Hey folks, Harry here... with Massawyrm's Look at the Indie Indies that folks like you made and sent in. Discoverys? Marvels made by modern filmmakers hoping to appear at a theater near you. A couple of films... Particularly FIVE LINES which sounds like it could be really something... I'm demanding to see it from him soon, so we'll see...
Hey Harry,
Well, its time to put this ship into the water and see if it floats. Hope you're happy with the way things panned out. Here goes...
Hola all, everyone's favorite Chain-smoking, sequin wearing Jesus lookalike here with the very first installment of Massawyrm's Indie Indie Review. That's right, the time when we all avert our eyes from the glare of Hollywood and take a look at some of the truly independent films out there struggling for some dire needed attention. This week, my fellow indie watchers, I have a list of films for you that truly belong in the spotlight, films so good, I swear I don't know why anyone else hasn't discovered them yet. That's right, five very unique films that need your attention and support. Here we Go:
Features:
I have always felt that a truly great film needs to accomplish one of two things when dealing with the reality of a picture. It needs to A) Hold a mirror up to reality, being itself a reflection of human truth, human ugliness or human beauty. Or it needs to B) Exist as a world all its own, with different rules and truths, that despite our natural curiosity to question these rules, we do not, because we are so swept up in the richness of this world.
I have been fortunate enough this week to receive two magnificent examples of this theory, two films that really stood out in the crowd.
The first of these is a wonderful and heartbreaking film from Brainbox Productions entitled "Five Lines", the story of five people: A runaway, a soldier, a conman, divorcee and a homeless woman, and how their lives intersect. It follows each character along their track leading to the only possible conclusion. This film smacks of "Magnolia" and "Beautiful People" while it still manages to maintain its own stark originality and look. This film is simply beautiful. From opening to end this film is gripping, endearing and very real. Each character is deep and fleshed out, each story touching, each person believably real and flawed.
"Five lines" was shot on HD, and thus, as I saw it on the video transfer, had a shot on video look to it. But this is material that transcends the medium, so much so that you don't care about the lack of grain that we film lovers are so often quick to defend. I talked with Travis O. Gray, the producer of Five Lines, and he shared with me his plans of having it converted to a 35mm print, which of course would produce an effect much like Spike Lee's "Bamboozled" in that unless you're specifically looking during most scenes, you can't tell it wasn't shot on film. These blow up prints can be beautiful, and having seen the quality of this tape transfer, I have no doubts that this print will be just gorgeous.
The cast is perfect, a nice blend of fresh faces that all deliver memorable performances and leave lasting impressions. Each actor brings a very real feel to their characters and carry themselves as exactly the type of person you could be sitting next to on the Metro, at work or pass on the street. And that's really the point of the picture: this is a reality piece. And as I said before, showcasing human Truth, human beauty and human ugliness. This has it all. In spades.
The real star of this movie in my opinion, however, is Craig Moorhead, the editor. This film is so brilliantly edited, each cut either seamless or intentionally jarring, that a good majority of the films effect is created by the editing itself. Intercut images, fantastic transitions from character to character, and perfect pacing bring this film to its wonderfully tragic ending.
This film literally brought tears to my eyes at its conclusion and I have no doubt that once the major indie distributors get a hold of this that someone will pick this up. "Five Lines" is your critical darling piece, guys, the one you can showcase at festivals, open in arthouse theatres nation wide, then release on video to a very curious audience that normally doesn't frequent the arthouse set.
Its beautiful, moving, is shot and edited fantastically and just desperately needs to get out there for an audience to experience it. If you festival goers see this on the schedule anywhere, don't miss it. If you festival coordinators need some brilliant, deeply real films to round out your fest, seek this out. If you distributors...well, you know what to do. But until then, check out Brainbox's site for "Five Lines" at http://www.5lines.com
Brainbox Productions, Inc.
8113 Fenton Street
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone: (301) 657-3700
Fax: (301) 951-9605
While "Five Lines" is certainly the most moving film I've seen this year (it takes quite a bit to milk tears from these hard bitten eyes), the second film I'm going to talk about is definitely the coolest.
"Clowns". Yes, you read that right, "Clowns", a brilliantly twisted film in the vein of "Being John Malkovich". This film is dark, funny and wildly original. I've really seen nothing like it before. Think "Toys" only better and darker. That's the best I can do, because there just are no words to describe it and do it the justice it deserves.
"Clowns" is set on the prestigious campus of Clown University, a place where the best come to perfect the age old art of clowning. When a clown runs off because of stage fright, he enlists in the army and joins the Military Troop Show in hopes of forgetting his past and overcoming his fear of failure. Instead he becomes embroiled in the assassination plot of a high ranking government official taking place on his old stomping grounds, Clown University.
This film is nothing short of surreal and wondrous, a fairy tale spun with a masterful hand and an eye for the absurd. This is not Shakes the Clown. This is not Freaked. This is JFK on acid, Nixon on Shrooms. This is that cult film that makes the rounds for years, groups of people gathering together in someone's living room watching it in between "A Clockwork Orange" and "Waiting for Guffman". If ever there was a film destined for Sundance, this is it.
The film stands out in many categories. The Director of Photography, Alex Buono in no doubt someone to watch for. His shots are fantastic, sometimes a parody of the big boys he used to work with, other times wholly original shots and lighting concepts that almost convince you that you're not watching an independent film. They're just too good to have been made on a 1 - 2 million dollar budget (I'm guessing here, but if it were made for any less, this team would definitely be positioned to be the next Los Hooligans (Robert Rodriguez's production company).
Although the whole of the cast is fantastic, one actor really stood out, stealing every single scene he was in and leaving an extremely memorable impression . Adam Stein, watch for him. Playing the part of Clifford, the premodonna freshman desperately reaching for the spotlight that the assassination plot opens up for him, he blows you out of the water with his sheer charisma, delivery and poise. And damn, his costuming and make-up are just so damn cool, I swear, you can't take your eyes off of him.
And finally, Herr director himself, Joshua Shelov turns out the most impressive debut I've seen in a long time. that's what really gets me about this picture. This is his first film. Yet he and his crew have churned out a film that has burned images in my mind that no doubt will never leave me.
I've watched the film 3 times already in the last two days...I know, I know...to all those out there who still have films pending in my stack, I'm sorry. This film is just so damn good. Yours will have its turn at bat in the next few days. But until then, I have "Clowns".
Note, what I've seen is a workprint. So the music is mostly stock (although I implore you Mr. Shelov, keep those brilliant classical pieces and try to secure the rights to White Rabbit and Istanbul. Never before have those songs so perfectly worked with the screen.) and footage of an airplane was stock as well, but the rest of this film was near perfect. I can't wait to see the final edit.
Joshua Shelov
455 W. 34th Street #11G
New York, NY 10001
Phone: (212) 631-0391
Shorts:
Okay folks, now for the shorts program. I received three outstanding shorts this week that I think deserve your attention.
The first is a great 15 minute noir piece called "The Flock", a great little vignette that shows us a peek into a strange underworld that is never really explained. But that's what's so cool about the piece. You don't have to know.
The biggest problems with short films is that they either have pacing problems that make the short seem longer than it is or that the director doesn't adequately tell a story that is gripping enough to make the short worthwhile. "The Flock" suffers from neither of these. the 15 minutes fly by as you are drawn into this eerie little world and the story comes to a perfect conclusion.
Shot for $9000 on 16mm, this film has production values that look significantly larger in scale and really seems to be Guerrilla film making at its finest. There's one shot that uses a squib that looks so realistic, you'd swear someone like Savini was involved (he wasn't). The use of lighting in this piece was spectacular, reminiscent of such films as Argento's "Suspiria" and Soderbergs "Traffic". Each filter or gel evokes a mood for that scene that sets it apart form the rest of the film. Its really astounding what this team did with such a small budget. I'd love to see this group make a feature, something as slick and moody like this, but that goes on for a good 90 to 120 minutes. Man, what these guys would do with a good script. Any production companies hungry for some up and coming talent to helm a stylish piece really needs to contact the director, John Regan, and take a look at "The Flock". Festivals seeking good shorts need to consider this when it comes their way, or seek it out.
Quint, a mutual friend of ours and I sat and discussed this film for a solid half hour after I screened it for them. This kind of discussion is what these short film programs need, and what "The Flock" delivers. We all loved something different about the film, but we all agreed on one thing. This was a perfect example of the short format. Kudos guys, can't wait to see what you folks have in store for us next.
John Regan (Jr.)
109 Creedmoor Ct
Williamsburg, Va 23185
Phone: (757) 253-8415
Next is something very special, but I feel that there is something I should address about this column first. Animation. I love animation. Most everyone here at AICN loves animation. And there is quite a bit of brilliant, non-studio animation going on out there that needs dire attention paid to it. That means its, yes, independent. Of the over 40 pieces I received this week, only three of them were animated (but there's a promised feature called "Harbinger" that should be arriving to me in the coming weeks that had sceenshots sent to me that made me drool. Stay tuned for an update.) If you have some brilliant homemade animation out there, and because of this short in particular I'm about to discuss, I know its out there, send it to me in the proper formats. I love this stuff.
Okay, so on to the animated short. "f8", a mind bogglingly brilliant debut by an artist named Jason Wen, who diligently spent 2 and 1/2 years programming and designing this flawless 12 minute piece of animated eye candy. And it has a cool story to boot. This is hands down the best CG animated short I've ever seen. "f8" is the exact type of film we've been praying "Final Fantasy" would be, only it was helmed by one man with three friends assisting along the way. His brother wrote the screenplay, Andrew Jones Helped with Conceptual Art, and Casey Hess delivers a cool soundtrack reminiscent of Trent Reznor's awesome "Quake" soundtrack.
I showed this to my "Animation Whore" roommates who point out the flaws in every bit of animation they see. Their eyes bugged out, their jaws hit the floor and they were silent for all 12 minutes. Then I couldn't get them to shut up about it. They wanted to show it to all their friends (of course Massawyrm does not distribute tapes he receives, much to the irritation of my upset roommates).
This is essentially the digital resume of someone that will one day be a big name in the Computer Animation industry. Word is a major cable network has been toying with the idea of showing it on one of their shows (stop thinking guys and pick it up!), but this piece would make a great attachment to any animation festival and for any of you studios looking to break the adult animation barrier (that fictitiously exists I might add...if someone would market something correctly it could turn a profit and make for great viewing...but I'm digressing.)
Jason Wen's dream is to helm an adult animation CG project, as it has been my dream for years to see one, if not many. This guy has convinced me that he can do it. I have watched his short 5 times this weekend and I am still in awe. Somebody big WILL give this guy the chance he deserves, and geeks the world over will rejoice.
"f8" boasts a stunningly original world, amazingly beautiful landscapes, and images that make your toes curl they're so awesome. Need more convincing? Check out the 1 minute, 8 meg mpeg of the trailer and see for yourself at CLICK HERE
And finally, there's something for you film buffs out there that want to know what I'm talking about now...without having to wait for a studio or Distribution company or a festival near you to pick up these gems. I present to you fine folks "The King of Magicians", a very cool 20 minute short about the adventures of a magician who has lost his assistant.
This is a film that evokes the feeling of those great 30's and 40's cliffhanger serials, or to better describe it, what if Mandrake the Magician or Dr. strange walked into Rick's Cafe American. This is just a neat fun film that unfolds a wonderful mystery with a couple of twists that makes it an entirely different film the second time you watch it.
Now this film has done the festival circuit, which for a short film, is pretty much the end all be all for this type of picture. However, if you are the type of bloke that enjoys helping the little indie guy, and want to catch a cool short, you can pick up a copy of "The King of Magicians" for $15 here CLICK HERE!!!
The director, Paul Malmont, has a cool visual style and an interesting tale to tell. So if you don't mind shelling out the bucks, I definitely recommend it.
Well, folks, this weeks column is just about over, but there are a few things I'd like to mention. For you filmmakers that have films and they DO have distribution, but are still doing the festival circuit, send 'em to me. Let me review your work of genius and help put buts in the seats of your screenings. We all know that Festivals often have multiple films showing at once, and as a festival goer, I can tell you the hardest part about seeing the films is deciding which unheard of film to see.
Last year at the Austin International Film festival, I was caught trying to decide between four films. I was discussing it with several other festival goers and we all ended up seeing the one film someone had heard something about. Apparently a friend of hers had heard it was good from some unknown source. We went based on that info alone. it was better than nothing right. Turns out we saw "Before Night Falls". It had distribution, it had support. It had only about a dozen people in the theatre. I lucked out, I got to see a very good indie, based on some obscure source. Word of mouth...let me repeat that...word of mouth. Please send me your films. I want to help put those butts in seats.
And for all you indie filmmakers that are just now discovering my column and missed last weeks call to arms, send me your films. I want to see them, I want to give them exposure. That's what I do...when I'm not sucking down a Camel Filter and washing it down with a Dr. Pepper.
So keep those tapes, DVD's, VCD's and burned CD's coming. If I haven't mentioned your piece, and you have not received an e-mail from me, don't fret, I'll get to yours in the next few days. Remember folks, I review everything I get, if only in e-mail.
Until next week my fellow indie loving friends,
Massawyrm out.
