Movies With Dor

38 Witnesses and Pater launch my 12-movie run at Rendez-Vous with French Cinema

2012-03-03T08:17:00.003-08:00

My friend and I had planned to just see 38 Witnesses but it was Friday night in NYC and we're movie people, so it seemed unreasonable not to add another film (Pater) to our slate.

38 Witnesses starts with the grizzly murder of a beautiful 20-year old student in Le Havre, the French port city. It begins with all of the citizens living in nearby flats standing firm on having nothing to report about the murder. I learned just before the movie started that it was based on the Kitty Genovese murder in Brooklyn in 1964, although I see now only loosely based. This one dealt mostly with a married couple - he dealing with the complex feelings of guilt around what he heard and did or didn't do, and she trying to reconcile her judgement of him.

This movie was sooooome kind of melodrama. I liked how sparsely it was shot, with beautiful imagery surrounding the gigantic shops coming in and out of the port, etc. But the writing carried with it a heavy-handedness that seemed about double the severity needed. I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this movie.

Next we watched Pater, which we knew nothing about going in. (Which to me is one of the most exciting things to me about film festivals.) Thankfully, the lead actor was there to introduce the film and he explained it was made with one or two little cameras, just him and the director, after ten years of him convincing the (apparently quite prominent) director to work with him. The two shot it in the director's house, and the premise was that one was the President and one was the Prime Minister.

My friend and I agreed the movie felt like one gigantic inside joke. We laughed a couple of times. I wondered if I'm maybe not smart enough or maybe not French enough to understand or have enjoyed it further. The actor said it was nominated for Cesar awards. So... it must... be good? It sort of felt like The Trip, but a little more experimental and less funny. And that isn't even to mention the woman behind us who deemed it acceptable to comment regularly at full volume about the movie as it played. Real question - are some people physically incapable of whispering?

The Rendezvous begins tonight! Dor + IFC + French Cinema = YAY

2012-03-02T14:53:00.003-08:00

By this time next week, I'll be on my way to the hip, innovative and drowning-in-booze Austin Texas. But between now and then, I've got 12 films to see here in good ol' NYC, as part of the Rendez-Vous with French Cinema film series.

They're showing at a few different theatrical venues in this town, most notably my home away from home, the IFC Center.

Here's the list I'll be seeing. Kind of super psyched about it. Now, to find a way to actually get out of work on time to make it to all these screenings <gulp>.

38 Witnesses

Zarafa

Louise Wimmer

Farewell, My Queen

17 Girls

The Intouchables

Free Men

Here Below

18 Years Old And Rising

Paris By Night

The Well Digger's Wife

Guilty

DID I MENTION ALL THE TICKETS WERE FREE with my IFC membership? BTW that blessed thing has almost paid for itself, FYI. In less than two months. Yeahhh.

Bullhead - the Oscar Nominated Crazy intense Belgian film

2012-02-18T00:02:00.000-08:00

I wasn't too sure about this one, going into it. Nearly everyone I know who'd seen it was saying it was great, but hard to watch.

As the years pass, I'd like to think I've been better and better at stomaching the hard to watch. As soon as I discerned, in advance, that there was no animal violence to speak of in this story about a man who makes meat his career, I thought there was little else the movie could throw at me that would phase me.

Or. Not. 'Cause wow. Wow! Yeah.

I've seen more disturbing movies in my life. And I've seen better films, this year, in the same Oscar category (:::coughASeparationcough:::). But this movie will stick with me, for sure.

I brought someone who isn't really the same crazy movie person I am - and this movie not exactly being the latest Mission Impossible in terms of accessibility concerned me a bit. But I was relieved on a couple fronts to learn I wasn't the only one amongst the two of us who really enjoyed this one. Totally impressive, moving, strong character, compelling enough story. Recommended to most. Not to my parents, but most others.

Academy Nominated Doc Shorts - WOW, WOW, WOW.

2012-02-11T17:01:00.000-08:00

What a program.

We were joking going into it that we were going to be confronted 130 minutes of heavy sadness. Watching documentary film is often (and fairly, for the most part) branded as a very serious endeavor. One could say that holds true for almost all things Academy-nominated, really.

And this year's crop were surely no exception, but there was a strong undercurrent of hope that united them, as well.

Only four of the five nominees were shown, but it was still over two hours of outstanding non-fiction. I would not fight any one of those films (which ranged from 22 to 40 minutes in length) winning the big prize.

Two rose above the rest - one for the tremendous courage of its participants (Saving Face) and the other for its ability to poetically show overwhelming suffering being slowly overcome by new life, and dreams for the future of a country and people (The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom).

I kept thinking of my good friend Shiri during the latter film, mainly because I think she'll really like it, and just because I truly found it to be one of the best documentaries I've seen in a very long time - and I've seen a lot of great documentaries. I'm bummed she didn't come along.

It mind sound trite, but it's true - I thought quite a lot while I was watching about how lucky we are to be mostly safe and happy if at times troubled by minor setbacks and inconveniences. There is unimaginable suffering in the lives of others - and real strength that I can say for near certainty I'd be unable to display in a similar situation.

Where to watch the Oscar Nominated Shorts

2012-02-10T21:56:00.000-08:00

Want to impress your friends at your Oscar party by knowing what the heck they're talking about when they read off the Shorts nominees? Curious how you can gain the advantage in your Oscar pool?

Do not miss the 15 films nominated in this pint-sized category, split by Live Action, Documentary and Animated. Good things can and absolutely do come in small packages, and as luck would have it, you can appreciate them at a theater near you.

http://theoscarshorts.shorts.tv/

Minnesota friends - head on over to the Riverview or the Mall of America on specific dates. Los Angelenos - the Nuart, the Egyptian, the Music hall or the Laemmle Noho are your Shorts suppliers this season.

Take a look at the site because even if you're stuck in Lexington KY or Wilmington DE, you can get in on the action.

Watch my favorite of the Academy Award Nominated ANIMATED Shorts...

2012-02-10T21:39:00.000-08:00

Called The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore from Moonbot Studios on Vimeo.

It totally enchanted me. If you can watch the entire program in your city

I love that the shorts program they show in theaters features not just the Academy Award nominated ones, but others "of note." There were three in the entire program from Canada. Our neighbors to the north really brought it, this year. Other than the above, my favorite was one called Skylight, not up for an Oscar but delightfully entertaining and funny.

Movies I Need to See - which should I prioritize? What to skip entirely?

2012-02-10T08:46:00.000-08:00

Even though it seems like I spend almost every non-working waking moment watching movies, there are a surprising number on my "still have not seen" list. Not that I'm interested in seeing everything out there (Journey 2 - The Mysterious Island appears no where on my list) - but there are a fair number that are playing that I have just missed somehow.
Several of these I need to see if only for their Oscar nominations - Extremely Loud and The Iron Lady would NOT be on my list, otherwise.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
Chico & Rita
In Darkness
The Iron Lady
Crazy Horse
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
The Grey
Coriolanus
The Turin Horse

I better hurry and see all of these next week before Film Comments Selects screenings start and I am tied up with those.

NY pals, if any of the movies on the list above are on your list too, let's go together.

Unfinished Spaces doc at he IFC Center - Cuba, Que Bella Es!

2012-02-07T23:31:00.000-08:00

As if there weren't enough to love about the IFC Center, tonight was the second of eight Stranger Than Fiction screenings, which is a series they program there that brings a new (or sometimes old) documentary to audiences every Tuesday for a couple months straight. I will go next week, too.

Tonight they showed Unfinished Spaces, a documentary about a fascinating architectural project in Cuba. This movie also screened at the LA Film Festival last year and most recently at the Havana Film Festival. It introduced us to three architects appointed by Castro in the 60's to design five separate arts schools in Havana, and broke our hearts slowly as we watched what became of the once-cherished monuments over time. It was a surprisingly moving story that used bricks and arches and fountains as a metaphor both for the ever-changing historical landscape as well as possibly the lives of the architects who poured their hearts into the project. And here I was, expecting a fairly dry history lesson.

It would have been so fun to see the movie at a screening where the architect subjects were in attendance, but the two (super young!) directors were at least on hand for an insightful Q&A.

Here's a link to the trailer on Vimeo:

http://vimeo.com/19665915

THE SHORTS ARE COMING THE SHORTS ARE COMING! GET EXCITED PEOPLE!

2012-02-06T22:03:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite parts of Oscar season (outside of cursing anything and everything starring Sandra Bullock) is catching the live action, documentary and animated shorts at the IFC Center.

It's happening this weekend, y'all! Get excited!

http://www.ifccenter.com/series/2012-academy-award-nominated-short-films/

FYI if you were wondering what the best short film is that I ever saw as part of this program, I am happy to award that distinction to last year's animated short winner at the Oscars, The Lost Thing.

Watch it RIGHT FUCKING NOW, if you know what's good for you.

Chronicle. Or, a case for avoiding high school bullying at all costs.

2012-02-06T21:41:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it's good when the local indie theater by your house isn't showing a damned thing you haven't already seen.

That way you can go to the mega monster multiplex in Times Square with your friend, and see the movie you know jack crap about but that virtually everyone on your Twitter is praising.

Tonight, Chronicle was that movie. @kirkland24 was that friend.

I liked! It was a ride. I couldn't help but put myself in the shoes of those kids, finding out that they all of a sudden could do what they couldn't have imagined in their wildest dreams - control objects with their minds.

I liked how the movie focused on their discoveries on maximizing their new talents - the joy, the surprise, the plusses and the minuses that come along with great power, especially for those not necessarily emotionally ready to handle it. As with hand-held footage (or "found" footage- sorta?) there were a COUPLE of "uh - really, you didn't shut the camera off yet" moments but they were really cleverly explained well in advance.

I do have to say I can't remember the last time I noticed product placement like I did here. It's no coincidence I left there wanting some Pringles, or Baskin Robbins. Mmmm... ice cream.

Anyway - good fun, no complaints, would recommend.

Norwegian Wood

2012-02-04T16:58:00.000-08:00

I've seen now enough movies at the IFC Center that I'm showing up for ones I only sort of want to see.

That's how I felt about Norwegian Wood before I caught the 2 PM today.

Two and a half hours later it was clear why I was lukewarm about going in the first place. Halfway through the movie, I was only beginning to warm up to/care about the characters. You could definitely tell these were people who were richer, with clearer motivations and more meaningful interactions. Flat. Beautifully shot, with some truly gorgeous locations, and fine performances, but flat.

I should have read the book. I should have read the book. I should have read the book. How many times have I told myself that? Well, it's very true in this case, that's for sure. I guess it usually is.

At any rate, in less than a week the Academy-nominated shorts will open and I'll return to having a wide slate of films there from which to choose.

The Pruitt-Igoe Myth - my third movie at the IFC Center this week

2012-02-02T22:14:00.000-08:00

... I wish I could tell you I didn't accompany it with my third bucket of popcorn this week but dear reader(s) I am not in the habit of lying to you.

Anyway, I enjoyed the movie. The documentary centered on a public housing project built in St. Louis in the '50's that less than 25 years later was branded a complete failure after the once promising initiative fell into miserable conditions and eventually completely destroyed.

The film relied heavily on (albeit compelling) accounts from former residents painting a picture of life inside this highly stigmatized but in fact quite family-oriented and at times happy community. The perspective of the city planners and other residents of St. Louis were displayed through archival footage but I thought it would have been interesting to see what some of them thought today, how/if the passing of time had given them perspective.

Mostly though, I thought about how nicely this tied into two other documentaries I saw recently about the experience of the marginalized urban poor - particularly Slavery By Another Name and The House I Live In. Each of these three movies focuses on a totally different topic - the first being how for decades after slavery ended, it was still practiced in one form or another, and the second being a fascinating look in part at how the US war on drugs has ravaged entire communities, particularly the poor and minorities (although not exclusively). Having seen these three movies in the last week or so, I've spent quite a lot of time reflecting on not only my own life of privilege and whether or not I've taken the opportunities I've been given for granted, but mainly on the myriad invisible social systems that are in place affecting the ability of so many to live a prosperous and happy life. And above all, it's been really eye-opening to be reminded of how relatively recently it was perfectly fine for folks to be so blatantly, overtly, plainly racist. When I think back to that stuff, it's easier to imagine it as in the far distant past, no matter how untrue that is.

I also found it interesting that the movie was virtually sold out - there were at least 100 people in there.

Seeking Movie Buddies 'cause I have unlimited access to IFC Center for a year!

2012-01-31T21:22:00.000-08:00

I've gone and done it. Something I've been threatening to do for over a year.

I bought the fancypants IFC Center membership. Not the "get $5 off any admission, and a coupon for a free small popcorn" membership but the "oh hey crazy person - now you can get unlimited tickets for you and a guest, plus we'll throw in a large combo at concessions each time you show up."

I've already used the membership twice since buying it yesterday.

Also - I found out that there are only 8 or 9 people who have this membership.

THIS IS GOING TO BE AWESOME! I apologize in advance that I am going to become obsessed with it and not be able to stop talking about it.

So, guests - who wants to see a movie with me (or five) at the IFC Center sometime (many times) in the next 12 months?

Declaration of War AKA My First Post-Sundance Movie was a Sundance Movie

2012-01-31T15:19:00.000-08:00

You can't run a marathon without a little cool-down period, right?

I noticed that one movie that played Sundance this year, called Declaration of War, was opening in theaters in NYC immediately following the festival, so I made a point of not seeing it during this year's festival.

Instead I went and saw it the day I flew home from Sundance. This helped me slowly ease myself off of seeing nonstop festival films.

This was France's submission for the Oscars this year, and I think it even made the short list (but was not nominated). It's about a new, young family coping with the unthinkable: a child's serious illness.

The director made some really interesting choices - for example, huge life events are glossed over by montage but another element that might seem inconsequential are given 10+ minutes of screen time. Also there are some interesting quirks (musical and otherwise) that add a strange layer to what would normally be quite a serious drama. Those devices (except for one) worked fine, from my perspective.

What really added to my enjoyment of this movie was learning that not only was this a true story, but that it was written and directed by, and starring those who actually lived it. That fact alone makes it way worth anyone's time.

My Sundance BFF Efrain has a Sundance Blog too

2012-01-29T22:23:00.000-08:00

Read about his Sundance 2012 journey here:

http://iieeef.tumblr.com/

Sundance 2012 Wrap Up Post - non-film version

2012-01-29T21:43:00.000-08:00

I look forward to Sundance all year long. I've said before (okay, I say it maybe daily) that it's my Christmas. So, I have to post-mortem it into oblivion.

Allow me to list what I liked and what I didn't like about this year's festival experience. What ruled and what didn't.

Not so awesome:

* I didn't get to see David (D2), my LA buddy who was in town but attending mainly P&I screenings. I blame this on D2 not having any social media presence whatsoever. Grr!

* The amount of cell phone usage going on in theaters. I cannot. Even. Type. About. This. I will get worked up. I might write a separate thing on it because it was so beyond the pale, folks. I've seen more respectful audiences at the Regal Union Square on packed Friday nights. Some people need to really be ashamed of themselves. Now I am worked up. Damn it.

* The Temple theater. Seriously, people - a venue that takes 30+ minutes to get to on a GOOD day, has almost no cell phone service, no place to sit and wait between movies, and three bathroom stalls for a 314-seat house? Was there NO OTHER place we could show movies? Surely Sundance can get another PC hotel or conference center to lend some space like the Yarrow or the Prospector.

* This year's bumper - that is, the little trailer that plays before the movie starts. This is typically a 30 second little video that sets the tone of the festival, thanks the sponsors, and shows a little creativity and cleverness. This time around? It's like someone thought to himself "how can we make 1,300 people at a time want to avert their eyes to avoid throwing up? Oh I know, we'll throw about $5.00 in cash into creating a basic yet at the same time ugly thing that scrolls by super fast but just slowly enough so that you have enough time to keep shutting your phones off before the movie starts." Barf!

Super awesome:

* Good people. I was delightfully attached to Mr. Efrain Schunior at the hip throughout the entire film festival and though we disagreed on nearly every movie, we agreed on the important stuff - GUMMIES! Beyond my dear Eef, I loved being able to spend a fair amount of time with my good buddy Amber - we usually don't cross paths at all during the fest due to how busy we are. Matt, Tim & I shared many a warm shuttle ride, as we do. I also enjoyed several conversations with the likes of the ever awesome Jordan, Kate, Brian, Chase.

* Not getting sick. At all! I took Emergen-C every day, which I guess might have helped? And I was sick like two weeks before Sundance so maybe the Universe was like eh let's give the girl a break.

* 55 movies! I did it. Shattered my previous record of 52 films set last year. Holla! Oh and I was not shut out of ANY movie - I got into everything I wanted to see. Which brings me to my next awesome thing...

* Having a badge and tickets. This was my first year actually going to the festival with some tickets in advance, believe it or not. I bought a ticket package that allowed me to choose 20 tickets in advance during the first five days, and I also invested in an Adrenaline badge which granted me access to any movie showing before 11 AM or after 10 PM (which translates to two movies per day, the one in the 9 AM time slot and the one in the midnight one). Unsurprisingly, this was fucking awesome. I was worried it would lock me into my choices and mean that I couldn't adjust according to what the audience & critical reaction was. And to a certain extent that was true, but I was still able to adjust the morning and midnight movies. Plus, any freedom I lost was completely compensated for in STRESS I DID NOT FEEL about not having tickets. There were multiple occasions where I actually got to sit down and have a meal with my friends, like a normal person. A meal! At Sundance! And I even went to a few parties. I will Definitely invest in a ticket package and an Adrenaline badge next year. Highly recommended.

Sundance 2012 - All 55 Films I Saw, How I Rate Them

2012-01-29T20:48:00.000-08:00

Sundance 2012 is over and my final count of movies seen comes to 55 - a personal best and one I'm not likely to top again.

Here's everything I saw, followed by how I'd rate it on a 5-point scale where 5 means I loved it and 1 means I hated it.

Queen of Versailles (4)
Hello I Must Be Going (4)
Searching for Sugarman (4)
I Am Not a Hipster (4)
About the Pink Sky (2)
Keep the Lights On (4)
Tim & Eric's Billion Dollar Movie (2)
Marina Abramovic - The Artist Is Present (4)
Detropia (3)
Robot and Frank (3)
My Best Day (3)
Me at the Zoo (2)
Black Rock (3)
The House I Live In (4)
The Pursuit of Loneliness (2)
Liberal Arts (4)
Red Hook Summer (1)
For a Good Time, Call... (5)
V/H/S (4)
Corpo Celeste (4)
Oslo, August 31st (5)
2 Days in New York (3)
The End of Love (3)
Grabbers (3)
The Surrogate (4)
Save the Date (3)
Gypsy Davy (4)
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry (3)
Beasts of the Southern Wild (5)
Wrong (2)
Shadow Dancer (3)
Indie Game (4)
The First Time (1)
Wish You Were Here (3)
This Must Be the Place (3)
Shut Up and Play the Hits (4)
The Ambassador (3)
Safety Not Guaranteed (4)
The Comedy (3)
Teddy Bear (5)
Slavery by Another Name (3)
Room 237 (3)
The Impostor (3)
Sleepwalk With Me(4)
Smashed (3)
28 Hotel Rooms (5)
Young & Wild (4)
Price Check (4)
The Invisible War (5)
Love Free or Die (3)
Bachelorette (2)
Arbitrage (4)
Violeta Went to Heaven (3)
My Brother the Devil (3)
Chasing Ice (4)

You'll see that my favorites were Teddy Bear, Oslo August 31st, 28 Hotel Rooms, The Invisible War, Beasts of the Southern Wild and For A Good Time Call.

When I get back from Sundance every year I am inevitably asked what movies folks should look out for. My recommendations for my non-film-obsessed friends might vary a bit from the short list of movies I gave a "5" rating to, though. What I think will make a big splash in the specialty (if not mainstream) movie market in the next year are two movies - The Surrogate and Beasts of the Southern Wild.

The Surrogate is with Helen Hunt (the sex surrogate) and John Hawkes (the iron lung-confined polio survivor who hires Hunt to help him). Audiences here freaked out about the performances (rightfully so) and the inspirational, moving tale of a disabled man exploring his sexuality for the first time in an attempt to live life to its fullest.

Beasts of the Southern Wild was the breakout discovery of the festival, the one people on the streets from casual moviegoer to filmmaker to critic couldn't help but gush over. It's pretty hard to describe, but definitely be on the lookout for it.

I hope that The Invisible War gets a very wide release because it was the documentary that moved me the most of any. It can best be described as an enraging look at the epidemic of rape in the US armed forces. Well-made documentary, engaging subjects, important issue.

Bachelorette was in the premiere section and has a big name cast (Kirsten Dunst, James Marsden, Isla Fischer, etc) and will no doubt get a wide release but I would advise against seeing it unless you want to spend 1.5 hours shaking your head and glaring. What a group of hateful and annoying people.

You may hear about Arbitrage a great deal in the coming year as well, and rightfully so - it had a great story and solid performance by Richard Gere as a billionaire who is faced with intense pressure in a week where his personal and professional life is falling apart around him.

About to watch my final (and actually 54th I think) film of Sundance 2012

2012-01-29T16:47:00.001-08:00

Eef left Sundance a day early!

2012-01-29T00:59:00.001-08:00

But before he did, we recorded this final vlog, for your (or, let's face it, our own) enjoyment:

How I found @iieeef when I returned from my midnight movie last night.

2012-01-28T10:18:00.001-08:00

Not pictured - the Laura Brannigan music blasting from his laptop while he slumbered.

Random Sundance snapshots for today

2012-01-27T22:54:00.001-08:00

Dor & Eef Live from Sundance Vlog #9

2012-01-27T20:55:00.000-08:00

A few photos from Sundance of actors from Q&As

2012-01-27T12:51:00.000-08:00

^ Kate Bosworth, Lake Bell, Kate Aselton from Black Rock

^ Josh Radnor, director of Liberal Arts

^ Alison Janney, Richard Jenkins & Elisabeth Olson from Liberal Arts

^ William H Macy from The Surrogate

^ John Hawkes from The Surrogate

Dor & Eef Sundance Video Blog #8 - Live from the Ticketholder Line

2012-01-27T06:26:00.001-08:00

The Dream Team including @ninjaworrier and @iieeef in the front row of the Prospector ready to watch Teddy Bear

2012-01-26T16:32:00.001-08:00

A solar system of cell phones at the Eccles

2012-01-26T12:44:00.001-08:00

Dor & Eef video blog from day before yesterday, now that hotel wireless is cooperating

2012-01-26T06:49:00.001-08:00

Shut Up & Play the Hits, This Must Be The Place = 2 movies I also saw today.

2012-01-26T01:07:00.000-08:00

It was another six-movie day. If you were to meet me at this hour I'm not sure I could tell you my name. I am fuckkkkked up tired, y'all. But, I am staying awake during the movies for the most part, and I am in good spirits. Can't believe the festival is already winding down. Although at the same time it feels like a month ago that we were watching Queen of Versailles on opening night. Anyway - here's how these last two movies fared with me.

This Must Be The Place

I was not also planning on seeing this one since it was a late addition and I didn't even read about it until today. But, they had me at FRANCES MCDORMAND. Obviously. From there, I was intrigued by the idea of Sean Penn playing an aging goth rocker. What a bizarre movie, y'all. I laughed a lot, especially during the first half, but I'm not sure if it's because it was funny or because of the shock of seeing Sean Penn in eyeliner and lipstick talking in his I Am Sam voice. I *think* I enjoyed it - but I also think it went very down-hill once his road trip started. Oh yeah, did I mention this weirdo goth guy is on a quest to track down his late father's nazi persecutor? Even though it did get worse the longer I watched it, I'm indeed glad that I saw it and I might even recommend others seek it out, if only to be able to discuss it with me, please!

Shut Up and Play the Hits

I haven't bought (or downloaded) a new album since the late '90s. I'm regularly teased for this. So it should go without saying that I both missed the farewell LCD Soundsystem show in NYC and really wasn't that familiar with their music to begin with . I wanted to see this one solely because I knew my friend John would kill me if I didn't, since he loves them.

That same friend John as well as my friend Ahmad were in the front row of the show they filmed to make this movie. They were featured in so many shots that I felt like I was watching a documentary of John and Ahmad going to a show. It made me happy. At one point during a song which may be called North American Scum they had such a great shot of Ahmad that I was applauding and grinning and people were looking at me funny as I watched.

Aside from the John & Ahmad stuff which was of course utterly enjoyable, I thought the movie stood very well on its own even for a non-fan. I loved how along with the actual concert shots, they interspersed interview footage (from an interview conducted at the Spotted Pig I see) and just some slice of life stuff from James' day or two following the last show. Add to this the fact that it was all filmed in NYC, and heavily featured two of my dearest friends - I can safely say this movie made me start getting a little homesick!

Tomorrow is another six movie day ... cry........

Here goes nothing. Not that excited for this movie

2012-01-25T22:23:00.001-08:00

Not to mention I am the least cool person in this audience.

I think this is #36.

Who spots what is making me laugh about the ticket I was just handed outside the Egyptian?

2012-01-25T19:47:00.001-08:00

Tim is 3 for 3 on getting a particular wait list number and he is NOT amused!

2012-01-25T19:02:00.001-08:00

More Sundance impressions - Ai Wei Wei, Grabbers, Wish You Were Here

2012-01-25T18:59:00.001-08:00

Wish You Were Here

I had this movie on my list the entire festival but I kept missing it. This usually works to my disadvantage because I hear things about a movie - either positive or negative - that shape my expectations. In this case, it may have actually worked to my advantage, because so many people I know were underwhelmed by the movie.

I liked it! I was engaged the entire time. The performances were good, the story was interesting, I bought it, I didn't know what was coming next - no complaints at all! This further solidifies the fact that Eef and I agree on almost NO movies. I MISS YOU, SHIRI! My movie twin. Wish YOU were here. Har, har.

Ai Wei Wei - Never Sorry

I'll admit I knew next to nothing about this artist before I saw the movie, outside of some of the basics of his recent detainment. So, I really enjoyed this glimpse into the personal life and career of China's most prolific artist and activist. Because I am neither an artist nor an activist but I am most definitely a cat lover, I appreciated the fact that it seemed like nearly every shot of the film contained a cat - the man owns 40+ house cats at his home studio - and there was even a shot in the beginning of a cat who learned to open doors using the handle. In all seriousness, I loved how the movie used social media graphics (particularly Twitter) to help both move the narrative along and illustrate this man's popularity among the masses. And all the museum footage actually inspired me (yes, me, philistine extraordinaire) to want to go home and buy a membership to the MoMA.

Grabbers

Folks who know me very well might think I had made up the name of this movie during a sleepy haze, because I am notorious for adding "-ers" to the end of silly words. Alas I cannot take the credit for naming this fun, adventurous, hilarious Irish movie, all about alien sea monsters invading a picturesque island port. Did I mention that that the monsters kill by drinking blood, and they're poisoned by alcohol, so the only way to fend off the beasts is by getting shit-faced? This is the kind of armageddon I hope befalls me later in life.

A few miscellaneous snapshots

2012-01-25T13:32:00.001-08:00

Sundance - Must keep typing to stay awake

2012-01-25T13:29:00.001-08:00

Two more movie impressions from this week.

Indie Game

It may come as a shock to hear that I am not much of a video gamer. Nevertheless I terribly enjoyed the documentary I just saw which profiled a handful of different indie video game designers - teams of one or two people who do their own video games from concept to execution. On a morning where I am so exhausted I was falling asleep while standing up looking for tickets, I could have so easily passed out in an even moderately-paced documentary. But I didn't get even the slightest bit drowsy. What drama, what intrigue, what artistry and humanity in these talented guys!

Save the Date

Los Angeles relationship dramas with a young beautiful cast can grate after a while and are no less than a dime a dozen 'round these parts, but this one stood out ahead of the pack to me. I thought it was clever and created a nice little world of an artist who doesn't quite know what she wants from two important men in her life, and can't rely as much as she should on her sister who is preoccupied with marriage planning. Mark Webber was my favorite part. This was a sweet and satisfying little movie.

Sundance Movie Post - Hopefully now with carriage returns

2012-01-25T10:02:00.001-08:00

As you may have noticed, I am falling ever slightly behind in writing about the movies I've seen.

The three of you who've been reading my Sundance blog from years past won't be surprised by this - I always run out of steam about this point in time and then start feeling badly about it.

Maybe I'll take a different approach and just mention a few favorites, for now.

Gypsy Davy

This is a world doc, and a very personal story - written and directed by a grown woman looking to understand more about the father who left her and her mother when she was an infant. Her famous father, who despite having grown up in the US, became a successful Flamenco guitarist in Spain. For the first five or ten minutes of this movie I doubted the relevance or entertainment value of such a private drama, but as the story unraveled it got more and more compelling, thanks in part to the way she chose to reveal key details about her dad's past. In the end I found it surprisingly relatable even for someone without any dad issues. I hope this little movie has a life after Sundance.

Beasts of the Southern Wild

This is the one everyone's been freaking out about. I didn't have it on my list initially - not because it didn't look good, but simply because it was on the very first page of the film guide and when I printed out the PDF to select my films, I left that page behind. Of course after people started losing their shit about it I quickly squeezed it into my schedule and of course it did not disappoint. Which actually says a lot considering the massive hype around it - as only Sundance can manufacture.

I can't really add much to the dialogue about this one that hasn't already been said but I agree with everyone who says it's positively gorgeous to watch, heartfelt without being cheesy or sentimental, and original as just about anything I've seen here. It's a bit of a cop-out to compare an original movie like this to any other movie but if I had to, I'd say it's maybe Tree of Life meets The Rescuers. The movie does contain one device I normally cannot stand in movies and that's children who are wise far, far beyond their years. I can't explain why it didn't really bother me here - possibly based solely on the strength of the kid's performance.

Oslo, August 31st

This one is probably my #1 favorite of the festival so far. It's about a recovering addict out on a day leave from rehab, to sort out his affairs and go on a job interview in preparation for release. You've seen movies with a story like this before, but none this poetic, none this gut-wrenchingly real and beautiful. This one hit me very hard. A heavy film but also in some way revelatory.

30 film milestone = exhaustion

2012-01-25T00:53:00.001-08:00

Dor & Eef Live from Sundance #6

2012-01-24T07:05:00.001-08:00

Eccles mugging with Dor

2012-01-24T00:52:00.001-08:00

Very Sleep Vlog. Live from Sundance, #5

2012-01-23T02:08:00.000-08:00

Dor & Eef - Video Blog #4 (Sunday 1/22)

2012-01-22T13:57:00.001-08:00

Please excuse me for eating lunch and not having worn any eye makeup. I woke up late today.

Sundance - More Movie Reactions

2012-01-22T13:56:00.000-08:00

Robot & Frank

I chose this movie because Frank Langella is fantastic. It's set in a "near future" where an older man who lives alone is having some... memory issues, and his son decides to invest in one of those new fangled robots that will him set a routine - everything from cook his food, to stimulate his mind by planning activities like gardening. When the old man decides

The film is being praised for its heart and I agree that exists there in abundance. And I did enjoy it, but I thought the script was sloppy - too many convenient turns of event, many of which I was like "ehhhh - I really don't believe that would happen." But, I liked all the images from the future (really cool imagining of personal electronics and cars- felt credible, not silly) as well as some of the modern cultural struggles like what becomes of libraries. I just couldn't really think of this movie as anything other than just "good."

My Best Day

Ah - a NEXT movie. Quirky characters, off-the-wall situations, no actors you've ever recognized from anything before, a first time film-maker/writer/etc. Not that ANY of those things are bad, it's just what I have come to expect from a movie screening in this section of Sundance.

And this one was no exception. A movie where everything takes place in one day. A young woman forced to work at her receptionist job at a refrigerator repair place on the 4th of July gets a call about a broken appliance, and when she takes down the info she realizes it's the name of her father, whom she hasn't seen since she was a toddler, along with her sister who left with him at that time. From there we meet an entire cast of interesting folks, from his bullied-but-determined youngest son to the total player (and hilarious) lesbian repair woman.

I enjoyed a couple of the running gags, especially the one that had one adult traipsing around a small town looking for meatless meat. To me, the film had great intent and kept me entertained throughout. But a few of the performances left something to be desired, and the plot as a little zany. I will remember the movie fondly and look forward to what the cast and crew do next, particularly the writer/director Erin Greenwell and one of the lead characters, Ashlie Atkinson.

Me at the Zoo

I'm not a YouTube person. I've used it more over the last three days, coincidentally, than I have in probably the last year. I don't know why I selected this documentary of Chris Crocker since not only had I not heard about him, but the YouTube culture doesn't particularly interest me in and of itself. I don't think it was a bad film at all - it was certainly put together well. But there's just nothing redeeming or interesting about the subject who is, by the way, someone who I learned has been video blogging since his early teens and was the guy behind the "leave Britney alone" videos. It reminded me of a vapid version of the film Tarnation. I didn't understand the need to make this movie. I'm not saying the kid hasn't had tough times or that portions of his story weren't compelling but his overall persona was overwhelmingly obnoxious and nothing was really done to explain exactly why we should care about him. If this is a movie for our time or that says something about the 21st century in any way, all the more reason to really wish I'd been born about 50 years earlier.

Black Rock

The Duplass family (Jay & Mark, Mark's wife Kate Aselton) can do basically no wrong in my eyes. The Puffy Chair, Baghead, Cyrus, Jeff Who Lives at Home - all big favorites of mine (especially that last one). Kate's first film as a director was The Freebie which I wouldn't necessarily rank above the aforementioned titles in any way, but it was good enough. Anyway - since Mark Duplass wrote Black Rock, with Kate directing and starring, I was expecting quite a treat.

It starts out as three 30 year old old friends going on a camping trip to an island off the coast of main. Two of them take some serious convincing since they have been out of touch following an incident several years back, but they're ultimately talked into it by the peacemaker of the group (Kate Bosworth). Of course since this film in is in the midnight section, you can imagine that what starts off as a harmless camping with cute, natural dialogue set against gorgeous scenery quickly goes south when they meet a few other guys on a hunting trip on the island. They're military buddies who've been back from the middle east for only a few weeks.

It was a fun and scary if not terribly original thriller, and I am glad to have seen it. It's not my favorite genre by any means but I enjoyed it a lot. The strength of the film came from the chemistry between the three women. For some reason Kate Aselton reminded me of Jenny Lewis. I guess it was the red hair and the bangs.

More Movie Reactions

2012-01-21T14:00:00.000-08:00

I'm up to 9 movies so far. Here's my impression of the last few.

Keep The Lights On

I loved Ira Sachs' short film from a couple years back called Last Address which was a documentary lovingly showing the audience the last homes of a number of noted NY artists who died of AIDS. So, I knew this guy had a tremendous eye for showing off the beauty of my city. This next film of his, equally sweet and serious, shows off how familiar he is with the life of a gay man. The director made a comment about how he never sees his world on screen, not exactly. I liked the way he told this story of a near decade long relationship between a Danish filmmaker and his publisher partner who has more than a few demons. But then again, don't we all? That's what I liked about this movie - that it managed to show everyday life's ups and downs within this community without over-stylizing or the element of cheese. I'm not sure this will make my list of Sundance favorites but I am glad to have seen it.

Tim & Eric's Billion Dollar Movie

This one didn't originally make my list of movies I was going to see, but I added it because a few friends were so pumped for it. In hindsight I might have gone with my gut here. Not to begrudge anyone who enjoyed it, but I don't think it's quite for me. I did, however, think back more than once to Strangers With Candy, just in that they're both cult TV shows whose movie adaptations premiered in the Sundance midnight section at the Library. What a night that was. Fewer gross-out shit shots and "auuhgh no they did not just show that" ridiculous violence - but irreverence is irreverence and to each his own.

Marina Abramovic - The Artist Is Present

I did not see Marina Abromovic's lauded performance art piece at the MoMA but I was strongly cautioned to see it many times by several friends. As a way of making up for unceremoniously missing it, I figured the least I could do was catch the HBO Films documentary that profiles the life and 40-year career of this at times controversial woman.

I'm not regularly mistaken for a connoisseur of art, outside of film anyway. But that doesn't mean I can't be eerily drawn to a riveting and well-told story. I would highly recommend this one.

Dor & Eef Mid-day sober Sundance video

2012-01-21T13:48:00.000-08:00

Wherein we dish about the masturbation scene in Young & Wild, the Park Regency hotel's hypocritical security policy that could have lost us all our electronics if Amber was a shady person, and finally the day's films so far.

Late night Sundance round up

2012-01-21T01:35:00.000-08:00

A few random thoughts at 2:30 AM, a mere five hours before my alarm goes off.

* I now see that updating my blog from Safari on iPhone completely removes carriage returns. No more that.

* Tim & Eric's Billion Dollar Movie = not really my cup of tea

* It is wayyyy too early in the festival to be this tired. I am blaming it on the vodka. No more that, either.

Efrain & Dor Vlogging From Sundance - Day 2!

2012-01-21T01:25:00.000-08:00

Dor and Eef out and about before our last 2 films of the day

2012-01-20T21:41:00.001-08:00

Reactions to First Four Sundance Movies

2012-01-20T13:04:00.001-08:00

Because I don't like to know too much about the movies I am about to see here before I see them, it's often a real gamble. Which is fine - anyone who comes to a film festival not expecting to see their fair share of crap is more than little deluded.That said, I've been really lucky with my first four choices thus far.

I am hoping to see my streak of great movies continue for at least the rest of the day if not beyond.Here is what I saw so far. You'll be kind to excuse the cliches and misspellings - I am not a writer, but I do like being able to come back and remember what I liked and didn't like throughout the year, and make recommendations to others, so I jot this down.

The Queen of Versialles

This timely documentary that started off being about a wealthy businessman building the largest home in the US and quickly quickly turned darker in tone after recent economic events has been getting some press recently because its subject is suing Sundance. Apparently the guy (without having seen the film) doesn't like the way he's portrayed in some of the promotional materials.The filmmaker wisely declined to discuss that at her Q&A, and that was fine because the film perfectly stands alone as a fascinating, sometimes funny, often sad story of greed and redefining what it is to live within your means. I made the comment before and I stand by it: it would have been so easy to take shots at wealthy people who are so far removed in a lot of ways from real life. But that would do them and the audience a disservice since real life isn't always that simple. These folks are more than cariacatures here, and the director thankfully resists the urge to turn them into that even though she must have had plenty of opportunities. I hope this film can get seen by a wide audience, because I really enjoyed it and I think just about anyone else would also.

Hello I Must Be Going

Melanie Lynskey may not be a household name but many remember her from her debut opposite Kate Winslet in Heavenly Creatures, or as the irresponsible mom of troubled wrestler teen from last year's unconventional family dramedy Win-Win. She admitted almost self-deprecatingly onstage last night after her film that she knows she's a character actress and is grateful for every role she gets. I for one would love to see her take the starring role a lot more ofte. Her performance was far and a way the best thing about this movie, which was about a bit of a lost soul of a woman, going through one hell of a rough time after moving back to live with her begrudging parents in Connecticut following a devastating divorce. Even though we've seen this type of character study/awakening at Sundance before, there was an authenticity to this one that resonated with me a great deal. The humor in this woman's story and her approach to her situation particularly stood out to me. I did think Lynskey's real-life husband was unconvincing as the investment banker stuff-shirt divorcee she awkwardly tries to date, and one quirk about a lie the male lead tells his mom didn't seem plausible to me, but other than that, I was completely onboard here.

Searching for Sugarman

I love a documentary that follows the solving of a real life mystery almost as much as I love documentaries about pop culture, fame and/or obscurity, especially if they can manage to surprise me, delight me, and make me cry. Searching for Sugarman mixes all of those elements up, adding a little South African history lesson, commentary on class and race in Detroit, and some music industry sleaze for good measure. This is an absolute cannot-miss movie. So watchable, so satisfying. I saw its second screening at the fest, at 9 AM, with a criminal 30 or 40 empty seats in the theater. No matter, because the crowd just exploded afterwards, with most of the audience standing right up to applaud even as the credits rolled. This one made my list of most anticipated and it's nice to see it was as good as I was expecting.

I Am Not A Hipster

This super-personal and intimate story of loneliness and grief set in San Diego's art scene is drawing some comparisons on Twitter to Once. I don't see that, quite, but I do see a really fantastic, sweet portrait of a not-so-nice guy struggling with how to still create and exist within his social circle and his partially estranged family following a devastating loss. The best thing about this film was a handful of characters it's easy to love including the indie rocker himself but especially his best friend. My one complaint was that the film rightfully juxtaposed the heavy overtones with some lighter moments involving the lead's three sisters, and sometimes those felt a bit twee or almost too cute to be real. But beyond that minor hesitation I did really like this one and I think many others will too.

Eef and Dor report live (and tipsy) in a rambling Sundance video

2012-01-20T01:31:00.000-08:00

Don't say we didn't warn you!

Survived Sundance day one - pictures to prove it!

2012-01-20T01:28:00.000-08:00

The first day of my 13th Sundance Film Festival was all I could have dreamed of, and more.

I can't write about the movies just now, but I will happily upload a few photos of the day.

That's a lovely Sundance poster on Main Street of Maggy Gyllenhaal, from Secretary.

Click "READ MORE" to see the rest of the photos including some recognizable faces from the opening night Dramatic Competition film Hello I Must Be Going.

First, Matt is thrilled about our free breakfast at our not-so-awesome SLC hotel.

Next, Dor pushes her luck with a third cup of coffee of the day.

Now, we have some snapshots of Melanie Lynskey, Blythe Danner, Todd Liuso and Chris Abbot - the cast and director of Hello I Must Be going.

Opening Night at Sundance

2012-01-19T16:51:00.001-08:00

Bags unpacked.

Groceries bought.

Friends greeted.

Tickets bought.

So ready to see two great films tonight.

Sundance Day 1 - Park City Snapshots

2012-01-19T12:14:00.001-08:00

I am legit this year! Also, Matt finds a poster for a doc he is very excited to see.

Now I see I have tickets to the opening night party though I am not sure I will attend.

Killing time (time! Extra time! At Sundance!) waiting for Eef to arrive. Sitting on main street without my jacket on. Might get a tan, it's so nice here.

Drowning in Brita water bottles and missing my pal Shiri.

Team Sundance - Day 1...

2012-01-19T10:09:00.001-08:00

About to head up to Park City and we are giddy about how much extra time we have before movies start.

Most Anticipated Sundance Films

2012-01-18T17:56:00.000-08:00

Certainly no stranger to procrastination, I find myself on the flight to Salt Lake finally banging out a list of movies I'm most looking forward to. (God bless in flight wifi.)

Will these end up being my favorites? Unlikely. Keep in mind I purposely try to avoid reading too much about any title in advance because I like to be as surprised as I can going into the film. That's part of what I love about Sundance - lack of influence in advance. Few set expectations.

In no particular order, the titles that I am looking forward to:

Nobody Walks - He probably only has a small part, but I would watch Justin Kirk in a dramatic reading of the fine print on the bottle of my prescription generic adderall. Hottest. Minnesotan. Ever. (And yes, I am including Josh Hartnett.)

Smashed - In the middle of probably the only ten days all year I won't be boozing it up, I'm excited to watch a relationship drama where alcoholism takes center stage. Add to this cocktail the fact that Mary Kay Place co-stars? I'll drink to that.

Detropia - By the directors of Jesus Camp. Even though their sophomore effort (12th & Delaware) was only "very good" as opposed to the masterpiece of their first, I have incredibly high hopes.

The House I Live In - directed by Eugene Jarecki, one of the most articulate directors I've ever watched at a Q&A (when I saw his doc Why We Fight). This is about the war on drugs. Sundance isn't all parties and red carpets, y'all. I'm gonna learn shit.

The Ambassador - I have no idea what this documentary is about. As I was choosing my films, I stopped reading the description and starred the hell out of it in my film guide after I read it was by the director of The Red Chapel.

Searching for Sugarman - Not much to say other than the description in the film guide made it sound like a fascinating and satisfying story.

Shorts Program III - Just kidding. Not really. Judge me all you like - I have no damned time to see shorts. Just wanted to check if you were paying attention. (That said, I do usually try and squeeze in the doc shorts and animation spotlight.)

Liberal Arts - Josh Radnor's newest. Screw you, haters - I loved Happythankyoumoreplease.; This one looks great, too. <makes a face>

About Face - I was really hoping last year's Misrepresentation documentary would be the complex but overdue look how media/advertising shortchange woman and girls that it completely failed to be. Even though the structure and purpose of this film seems to be only vaguely related, I am looking to this film to introduce a level of artistry, subtlety and thoughtfulness to the topic of women in fashion.

Shut Up and Play the Hits - there's just nothing quite like the feeling of learning all about an awesome band through a music documentary released after they broke up. (I'm talking to you, Who Took the Bomp)

HOLY SHIT I'm Going To Die (AKA here is my Sundance schedule)

2012-01-16T21:22:00.000-08:00

For the four people on earth who care about where I am going to be and when, after the jump you can peruse my schedule in details.

Commentary:

*The blue means I NEED A TICKET so... Yeah.

* Who can think of any blaring omissions? Or things on here I should avoid? Holla.

* This is 54 movies, not including the last day. What's more, I have scheduled myself for seven total days where I see six movies per day. I am really hoping those super powers I ordered online arrive before I leave. Should have paid for expedited shipping.

Thursday 1/19:

~~Wish You Were Here, 6:30, Library~~ Queen of Versailles, 6:00, Eccles
Hello I Must Be Going, 9:30, Eccles

Friday 1/20:

Searching for Sugarman, 9 AM, Yarrow
I Am Not a Hipster, 11:30 AM, Prospector
About the Pink Sky, 3 PM, Egyptian
Keep The Lights On, 8:30 PM, Library
The Pact, Midnight, Egyptian

Saturday 1/21:

Red Lights, 8:30 AM, MARC
Detropia, noon, Temple
Robot & Frank, 3:30, Eccles
My Best Day, 6 PM, Yarrow
Me at the Zoo, 9 PM, Temple
That's What She Said, 11:30, Prospector

Sunday 1/22:

The House I Live In, 9 AM, Egyptian
Pursuit of Loneliness, noon, Egyptian
Liberal Arts, 3:15, Eccles
Red Hook Summer, 6:15, Eccles
For A good Time, Call.... 9:45, Eccles
Shut Up and Play the Hits, Midnight, Egyptian

Monday 1/23:

Finding North, 9 AM, Temple
Corpo Celeste, Noon, Yarrow
Oslo, August 31st, 3 PM, Temple
Sleepwalk With Me, 5:30, Library
The End of Love, 8:30, MARC
Compliance, 11:30, Prospector

Tuesday, 1/24:

2 Days in NY, 9 AM, Eccles
Save the Date, 11:30, Library
Gypsy Davy, 3 PM, Yarrow
Ai WeiWei, 5:30, MARC
Love Free or Die, 8:30, Prospector
Wrong, midnight, Library

Wednesday, 1/25:

Goats, 9 AM, Eccles
Indie Game, 11:30, Prospector
The First Time, 2:30, MARC
Wish You Were Here, 5:30, Library
Nobody Walks, 8:30, MARC
Black Rock, midnight, Egyptian

Thursday, 1/26:

California Solo, 8:30 AM, MARC
About Face, 11:30, Library
The Comedy, 3 pm, Eccles
Teddy Bear, 5:30, Prospector
John Dies At the End, midnight, Library

Friday, 1/27:

L, 9:15, Holiday
For Ellen, 11:30, Library
Smashed, 3:30, Eccles
28 Hotel Rooms, 6 pm, Egyptian
Queen of Versailles, 8:30, Prospector
Tim & Eric's Billion Dollar Movie, midnight, Library

Saturday 1/28:

The Atomic States of America, 8:30 AM, prospector
The Invisible War, 11:30, Library
The Surrogate, 2:30, Library
Bachelorette, 5:30, Library
Arbitrage, 8:30, Prospector
V/H/S, 11:45, Library

Sunday 1/29

TBD! Between 3-4 movies, whatever wins that I haven't seen.

Some Golden Globes observations

2012-01-15T19:19:00.000-08:00

I'm enjoying a low key Sunday night in Washington Heights watching the Golden Globes with my pals John and Mark.

Here are some of my observations:

No shock, but I haven't seen *any* of the TV nominees. Homeland is probably highest on my list of ones to seek out.

I absolutely could not be more delighted by A Separation winning the award for the best foreign film. In case you didn't know, it's currently at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

I'm not sorry to report that as awards season goes on, my "eh it was fine, I liked it" response to The Artist is quickly morphing into a bitter "c'mon - enough already."

How great was it that Meryl Streep gave a shout out to the star of Pariah? What a class act. What. A. Class. Act.

Carnage

2012-01-15T15:29:00.000-08:00

Finally caught Carnage, at the Angelika on Saturday afternoon.. After seeing the trailer no fewer than 35,205 times, and after meaning to catch the Broadway show (but failing to actually do so), I'm glad to have caught this one at least in one form.

How was it? I liked it. I laughed - more than once. Considering I saw the movie by myself, that's kind of a feat. I would say it's a smaller picture. Nothing you have to really go out of your way to catch on the big screen, for sure, but a nice little vehicle for all these big name players to show off a bit.

The part of me that cannot watch Seinfeld or The Office because of the sheer level of "AHHH, AWKWARD" that's involved in some of these conversations did need to look away for a bit.

Ultimately I would recommend it for anyone who wants to enjoy something a little bit less mainstream (in that nothing blows up) that might make you think a *little* but not too terribly much. But it's a solid rental, too.

Sundance 2012 - Most Anticipated (NON-MOVIE VERSION)

2012-01-14T09:52:00.000-08:00

As a way of procrastinating putting together a list of the movies most want to see, allow me to list everything else I am most looking forward to about Sundance.

* Hopefully not hating the Racquet Club anymore now that it's renovated

This article says it will be a "much better experience." And the ticket-holder line will be inside. Woo! But, we're back to a long-ass shuttle route. Sacrifices.

* Chillin' with my pal Chase Whale .

He's a journalist, you know.

* Two words: new hat.

* Never leaving the side of my dear sweet Efrain Schunior. Just try to separate us.

* Having actual tickets in advance for once in my life.

This year I sprung for a 20-pack of tickets. Not to mention an Adrenaline badge, which I'm sort of frightened of, actually. I'll still be relying on my awesome sign and devilish smile to get me into daytime movies for the second half of the festival, but I'm all set for the first five days. Will I miss the stress trying to find tickets? Maybe my job can help me think of something to fill the "things to worry about" section of my brain, in between films.

We Need To Talk About Kevin

2012-01-13T23:16:00.000-08:00

Just finally saw one of my most anticipated films of the past year or so, We Need To Talk About Kevin.

I was wild about the structure and the way the story was able to still shock me despite how much I had heard and read about it. Tilda's performance was as good as I was expecting - which says quite a lot.

I wasn't sure what they were trying to say by making the kid so one-dimensionally evil - almost in a stereotypical or horror-movie way. I wanted to feel more conflicted about her parenting. Maybe it reflects poorly on me that I didn't not find much complexity in the mother/son relationship.

Any hesitations like that are so far outweighed by how gripped I was by the journey of the main character, especially because of the way the story is told. Also I can't not mention how much I loved the music which added a curious extra layer.

It wasn't as disturbing as I was expecting. Am I truly fucked up, or just becoming more desensitized?

Did anyone read the book? How do you find it compares?

Sundance 2011 Review

2012-01-13T22:29:00.000-08:00

Since there's not too much to see here, feel free to take a peek at my dorky 2011 Sundance blog.

GETTING EXCITED - Less than a week til this year's fest begins! Yessssss.

2012 Movie Goals

2012-01-13T22:16:00.000-08:00

I'm not too big on new year's resolutions. Quit smoking? Immediately, if I'd ever started. Drink less? Um no - have we met? Go to the gym? Yeah, yeah, eventually. But setting up a few movie-related goals... now this, I can get behind.

FIRST GOAL:

See 150 films at festivals. Loosely:

50 Sundance
35 sxsw
15 Full Frame
45 TIFF
5 Miscellaneous (AFI? Tribeca? NYFF)

SECOND GOAL:

See 50 films in theaters outside of festivals

This might not sound like a lot, but for me, it kind of is.

THIRD GOAL:

Visit the NYC movie houses I haven't been to yet. I am embarrassed to list how many legendary locales I've not yet visited within my seven years in the big apple.

Maysles Cinema
reRun Gastropub
Museum of Modern Art
Museum of the Moving Image

All the movies I've seen in 2012

2011-12-25T21:39:00.000-08:00

Here is a list of all the movies I've seen in 2012 so far. I will keep it updated as I go.

I've rated them on a 1-10 scale, where 1 is worst and 10 is best.

In theaters:

1. Pina (10) <--TWICE
2. We Need To Talk About Kevin (8)
3. Carnage (6)
4. Declaration of War (7)
5. Norwegian Wood (5)
6. Chronicle (7)
7. Unfinished Spaces (6)
8. Academy Award Nominated Animated Shorts (6)
9. Academy Award Nominated Live Action Shorts (6)
10. Academy Award Nominated Documentary Shorts (9)
11. Zelig (7)
12. Bullhead (7)
13. L'Enfant (8)
14. Chico & Rita (7)
15. Snowtown (8)
16. Life is Sweet (9)

At home:

Best Worst Movie (9)
Revenge of the Electric Car (6)
Objectified (7)
Metropolitan (7)
Marwencol (8)
Parking Lot Movie (6)

At Sundance:

Queen of Versailles (7)
Hello I Must Be Going (7)
Searching for Sugarman (7)
I Am Not a Hipster (7)
About the Pink Sky (4)
Keep the Lights On (8)
Tim & Eric's Billion Dollar Movie (3)
Marina Abramovic - The Artist Is Present (8)
Detropia (6)
Robot and Frank (6)
My Best Day (6)
Me at the Zoo (3)
Black Rock (7)
The House I Live In (8)
The Pursuit of Loneliness (5)
Liberal Arts (7)
Red Hook Summer (2)
For a Good Time, Call... (8)
V/H/S (7)
Corpo Celeste (7)
Oslo, August 31st (10)
2 Days in New York (6)
The End of Love (7)
Grabbers (6)
The Surrogate (7)
Save the Date (6)
Gypsy Davy (7)
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry (7)
Beasts of the Southern Wild (10)
Wrong (5)
Shadow Dancer (6)
Indie Game(8)
The First Time (3)
Wish You Were Here (6)
This Must Be the Place (3)
Shut Up and Play the Hits (7)
The Ambassador (6)
Safety Not Guaranteed (7)
The Comedy (5)
Teddy Bear (9)
Slavery by Another Name (5)
Room 237 (7)
The Impostor (6)
Sleepwalk With Me (8)
Smashed (6)
28 Hotel Rooms (9)
Young & Wild (7)
Price Check (7)
The Invisible War (9)
Love Free or Die (5)
Bachelorette (4)
Arbitrage (8)
Violeta Went to Heaven (6)
My Brother the Devil (5)
Chasing Ice (7)