Cool News
SXSW: Nordling Reviews MY SUCKY TEEN ROMANCE!
Nordling here.
FULL DISCLOSURE: I know practically everyone involved with the making of this film. I've known Emily since she first showed up at BNAT one year, saw a zombie film, and it changed her life. I know Emily's mom, Megan - both Emily and Megan took me for Italian food one night when I was visiting Austin in 2009 and we had a fun time. I know Paul Gandersman, the producer. I know Tony Vespe, one of the actors in the film. Hell, there isn't a moment in the movie that someone doesn't walk by that I don't know. My boss is in the film. You need to know this going in. I even donated money to help Emily make her film. How you judge this review is entirely up to you. Just know this - this is an honest opinion of the film, and I feel that you need to know all of this up front. It wouldn't be professional of me otherwise. But this isn't some student project - this is a real film, it played at a real film festival, and a fairly prestigious one at that, and so it's completely fair to be reviewed by AICN and any other website who has connections with the filmmakers, as long as they disclose that.
Emily Hagins has more ambition than most people twice her age, and she's only 18. MY SUCKY TEEN ROMANCE is her third film, having made a zombie movie (PATHOGEN), a ghost story (THE RETELLING), and been a subject of a documentary (ZOMBIE GIRL). She's grown up being steeped in films and filmmaking, and with her latest film, Emily has shown her maturity and voice as a writer and a filmmaker. And although I wouldn't say that MY SUCKY TEEN ROMANCE is exactly ready for prime time, it's obvious that she's a gifted young woman and as she continues to build her talents, she could very well be a formidable talent in genre filmmaking.
The opening sets the tone, set in the 1950s as a James Dean rebel type hangs out at the local teen diner. A guy storms out and drives off, and a young woman sits on the bench, crying. The young guy sits next to her and asks if she needs a ride... and then the setup is quickly put in motion as we jump to modern day as Kate (Elaine Hurt) prepares to leave Austin for college. But Kate's a geek, along with her friends Jason (Santiago Dietche), Allison (Lauren Lee), and Mark (Tony Vespe), and so they want to go to one last geek convention together, Space-Con. This year's theme is vampires, and everyone seems to follow the TWILIGHT series, except for our heroes, who know better. Fellow geek Paul (Patrick Delgado) loves comics too, and likes Kate a lot, but a hold-up at the store he works at changes his life forever - he's bitten by a vampire (Devin Bonnee), who sees the opportunity to feed well at conventions like Space-Con. Once Paul and Kate meet, well, chemicals got to run their course, even in vampires, and Kate gets bit. As she begins to change into the Undead, Paul, Kate, and Kate's friends race against time to find the vampire that sired Paul and break the curse.
I don't want to oversell the film - the actors are amateur and struggle with the emotion and realism in the dialogue. I have to call out Tony Vespe, though - his Mark is a funny, natural character and Vespe does well with the role. But for the most part, the acting is stilted and tense, due to their lack of experience. Except for one particular cameo - Harry Knowles, who with his all-too-brief moment onscreen is a commanding presence, like Orson Welles in THE THIRD MAN. His "Are you fucking retarded?" should be his catch phrase with every role he takes. And I'm not just saying that because he's my boss. Ahem.
But Emily's script is funny and knowing - it takes the romance seriously. Kate and Paul are real kids - shy, nervous, not sure how to communicate through to each other, and it's not some fake, blown-out-of-proportion romance like TWILIGHT. Although the acting is too formal and not relaxed, there's nothing wrong with Emily's dialogue in this film. Emily also doesn't shy away from the gore - we get lots of blood spurts and guts, which I appreciated.
Frankly, if the film had a $15 million budget, professional actors, and some more drawn out action scenes, this would fit right in with any other studio release. The film has a small budget and it shows, but Emily's directorial style is snappy and has a sense of visual acuity. She knows how to set a scene and build the suspense. I don't want to disparage the actors too harshly. They just haven't had much experience yet, and they seem nervous, because this is a real film, with real setpieces. It's not just a bunch of kids screwing around with a camera. One sequence, where Mark sets up the rules of vampirism as he learned in a video game, is incredibly well executed, as the scene falls into 8-bit computer animation that explains the rules perfectly. The film has a kinetic flow that can't be faked - Emily has tons of talent here, and the editing by Shane Gibson hits all the right marks.
MY SUCKY TEEN ROMANCE is just one stepping stone to, I hope, further films in Emily Hagins' career. She's learning on her feet here - her film school is love of film and getting your hands dirty and just making a film and not just talking around it. She's only going to get better. As Kate leaves Austin to experience the wider world, Emily will do the same and have experiences that only increase her abilities and talents. I look forward to what she does next. MY SUCKY TEEN ROMANCE is a good effort, and it's a story with real potential - funny and heartfelt.
Nordling, out.
-
+ Expand All
-
In 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...
... -
Did I read that right?
-
F'ing reniggers.
-
when it comes weight by volume. no contest. -
Sounds like Emily made a fun, geeky vampire movie. I'll definitely be catching it. Thanks, Nordling.
-
Mar 15, 2011 11:01:17 PM CDT
Hey Nordling, thanks for being upfront about your connections!
by d.vader
Its about damn time someone here was! RESPECT.
-
Mar 15, 2011 11:07:10 PM CDT
That said, I don't really know how "dirty" she's getting her hands with this
by d.vader
I made movies a lot as a kid and teenager too. I didn't have mom and dad to pay for them or access to producers or website owners who could ask regular folk for money.
If I sound bitter, I'll admit I am jealous. Now that I'm older I have to save all the money I work hard for to put into my short films; I have to go around asking people for money or crew to donate their time for free.
Which is something I doubt she had to do in her early stages, or at least without having anything to lose.
Good luck to her. I'll just continue to think its a shame she won't actually *work* like the rest of us to make their films. If she does, I retract my statement, but based on the way AICN has treated her in the past, I don't think that's the case. -
pretty good on the disclaimer up front.
good on ya, good guy. -
thanks
-
great dude, now I have to clean off my
keyboard. -
Girls on AICN talkback? My word!
-
HAHAHA -
I mean, I'm totally a dead ringer for Jessica Alba.
FROREAL! -
I'm done. I'm posting on AICN.
I MUST BE SHITFACED. -
If I never get around to seeing this I won't be too torn up about it. I'm more excited for her first wide-release film. Emily's clearly a talented chick and I'm excited to see her mature as a filmmaker.
-
Mar 16, 2011 12:32:05 AM CDT
D. Vader, maybe take a cue from her instead of showing jealousy?
by pop_aristocrat
She funded her movie via 'net promotion and the Start-Up webpage, as well as asking for donations from various places, including businesses and community folks.
That's how you finance films: you look for people with extra money, and you ask them for it.
She did it just like everyone else, but on a smaller scale. -
Mar 16, 2011 12:32:52 AM CDT
Hire Emily Hagins to direct an episode of The Walking Dead!
by thejudger
-
Mar 16, 2011 12:51:25 AM CDT
Let me guess...someone from AICN made the documentary Zombie Girl about her right?
by jesiah
If I were to watch Zombie Girl I would not be surprised to see one or ten aicn avatars before and after the movie, if not through out also.
-
"I'm the Goddamn Batman." Just thought that he would.
-
I have to see this based on your description of Harry's cameo! "Are you fucking retarded?" will be the "Release the kraken" of this film as in the thing I wait the whole movie to hear! The trailer for this movie did amuse me any way and I always like to see what people can accomplish on a low budget. I'll check this out.
-
Are we in second grade here?
I wouldn’t mind being a girl. I could make some extra cash as a cam model. -
He seems more genuine than a lot of other reviewers, and I don't just mean on this site alone.
-
Mar 16, 2011 2:00:30 AM CDT
Yesterday I fell asleep with the TV on in the other room....
by bobo_vision
....and I woke up in the middle of the night to the sounds of 1408 playing on TBS. I heard scary music followed by the song "It's only just begun". Talk about a rude awakening. It was one of those creepy moments where you aren't quite sure if you're still dreaming.
-
...not too long ago. I woke up in the middle night to see a fat guy speed eating a huge bowl of mayonnaise. The next morning I had to think for a while whether it was real or not.
-
Mar 16, 2011 4:07:32 AM CDT
tallboy6t6 you should probably be banned for saying that
by melgibsoncalledmethenword
Yeah let's post misinformation and make people freak out.....just because you think they shouldn't talk about this movie. Fucking piece of shit.
-
I am thinking about that. Thanks for the tip! I sometimes wish it was as easy to make something then when I was her age compared to how it is now.
-
I wish I'd had access to the same advantages that kids today have -- not just this chicky with her connections -- I'm talking Web 2.0 stuff and the proliferation of video capture/editing tools for a mass market. Twenty-pound cameras with VHS tapes and Video TOAST! were my tools of youth.
I could have made it work. I didn't. I chose writing. Which, in the offing, I'm pretty grateful I did.
I won't watch this movie. I certainly wouldn't pay money for it. Good for Emily, though -- I just don't care about another teen vampire movie. -
I'm a sucker for Mel, crazy or no crazy - what's the word? I've not seen anything covered for it. Maybe it got pulled.
-
Kids these days with "the suspense". Always with "the suspense".
-
Mar 16, 2011 7:57:55 AM CDT
"her film school is love of film and getting your hands dirty and just making a film and not just talking around it"
by bobo_vision
HuhHHHHHH?
Johnny Cochrane's law school is love of law and getting your hands dirty and just making a case and not just talking around it.
That sound right? Say it out loud. -
it's 3d animation for free, too. Google 'sintel' and you'll see what I mean. Pixar-class 3d models for free. There's going to be a CGI/3d explosion out of Malaysia, where kids still know how to work their butts off...
-
Can you believe the nerve of it? Seeing opportunities around her and actually doing something about it, seizing the day and going out and making a film?
And how dare AICN, a film started by a huge film fan and staffed by more of the same, encourage and support a friend.
Makes me sick, it really does! -
Mar 16, 2011 9:50:27 AM CDT
"Her medical school is just a love of medicine...
by harryknowlesnonexistentinceptionreview
...and getting her hands bloody trying to heal people." Yeah, that works. Maybe when this little chick works on her talent and is able to start making real films with real actors, I'll go and catch one, but as long as she's just some chick friendly with the AICN crew, I'll pass.
-
Great catchphrase.
Retards have had it too good for too long.
Here let me show you what a REAL catchphrase looks like.....
CHOPPED!
-
Beaver is tonite at the Paramount. Rumored Jodie Foster in attendance.
-
He's quickly becoming my favorite AICNer.
-
I currently weigh many pounds less than Orson Welles at his death. And I'm no longer the fattest on AICN.
-
it was made by a pair of guys that are not only not a part of AICN, but that frankly I'm not fans of. They did some scummy shit regarding my sister during the hardest part of her life that I found quite offensive. That said, I'm happy their film took off and helped make a name for Emily. Because Emily is the real deal. And is a lesson for me about helping out youthful enthusiasm when I can. Like I did with Quint & her.
-
well - there hasn't been an official weigh in - and given what the AICN crowd has been eating during SXSW (not me, btw) it could be changing daily. But among regulars, Quint is probably heaviest - but he doesn't relish that distinction - and plans to start losing weight seriously - and as he told me when I pointed this out, he can totally smoke my ass in a foot race. (for now)
That said there's a couple of on and off again writers for AICN that top Quint. But my weightloss has begun to worry Capone - and is making him thinking about losing weight, especially if Quint begins dropping, because nobody covets being the "Fat One" quite the way I did. But I don't need the title anymore, and I'm determined to get down to 240lbs this year, which is 62lbs away. And I've already dropped 76lbs since January 13th. -
Wow, good job on the weight loss Harry. Keep it up.
-
...that's good news. Keep up the good work.
-
Right the fuck on with your slim self.
-
Remember when Harry reviewed Moriarty's script without saying beforehand that Moriarty was Harry's buddy? Hey, Harry, you may be fat and disabled but you're still an asshole for doing that.
-
It's mostly about who the fattest AICN writer is and whether or not Braindrain has a nice pair of funbags.
-
And is a fine example if you kiss enough ass, things happen.
Readers Talkback
User Login
Top Talkbacks
- THE DARK KNIGHT RISES TV Spot Has New Footage And Dialogue! UPDATED To Add Second Spot! -- 275 total posts 275 posts
- G.I. JOE: RETALIATION Delayed Nine Months...Thanks To A Force More Sinister Than Cobra!! -- 267 total posts 266 posts
- Gary Oldman Joins The ROBOCOP Remake! -- 139 total posts 139 posts
- Remember when I said I’d kill The Behind the Scenes Pic of the Day last? I lied. -- 137 total posts 137 posts
- UPDATE!! What The Hell Happened With G.I. JOE: RETALIATION?! -- 133 total posts 133 posts
- Cats Beware!! An ALF Movie May Soon Come Our Way... -- 160 total posts 114 posts
- Who Is The Voice Of Batman In WB's Animated Two Part THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS? -- 167 total posts 101 posts
- Quint has seen the brand new Jaws restoration and demands that Universal do a wide theatrical rerelease this summer! -- 81 total posts 81 posts
- THE EXORCIST Is Being Remade... -- 71 total posts 71 posts
- TODAY IS THE LAST DAY OF SWEEPS AND THE SEASON!! Chat Here About The Finales Of REVENGE, MODERN FAMILY, MIDDLE, BITCH, IDOL, TOW, ROCKERS, SVU And SOLD!! -- 51 total posts 51 posts