together at the police academy they become friends with the overlapping strengths in brawn vs. brain allowing them to stumble through the program. Jeno still has trouble with process issues (such as the Miranda rights) and Schmidt with physically stopping fleeing suspects. After a disastrous first arrest the pair is given a final chance with the high school undercover unit due to their youngish looks. A quick and humorous briefing by Captain Dickson (Ice Cube) and then off to high school for them. Their mission find the new synthetic drug that's killed at least one youth, which of course is being dealt by the popular crowd.

After settling in with Schmidt's parents and grabbing what they believe to be a cool car the pair heads to school. Up until this point the film is funny if straightforward. Entering the high-school though the script plays aggressively with generational shifts in what's cool now vs an earlier era (aka any time period ever set in a high school movie ever). If you believe the film driving a gas guzzler, not caring about the environment, being a jock, slacking off, and using homophobic slurs are all definitely out. Which comes as a devastating blow to Jeno as he tries to get in with the cool kids. Schmidt on the other hand's natural instincts allow him to quickly infiltrate the dealers. As an action comedy the audience is eventually treated to some chase and action sequences, though it's far from a huge part of the film. When engaged in the antics are well done, with a particularly amusing recurring bit about "gee - I thought that would explode for sure…"

The chemistry between Hill and Tatum is solid and their emotional bond feels real with neither looking like they're trying too hard (in the positive sense of the term). Most viewers will recognize a slew of other actors in the mix stealing scenes throughout. Easy examples include the above mentioned Ice Cube, Rob Riggle, and Jake Johnson. Johnson has a small part but memorable turn as the school's principal who can't quite believe what the pair has gotten themselves into on their first day.

21 Jump Street is the rare film where I think it's perfectly fine to watch the trailer. Most of the jokes in it are either quickly dispensed with in the first 10 minutes or clearly came from alternate edits that never made the film. As such it provides a solid flavor without ruining the ability to enjoy the film. So check it out if you like, but definitely give serious consideration to seeing 21 Jump Street in the theater this weekend.

Wait. What? SXSW Film is over already!!?!

Well, technically the SXSW Film Festival isn't over at it runs through March 18th. But it's done for me - I'm flying back to Seattle as I write. No regrets - I depart with a ton of fascinating experiences under my belt. Some of which are movies. In addition to watching (some would say too many) films I did a bunch of other stuff, at least some of which I expect to make my favorite film experiences of 2012 that were not a traditional movie (see here for my inaugural 2011 edition). Some of the non-film memory based awesomeness I'm leaving Austin with includes:

• Meeting a ton of fascinating people. Ranging from the band Bee vs. Moth to many film directors, editors, and film critics of all stripes etc. My experience has been that people at SXSW couldn't be more friendly and ready to chat. Regardless as to what brought them to Austin.
• Watching the legendary Bad Brains front-man HR take over a Q&A after a screening of the dynamite documentary Bad Brains: Band in DC during which he demonstrated many of the qualities that brought drama to the film.

  

  HR of the Bad Brains at Q&A for Bad Brains - Band from DC

• Eating barbecue - Including finally getting a chance to eat at Stubbs and make my standard stop at The Saltlick's Austin Airport outpost (the only airport food I actually seek out).
• Watched smidge of live music - stopped by the Red 7 venue hosted by Sony for a while on Wed night. My first time being at a SXSW music event. Sort of what I expected - super busy with some talented folks playing
• Live music combined with film. There are a few festivals that have been featuring old-school silent films with new musical scores created by working bands and played live along with the film. SIFF typically has at least a couple of these each year I believe. On my final day in Austin I watched the 1919 film The Oyster Princess with an original score played live by Bee vs. Moth. The picture is described in the SXSW catalog as representing "director Ernst Lubitsch’s early Berlin-era silent comedies, and it revels in lush, intricate sets and absurdly choreographed parades of servants." It's a bit crazy, very funny at times (and not because a situation is called meshuga). A great way to end the festival.

  

  Bee vs Moth conducting Q&A after The Oyster Princess Screening

• The venues - Got to checkout some new venues such as the Austin tiny screening room jewel-box theater Violet Crown Cinema as well as the old Austin favorites. Including the big comfy couches in the back of the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz 2 theater. Midnight films get that extra oomph when you're enjoying them with a late dinner, dessert, or a delicious hard cider. I may write more later on the Violet Crown Cinema - it's probably going to be on the top list of suggestions from people giving feedback to the festival. Personally, I love the theater - great rooms, good food and delicious drinks (all of which you buy outside and carry in from the lounge). But for the festival its tiny size (sub 60 seat screening rooms) and some very poor management at least in the start you had to really work at seeing things there. My feeling is that if some changes are made it's worth keeping. More on that in future days.
• The crazy energy that is Austin during SXSW. This isn't the town (at least during the festival) for those with a tendency towards light based epileptic seizures or looking for peace and quite. But there's something insanely cool (at least for a few days) at being in what feels like the United State's artistic party epicenter. To give a sense, below is a snippet of video I shot Wed. night around midnight on 6th Street (a main drag for SXSW). I have some other footage that should be higher quality that I'll post in the future.

And then of course there are the films. Below is the list of films I watched. Roughly in the order I screened them. The first four are things I watched prior to the festival - either via screeners or in one case a local preview screening. Not on the list is the exceptional short Tumbleweed! which I didn't include only because I didn't have a chance to see the entire session it played in. Over the next week(s) I'll be working hard to catchup with either full or abbreviated reviews of each of the films on the list. I may do a SXSW top-ten list first. Depends on my moods - which can be fickle. I also have something on the order of 300 photos I need to go through and post. So if you'd like to learn more about this year's SXSW Film Festival - you may have come to the right place.

1. Italy - Love it or Leave It
2. Girl Model
3. 21 Jump Street
4. The Hunter
5. God Bless America
6. Midnight Shorts
7. Electrick Children
8. The Last Fall
9. Thale
10. Safety Not Guaranteed
11. Iron Sky
12. Los Chidos
13. Central Park Effect
14. Do Deca Pentathalon
15. The Raid - Redemption
16. Modus Anomali
17. Her Master's Voice
18. Documentary Shorts 2
19. Booster
20. Beast
21. John Dies at the End
22. Wonder Women!
23. Funeral Kings
24. Sleepwalk With Me
25. Girls Against Boys
26. The Sheik and I
27. Intruders
28. Bad Brains: Band in DC
29. The Aggression Scale
30. The Oyster Princess
31. Mustafa's Sweet Dreams

Girl Model

Girl Model is an absorbing documentary playing at SXSW 2012 - and one worth catching. It leaves enough unsaid to force one's brain to work to fill in the blanks while being compelling enough that I wanted to make this extra effort. The filmmakers  provide a peek into one of the less seemly aspects of the global fashion business, introduce probably the most memorable character in a doc this year and all within a case study of the lies people tell themselves so they can carry on making a good living at the expense of others. Now, onto a bit about what the film is about.

Turns out that part of the Japanese fashion advertising industry relies on young Russian girls to model their wares. The story picks up in Siberia during a casting session where scouts review girl after girl for possible jobs in Japan. The masterful opening shot visually walks through the cattle call as these young woman wait for a chance. A chance for what though? The promise for the few selected is riches and a career abroad. Opportunity that seems to be in short supply for most of them. It's clear from the setup that all these promises won't be fulfilled. Even without the stylistic cues objective observers who aren't forced to make the hard choices of their parents will recognize the seductive siren song of the long con at play here. What's less obvious is what the crash will look like, who's in on it, and if there truly might be a pot of gold waiting for a rare few.

The girls of the title are truly girls with one of the "winners" (and the film's core subject) being just 13 or 14. Nadya Vall is tall, with long blond hair and beautiful - or will be in a more adult way when she's older. We're told over and over by recruiter Ashley Arbaugh (and the film's more fascinating subject) that the Japanese market is looking for fresh young faces. The emphasis on young. Prepubescent might not be entirely unfair shorthand. Along the way we meet some other colorful characters. Notables include the Russian ex-military man who now runs the largest model mill in Siberia along with some sketchy version of scared straight involving live autopsy shock therapy. As well as Messiah the owner of the Japanese agency the girls are sent to. Neither of which in the limited onscreen interviews is ready to admit they're not model citizens. The Russian's story about how he's helping these girls is so strong I'm almost inclined to believe he buys his own fiction.

The filmmakers follow Nadya on her trip to Japan and tag along as she tries to get booked for a shoot. Things are not surprisingly tougher than the marketing material Nadya's parents were given. No money is guaranteed, support for the girls is minimal and it's more than easy to come back in debt. More or less the exact opposite of what we watch parents being told. Even if they do get work it's not clear they'll get paid. In what feels like a nod to record company stories of old the agencies will cheat them out of whatever they can get away with. Something we suspect even before it's laid out by one of the somewhat older models on your.

Then there's Ashley Arbaugh who is one of the most interesting and perplexing characters I've seen in a doc in quite some time. A former model herself there is footage inter-cut from her teens in Japan where she expresses nothing but contempt for the business. Clearly she must know that the bright future she pitches in Russia is just a mirage for most of the girls. Jumping back and forth between a degree of forthrightness and what looks like wholesale denial there's a lot of complexity on display. She emerges as a damaged but not that sympathetic character who funds her lifestyle selling a false set of dreams. Shots of her meticulously clean and sterile home wiped of traces of emotion further suggest a stand alone documentary about her would be fascinating. I've read she's the one who pitched the story to the filmmakers, further fueling my interest.

If one is to quibble with something it'd like be with the amount of detail that's not there. Such as what are the true financial incentives of the large players and is something even seamier going on outside of camera range. Conversations with Arbaugh hint at these things. But perhaps one of the charms though occasionally maddening bits about Girl Model is that the film leaves many such questions open. Personally I like that sort of thing. Others may feel differently on that count. Definitely think it's worth a watch at SXSW. The Q&A should be especially fascinating. And again if they did a film strictly focused on Arbaugh they might have a true (if very sad) hit on their hands. Or at least the subject of someone's psychology dissertation.