tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60664457518735311192024-03-13T13:55:47.143-07:00Go Indie Now's Blog Fresh Buttered PopcornReviews of Indie Movies, Books, Music, and other EntertainmentJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-5542213694379668712024-03-13T10:56:00.000-07:002024-03-13T13:55:13.605-07:00Indie Music Review Track by Track with Lost Satellite's – A Broken Lightbulb <p><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">LOST SATELLITE </span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">A BROKEN LIGHTBULB</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimD48awYPdGLY8bRhjfHinzj2mWXwHT7maMvZuGSLbx18LsATHHDz7xCJXoQW6bOwpMMtwqCfH_abmi6YnG_JVqlvJXSzIDZ2kaPKh5uzpf6gvx5Ls5gvB1MPvxTpq6Y05qemk_gUopIVWkpPrakZYdKy7tzyd15GWR0olkx1Bo1hMuxEnb-pl52m-wog/s350/broken%20lightbulb%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimD48awYPdGLY8bRhjfHinzj2mWXwHT7maMvZuGSLbx18LsATHHDz7xCJXoQW6bOwpMMtwqCfH_abmi6YnG_JVqlvJXSzIDZ2kaPKh5uzpf6gvx5Ls5gvB1MPvxTpq6Y05qemk_gUopIVWkpPrakZYdKy7tzyd15GWR0olkx1Bo1hMuxEnb-pl52m-wog/s320/broken%20lightbulb%20cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">WRITTEN BY JD ESTRADA </span></b></div></b><p></p><p><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i style="background-color: black;">Oftentimes, books, movies, and music have what people refer to as the sophomore slump where the follow-up to their debut is disappointing. Sometimes this opinion is justified, while other times I think it’s more of a case of people not getting it.</i></span></p><p><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i style="background-color: black;">The good news is that NONE of that is here and this album rocks.</i></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMxXYkbfNhmM02LEqw4lK5sFBE5kHUKyzyXnDSvQx273FK5Ujwx91YC4FlyV9YqOINuo6PIRdXqxsP7Vrzm79Jhz9bxLIfRsnBWfIDHFnABRA3vjBPPtdzqnQ9Hxoi4PJoHtriPFZfEa-dViVW1PHT3I_wq1vwM35HJnMQFpwx0-RHGWJzZqErrZr76Y/s1280/lost%20sat%201.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMxXYkbfNhmM02LEqw4lK5sFBE5kHUKyzyXnDSvQx273FK5Ujwx91YC4FlyV9YqOINuo6PIRdXqxsP7Vrzm79Jhz9bxLIfRsnBWfIDHFnABRA3vjBPPtdzqnQ9Hxoi4PJoHtriPFZfEa-dViVW1PHT3I_wq1vwM35HJnMQFpwx0-RHGWJzZqErrZr76Y/s320/lost%20sat%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i style="background-color: black;">More variety. Great production and a wonderful flow to the album. That’s something that’s been lost in the last couple of years and when I hear an album with a good flow and pace, I always appreciate it. A Broken Lightbulb doesn’t have a top 40 ready bingeable and discardable hit. Instead, it has a collection of songs that flow with some highlights that we’ll get into track by track.</i></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1. Scared – more of a rocker mid tempo – latter day STP like something from Songs from the Vatican gift shop or Shangree la dee da (a mega underrated album), </span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">2. Days – another rocker – faster and really love the rhythm section and how it just drives</span></p><p><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">* 3. London Rain – one of my fav tracks on the album. Broody, great lyrics, piano intro and the guitars on this track have wonderful depth. <br /></span><br /></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="291" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T1F7sYSiHdc" width="464" youtube-src-id="T1F7sYSiHdc"></iframe></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black;"></span></div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">4. Back of My Head – slow dreamy track that truly shines. The harmonies in vocals. The drifty guitar that feels like you’re going gently down a river in a dream. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">5. What comes next – another dreamy track. Mellow vibes. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">6. Getaway – you need some cowbell? They got you! Really love the groove in the drums in this track and the dueling guitars. <br /><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">7. Keep it to yourself – another rocker that’s pretty good, but the next track is another highlight. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">8. *Out of Nothing is another mid tempo rocker, but MAN do I love the guitars here. The track builds, builds, and when you get those dueling solos, that’s definitely a high point of this album for me. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh34yWzzvYED0L9lmwJkM91WR9u2p8n-UZBBVEsomMw_bLJVRYP1eLUxNt-4POElbpYaXxtGU_WskY2YaBF2zG33JhVe7i2xlthARqKbIevLg4GrAJaeX1jK5SL-S6KAvieP1oSHpWjPnHKw_ZGjfMkQASPhVmgqlAUPVGlyh5ZaNU8fs_rOh0FIe0oqoM/s1200/MARK%20LANEGAN.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh34yWzzvYED0L9lmwJkM91WR9u2p8n-UZBBVEsomMw_bLJVRYP1eLUxNt-4POElbpYaXxtGU_WskY2YaBF2zG33JhVe7i2xlthARqKbIevLg4GrAJaeX1jK5SL-S6KAvieP1oSHpWjPnHKw_ZGjfMkQASPhVmgqlAUPVGlyh5ZaNU8fs_rOh0FIe0oqoM/s320/MARK%20LANEGAN.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">9. No morning after – Any chance to listen something I hadn’t heard from Lo is always going to be a win for me </span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />10. One way street – I’m a big fan of Mark and miss him enough to have included him in Beyond Human. A very worthy cover and a heartfelt note to close the album on. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #01ffff; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><b>YOU CAN GET LOST SATELLTE'S A BROKEN LIGHTBULB HERE AT<a href="https://lostsatellite.bandcamp.com/album/a-broken-lightbulb" target="_blank"> BANDCAMP</a></b></i></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></p>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-5199915943141966592024-02-24T13:44:00.000-08:002024-03-13T10:58:17.823-07:00Indie Music Review Track by Track with Darkest Hour - Perpetual Terminal<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>DARKEST HOUR - PERPETUAL TERMINAL </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXML4eufPrVbtI47GJYhTU2wOHLxsQAb2J8coF6tcNmozrhqsEc27TG_wH6k7g9Psq1g6FyIgY9OR4ipJ1_4EkPsykfIgWXICHi9sonJkauNGNCSmonu8dAUVjH0lmj3E7DttfoCIFbzmVddcYo_RSvgzyJh-PR6f_xHV7yhWuoB0BU_5vmFIzeKlI1A/s700/darkest%20hour%20album%20perpetual%20terminal'.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXML4eufPrVbtI47GJYhTU2wOHLxsQAb2J8coF6tcNmozrhqsEc27TG_wH6k7g9Psq1g6FyIgY9OR4ipJ1_4EkPsykfIgWXICHi9sonJkauNGNCSmonu8dAUVjH0lmj3E7DttfoCIFbzmVddcYo_RSvgzyJh-PR6f_xHV7yhWuoB0BU_5vmFIzeKlI1A/s320/darkest%20hour%20album%20perpetual%20terminal'.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span><p></p><dl style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.2em;"><dt style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Current members</span></dt></dl><ul style="list-style-image: url("/w/skins/Vector/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/bullet-icon.svg?d4515"); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">John Henry – vocals <small>(1995–present)</small></span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Mike Schleibaum – rhythm guitar <small>(1995–present)</small>, lead guitar <small>(1995–1999, 2020–2021)</small></span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Aaron Deal – bass <small>(2011–present)</small></span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Travis Orbin – drums <small>(2012–present)</small></span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Nico Santora – lead guitar </span><small><span style="font-family: arial;">(2021–present)</span></small></span></li></ul><div><span style="color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.9px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>OVERALL REVIEW</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>TRACK-BY-TRACK REVIEW</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1. PERPETUAL TERMINAL - What a way to start, the soft intro interlude that just rips right into a furious frenzy, great chorus "When I lost myself to learn" - wow, it has this great headbanging into a bouncing that sets the tone for what's to come next<br /><br />2. SOCIETAL BITE - And what is next is just savage guitar work from Nico Santora and Mike Schleibaum, with this seething air raid symphony and this guttural discourse, which reminds a little of Slipknot with a little less word count. It's strong and aggressive and never lets go. <br /><br />3. A PRAYER TO THE HOLY DEATH - This is when more of the melodic aspects of this album come crashing in. This song's structure is so tight and so fist-pumping, there is great retrospective within the storyline of this song too where there is a need to reach out and grab onto something, fitting the music so perfectly because it is a great foreshadowing of the more ethereal and softer songs to come. <br /><br />4. THE NIHILIST UNDONE - This is the first callback song on the album, wherein we get both a callback to the tempo of Societal Bite and the lyrical content of Perpetual Terminal with an absolutely blistering chorus. The drum work by Travis Orbin is so masterful. It keeps us in rhythm and allows us to absorb into the song. This is my favorite track, it is everything that this album represents in one song.<br /><br />5. ONE WITH THE VOID - Here's where this album takes its first twist and interesting turn. As the melodic intro dials back just a tad into a more Doom sound, bordering on Prog rock like that of an Opeth or Corrosion of Conformity. The clean vocals really give this a strange goth feel to it as well. I get little Smashing Pumpkin flashbacks with this one, which is not anything I would come to expect, also a little Alice in Chains too.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">6. AMOR FATI - The mood shift continues to evolve here with this very old school thrash approach of the classical music interlude. It's masterfully crafted, nice wailing guitars essentially screaming into the void with the backing percussion feeding its visceral beauty. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">7. LOVE IS FEAR - This is the most metalcore song on the album and it has this great anthem vibe to it and it has a cool riff that blankets the chorus. This also has a signature steady pace you might expect with like a Killswitch Engage. There is a soft goth/doom underbelly here as well. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">8. NEW UPTOPIAN DREAM - Another cool riff that blankets the bridge into the chorus. The Songs do have a small sense of blending together in this spot but that doesn't last long. This song might also contain the best solo of the album.<br /><br />9. MAUSOLEUM - Here comes turn 2, a pseudo acoustic, clean vocal fry that is layered and punched with incredible introspection in the lyrical content. It all leads to this dark brooding growl that just seems perfect for the song's message. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">10. MY ONLY REGRET - So why end where we started. Again the lyrics here are so deep and resonating...<br /></span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />See what you've done</span></span></span></span></div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: center;">Never to wake up</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; text-align: center;" /><span style="text-align: center;">Nowhere to run</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; text-align: center;" /><span style="text-align: center;">The hardest thing to say is, "What if I'm wrong?"</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; text-align: center;" /><span style="text-align: center;">Drunk on defiance</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; text-align: center;" /><span style="text-align: center;">High on who won</span></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black;">...just amazing stuff. Again the melodies go right in line with how this album is structured with this nice anthem-esque metalcore thumping and rhythm that just has you bouncing, fist pumping, and/or headbanging. </span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">11. GODDESS OF WAR, GIVE ME SOMETHING TO DIE FOR - Why not end with an epic, poetic, strong anthem that builds and builds and then kicks the door right off the fucking hinges. It is the kind perfect exclaimation point on an epic journey. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: white;">This album again as I said in my video review has everything and then some, it is powerful and punchy, it is thought-provoking and intro and retrospective, and it is musically toned and performed beautifully and masterfully. These are guys who know how to not just shred, which they do tenfold, they know how to tell a story and this album has one of the most interesting I have heard in a long time. </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: white; text-align: center;"><a href="https://officialdarkesthour.bandcamp.com/album/perpetual-terminal" style="color: white;" target="_blank"><b>GO GET THIS ALBUM HERE</b></a></div><br /><br /></span></span></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-24370783140655411152024-01-26T12:35:00.000-08:002024-01-26T14:54:27.648-08:00Slamdance Virtual Film Festival Can't Miss Performances<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFC4hixrPK4v8TbTaheENlTUFlXxurDKrCCe3PYfvgVt8unmGzxkwVi6IU2pqYg_QnHd0T6m1sbwPYg4monyMoWreSFxAEW-9VzKZffgtoT_pAxrZGUbSr0LzPxbG_HwtoTp4DDmH1rsfRifrdgKkyKC2CUMLBCy-PrJz7L9EaQZu5C380k7RC53ruJPM/s1280/slamdance%20film%20fest%20poster.jpg" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFC4hixrPK4v8TbTaheENlTUFlXxurDKrCCe3PYfvgVt8unmGzxkwVi6IU2pqYg_QnHd0T6m1sbwPYg4monyMoWreSFxAEW-9VzKZffgtoT_pAxrZGUbSr0LzPxbG_HwtoTp4DDmH1rsfRifrdgKkyKC2CUMLBCy-PrJz7L9EaQZu5C380k7RC53ruJPM/s320/slamdance%20film%20fest%20poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><span style="background-color: black;"> <i style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The Slamdance Virtual Festival is open and now you can experience what I have been so fortunate and grateful to experience with all the films I got to see and all the people I got to meet and talk to (all the interviews will be coming soon over on our channel at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@goindienow " target="_blank">Go Indie Now</a>. ) </i></span></p><p><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i style="background-color: black;">For $50 you not only get a week's worth of films that all are playing right now in person at the Slamdance Film Festival. You get a year long subscription to the channel. Where there are panels on filmmaking and getting to the business, amazing films that don't get any love anywhere else (well except here ;) ), and just so much. If you are an indie film fan or trying to be in this business this is a steal. You can go <a href="https://slamdance.com/festival/">here</a> to get that pass right now!</i></span></p><p><span><span><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #fcff01; font-style: italic;">So I thought I would get you started with a little guidance on navigating the festival channel with some of my standouts from this year's festival. Now just a quick disclaimer I haven't even scratched the surface of what I have seen and there are a few still on my list as well but this is all from what I have seen already and it's a quite bit.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #fcff01; font-style: italic;">For this blog I am going to highlight some of my favorite performances both in front and behind the camera. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #fcff01; font-style: italic;">So let's start with acting...</span><br /><b></b></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><b><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">CHAPERONE</span></b></b></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehzNII0qUi5Uo4ITNFZrZwrMVoTLznTowSDHmOLa9qcEM6UEWSdVg4e-DcO7YGu8OKeOVTy3yHWuLaREplNy9dYfNtI4sD0yotcsavs3bzOjVerZM4eTmPJD984UzZ73Xc69hhmk4XkTL9aqoYuWguTZOFLb_7hSFqyP3E5t5PjAj8QhoTG5Sa5rD3XQ/s1023/CHAPERONE%20POSTER.jpg" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="691" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehzNII0qUi5Uo4ITNFZrZwrMVoTLznTowSDHmOLa9qcEM6UEWSdVg4e-DcO7YGu8OKeOVTy3yHWuLaREplNy9dYfNtI4sD0yotcsavs3bzOjVerZM4eTmPJD984UzZ73Xc69hhmk4XkTL9aqoYuWguTZOFLb_7hSFqyP3E5t5PjAj8QhoTG5Sa5rD3XQ/s320/CHAPERONE%20POSTER.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Misha Miyamoto, 29, lives alone in the house her grandmother left her, has held the same job since high school, and likes her life as is: simple. Unfortunately, her satisfaction disappoints everyone around her. Her boss can't fathom why she won't take a promotion, her lack of ambition dissuades potential love interests and her parents push her to sell her estate since she has no interest in starting a family. These pressures leave Misha alienated, isolated and sick of justifying her choices. So when Jake, an earnest 19-year-old, mistakes Misha for a high school student, she finds solace in his lack of expectation and starts a relationship with him. As their relationship grows, so does Misha’s reckless behavior.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul data-radium="true" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Director:</span></div><div data-radium="true"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Zoë Eisenberg</span></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Screenwriter:</span></div><div data-radium="true"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Zoë Eisenberg</span></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Producer:</span></div><div data-radium="true"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Alison Week, Devin Murphy</span></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Cast:</span></div><div data-radium="true"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #04ff00;"><span>Mitzi Akaha, Laird Akeo, Kanoa Goo, Jessica Jade Andres, Krista Alvarez, Ioane Goodhue</span></span><br /><br /><br /></span></div></li></ul><div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3V4qQWpP8trXApMWubukKkeB9CZkqiD5i_MkDXWFCBM-odu2QLqdM4hehpmKuyz8JM1TeE_1T79xY6piaFUW6-Zl93WDj37Br6OyfG5EdcQQS24rSlZqMlyCIVRGHt2t5jPB4KZ0fy89GgNWxrc2jPtwveKrJUsvRY_n7I3SDV6Ft4TArVwmMypcuyM/s957/chaperone.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="957" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3V4qQWpP8trXApMWubukKkeB9CZkqiD5i_MkDXWFCBM-odu2QLqdM4hehpmKuyz8JM1TeE_1T79xY6piaFUW6-Zl93WDj37Br6OyfG5EdcQQS24rSlZqMlyCIVRGHt2t5jPB4KZ0fy89GgNWxrc2jPtwveKrJUsvRY_n7I3SDV6Ft4TArVwmMypcuyM/s320/chaperone.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />WHAT THIS FILM DOES WELL: </b>It cast Mitzi Akaha and let her lead this film. Her performance was not only my favorite female lead performance of all the films in the festival but my favorite performance period. </span></span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Mitzi plays Misha Miyamoto and if you can't tell from the film description above what Writer/Director Zoe Eisenberg puts Misha through would cripple mere mortals and in lesser hands it might come off in a very wrong way on screen. However Mitzi navigates her arc with a precision and timing that is impeccable. She draws on emotions like lava boiling underneath the surface and building to errupt and yet never fully gushes, instead just spreads out and covers the entire frame, burning a lot of what was in the way but moreover clumping up internally and just being a big mess. Her ability to withdraw both mentally and physcially are so impressive here. Mitzi could have easily gone over the top but instead she provides outwardly a shaky false bravado, coupled with this nice punk rock sentimentality that often becomes so clumsy and understated that there is a layer of sympatheticness that wouldn't exist for this character in a lesser actor's hands. Zoe's words are also helpful to enhance and give Mitzi some breathing room to explore. There is a nice rythym to them, that keep us engaged and help us navigate what we all see coming. It's the beauty and uglyness of this story intertwining that leads to one of the best 3rd acts of any film I have seen in this festival and of this year so far. Equally Zoe is as smart a director as she is a writer, giving all her trust in Mitzi and just turning the camera on her. I love how there is an almost a cinema verite style to Zoe's design of framing Misha and all that happens. I also love the patience Zoe shows in letting Mitzi take Misha into these internal moments or two and just be there however long it needs to be. The choices Mitzi makes to be still and reflect or to be still so she can scheme and contemplate are as impressive as how she says the words. </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3dDkOnfTDbvMMu_c-lDcgBwh6oxUwM4dMYzjA8RbnV8fYO-ngaTqLuBJn7fxRXhyphenhyphenpvoR2ztcVlQDVtFLXcKsse0_bqpFSIxmx4dKxR2FSbGDOD7z2s7qwIkakF8tLwj9h5ZgeZQvCT9GxQl30YlgSlgsW7GcZp984M0_rj-DJF1XMCv06AUfZsTtvtQ/s1024/mITZI%20CHAP.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3dDkOnfTDbvMMu_c-lDcgBwh6oxUwM4dMYzjA8RbnV8fYO-ngaTqLuBJn7fxRXhyphenhyphenpvoR2ztcVlQDVtFLXcKsse0_bqpFSIxmx4dKxR2FSbGDOD7z2s7qwIkakF8tLwj9h5ZgeZQvCT9GxQl30YlgSlgsW7GcZp984M0_rj-DJF1XMCv06AUfZsTtvtQ/s320/mITZI%20CHAP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />This being said, I think all great performances are also helped by good supporting cast members and this film has them tenfold in Laird Akeo, Kanoa Goo, and Jessica Jade Andrews. All three have a hand in pressing Misha into action and in different ways, which again allows us to see what Mitzi wants us to see of Misha from her various sides. I also love Hawaii as the backdrop for this story, because of its serenity and calmness the chaos in front of and among it is even more amplified.</span></div><div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: medium;"><b><br />WHY CHAMPION THIS FILM:</b> Look I enjoyed this film, the 2nd act does drag us along a little bit too much but if you want to see how a Maestro conducts a world class symphony, you need to look no further than this film and the performance of Mitzi Akaha. So stick with it, you will get paid off in the end and left with a little something to think about too.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="background-color: black;"><br /></b></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: medium;"><b style="color: white; font-family: arial;">BLISS</b><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJQMnIDGk2ZN0XtxzcfsIkV_8IfciQIbL34uEZIez8coNgoyINDet0XfFGZRr3ycud4Xb_HcJDBYkwaptudmt4CJrBzVhyHEVS8dSmnzpKsoqjwpg3RfHAD5pHgjSV0jp7-lA3MvA7qNfpGD3oUTkzYzWe4ew-_eo-2Qrpqvw5FnD0JWgdC_vlVFMlrc/s1403/bliss%20poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1403" data-original-width="944" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJQMnIDGk2ZN0XtxzcfsIkV_8IfciQIbL34uEZIez8coNgoyINDet0XfFGZRr3ycud4Xb_HcJDBYkwaptudmt4CJrBzVhyHEVS8dSmnzpKsoqjwpg3RfHAD5pHgjSV0jp7-lA3MvA7qNfpGD3oUTkzYzWe4ew-_eo-2Qrpqvw5FnD0JWgdC_vlVFMlrc/s320/bliss%20poster.jpg" width="215" /></span></a></div><div><span style="background-color: black; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Virgil Bliss has been a fugitive for twenty years. His decision to return to the scene of his original crime and finally make amends is complicated by the sudden death of his girlfriend Amy, and the unexpected arrival of Amy's holy-roller sister who catches Virgil up in a web of lies and deceit. At once a dark fable of persistence, perseverance and the transformative power of love, but also a searing indictment of the American carceral system and our ongoing opioid epidemic. "Bliss" is the sequel to the 2001 Indie Spirit Award nominated debut feature "Virgil Bliss" and is the second installment of the Virgil Bliss trilogy.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><ul data-radium="true" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Director:</span></div><div data-radium="true"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Joe Maggio</span></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Screenwriter:</span></div><div data-radium="true"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Joe Maggio, Faryl Amadeus, Clint Jordan</span></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Producer:</span></div><div data-radium="true"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Paula Killen, Matthew Myers, Larry Fessenden</span></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Cast:</span></div><div data-radium="true"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Clint Jordan, Faryl Amadeus, Juan Fernandez</span></div></li></ul><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b>WHAT THIS FILM DOES WELL: </b><span>Clint Jordan has already been nominated for Independent Spirit Award for this specfic character but that happened in 2002 when he first played the role of Virgil Bliss. The first film <i>Virgil Bliss </i>also played at Slamdance and now here he is some 20 years with the same director Joe Maggio directing him once again, playing Virgil again, or should we call him Dwayne as he tries to be referred to as in the beginning. That name plays into one of the glorious Easter eggs we get for those who watched <i>Virgil Bliss</i>. Now I will say you do not need to watch the 1st film to enjoy or be into this one. They are actually really 2 different films. That being said it does not diminish what Clint is able to do with a now older and weathered Virgil Bliss here. In fact I think it is even more impressive. Clint is a powerhouse, he has so much control when it comes to Virgil. He is so subtle, yet so magnetic and dynamic, it is one of those of roles and acting performances that should be studied by other actors. Now what helps this version of Virgil and Clint himself as the actor, besides how he wears the years on his sleeve, is the newfound partnership he has with his co-star and co-writer Faryl Amadeus, who plays Amy and Jo. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOWICCOdGURaY3A4BYR4ru4kf5XCvmT4eJk9FUIHEtsMG42taBg-uP62kiDx_j-PVQERyDsPkbm3xENejsA9QNaXsRgLELXh-dX4IkeX019BrBuzt7OqGTv2nN0PEtDYsyaVfEc7vpjFO42FM3sn5EzRwq8VQP-iTvdgNi5pywrcZJ-LHB_GNSyzKFsjs/s1599/faryl%20and%20clint.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="1599" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOWICCOdGURaY3A4BYR4ru4kf5XCvmT4eJk9FUIHEtsMG42taBg-uP62kiDx_j-PVQERyDsPkbm3xENejsA9QNaXsRgLELXh-dX4IkeX019BrBuzt7OqGTv2nN0PEtDYsyaVfEc7vpjFO42FM3sn5EzRwq8VQP-iTvdgNi5pywrcZJ-LHB_GNSyzKFsjs/s320/faryl%20and%20clint.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Faryl is such a great ying to Clint's yang here. This partnership is so paramount in why Clint shines but it is also able to highlight why he is so fucking good here too. There are moments so raw, so real, so intense that there is hardly words ever said with them. I would not want to get into a staring contest with either of these characters. The end shot of this film is the one of the best shots I have ever seen. I love Joe Maggio's approach to this one, there is a maturity you see within the filmmaking itself here and that is an amazing thing to see but there is also a nice idea of these being 2 different versions of Virgil, even when glimpses of his younger self come out, there is a different way in which they do. Again another super smart filmmaker who knows what he has, opens the shots up to let them go from one end of the frame to the other and then when there is stillness just frames it so perfect that you can't be anything be compelled to watch. There is an amazing scene with an outdoor shower that, along with an incredible musical number that filters over it, there are no words ever said and it is so powerful and the metaphors and signifigance of what it has to do with these 2 characters is beyond astounding. I would watch Clint Jordan eat pieces of paper and just sit there chewing for 20 minutes and know I'd be be riveted, he is that good.<br /></span><b><br />WHY CHAMPION THIS FILM: </b><span>Well this might be worth the price of the entire Slamdance Channel subscription because you can watch both films right now with the virtual pass and I think if you are a cinephile it has to be a moral imperative. This film touches on so many key elements of life after a certain age and I think you don't ever get films told in this perspective that resonate universally no matter at what age you watch it. Clint is so compelling and then when you mix in Faryl you have maybe the best 1 - 2 punch in Independent Cinema right now. I have been told there is a 3rd film to come too. I am already rubbing my hands together in anticipation, it'd be great to have some friends join me in that. <br /></span><b><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>DARUMA </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: white; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZmIdt7t3TTdWk4cGPaJW8bZRka-_dEniqDKbaW7FCdPCPFmbPaI-cci3b9MHHoaJwDqEjla_BZd1Lxk3zehZKi-wmsu49vCrQ_YyjQKHNh-DHLKAdTDgrfFOUuqbGmThTjgMZOsULHtwq2LQ1ChLxpXmjYCgUEz-P79Kmdo52SzABaZ7gs-y_lUw6ak/s1500/POSTER_TCFF2023_DARUMA_XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1012" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZmIdt7t3TTdWk4cGPaJW8bZRka-_dEniqDKbaW7FCdPCPFmbPaI-cci3b9MHHoaJwDqEjla_BZd1Lxk3zehZKi-wmsu49vCrQ_YyjQKHNh-DHLKAdTDgrfFOUuqbGmThTjgMZOsULHtwq2LQ1ChLxpXmjYCgUEz-P79Kmdo52SzABaZ7gs-y_lUw6ak/s320/POSTER_TCFF2023_DARUMA_XL.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><span><span style="color: #04ff00;">Daruma follows PATRICK (wheelchair user) who discovers he has a four-year-old daughter from a one-night stand years ago. He agrees to take her and becomes the beneficiary of her mother’s life insurance policy, but soon discovers he’s not fit to parent and that she’d do better living with her maternal grandparents on the East Coast. Unable to drive and reluctant to fly for fear of damaging his chair, Patrick enlists the help of his cantankerous neighbor ROBERT (double amputee) to drive them. Along the way, they discover the meaning of self-sacrifice, forgiveness and what it truly means to be a family. Daruma is a heart-warming tale of how to pick yourself up and move forward in life when it seems impossible. DARUMA has been lauded for its authenticity and is the first known feature film to star two leads with disabilities in a narrative not about overcoming a disability.<br /><br /></span></span><ul data-radium="true" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Director:</span></div><div data-radium="true"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Alexander Yellen</span></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Screenwriter:</span></div><div data-radium="true"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Kelli McNeil-Yellen</span></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Producer:</span></div><div data-radium="true"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Kelli McNeil-Yellen, Alexander Yellen, Jodi Binstock</span></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Cast:</span></div><div data-radium="true"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Tobias Forrest, John W. Lawson, Abigail Hawk, Barry Bostwick, Victoria Scott, Joy Nash, Sandi McCree, Austin Basis</span></div></li></ul><div><span style="color: #04ff00;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b style="color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgP8v0vVK98DLDsMSJeA0Ata30zQyIHjsxxKGXwyEIT3Xte6-DBy9nVkCpVYM4y66VfvVKvm9UhFA0hgsKR712j1tEDFOXg17SjSTEj9u3n7MyTBXn_OvIiujEgViAQMvv5kHnG6OWODX9Wxefcmoa9b0SlIqEffw8kxduR-3Vtb07K4RWJ9O_YLIFXVc/s318/daruma%20barry%20abby.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="318" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgP8v0vVK98DLDsMSJeA0Ata30zQyIHjsxxKGXwyEIT3Xte6-DBy9nVkCpVYM4y66VfvVKvm9UhFA0hgsKR712j1tEDFOXg17SjSTEj9u3n7MyTBXn_OvIiujEgViAQMvv5kHnG6OWODX9Wxefcmoa9b0SlIqEffw8kxduR-3Vtb07K4RWJ9O_YLIFXVc/s1600/daruma%20barry%20abby.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>WHAT THIS FILM DOES WELL: </b><span style="color: white;">This is my pick for my favorite ensemble cast from the films I saw at the Festival. I love these characters Kelli wrote and created and how the actors each took and molded into their own. I think the strength of this movie is how they all interact with one another and move the story forward. I think John Lawson and Abigail Hawk steal every scene they are in especially. Abigail has this nice quiet strength as Anna that she only lets out for the lead character Patrick when she feels he's earned it. Its subtle but direct, smart and strong, and you don't always get that from a character like this. Her character makes the best choice in the film and it is so unexpected. Which kind of sums up what this film is, completely unexpected. If you were to watch the first 15-20 minutes you would not think you were on a journey like this and I love that about this script and this film. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOXFnsoqzwvARnF7ZZAKa3BaHoTgs1ftv8TpixJD5A52q0QgGCc4cGxndyTqbA2eHH85m_SecWSivXZNvxwDD11I8TS7Q-EnjfbdyhBL4HsscZ4JNDxCIGBTjjgktyjI_N_QiH61pOm-nMKI7LuEpwXizO_VgqPTmae-DNdo2HRDXlXI6NzVvYHrwzcu0/s450/john%20daruma.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOXFnsoqzwvARnF7ZZAKa3BaHoTgs1ftv8TpixJD5A52q0QgGCc4cGxndyTqbA2eHH85m_SecWSivXZNvxwDD11I8TS7Q-EnjfbdyhBL4HsscZ4JNDxCIGBTjjgktyjI_N_QiH61pOm-nMKI7LuEpwXizO_VgqPTmae-DNdo2HRDXlXI6NzVvYHrwzcu0/s320/john%20daruma.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: white;">It allows characters like John's character Robert, an opportunity to be the unexpected voice and anchor that a character like Patrick needs. He doesn't start out that way. It's kind of a neat trick here where you get a little bit of every character's expected, almost tropey like perception and expectation and then they project their depth and give you these real human moments and thats when the humor really resonates and our attachment to the characters comes to fruition. Yeah it takes a little while but good things come to those who wait. <br /><br /><br />I loved the 2nd act of this film, I really felt like that's when it found its legs. Its also when Anna and Robert are most prominent and I don't think that's an accident as to why I liked this part of the film especially. </span></div><div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="color: white;">I have to say to Victoria Scott ju</span><span style="color: white;">mps off the screen as Camila, she is the catalyst for all that happens here and to ask that of a 5 year old, that is super impressive. I think Tobias Forrest, as essentially our unreliable narrator, and the lead Patrick, helps keep us in this. We would be lost without him and I don't think anyone else could have helped these others steal the scene quite like Tobias does. His giving as an actor really lends a lot of how this film and his character move forward. There's some subtly in Horace, the grandfather figure Barry Bostwick plays. We get to see a little different side to an actor we are quite familiar with and I would say the same about Abigail, who most would know for her role in Blue Bloods (a much, much different character). I have to also give some love to Alexander Yellen who directed and shot this film. I liked his production design and he is a maestro with visuals for sure. A lot of these shots are so impressive. His use of natural light is some of the most impressive compositions I have seen from films here in this festival.</span></div><div><span style="color: white;"><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyUI-WbgvrcVB3VZlhCOfJE6CwcntrCMFcCR6h3HRPo3RWGDi80Ij3P5o3k2PBaM_Efh3uu8ywy0343z1PtR_AurO1m9O9EKbt9XrrYFccA4b2Fp_EAJzXtylWeqHGBek8C6jAv8fEAUJa9NalvCfLexNP_XdJVGEf2iCpNACtOkmySvh70iGWgFIdrg/s960/Daruma%20little.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyUI-WbgvrcVB3VZlhCOfJE6CwcntrCMFcCR6h3HRPo3RWGDi80Ij3P5o3k2PBaM_Efh3uu8ywy0343z1PtR_AurO1m9O9EKbt9XrrYFccA4b2Fp_EAJzXtylWeqHGBek8C6jAv8fEAUJa9NalvCfLexNP_XdJVGEf2iCpNACtOkmySvh70iGWgFIdrg/s320/Daruma%20little.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: white;"><b>WHY CHAMPION THIS FILM:</b> This is one of those films where if you stick with it, you really get rewarded. Its interesting to watch a film that has such a growth and matures right before your eyes in 95 minutes or so. I think life is complicated, messy, and it doesn't always end or go the way you think it will and this film represents that, which is super refreshing. I like that for what might appear as a conventional story, arc, and based on its humor especially early on, might be a film I describe a different way. I love that it just kept on surprising me. That doesn't happen often in storytelling for this audience member, so I appreciate it so much when it does, and all the artists involved played a role in that but the cast as a whole was so incredible, you also don't get that a lot either. <br /><br /><b><i>So let's talk behind the camera performances...</i></b></span></div><div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><b>RESTORAGE </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><b> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0tNkLCl2I8EC6vjXmdsqxWK0yx3IcnqjoFLM17mmikIduziGtUQ-BX3T89UyQEczfGo9lJkGo8q5QHm_swilDTDYHAvL8tJMHVhlFMtohBM8VDhvM5suz4lVGtM6RONAgvRhKpY078sFJMYvvbLZt4yUWjh6V3dJ9gkh2oWqU77iJ0cmJWUxgnp7dAI8/s680/restorage%20poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="680" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0tNkLCl2I8EC6vjXmdsqxWK0yx3IcnqjoFLM17mmikIduziGtUQ-BX3T89UyQEczfGo9lJkGo8q5QHm_swilDTDYHAvL8tJMHVhlFMtohBM8VDhvM5suz4lVGtM6RONAgvRhKpY078sFJMYvvbLZt4yUWjh6V3dJ9gkh2oWqU77iJ0cmJWUxgnp7dAI8/s320/restorage%20poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></b></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b style="background-color: black;"><p style="counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start;">A fractured group of siblings each receive a portion of their inheritance. Robert receives the business legacy, Lisa is given the family estate and a priceless family heirloom, and Chase, receives an old storage unit filled with junk. Chase and Robert quarrel and he inadvertently breaks the vase causing a greater rift in the family. </p><p style="counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start;"><br style="content: ""; display: block; margin-top: 0.75em;" /></p><p style="counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start;">Chase goes to the storage unit and discovers that it can repair anything that has been broken that has been placed inside. Chase takes his siblings to the storage unit in an attempt to fix the broken vase but everything goes mysteriously sideways.</p><p style="counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start;"><br /></p><ul data-radium="true" style="font-weight: 400; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start;"><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;">Director:</div><div data-radium="true">E'an Verdugo</div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;">Screenwriter:</div><div data-radium="true">Caleb Davis, E'an Verdugo</div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;">Producer:</div><div data-radium="true">Caleb Davis, Alana Rood</div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;">Cast:</div><div data-radium="true">Connor Boyd, Olivia Clari Nice, Jacob Daniels, Joan Deschamps, Stephen Miller, Francis Juarez</div></li></ul></b></span></div><div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: black; font-size: large;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><b style="font-size: large;">WHAT THIS PILOT DOES WELL: </b><span style="font-size: large;">This was my favorite written piece from the Festival. It's an episodic pilot for what I hope becomes a series we get to see in many seasons of programming to come. Truthfully everything that E'an and Caleb did was so on point from the look, the feel, and the acting but none of that would be as impressive without the writing. I spoke to them in great lengths (which you all will see soon) asking about how they packed so much into a 30 minute pilot and I am still not sure how they did it. The framework in just this first episode did everything a great pilot does. It starts you right in the thick of the action with an incredible foreshadowing and even with that scene, the next one puts you right there would you should be. There is not a lot of fluff ever throughout this in fact. The humor here is perfectly timed and while the acto</span></span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">rs decided and worked on how to deliver these words, it was very clear from watching them being said they were the words that were needed and in the way they were needed as well. I also love what is actually established in this pilot. We get just enough to be intrigued and just enough never to be lost and even when we are, its brief, almost as if E'an and Caleb were reading our minds. Even the hook is handled cleverly here and I can't wait to learn more about it. Connor Boyd anchors what is another great ensemble cast. His choices as Chase work so well in tandem with the dialogue and his interactions with the other siblings; especially </span></span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Olivia Clare-Nice, as Lisa, who steals a lot of these scenes for me. I love the pacing of every scene here as well. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b style="background-color: black;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADI3D68nV0tsoQFZuOAMEwfY9IIkhuc81wylHt6h9qsQd80GwMB2FmFHQJVQPcXImQAUPojAQYvf3oYrr0Kz5SM7RZUJyzVRoIOtrMv1zKJGMabedxX3NZvWJ8zCFfkh-V-kn2kABPF-kD26195Dag56eRMU6vxDyfYW3I4B6OlLjAqiuhGm700aJVr4/s1200/restorage-header.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADI3D68nV0tsoQFZuOAMEwfY9IIkhuc81wylHt6h9qsQd80GwMB2FmFHQJVQPcXImQAUPojAQYvf3oYrr0Kz5SM7RZUJyzVRoIOtrMv1zKJGMabedxX3NZvWJ8zCFfkh-V-kn2kABPF-kD26195Dag56eRMU6vxDyfYW3I4B6OlLjAqiuhGm700aJVr4/s320/restorage-header.png" width="320" /></a></div><b><div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div>WHY CHAMPION THIS PILOT :</b> Real simply this is a series I for one want to see and I think there will be a lot of us who do see this pilot who will feel the same. As someone who once worked on pilots and in the business of how shows used to get made, this would have blown the doors off of any network seeking interesting and entertaining content. So for those of you out there who ever wonder what makes a show stick and what makes it attractive this is a really great example of that. Its also just phenonomal storytelling at its core and I think a lot of us who write in a shorter fiction form would dig this. I also think if you like to laugh and are a fan of science fiction in that type of way you will enjoy this too.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b style="background-color: black;">SHADOW</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsFA8szDt97GwnyViGK3D1_e_Y6ewaaJ61NASC0yd1qrnl7JAoj0S7DCto5mbjfAVM-ttYZVCdUZIfV0PCoOkhK1Gr-67Y_WUX1yOGNJ8wCGw_74RqXzGiWk-y7VlMmC3VZ3H81xF00U4x-9CTErfszKNChtjKRjtBovuf9o50d89CcejYkcnpxTCLfHQ/s2963/shadow%20poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2963" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsFA8szDt97GwnyViGK3D1_e_Y6ewaaJ61NASC0yd1qrnl7JAoj0S7DCto5mbjfAVM-ttYZVCdUZIfV0PCoOkhK1Gr-67Y_WUX1yOGNJ8wCGw_74RqXzGiWk-y7VlMmC3VZ3H81xF00U4x-9CTErfszKNChtjKRjtBovuf9o50d89CcejYkcnpxTCLfHQ/s320/shadow%20poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A young mother's shadow takes on a life of its own, terrorizing her and her daughter over the course of one night.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><ul data-radium="true" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start;"><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Director:</span></div><div data-radium="true"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Kamell Allaway</span></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Screenwriter:</span></div><div data-radium="true"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Kamell Allaway</span></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Producer:</span></div><div data-radium="true"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Kamell Allaway, Adam Tyree, Ashley Rosenberg, Tim Smith</span></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Cast:</span></div><div data-radium="true"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Katy Wright-Mead, Valentina Gordon, Christy St. John</span></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div data-radium="true"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div data-radium="true"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b style="color: white; display: inline; font-weight: bold;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>WHAT THIS SHORT DOES WELL: </b><span style="color: white; display: inline;">There has never been a more apt title bestowed upon a piece of art like for this short film. The camera moves like a shadow on the wall and absorbs everything for our viewing pleasure with a type of fluid movement</span><b style="color: white; display: inline; font-weight: bold;"> </b><span style="color: white; display: inline;">and</span><b style="color: white; display: inline; font-weight: bold;"> </b><span style="color: white; display: inline;">stillness that horror masters dream of executing. From what we observe, we end up feeling, and with the use of very little dialogue, this short piece says so much. This cinematography here is so stellar, so spectacular you feel like your eyeballs are the lens. It's not just what we see but how we see, as we observe and record what is going on around a young daughter and her mother from angles and spots we are put into, in this one room, that act almost as hiding spots for us the audience. </span></span></span></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div data-radium="true"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span style="color: white; display: inline;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6IDBlt1vBTtGAu4EswMlXxBzyGNumRP93fFt6B4Ly3DNoOphJ56glBcvWeH6BYsa4DL8QVoJFCcLlTFlgy9WGMzyx8gD2dl1zIAfwyBH6bCqgdvO-dC44JgOXQgrOJhC8DuYSBafo0ixHBADghZPQBsJg7Yc4RtV4EZwi88vuyoeDFVEleMWDM61Fal4/s299/shadow%201.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6IDBlt1vBTtGAu4EswMlXxBzyGNumRP93fFt6B4Ly3DNoOphJ56glBcvWeH6BYsa4DL8QVoJFCcLlTFlgy9WGMzyx8gD2dl1zIAfwyBH6bCqgdvO-dC44JgOXQgrOJhC8DuYSBafo0ixHBADghZPQBsJg7Yc4RtV4EZwi88vuyoeDFVEleMWDM61Fal4/s1600/shadow%201.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><br />Following the actors and all they do too and the choices these 2 women make are another great convention of the camera work. Also coupling what we see with the acting prowess of Katy Wright-Mead as the mother, Valentina Gordon and Christy St John for the young girl really enhances the experience here. They are so good at reacting and kind of sheletering us at times. I'm always impressed by actors who do so much with so little to say, it's a skillset not all actors can do, but that these women do </span></span></span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">superlatively. </span></span></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div data-radium="true"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; display: inline;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Then just when we get comfortable sneaking around Kamell and his team turn it on us and put right smack in the middle with these jarring shots of an attack on our senses. The choice of black and white give this nostaglic horror feel but also just outline and highlight what exactly we need to focus in on and that becomes equally as jarring. It's a clever storytelling device that works so well in this environment and with this story in particular. </span></span></span></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div data-radium="true"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span style="color: white; display: inline;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93YXZkLr7J8gj9uFXKbQBWNgI_HeUieeGVN3NZWjyPAdDryaZ03EhTcpyrLGDbyDDgFVYwCiuzF-XaNgs8ORKqJJqCCj0YEFtvS3NGVDo9PiOJEN11qkNUh7jxksPp9Osfqf3nUGGJFJDw8EU0FqRgidPSe_QlZQEOCQF9rwnPzESEBsBXyGJFkIkC3k/s960/shadow.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93YXZkLr7J8gj9uFXKbQBWNgI_HeUieeGVN3NZWjyPAdDryaZ03EhTcpyrLGDbyDDgFVYwCiuzF-XaNgs8ORKqJJqCCj0YEFtvS3NGVDo9PiOJEN11qkNUh7jxksPp9Osfqf3nUGGJFJDw8EU0FqRgidPSe_QlZQEOCQF9rwnPzESEBsBXyGJFkIkC3k/s320/shadow.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span><span style="display: inline;"><b style="color: white;"><br />WHY CHAMPION THIS SHORT : </b><span style="color: white;">Art and stories like this are a great mix of what we love about horror, what scares some of us, and what impresses those of us who love films and want to make them. There is a care and passion here that resonates so strongly throughout this piece and it lends itself a quick and fun ride. It's also very </span></span></span></span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">emblematic of the attage show don't tell and how to utilize all our senses.</span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div data-radium="true"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span style="display: inline;"><b style="background-color: black;"><br /><i><span style="color: #fcff01;"><br />MY FINAL BLOG ON SLAMDANCE WILL GET REAL AND REAL FUNNY...</span></i><span style="color: white;"> </span></b></span></span><br /></span></div></li></ul></div></div><p></p>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-11392017331246766472024-01-24T08:47:00.000-08:002024-01-24T12:44:29.987-08:00Slamdance Virtual Film Festival is Unstoppable<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFC4hixrPK4v8TbTaheENlTUFlXxurDKrCCe3PYfvgVt8unmGzxkwVi6IU2pqYg_QnHd0T6m1sbwPYg4monyMoWreSFxAEW-9VzKZffgtoT_pAxrZGUbSr0LzPxbG_HwtoTp4DDmH1rsfRifrdgKkyKC2CUMLBCy-PrJz7L9EaQZu5C380k7RC53ruJPM/s1280/slamdance%20film%20fest%20poster.jpg" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFC4hixrPK4v8TbTaheENlTUFlXxurDKrCCe3PYfvgVt8unmGzxkwVi6IU2pqYg_QnHd0T6m1sbwPYg4monyMoWreSFxAEW-9VzKZffgtoT_pAxrZGUbSr0LzPxbG_HwtoTp4DDmH1rsfRifrdgKkyKC2CUMLBCy-PrJz7L9EaQZu5C380k7RC53ruJPM/s320/slamdance%20film%20fest%20poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span><p><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i style="background-color: black;">The Slamdance Virtual Festival is open and now you can experience what I have been so fortunate and grateful to experience with all the films I got to see and all the people I got to meet and talk to (all the interviews will be coming soon over on our channel at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@goindienow " target="_blank">Go Indie Now</a>. ) <br /></i></span></p><p><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i style="background-color: black;">For $50 you not only get a week's worth of films that all are playing right now in person at the Slamdance Film Festival. You get a year long subscription to the channel. Where there are panels on filmmaking and getting to the business, amazing films that don't get any love anywhere else (well except here ;) ), and just so much. If you are an indie film fan or trying to be in this business this is a steal. You can go <a href="https://slamdance.com/festival/">here</a> to get that pass right now!</i></span></p><p><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fcff01;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">So I thought I would get you started with a little guidance on navigating the festival channel with some of my standouts from this year's festival. Now just a quick disclaimer I haven't even scratched the surface of what I have seen and there are a few still on my list as well but this is all from what I have seen already and it's a quite bit.<br /><br />Let's start with the UNSTOPPABLE Program. </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Unstoppable program is unique (though it shouldn't be) to Slamdance. Slamdance Unstoppable is a showcase of films made by filmmakers with visible and non-visible disabilities. Programmed exclusively by disabled artists, Slamdance Unstoppable aims to eliminate the prejudices and gate-keeping that have historically kept disabled filmmakers from being represented in the entertainment industry. <br /></span></i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><i>We will start with a couple narrative features in this category...</i></b></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: center;"> GOOD BAD THINGS </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBq55v0RVMbxUJF5MCCwq33sfvXs1EUMkLPRddbQFgOLVNwcLJONJaDwUEVfjsAwLBk3JG0ytcPjMfP0QbUHMmKcghIFWWC84VOnc_5qnjOjnEerLSuEGvU8NZ2fzoW-aR_qj5R2Mf1ZvRhf-lv4Ojnu3pG-TSO9esKEU5uPav3zLTdChU0-yWy5K_RCc/s273/GOOD%20BAD%20THINGS.jpg" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="184" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBq55v0RVMbxUJF5MCCwq33sfvXs1EUMkLPRddbQFgOLVNwcLJONJaDwUEVfjsAwLBk3JG0ytcPjMfP0QbUHMmKcghIFWWC84VOnc_5qnjOjnEerLSuEGvU8NZ2fzoW-aR_qj5R2Mf1ZvRhf-lv4Ojnu3pG-TSO9esKEU5uPav3zLTdChU0-yWy5K_RCc/s1600/GOOD%20BAD%20THINGS.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span><p></p><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Follows Danny as he sets out to win over a dating app as a potential client for his business. An encounter with a photographer sparks a transformation, leading him on a journey of self-acceptance.<br /><br /><ul data-radium="true" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;">Director:</div><div data-radium="true">Shane D. Stanger</div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;">Screenwriter:</div><div data-radium="true">Shane Stanger, Danny Kurtzman</div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;">Producer:</div><div data-radium="true">Steve Way, Shane D. Stanger, Danny Kurtzman, Sean Crampton, Manuel Gonzalez, Mel McGinnis</div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;">Cast:</div><div data-radium="true">Danny Kurtzman, Brett Dier, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Timothy Granaderos, Samantha Robinson</div></li></ul></span><p><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>WHAT THIS FILM DOES WELL: </b>This was my favorite film of the festival. It stayed with me a long time after I got done watching it. What Danny and Shane did here is take this ultra-relatable subject of dating in the modern era and they turned it into this heartfelt, real story about insecurities, loss of confidence, and internal truths about ourselves. It is so masterfully written and carefully structured that you are so much into what every character is going through. The other brilliant aspect is we get to see 3 different perspectives on this very subject. While Danny's is forefront, I love that the movie doesn't dismiss Madi's or Jason's views and arcs. I think that is so important to why this story resonates deeply and works so well. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBVaXFDumQn8eF5sZqBrYwlMTMtp2-QjSxHks0bsXwcJtRGCEDRlo5ZEzGXKiJWt0Dwb9Rx9F28IYIZZyF1wu9czIbRVdZALefycd8eyAhOn2xTX5KkQL0fOE-6SqcBOuuAihZ-XsfwF2IdjkOCLa4q8azVa1WjaCbRS2I5Qx42D_LbrbTvIRWPf0dTQ/s1600/Good-Bad-Things-1.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; font-family: arial; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="1600" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBVaXFDumQn8eF5sZqBrYwlMTMtp2-QjSxHks0bsXwcJtRGCEDRlo5ZEzGXKiJWt0Dwb9Rx9F28IYIZZyF1wu9czIbRVdZALefycd8eyAhOn2xTX5KkQL0fOE-6SqcBOuuAihZ-XsfwF2IdjkOCLa4q8azVa1WjaCbRS2I5Qx42D_LbrbTvIRWPf0dTQ/s320/Good-Bad-Things-1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: medium;">Even still inside this well-thought core subject is a more subtle and very well-laced and understated story about eternal friendship and the power of a family dynamic and relationship that doesn't belittle or manufacture love, instead its fosters it, and treats it like it should as a normal and beautiful thing. I give a lot of credit for that to the supporting cast of Brett Dier (Jason), Jessica Parker Kennedy (Mia), and my personal favorite Gale Hanson (Dad) for embracing that with their acting choices. It helps the lead Danny develop and challenge his own range. For a first-time performer in Danny Kurtzman, you get a lot of this nervous energy that is palatable in the opening act. Yet that churns and becomes this amazing arc for the character. It was such a smart and honest approach by Shane to keep that on the screen and it plays so beautifully to engage us and keep us there; almost as if it's a documentary at times. Shane's design also is so paramount to letting us in by utilizing nice wide shots and strong two shots which allows us to feel the frame absorbing us instead of distancing us. The music is also another wonderful component as we get a soundtrack to our thoughts and it also plays a key storytelling aspect as it foreshadows and highlights what is being told here. I also love that there are these deep, enriching silent moments that are so riveting and so satisfying that you feel so much like the POV here and not the outsider looking in. </span></span><div><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyaMH48zcRVxuMb-9wIC9Z7Ti9TGvBTNfN8BKE_yS3nQ4O5bqu5Qob6nk2-cfg5TjDC9S3IoOHAzwuHHLQMvo4Pq8L-tduEDTaA_tT3HlcdcdzPeNtH-bugYoM_55FylKxPJH_hQilmiCmVH1HliUcrkrcwhLWuuX49YLOF2Tocmts58kiLOW83fkf5A/s1024/Good-Bad-Things-2-1024x554.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="1024" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyaMH48zcRVxuMb-9wIC9Z7Ti9TGvBTNfN8BKE_yS3nQ4O5bqu5Qob6nk2-cfg5TjDC9S3IoOHAzwuHHLQMvo4Pq8L-tduEDTaA_tT3HlcdcdzPeNtH-bugYoM_55FylKxPJH_hQilmiCmVH1HliUcrkrcwhLWuuX49YLOF2Tocmts58kiLOW83fkf5A/s320/Good-Bad-Things-2-1024x554.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">WHY CHAMPION THIS FILM: </span></b><span style="font-size: medium;"> Honesty is such an underrated commodity on screens and I feel like there are always a few of these at Slamdance especially, so for this year's crop this movie was the one for me that did it the best. I think anyone who has ever swiped right or left on a phone app or remembers the awkwardness of dating life would gravitate, nod, smile, and feel deep feels from this experience that are those Good Bad Things. <b><br /></b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>LOOK AT ME</b></div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjOtjr-NFBCZUQT3xpkRR_RcPZn82wQ6n84ZxHnUCpF8sL1xChqgeckE8G81hf31X3Fra1GlqeE7N0kXXg9sjRyThKLJzETWkc9rTHq3if-ZvWg8lKfk-9HWuY0C3sc0UTJoNGMoY4r7hso4MVXiesSJXF5mwa5YQ4dsqthg6gowcwdosuZlW43lBtXTU/s2489/look%20at%20me.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2489" data-original-width="1656" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjOtjr-NFBCZUQT3xpkRR_RcPZn82wQ6n84ZxHnUCpF8sL1xChqgeckE8G81hf31X3Fra1GlqeE7N0kXXg9sjRyThKLJzETWkc9rTHq3if-ZvWg8lKfk-9HWuY0C3sc0UTJoNGMoY4r7hso4MVXiesSJXF5mwa5YQ4dsqthg6gowcwdosuZlW43lBtXTU/s320/look%20at%20me.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: medium;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: medium;"><span face="Lato, sans-serif"><i>Look At Me is a fictional autobiography about Taylor, a deeply insecure, socially performative, bisexual actor struggling with bulimia. Taylor searches endlessly for validation on his journey to find someone who truly loves and sees him, only to embark on an unwitting journey of self-love in the midst of his eating disorder relapse.</i></span></span></span></div><div><br /></div></b><ul data-radium="true" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Director:</span></b></div><div data-radium="true"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Taylor Olson</span></b></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Screenwriter:</span></b></div><div data-radium="true"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Taylor Olson</span></b></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Producer:</span></b></div><div data-radium="true"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Taylor Olson</span></b></div></li><li class="rmq-f32d0bf4" data-radium="true" style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 0.25em;"><div class="rmq-11aa696b" data-radium="true" style="display: inline-block; font-style: italic; min-width: 120px; width: 120px;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Cast:</span></b></div><div data-radium="true"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Taylor Olson, Koumbie, Stephanie MacDonald, Sam Vigneault</span></b></div></li></ul><br /><b>WHAT THIS FILM DOES WELL: </b>I love how much command Taylor has over this project and yet how much he's willing to let that go out of control. It's powerful and sits with you as the credits roll as a beautiful woven story that incorporates elements of being a stage play into a performance piece into a narrative. All while not holding back on anything that is trying to be said here. This is not an interpretative, vague, and/or avant-garde soliloquy that layers and mires in subtext upon layers of metaphors and similes. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mxs8Jw0qNFClWRCIe-okbnhqwb8XbvLizVFhyphenhyphen5R5YLRxgBd0K8qHccD52Vi_14v4BkcFJilji0w44xQirzrTFd3c1yRCg57b8tsc0CQAWp3VtvINosgB5dXZadA4UvtygMVXnvMXFQsW1uiionA4fPOGkIoeqefpxN3piaVTE6I3m19cagPgw6Ctcw0/s1000/LookAtMe_5-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mxs8Jw0qNFClWRCIe-okbnhqwb8XbvLizVFhyphenhyphen5R5YLRxgBd0K8qHccD52Vi_14v4BkcFJilji0w44xQirzrTFd3c1yRCg57b8tsc0CQAWp3VtvINosgB5dXZadA4UvtygMVXnvMXFQsW1uiionA4fPOGkIoeqefpxN3piaVTE6I3m19cagPgw6Ctcw0/s320/LookAtMe_5-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This is in your face, internal strife that is perpetrated to enth degree and varies throughout to help you either recover, think, or react. It's like watching a movie while being in hot yoga. Sometimes it's uncomfortable, sometimes it's amusing and out and out funny, and sometimes it's poignant and strikingly beautiful. <br /><br />The Black and White design acts as POV and as the direct surrealism trying to so desperately become reality or even question it at times. It is so effective and yet used so differently than how black and white is often used that it allows some darkness and some light to have these rich contours that after a few minutes in, you are no longer noticing the absence of color. Instead, you end up feeling comforted and assured by it. Taylor is a tour de force on screen but I think it's his writing and directing that really come out strongly here. There is an intimacy built within and around the shadowing black and white construct that frees and allows others to shine next to him with performances from Koumbie, Sam Vigneault, and Stephanie MacDonald that really become the echelon of why this film really works. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3U2KAX9S8J_z29VWPjYU2icwEDpS83ahDO8yGfvhi66tu-svfIazuyq-lqX8Vpq2KC4sBEXcOmUmjXJk0aELBP35-U_I1GI8pOV9nO8un-sgNk_2IoJl0p6rNC2nPWBlZt9OiZzhMlb1d4w3iV6ntXbXhDeR_15lktiHYxcAHciLGOYGyeUDLkWmOJQ/s1200/lppk%20at%20me%202.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3U2KAX9S8J_z29VWPjYU2icwEDpS83ahDO8yGfvhi66tu-svfIazuyq-lqX8Vpq2KC4sBEXcOmUmjXJk0aELBP35-U_I1GI8pOV9nO8un-sgNk_2IoJl0p6rNC2nPWBlZt9OiZzhMlb1d4w3iV6ntXbXhDeR_15lktiHYxcAHciLGOYGyeUDLkWmOJQ/s320/lppk%20at%20me%202.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br />They play to Taylor's strengths as a performer and allow this to be more than just a stage play. That and the wonderful editing of Shawn Beckwith, one of my favorite editing jobs of the films in this festival. The writing is like a fist that stops punching enough to s</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">hift into a gentle touch or soft stroking fingertips and you feel it because of switching from realities to thoughts to dreams and back to reality. Some moments are hard to watch here (and I am not unaware that that is by design) but also there are moments you have to see, hear, and feel, and often it is in the words or moments of stillness or awkward silence that rip through it like a gust of wind and leave whatever it torn in its wake to just be there. That's master storytelling and masterful directing. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: medium;"><b><i><br /></i></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>WHY CHAMPION THIS FILM: </b>It is</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"> not often we get movies addressing this subject matter from a male perspective and because it is so personal, even in a fictionalized ideal, there is something for anyone who has experienced even the slightest in body dysmorphia or a loss of self-confidence into depression. One can really gain from watching this. I think on some level this might be the most relatable film in this festival. </span><b><i><br /><br /><span style="color: #fcff01;"><br /></span></i></b></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i><span style="color: #fcff01;">Another standout for me was these 2 short films..</span>.<br /></i></b></span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">BABY</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4av3e1f-bCi_s5PNxxOC5Ee6M_YwV3mTQZmB8f8vHogYGqM_8F_IoT9Uo906YcHG6KuHOvXe0M96MA40A4HcSZfJcu7PWe-QXhhOisbPe8vxjs_lGswWGagmjnmv1E7URS0wG0F5tQ7lLM3It2qEuvrpTFhIxSsLGVWrMteffD3ypR4b7xuJWqnGN3g/s1415/Baby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1415" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4av3e1f-bCi_s5PNxxOC5Ee6M_YwV3mTQZmB8f8vHogYGqM_8F_IoT9Uo906YcHG6KuHOvXe0M96MA40A4HcSZfJcu7PWe-QXhhOisbPe8vxjs_lGswWGagmjnmv1E7URS0wG0F5tQ7lLM3It2qEuvrpTFhIxSsLGVWrMteffD3ypR4b7xuJWqnGN3g/s320/Baby.jpg" width="226" /></a></div></div></span><span style="color: #04ff00;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #04ff00;">After witnessing a tragic hit and run car accident involving a pregnant woman, Mikaela, a young woman with Down syndrome, decides to set in motion her life's goal of having a baby.<br /><br /><i>Director:</i> James Di Martino<br /><i>Writer:</i> Llewellyn Michael Bates<br /><i>Stars:</i> Erin Kearns, Michael Buxton, Yiana Pandelis</span><br /><br /></span><b style="font-family: arial;">WHAT THIS SHORT DOES WELL: </b><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzv4GjIBr1zwT6f3tEGi1lYrgkwC09zAOc-3SHsogeQrcjZ_9srsKTCC5CDsjppogH4PbiJlK2nx6LFI0cHiqGfKHkq9ce_0_rSvh9no7T3SswQyJXq2AAY6bb7JpaB6bQ9y_5jnor1-NIWNUe5v03-WPM5rjY5zEm4wHzO1lSLWA8IjoOcdOXQtMGu4/s584/baby-cinema-australia-2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="242" data-original-width="584" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzv4GjIBr1zwT6f3tEGi1lYrgkwC09zAOc-3SHsogeQrcjZ_9srsKTCC5CDsjppogH4PbiJlK2nx6LFI0cHiqGfKHkq9ce_0_rSvh9no7T3SswQyJXq2AAY6bb7JpaB6bQ9y_5jnor1-NIWNUe5v03-WPM5rjY5zEm4wHzO1lSLWA8IjoOcdOXQtMGu4/s320/baby-cinema-australia-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The opening scene is magic and I marveled at how it was done and what it did for the story too, but beyond that, this short packs a lot into its 19 minutes. I love the dynamic and motivation of the leads, played wonderfully by Erin Kearns and Michael Buxton. They had amazing chemistry and I really appreciated the subtle comedic timing that flutters throughout this interesting heartfelt message. I will say too without Yiana Pandelis' performance, I am not so sure the message would have been as well received. I loved the choices she made as the sister and it helps us as viewers to have someone who can help us navigate what is truly going on in the background. I love how James Di Martino framed a lot of these shots, the opening sequence is a triumph but I also think the closing one is equally as amazing, within the movements we are never lost and because we stay with it there are payoffs at the end of each shot design. I also love the filtering and lighting here because often the grittiness and grainy, muddled color pallet composition we get tenders our feelings and fosters our emotional uneasiness or settles us in with a needed dose of melancholy. It's hard to believe that sunflares and muted oranges, yellows, and browns could do that but it is so effective. The dialogue is sharp and I love how much we as an audience get to be part of the moments that are funny with a couple nice, relatable running jokes; a nice touch by the writer Llewellyn Michael Bates. <br /></span></span><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></b></span></div><div><b style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">WHY CHAMPION THIS SHORT:</b></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZL1E6vzBai1gAXkAAPbO29SV1SO48m6NM9Z4BvSX9Ty-NDlTgxGTT0-iLXwcKMOSegll_HS2facVZ8wQV2CXovnNDkJ4x0GG3MPyNvFZooVGJa2DmdaZeCQnBwcvEmrJJee0F0A7CAuS-3pzIfxOt4nhbIbTaRkXFnn6MPNeI3SoqeFtCqsRDUTIkHsU/s300/baby%20short%202.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZL1E6vzBai1gAXkAAPbO29SV1SO48m6NM9Z4BvSX9Ty-NDlTgxGTT0-iLXwcKMOSegll_HS2facVZ8wQV2CXovnNDkJ4x0GG3MPyNvFZooVGJa2DmdaZeCQnBwcvEmrJJee0F0A7CAuS-3pzIfxOt4nhbIbTaRkXFnn6MPNeI3SoqeFtCqsRDUTIkHsU/w296-h168/baby%20short%202.jpg" width="296" /></a></div></b>At the end of the day, we need movies like this to remind us that dreams and goals should never be dismissed or judged based on the person who has them and that love can be enough. I think this short does that from several angles and I think it is easy to get sucked up and swept into with what it is trying to say and the action and humor around that. <br /><br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b style="background-color: black;">DOSH</b></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4x_R8HMAKrExoUl9swBE05hb5oIUmto_UGGqnvYwsG9MJwRI-MXx6ygRNYZO0xKlO1IT0jNUhzkEpHVMjMmuarluU7f7rM26PcklfSJHDG08887J06wNjwClh5BlJQyIWNxFwNs1BdNp9HzC1TGHaKjG-qRwJnMrIsodU9yUG1p_w4afOGgZR10Xu6XU/s279/dosh%20poster.jpg" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="279" data-original-width="181" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4x_R8HMAKrExoUl9swBE05hb5oIUmto_UGGqnvYwsG9MJwRI-MXx6ygRNYZO0xKlO1IT0jNUhzkEpHVMjMmuarluU7f7rM26PcklfSJHDG08887J06wNjwClh5BlJQyIWNxFwNs1BdNp9HzC1TGHaKjG-qRwJnMrIsodU9yUG1p_w4afOGgZR10Xu6XU/s1600/dosh%20poster.jpg" width="181" /></a></div><span style="background-color: black;"><br /><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Karishma, hard-of-hearing, finds her son out of bed one late night swimming with her undiagnosed bipolar husband, Ram. Concerned, she clocks this as another one of Ram's recent unpredictable behaviors. Against Ram's wishes, Karishma decides to secretly speak up and seek help from her visiting mother-in-law, Shilpa, during her sister-in-law's pre-wedding ceremony. But just like Ram, Shilpa quickly denies, dismisses and even blames Karishma for his condition. Ram confronts Karishma. When Ram's new episode leads to the near death of their son in a drowning, Karishma finally stands her ground to protect her family and help Ram seek the help he so needs.<br /></span><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><i>Director:</i> Radha Mehta<br /><i>Screenwriter:</i> Radha Mehta, Noorah Al-Eidi<br /><i>Cinematographer:</i> Isue Shin<br /><i>Cast:</i> Renu Razdan, Nikhil Prakash, Mona Shisodia, Tyler Anton, Asit Vyas, Neel Agrawal, Nadine Naidoo, Srishti Birla, Dev Patel</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>WHAT THIS SHORT DOES WELL: </b>Radha Mehta's vision and design here work in such great harmony. There is a solid footing within the pacing of this piece that never deters from the cadence of the dialogue and strong hard cuts of the edit. I love the foreshadowing done here early on and those tiny pieces construct what is a powerful narrative from many angles here. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bD2d5KsgLknKF9hBOSuvKEJQmzgp5WtfwokbNP4mw0UE8qKRkrCOVaPCDIxpxHGspJd0fCIqYZ4UIOd0snC5yvaagVmVP1f_TxlaR5LdPy1-KuXNK_mi5MChRpnxlthLEEdNK7AgXrmCfNNJfS7J_1wtNLRj5Quq3s-ESSxGi5nlBN7JJnkbFPvdB7o/s729/Screenshot%202024-01-24%20045657.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="729" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bD2d5KsgLknKF9hBOSuvKEJQmzgp5WtfwokbNP4mw0UE8qKRkrCOVaPCDIxpxHGspJd0fCIqYZ4UIOd0snC5yvaagVmVP1f_TxlaR5LdPy1-KuXNK_mi5MChRpnxlthLEEdNK7AgXrmCfNNJfS7J_1wtNLRj5Quq3s-ESSxGi5nlBN7JJnkbFPvdB7o/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-24%20045657.png" width="320" /></a></div>That multilayering storytelling really works because Renu Razdan and Nikhil Prakash give so much to each of their characters respectively. Renu especially, because she anchors a lot of our own journey here, and she has a way of dealing with the silence her hearing loss provides, we are swept away with her which creates this nice sleight of hand. I love the look of this film, using a backdrop of a beautiful ceremony and a pool to give us colors that almost have a ring of shadow and darkness around them. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLEGocF37U7F8ErcenFhnwuvwiY9kltCBPMTOawj4sh1Rm0_fib3i9VL3Mzo0EeZq0fCSG4qnSaMpOBG-ozKvI3BzeNrxEvZ8fjSLRy7Lvh6m47zKJEzQotuJO8ePYXrNDyJSn022aDnHNPATxuCdfPdgSnS5_6EL9A3zwwqFeneoOlEV8UaMIJb_k1uI/s783/Screenshot%202024-01-24%20045603.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="783" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLEGocF37U7F8ErcenFhnwuvwiY9kltCBPMTOawj4sh1Rm0_fib3i9VL3Mzo0EeZq0fCSG4qnSaMpOBG-ozKvI3BzeNrxEvZ8fjSLRy7Lvh6m47zKJEzQotuJO8ePYXrNDyJSn022aDnHNPATxuCdfPdgSnS5_6EL9A3zwwqFeneoOlEV8UaMIJb_k1uI/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-24%20045603.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />WHY CHAMPION THIS SHORT: </b>There is something within the context of the drama of this story that really punches in the air and lingers about how much we don't want to acknowledge or admit a need for help and diagnose the<b> </b>truer aspects of mental health and the effects. I think this film utilizes not only a disability in a manner that we don't often get to see it utilized but also a cultural divide that we see way too often when it comes to mental health. It's a powerful message of tough love and forgiveness that I think most would look at and be in line to agree. Its the kind of truth we all need sometimes. <br /> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i><span style="color: #fcff01;">On the Documentary front within this program the stand outs for me were..</span>.</i></b><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">NINA IS AN ATHLETE </span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcWKYX0nEiUxra_5KXvNDptNnzw52EOLRae2Dob_PfpS872HIuPkDkzojuUDdDetLpzZQ6WyQrQ0WJpRCT-Lu4Ad4VoQIVw3ShLFAdhwX_QVRY2hN1RuPe03njKt_PFWDX3nn79QO1fWH8JLjfFyJffMzPWQj4Rm34c2YWWujo13olo6kJDdn8IbtvGo/s1429/nina%20is%20an%20athlete%20poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1429" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcWKYX0nEiUxra_5KXvNDptNnzw52EOLRae2Dob_PfpS872HIuPkDkzojuUDdDetLpzZQ6WyQrQ0WJpRCT-Lu4Ad4VoQIVw3ShLFAdhwX_QVRY2hN1RuPe03njKt_PFWDX3nn79QO1fWH8JLjfFyJffMzPWQj4Rm34c2YWWujo13olo6kJDdn8IbtvGo/s320/nina%20is%20an%20athlete%20poster.jpg" width="224" /></a></div></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: #04ff00;">This tells the undeniably involving story of Israeli wheelchair badminton champion Nina Gorodetsky and her goal to represent Israel in the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo.</span></span><span style="color: #04ff00;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Director/Writer: Ravit Markus<br /><br />Stars: Nina Gorodetsky, Dor Kessel, Leon Pugach</span><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b>WHAT THIS DOCUMENTARY DOES WELL:</b> While this a fairly conventional documentary format of following the athlete around, giving some history, and following along as the drama builds toward an unbelievably difficult goal, what separates it is Ravit's choices on how to convey this and follow Nina. I am not sure I have seen a better way to approach this than what Ravit has done here. Ravit takes the nervous energy of a first filmmaker, pushes the approaches, and goes with her gut. There is a cinema verte aspect here that moves with the action but also couples with established shots of silence and introspection. This mixing of the two just enhances and heightens all of what we see and feel all that more. I also love the earnest way in which Ravit gets so much candidness and raw truth from Nina. There is something so poetic about her journey while looking back at a moment she is forced to reflect on and yet see her courage and strength to push into this last or possible last hoorah. The other remarkable thing about this documentary is nothing ever loses us here. When it goes full feldged verte and the movement is swift it is so elegantly framed and well shot. There are these even cool moments when Nina rolls out of the frame or the frame cut tilts the eye view. That's not a new trick in a documentary like this but some first-time filmmakers might seek to make it too perfect. The fact that Ravit has the courage to let it be, pays us off as an audience because then when it slows down and we are experiencing the intimate and sometimes comical moments we are allowed </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">that breath and be absorbed within it.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black;"><br /><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUPPmYsdX_Ew99LEWmT-jMpxiT_Zh_krNBDMNEWVSBFtTdyxizxbGZlthlBmZnWN2Fd8GQYdDfXi_utDoDD5Dk6-skcQT31VBWciowijeas5sTb5Tdpoj74ITFGPdyiSzN58et1d8pm2SUPCER5JHqQqFEXtnmDQ1WrToIUBgjKcOdDgMJvg76f9QeCA/s960/nina.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUPPmYsdX_Ew99LEWmT-jMpxiT_Zh_krNBDMNEWVSBFtTdyxizxbGZlthlBmZnWN2Fd8GQYdDfXi_utDoDD5Dk6-skcQT31VBWciowijeas5sTb5Tdpoj74ITFGPdyiSzN58et1d8pm2SUPCER5JHqQqFEXtnmDQ1WrToIUBgjKcOdDgMJvg76f9QeCA/s320/nina.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><b style="font-family: arial;">WHY CHAMPION THIS FILM: </b><span style="font-family: arial;">At some point in all our lives we are faced with choices and choices that we may or may not want to make. That means we have to change course or say goodbye. This is such a bold statement on that premise and if we all could handle as well as Nina has, wow we would be just as impressive as her here. Of course, we can't, but for 100 minutes or so we can live vicariously through Nina thanks to Ravit's brilliant care of this story. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /><b style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">NEXT UP I AM GOING TO TALK ABOUT MY FAVORITE PERFORMANCES THAT YOU CAN SEE DURING THIS FESTIVAL</span></b></span><br /></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-40524329700057854742023-10-04T12:17:00.001-07:002023-10-04T12:17:14.373-07:00INDIE MUSIC REVIEW: Victoria Woodworth Angel Food<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">ANGEL FOOD </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fSgDHy3_l54xRnQOKgtDM_VAwymI5b_gfVYKqePG2_diSElTcbsI6amXk4gngkIDJ99SAKQtjcenUHOYKjTe-d7eawR49hVU0seGCvY7xBg4EFwhyphenhyphenps0zAsga1lVS2wZChpHAei8ed0IKtW4Hy2SQD3NJuVFcKwsXCX-ZKe4U7FWoD1leDJXQtezeNA/s1200/Angel%20Food.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fSgDHy3_l54xRnQOKgtDM_VAwymI5b_gfVYKqePG2_diSElTcbsI6amXk4gngkIDJ99SAKQtjcenUHOYKjTe-d7eawR49hVU0seGCvY7xBg4EFwhyphenhyphenps0zAsga1lVS2wZChpHAei8ed0IKtW4Hy2SQD3NJuVFcKwsXCX-ZKe4U7FWoD1leDJXQtezeNA/s320/Angel%20Food.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black;"><i>ARTIST: VICTORIA WOODWORTH</i></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black;"><i>TRACKS: 10</i></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black;"><i>GENRE: AMERICANA/COUNTRY</i></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: white;">WHAT THIS ALBUM DOES WELL: I have always had this great connection to Victoria's music. She is an amazing melodic storyteller that seemingly in every track takes you on this journey through thoughts,m introspectives, and just keen observations. There is this down home, rainy day element to her storytelling and songwriting that I think has this super impressive cadence. Angel Food easily fits right into her sound, her voice, and her lexicon.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV8WSiD86P0-1sBBHdF2zIyCyZ1wP44mgAMv2FfuyXy-ynTODT6KDxMDthk6vLxNLjonel2GdhokyAM4N5BixSxrzaUljIx5xfc14_YeJgunZb0e9iFTQv_CsDCcHWWdOHU2kBDIe4SsdLLeZ-m2m5xYoe7ovFjAnJktEqgeQ0wR-KaJ498i_u9mGA2Zs/s1280/victoria%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV8WSiD86P0-1sBBHdF2zIyCyZ1wP44mgAMv2FfuyXy-ynTODT6KDxMDthk6vLxNLjonel2GdhokyAM4N5BixSxrzaUljIx5xfc14_YeJgunZb0e9iFTQv_CsDCcHWWdOHU2kBDIe4SsdLLeZ-m2m5xYoe7ovFjAnJktEqgeQ0wR-KaJ498i_u9mGA2Zs/s320/victoria%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Yet that being said there is this interesting nuance to it that I think I haven't heard from her before, there's a nice mix of instruments here that each kind of step up into a different song and provide the backbone. Victoria could easily strum her guitar and play these songs acoustically and they would be equally amazing and she has done that on albums before, but there is a layering of production here that shows a level up to help along her already amazing storytelling. There is some amazing production here, the sounds are crisp, clear, and yet they still muddy up with some grit when needed, some spirit when called on, and that foggy rainy day feeling I was speaking about before. It's the kind of step up that I think shows a new level of enhancement to the albums previous. The words are beautiful. Like in "Ashes and Snow" (my favorite track on the album) she sings, "I woke today hollow like a hurricane went through, but when I had every little thing that reminded me of you." Or in " Angel Food" when she proclaims "I don't know in this moment quite where I will go but you will be fine".</span><br /><br /><span style="color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCtiwMKyyUP8Fu9U0XQBsSNFu7PZJOKxWBS57dMx_zSiEr8hatRf8FKkWtGrEvIfKZ_pl_yr7M0d5xb8mQiJJU_mbVSUFDDnYSjfhEz5nvnKj8dty2WN9PmQ2LDAoDu1WWObOiu0WHwAhqLI0ItWX9SUlwIXJyQEWJTvnGQyY1-NQixNOmCk5fnK_CcE/s1912/victoria%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1912" data-original-width="1912" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCtiwMKyyUP8Fu9U0XQBsSNFu7PZJOKxWBS57dMx_zSiEr8hatRf8FKkWtGrEvIfKZ_pl_yr7M0d5xb8mQiJJU_mbVSUFDDnYSjfhEz5nvnKj8dty2WN9PmQ2LDAoDu1WWObOiu0WHwAhqLI0ItWX9SUlwIXJyQEWJTvnGQyY1-NQixNOmCk5fnK_CcE/s320/victoria%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Victoria's prowess is on full display here as well. She picks like it was soft tethering of strings being weaved into a spider web. She belts out notes and holds them as if were her last breath. These all add the depths of what can only be described as an experience. I have always admired her passion and strength even when she is singing about the most harrowing and heartfelt emotional gut punches and lingering aches. Among all that is this unique beauty of optimism that I always feel like, even in a sad song, she gives you a chance to cry, to think, and smile. This album has so much going for it and I have maybe 1 skip in it and a couple I have played to exhaustion. It's really amazing to see an artist who you have met, talked to, and followed for so a bit now, find another step up the ladder and just give you something so rich and powerful as Angel Food does. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: white;">WHY CHAMPION THIS ARTIST AND ALBUM: The way these come out cleanly there is just this extra feeling that Victoria and the musicians she worked with took their time, really dug in, and gave this the type of elbow grease full of blood, sweat, and tears that endears you to really listening to the "something being said here" aspect. I think there isn't enough of that in this world, let alone the music industry. I also think that means this album deserves our attention and at the very least a listen. If you are a country fan or raod poetic songwriting fan, Victoria is going to immediately grba you and pull you in. This music is not going to be for everyone, no music is, but for those who are tired of being sheltered by musicians just trying to find a one hit, and not giving everything they have raw and exposed like Victoria has since I first heard her, then I think you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. </span></span><br /><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><br />YOU CAN GET ANGEL FOOD (and I hghly recommend Faultline- one of my all time favorite albums) HERE:<a href="https://www.victoriawoodworthmusic.com/music" target="_blank"> https://www.victoriawoodworthmusic.com/music</a></span></b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;"> <br /></span><br /></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-82864625896456489212023-09-22T09:20:00.000-07:002023-09-22T09:20:04.034-07:00INDIE MOVIE REVIEW FROM CINEQUEST: O, PIONEER<p>O, PIONEER</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMphJqCN6PGiMv-vNPJR8bs5ZRGHiz5OOjSWbLMTxro_fre5mC1jzLDtSMYSD0Acl9s5FAamxu1_H_0fjK9V_l-r_Tkfh-VgT_Rm228inGfCTBlYpznhK9ovxRupeU8owGovH_f35detqrahRod-uzuo1sXfzQTVPYsfS1pyG5t9E5PgvDYgYDYWNBxc/s273/opioneer%20doc%20poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="185" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMphJqCN6PGiMv-vNPJR8bs5ZRGHiz5OOjSWbLMTxro_fre5mC1jzLDtSMYSD0Acl9s5FAamxu1_H_0fjK9V_l-r_Tkfh-VgT_Rm228inGfCTBlYpznhK9ovxRupeU8owGovH_f35detqrahRod-uzuo1sXfzQTVPYsfS1pyG5t9E5PgvDYgYDYWNBxc/s1600/opioneer%20doc%20poster.jpg" width="185" /></a></div><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87)" face="Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px;">Every season calls upon a pioneer. Sometimes the call is loud, intentional, and pointed, just as it was in 1865 when Walt Whitman waxed lyrical about the purpose and life of the 19th Century American pioneer. In his poem Pioneers! O Pioneers!, Whitman encouraged Americans to "debouch upon a newer mightier world" and settle the West. In the context of this United States history, a pioneer's efforts included devastating acts of environmental destruction, as well as displacement of and violence toward native people.</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px;" /><span color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87)" face="Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px;">In an attempt to fulfill this call, we are observing three Appalachian pioneers living in West Virginia: Nellie Rose Gundersen Davis, James Morley, and Tim Hibbs, who are humbly answering their own calls. Their stories unfold in the midst of a pandemic and personal heartache, but we discover that their courage is boundless and that each is incensed with deep, authentic love for their neighbor. </span></span><span color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87)" face="Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0.5px;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;">Weaving narration with candid moments from each of our subjects, archival pioneer footage, poetic vignettes, and dream-like animation, O Pioneer asks viewers to courageously champion the pioneer within while consciously rejecting the follies of our past.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></p><ul id="info" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.256px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li class="info-item" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-size: medium;"><span class="info-item-label" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.256px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Co- Directors:</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.256px;"> Jonathan Lacocque & Clara Lehmann</span></span></span></p></li><li class="info-item" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b>Writer:</b><span style="font-weight: inherit;"> Clara Lehmann</span></span></span></p></li><li class="info-item" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="info-item-label" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="background-color: black; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.256px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Stars: </span><span style="background-color: black; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.256px;">Nellie Rose Gundersen Davis, James Morley, Kaia Kater and Tim Hibbs</span></span></p></li><li class="info-item" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.256px;"> </span><span class="info-item-label" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.256px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Genre:</span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.256px;"> </span><span class="genre" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.256px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Documentary</span></span></p></li></ul><div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black; letter-spacing: 0.256px;">WHAT THIS DOCUMENTARY DOES WELL: There is this honest and noble pursuit that is carefully filmed here with the kind of observational style that wills so much incredible emotion and truth, coupled with an edit that I think weaves three parallel stories down 3 different paths. Then sprinkle some Walt Whitman and let Kaia Kater fill in the moments we need a breath and just need to be and you have this beautiful work of art. What Jonathan and Clara do so well isn't new in the documentary space but they do with a kind white glove approach that I think has this unique freedom while also invoking an intimacy that is so organic and so surprising oftentimes that you almost have to go back and see how did that just happen? <br /><br />I think it helps that each artist they profile here has such a different approach to their art, to their pursuits, and yet there is this subtle commonality that breathes into each scene as we switch from artist to artist. This is one of the best edited pieces I saw at Cinequest. It's that kind of care that almost puts the filmmakers on screen without them ever actually being on screen. The scenery and the set-ups kind of illustrate (sometimes literally in this unique animation) not just the beauty of artistry and West Virginia but the vastness of this area that plays so much bigger than it is and yet seems at times like the most intimate place in the world. It's really a juxtaposition of composition that adds an element of surrealism to the real life layers here. The 3rd act really pays it off with this approach in a special event art gathering that I think is one of the coolest moments in the film, and obviously my favorite. This film also has one of the best openings of any film I have ever seen. <br /><br />It's wild that when I met Clara and Jonathan how much I felt like I already knew them just from watching them essentially watch others to make a documentary. Obviously, they do it with an artistic bend and talent that is amazing and top notch but still to feel like they are there while again never being on screen, never even vocalizing on screen, that's something that will resonate with so many of us. It certainly will stay with this viewer for a long, long time to come. <br /><br />WHY CHAMPION THIS MOVIE: This movie gives you all the reasons in the world to hope for something, to pursue a passion, to live in the moment, and to love all that you can. I think that is an impressive message that I don't know of anyone who wouldn't want to feel or hear that.<br /><br /><br />YOU CAN WATCH MY INTERVIEW WITH CLARA AND JONATHAN BELOW:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="312" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EOlHHTynYKg" width="481" youtube-src-id="EOlHHTynYKg"></iframe></div><br /> YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS AWESOME FILM<a href="https://opioneer.com/" target="_blank"> HERE</a></span></span></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-83118934997202138332023-09-15T10:44:00.001-07:002023-09-15T14:56:35.377-07:00INDIE MOVIE REVIEW FROM CINEQUEST: I'M OKAY, WE'RE OKAY<p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"> I'M OKAY, WE'RE OKAY</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy1av9rE_odqJXj8dvB1VxjHHwgtmm-irJQ-d3sJzIbvLRH7gXzXOkc0WvIZhjT6H6pggDco0yF8vsNbdLVSYPjwPSYz9lhAPejUDtaW7wwrADN2332FSufTd9x2F0sYiWkcDYmrhMa6yHkGRl9rNx4C8vbbrvZUBTZX16pEv42r3vIPAvKuDK98JI6e4/s1500/im%20okay%20poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy1av9rE_odqJXj8dvB1VxjHHwgtmm-irJQ-d3sJzIbvLRH7gXzXOkc0WvIZhjT6H6pggDco0yF8vsNbdLVSYPjwPSYz9lhAPejUDtaW7wwrADN2332FSufTd9x2F0sYiWkcDYmrhMa6yHkGRl9rNx4C8vbbrvZUBTZX16pEv42r3vIPAvKuDK98JI6e4/s320/im%20okay%20poster.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: black;"><b><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #fff2cc;">On a road trip with her unfaithful boyfriend, Ellie discovers she has DID (once called multiple personality disorder) and that her fractured identities are offering them clues about her mysterious past.<br /><br />Director Adrienne Acevedo Lovette <br />Writers Adrienne Acevedo Lovette, John A. Rice<br />Stars Adrienne Acevedo Lovette, John A. Rice, Ella Jane New and Joseph Castillo-Midyett<br /><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13804536/fullcredits/cast?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm"></a>Genre: Drama, Mystery</span></b><br /><b><br /></b></span></span><div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>WHAT THIS FILM DOES WELL:</b> What I really appreciate about this film is it didn't need nor does it use storytelling razzle dazzle or try to be smarter than the audience and come up with all these convoluted ways to try to trick and fool you. Something that often, too often, comes with this genre. This film builds its framework around a POV that takes us on their journey toward self discovery in Ellie </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;">(played by Adrienne Acevedo Lovette) </span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;">and an unrelable narrator in Rand (played by John A Rice) whose selfishness and often near sightedness actually builds an arc for a somewhat redeemable aspect to a character that most may not think has it in him. It's within the POV of Ellie though that we are naturally watching a very layered and complicated story and life play out and because of that and being there for it, it's filmmaker and the 2 writers of this film, who coincidentally are the two lead actors I am speaking of up above, make incredibly well timed and well thought choices that not just move the story along but beat by beat bring you closer to the truth and the people experiencing it. That is pure talent on display in so many aspects. </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />First it has to be said that Adrienne's ability to not just switch characters within a breath (and a little movie magic) of completely different energies, while exploring her own truths and dealing with this man she loves, who is simultaneously leading while being lead himself, is some of the best work I have seen in a long time. Adrienne's control, her balancing not just facial expressions but full on body mannerisms is acting on the highest level. There is one moment that I expressed to her and John when talking to them in an interview I did with the both of them (see further on down this review), that I won't spoil here, that I felt like was a chef's kiss for one of the personalities. <br /><br />I also have to give to John because his choices helped feed Adrienne's performance without a doubt and the way he handled being Rand was such an interesting vinegar to the contrast of exploring the many facets of Ellie and her others. Him recoginizing the energies and approaching them each so differently, made me think and feel a lot of things and I don't think you could have asked for a better way to play the foil and companion here, often simultaneously. <br /><br />The writing here is equal to the task, it flowed naturally, it gave us the beats we needed, and it showed us what we needed Ellie to see and feel, so that in turn we are seeing and feeling that super effectively. Along with the words, the choices as a director Adrienne makes are very nicely managed and I love the movement and framing she gives us at times to keep the engagement toward action but I also love the nice solid framed moments here as well. There's something about putting your actors in a frame, letting them reveal and move the character through disposition and reaction. This film really generates a ton of that momentum with these shots wherein when we get to the 3rd act it's frantically cresecendos like it should. Director of Photography Alejandro Salinas Albrecht deserves heaps of praise for this work as well, I love how much he uses the natural elements to enhance the overall look and give us this feeling of being in the now. Then with the filters and production design used for the flashbacks and especially the being in Ellie's head moments, they become much more pronounced and effective while still staying within the flow of the story and not taking us out of it ever. <br /><br />There's also a couple really great edits in this film as well by Adrienne. I am thinking especially of one where Ellie locks herself in the bathroom after experiencing something traumatic and we are introduced to her mind with a nice couple of flashes of what's to come. The end transitions also are well done in this film. <br /><br />All of this really leads into what I feel like is the strongest 3rd act of any movie I have seen this year. Everything comes together brilliantly, we get incredible character arcs and some amazing subtext that becomes amazing surface text. Along those lines I have to give a shoutout to Ella Jane New who has a small role but I think without it would have for this viewer at least, been tougher to manage how I feel about this film. Ironically her role being the psychiarist friend. Her dialogue in the 2nd act was like as if I was talking to Ellie, saying all the things I was feeling and thinking at that time of the film, and of course she helps transition us to the end. <br /><b><br />WHY CHAMPION THIS FILM:</b> Well I think I have given you quite a bit from a movie watching standpoint but there is one other point I think needs to be mentioned as to why this film is important. It deals with complex issues, especially in the case of D. I. D. - Dissociative Identity Disorder, but also toxic relationships, and abuse, in a manner that you often don't see in movies of this genre and type, with the utmost respect. You can feel how much Adrienne researched and was careful about approaching all of this and that just lends itself to an expereince as a movie goer I won't soon forget. This movie is a triumph, well made, well handled, well thought out, and well done. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">HERE IS MY INTERVIEW WITH ADRIENNE AND JOHN AFTER THEIR PREMIERE AT CINEQUEST 2023</span><br /></b></span><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="369" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/US6VgXpza_U" width="482" youtube-src-id="US6VgXpza_U"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>TO FOLLOW THIS FILM AND LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL THE PRODUCTIONS THAT THE GARAGE PRODUCTIONS HAVE GOIN ON YOU CAN GO <a href="http://www.thegarageproductions.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a></b></span></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-40727143192072197722023-09-13T11:15:00.007-07:002023-09-13T11:15:45.942-07:00INDIE MOVIE REVIEW FROM CINEQUEST: TOMORROW<p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"> TOMORROW </span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5TYj-9jcKg8rUO_jtKCQJ-WdAm30e3v5F05FixZPu2YVAxdWW0D7H6TSsxDIBaBXnY-TWgvsWXkRfoCr0vkQ8hdwclcE2iK4JE75wPh_SyHLO58dX5NN1t1FQDJ1k7aQDp--39sxqIeI8g_cbsnLX3dwiO7r5c-8zpn_keGlLORkqQgfUoF0xdBSqy9c/s2508/tomorrow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2508" data-original-width="1672" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5TYj-9jcKg8rUO_jtKCQJ-WdAm30e3v5F05FixZPu2YVAxdWW0D7H6TSsxDIBaBXnY-TWgvsWXkRfoCr0vkQ8hdwclcE2iK4JE75wPh_SyHLO58dX5NN1t1FQDJ1k7aQDp--39sxqIeI8g_cbsnLX3dwiO7r5c-8zpn_keGlLORkqQgfUoF0xdBSqy9c/s320/tomorrow.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: black;">A young girl struggles to get back home when she starts inexplicably waking up as a different person everyday.</b></span></span><div><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: black;"><br />Writer/Director Kellen Gibbs<br />Director of Photography Martin Anthony Munoz<br />Editor Tyler Brebner<br />Stars Arthur Roberts, Jane Edwina Seymour, Zachary Ray Sherman</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: black;">Genre: Drama, Fantasy</b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;">WHAT THIS MOVIE DOES WELL: There's no denying this is a very unique take on the "Body Swap/Switch meets Groundhog's Day" idea. This is well directed, well shot, and has a look and feel that it commits to and stays consistent with throughout. That in itself is a tremendous achievement. The writing has some really smart moments in it as well. There a couple nice callbacks, and ultimately a very interesting ending that I think is both extremely unique and well though out. For me personally I just wish it got there sooner. I understand why it didn't and I think again the choices were made in the storytelling that had to be stuck to because we have an unlikely POV that we have rarely seen in these types of films before and their perspective and experiences lend it self to let's call it a slow burn to understanding. I think for that reason, everything done in the manner it was done, and timing wise in which it happened and why, all makes sense. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMnVHHREn_KtRT_Hx8juCJ3fHYgWv95QdcR-3_wmyGSxdFNo0UtiZ-RdLWZHrKa6jLGkgSdJ4qRZ82b_Wp_bV9l0v7FChEhhK_4Cm80c6cPnCqnSl4-akvnLmy75yZ0fPFa-fRlRx7aVRjDSNI8RcTbLT9lX2IjHsOhqYPgnwaKKZ9-0ybmko_t_VcIc/s1200/tomorrow.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMnVHHREn_KtRT_Hx8juCJ3fHYgWv95QdcR-3_wmyGSxdFNo0UtiZ-RdLWZHrKa6jLGkgSdJ4qRZ82b_Wp_bV9l0v7FChEhhK_4Cm80c6cPnCqnSl4-akvnLmy75yZ0fPFa-fRlRx7aVRjDSNI8RcTbLT9lX2IjHsOhqYPgnwaKKZ9-0ybmko_t_VcIc/s320/tomorrow.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br />I loved Richard Neil in this, he is a veteran presence that has always had a nice command of when he is on screen, and he does the dad role so well. Of all the incarnations (for lack of a better term), besides the one that turns everything around (and I am not giving you all the spoiler to which one that is) the church scene is my favorite. I was really compelled by the acting and the movement in the story here. It showed me how smart a wriiter Kellen is and make no mistake about it, there is a very nice deep idea here that I think ultimately sees its way through and does so subtly. I love that kind of storytelling. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13B1VVP5gcA2XXAijKvwNQx-TYOuQAPIjiFs7Z5IQtM7VJl4mC--Bv8cAe5agAgcqb5HegzhTCDFD1dzB9bXPUo7fljKa5cLv2kpVnzZwNsuMpKbLh48Yof4DmOfQJkzj1j8a5W6lESHOaJ4u-n9K9YPMkmbWJZbArERBASkJL9xCHdKiWKDUtru-8fs/s300/tomorrow%20still%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13B1VVP5gcA2XXAijKvwNQx-TYOuQAPIjiFs7Z5IQtM7VJl4mC--Bv8cAe5agAgcqb5HegzhTCDFD1dzB9bXPUo7fljKa5cLv2kpVnzZwNsuMpKbLh48Yof4DmOfQJkzj1j8a5W6lESHOaJ4u-n9K9YPMkmbWJZbArERBASkJL9xCHdKiWKDUtru-8fs/s1600/tomorrow%20still%202.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>I also have to mention the beauty in which Martin Anthony Munoz handles the transitions, puts us in a state of the POV and then has this incredible seamless approach to the scenic value of what we are experiencing and able to take in. There is this nice filtered light shining, ephiphany like atomosphere that kind of helps us transition as much as it confounds and confuses us, and utilitizing a lot of the natural elements really strikes this nice imprint that helps us follow what is happening here. I never felt lost, I never felt out of it. That's remarkable given the ambition this film embarks upon. <br /><br />WHY CHAMPION THIS MOVIE: I think if you are a fan of this fantasy genre, you got to give this movie a shot. It is unlike anything you have ever seen in this space and yet it very much comforting in its non mistakable aim at this being a part of the lexicon of these sort of movies. I really am looking forward to seeing what Kellen does next and checking out all he has already done before because I think he has an unique sense of smart storytelling that pushes the boundaries but doesn't throw us into an infinite loop of what the fuck-ness. That kind of comfort is a rarity I hope it hits a lot of people that way. Despite my personal impatience, it doesn't take away from the fact that there is a ton of talent on display here both behind and in front of the camera. <br /></span><br /><b style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-size: large;">YOU CAN FOLLOW THIS MOVIE'S JOURNEY<a href="https://www.thefilmtomorrow.com/" target="_blank"> HERE</a></span></b></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-291868237868411622023-09-07T12:54:00.005-07:002023-09-07T12:54:43.270-07:00INDIE MOVIE REVIEW FROM CINEQUEST: FALLEN DRIVE<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> FALLEN DRIVE </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiecdeQiDAmboGzx-Oj0Jfk8AXAgl-IYi_ecIBGjwXKx8BW1wZSevVTWP3lvyVU8fKqoXPnVsRTV-JylO-aLaogPp_6jsd9TUoFGnjZCvg016iC72rGZFNOOJtKzDvFPw9iput7ta71k_mbGbxE33aol8hKB4iD6kS_Q23fdeulBvXAxTMK6DmhGpH0rM/s1200/FALLEN%20DRIVE%20POSTER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="810" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiecdeQiDAmboGzx-Oj0Jfk8AXAgl-IYi_ecIBGjwXKx8BW1wZSevVTWP3lvyVU8fKqoXPnVsRTV-JylO-aLaogPp_6jsd9TUoFGnjZCvg016iC72rGZFNOOJtKzDvFPw9iput7ta71k_mbGbxE33aol8hKB4iD6kS_Q23fdeulBvXAxTMK6DmhGpH0rM/s320/FALLEN%20DRIVE%20POSTER.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">A couple attends their high school reunion with an agenda <br />Written & Directed by Nick Cassidy & David M Rice<br />Director of Photography: Josua Fischer<br />Editor: Kenji Ito<br />Stars: Phillip Andre Botello, Maryana Dvorska, Nick Cassidy, Jakki Jandrell, Donald Clark Jr, Josh Thrower </span></b></span></span><p></p><div><b style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Genre: Thriller</span></b></div><div><b style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-weight: bold;">WHAT THIS MOVIE DOES WELL: </span><span><span style="color: white;"> I think the most amazing thing about this movie is the way it plays chess, when you see and know all the moves ahead of time, and manages to keep you riveted and engaged throughout.I loved watching the character arcs do these interesting dips and dives, wherein no one is ever fully good and no one is ever fully bad and the motivations and ambiguity of those lines are blurred at best for us the audience but hardly ever for them the characters. That's where the acting prowesses of every one in this cast comes in handy. I especially loved Donald Clark Jr here as Dustin, he's the scene stealer for me. When he comes into the picture the tension and the verocity in which this story accelerates all around his non chalant, very mysterious approach is some of the most interesting moments here. I think every character though has an incredible moment to shine and when they do, they knock it out of park. Nick Cassidy as Liam sets the stage while touring the house on his phone, just a great way to foreshadow us into what he feels coming already and letting us in on that is key to selling what it is to come. Maryana Dvorska as Ivy plays coy and seduces with the best of them on screen and it propels and kicks a little dirt onto the growing volcano about to erupt. Jakki Jandrell shows off a moment of impressive control and poise that no one else around seems to be able to maintain when everything just turns 360, and especially when it looked very unlikely her character Charlie possessed such a quality. Equally impressive is her on screen partner Reese, played by Phillip Andre Botello. Botello shows why challenging yourself as an actor instead of chasing the paycheck pays off in spades. He has this presence on screen that impressively uglies only him while everything around him seems pressed to be "normal. It is in one of the scenes we talk about in an interview I did with the cast and crew that this is showed off maybe for the film's funniest (not meant to be) moment. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span><span style="color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0PVvgTugd6qqg_NbpkHSQwDkMNEx6tfJznlCAEN8oHKKEMjVZMWJ5FM1kkOZ_Mnx6SXr9Nqjtp1vVynp3mVn_Oht1giKlWogkZ_TwzzmQBcwwZXnViYGMK1iWXCQF6wOo5L0jGzTB8w1pUcQNxjDN63YEQmA66EF8Ha3mvLZqZ6Kwz3ywOjGUjWOmVY/s1024/Fallen-Drive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0PVvgTugd6qqg_NbpkHSQwDkMNEx6tfJznlCAEN8oHKKEMjVZMWJ5FM1kkOZ_Mnx6SXr9Nqjtp1vVynp3mVn_Oht1giKlWogkZ_TwzzmQBcwwZXnViYGMK1iWXCQF6wOo5L0jGzTB8w1pUcQNxjDN63YEQmA66EF8Ha3mvLZqZ6Kwz3ywOjGUjWOmVY/s320/Fallen-Drive.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>He is commanding and anchors this movie very, very well. While Josh Thrower does everything he can to prove that there might be a "good guy" in this movie after all and does it with such a let loose goofiness and douchebaggery that it never comes quite off as his character Patrick hopes. I loved that exploration within the character by Josh. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: white;">Beyond the advanced acting classes and interesting dynamics of the scenes and the situations this is all so beautifully framed and worked into a frenzy with a precision that I think is uniquely beneficial to the one location aspect. Often we see alot of directors and DP's want to move the walls and paint a picture through quickening pans and zooms. Here Josua Fischer's mastery of still framing, slow pans away, and overhead shots (which I think are so riveting here) are exactly the kind of pin setting that allows us the audience to absorb and stay with the performances before the pins get ocked down. It is a slight of hand that I think also builds a lot of the reveals so well here. The shot overhead of some cleaning up being done, is one of the most impressive shots I have seen of all the movies I saw at this festival and maybe of this year of films I have seen so far. On par is the way in which Kenji Ito fills the frames by hard cuts into the next moment as almost a cadence to a soundtrack rhythm that pulses upward into a frantic tension that never crescendos into a full blow craziness, in fact the cuts often soften us back into a reality just long enough to push our buttons again. </span><br /><br /><b style="color: #fff2cc;">WHY CHAMPION THIS MOVIE: </b></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span><span style="color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVgvl1LMm5pOhCl4-Ire4OI9nmK_5XdAVcczyf6op6LlG1LHzBjYBn5g4WFr8elcGrlAbOqgS9Ip8SIjro6i8NH01XQTWXfV6r9746gDqx-ZeWEAfkQUKxTBTLPTol9OX_EtOOqg81guwW1Pw-x2nbzGJG3JdiAUDsY2BwF-4WUrMGMwlQgsQmwRiEKw/s3552/FallenDriveBTS01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3552" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVgvl1LMm5pOhCl4-Ire4OI9nmK_5XdAVcczyf6op6LlG1LHzBjYBn5g4WFr8elcGrlAbOqgS9Ip8SIjro6i8NH01XQTWXfV6r9746gDqx-ZeWEAfkQUKxTBTLPTol9OX_EtOOqg81guwW1Pw-x2nbzGJG3JdiAUDsY2BwF-4WUrMGMwlQgsQmwRiEKw/s320/FallenDriveBTS01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />It's that presentation and vision that shows you this entire cast and crew</span></span><span style="color: white;"> is just getting started and scratching the surface of what everyone of them is capable of becoming and doing. Nick and David's vision has a very settling feeling in that I think over time will find a voice that becomes their signatures and brings you movies you will not forget for a very long time. This one included. I think that of all the actors here as well. Each of them are just finding what they do well and this movie has certainly helped bring a lot of that out in them. I think Josua Fischer is maestro and I look forward to watching anything he shoots and his counterpart Kenji Ito has a deft and skillful craftmanship to tell the story that needed to be told here. Anyone who knows me, reads my reviews, and knows me knows I love championing First time filmmakers who show potential even when there is a lot of first time, not mistakes, but hiccups, and this movie has a couple. However the briliant moments outweigh the small nitpiks I can make. Which this movie has quite a few of those, even ones I never seen before, and that's the exciting part of why I will champion this movie forever because its the first time for a lot of those involved that we as an audience got to not just experience them but to know as an audience it won't be the last tiem we get that privilege. How do they top themselves? That will be the question we ask and I don't know if there is a better exploration to take as a a cinephile who will watch everything everyone involved here does now. If for no other reason Fallen Drive has given me that but it truly has given this viewer so much more. <br /><br /><br />YOU CAN CHECK OUT JOE'S INTERVIEW ON OUR CHANNEL WITHTHE CAST AND CREW AFTER THEIR PREMIERE AT THE 2023 CINEQUEST FILM & CREATIVITY FESTIVAL <br /><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="358" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8VdDia48pDc" width="481" youtube-src-id="8VdDia48pDc"></iframe></div><br /><br /></span></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-88376889613135949852023-09-06T17:12:00.005-07:002023-09-06T17:25:16.254-07:00INDIE MOVIE REVIEW FROM CINEQUEST: DADDY<p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"> DADDY</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvoII_riIGyDMDsYLNEn1v6lXdcDX5RxMXcrL07qxcjscPlaz2ITI_fUt9Tu2qlbOgwUGO23ELQFGffjOtMn7iqvMmJR-sh6qt40pP40qQs_fo3zxTvJfXPZZ3VvddMku_1MnN_6W_Mv-H1VmHWy_l0Ppg6slAmymXOjyQniwZ5Yt_36F0SgPuWjjIraw/s3840/Daddy-Final-credits.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="2592" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvoII_riIGyDMDsYLNEn1v6lXdcDX5RxMXcrL07qxcjscPlaz2ITI_fUt9Tu2qlbOgwUGO23ELQFGffjOtMn7iqvMmJR-sh6qt40pP40qQs_fo3zxTvJfXPZZ3VvddMku_1MnN_6W_Mv-H1VmHWy_l0Ppg6slAmymXOjyQniwZ5Yt_36F0SgPuWjjIraw/s320/Daddy-Final-credits.jpg" width="216" /></a></span></div><p></p><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial;"><b>Four men attend a government retreat to prove that they have what it takes to become fathers.</b></span></span><div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial;"><b><br />Co- Writers & Directors Neal Kelley, Jono Sherman</b></span></span><div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial;"><b>Director of Photography Bryce Holden </b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Editor Mitch Martin <br />Stars Jacqueline Toboni, Britt Baron, Yuriy Sardarov, Neal Kelley, and Pomme Koch </span></span><br /></b></span><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial;"></span></b></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">WHAT THIS MOVIE DOES WELL: The writing here is beyond clever and this had to be an incredibly fun screenplay to read. I love the dynamics of each character how each moment we get just that much more of them and from them while they remain internalizing and making sure to play poker as it will with the other guys there. The 4 guys who primarily share the screen together have a nice way of playing off of each other too. Which also adds this interesting mix of tension, cathartic release, and just downright paranoia that builds in each character equally but never at the same time and never in the same degree. It really does well to provide us with a comic relief and in the same token some interesting "I don't know" how I should feel moments. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><span style="color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhVwJujrzOb7IiJXO--s9K8kbPoJbuJsWlzGMQnRKfo9ZTSHHq4_3gtu_aq21clbF2B1qAqcXy-8Bf06ITJgVUMkAUzjQTKRx6nYybOPTVUjgUea5yuI_yzqdojliV1cn0UaG3Kwgnd3eOeECI29jL0nX3m8lP0nOZOdqQuIsxp-zKEvY4wBgjmdTk-I/s376/Daddy%20Still%201.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="134" data-original-width="376" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhVwJujrzOb7IiJXO--s9K8kbPoJbuJsWlzGMQnRKfo9ZTSHHq4_3gtu_aq21clbF2B1qAqcXy-8Bf06ITJgVUMkAUzjQTKRx6nYybOPTVUjgUea5yuI_yzqdojliV1cn0UaG3Kwgnd3eOeECI29jL0nX3m8lP0nOZOdqQuIsxp-zKEvY4wBgjmdTk-I/s320/Daddy%20Still%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The timing of the actors and when to show and when to hide is also a very nicely orchestrated dichotomy. Again in having them taking turns doing this, it really brings you in and keeps a hold of you, even in the small moments where there is a lull or two. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Then literally delivering Jacqueline Toboni onto the doorstep into the 2nd act adds a nice change of scenery, but here's the rub; it doesn't effect the pace. In fact it doesn't waiver any of what we were already experiencing, if anything else its the extra espresso shot or 2 red bulls that amp up what the actors were already doing in with their characters.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivXwlJ9i2llKO7vBCB5gR2F5l-yCpWdzFzrat1c0pITRhraO2Ta2xXP-yrh5s51Vr0Tg08heDir9ryadWsY_HgnGjEgf_ThT_VjSvRqItQFIi3k7WC-o6rU9kDnEz76-5S25A0ZpmAUxDmmhSfvnRBeL755pT6P7tD-pFYAJqQPgPCPxSo76nlrwrINo/s500/Daddy%20Still%202.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="193" data-original-width="500" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivXwlJ9i2llKO7vBCB5gR2F5l-yCpWdzFzrat1c0pITRhraO2Ta2xXP-yrh5s51Vr0Tg08heDir9ryadWsY_HgnGjEgf_ThT_VjSvRqItQFIi3k7WC-o6rU9kDnEz76-5S25A0ZpmAUxDmmhSfvnRBeL755pT6P7tD-pFYAJqQPgPCPxSo76nlrwrINo/s320/Daddy%20Still%202.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />All in all, going back to the writing there is a nice tug of war with ambiguity and self discovery that this story carries through out and thus you always are either surprised, laughing out loud, or just shaking your head non stop.This is the kind of movie that has this layer of context that shatters ego, keeps it from becoming a parody of itself, and just going in a slapstick or even weird David Lynch/Cormac McCarthy turn. It balances the cause and effect nicely and smartly. <br /><br />WHY CHAMPION THIS FILM: Sure you put 4 guys in a room vying for the ultimate prize, being declared fit and legal to raise a child in a world that controls that idea here, and you are bound to get alot of those things I mentioned but here the choices made by the writing and the acting also get you a lot of subtext, subtle introspections, and jokes that come at the expense of the characters not knowing you are laughing at them, even though they are more than aware they are being "watched". A clever design that I think most people who are tired of the standard dick and fart joke fare would appreciate the laughs for. I also think anyone who can relate to the sometimes toxicity of manhood and the pressures of being or not wanting to be a father would really enjoy this 90 minute trip inside your brain because you maybe you won't feel so alone there anymore. Also there is enough saracasm and snark here to get the attention of smart indie moviegoer who value the moments of absurdity enough to laugh out loud a few times. A good time comedy is a little stretching it here but one that leaves you with a vaulable nugget of whatever you don't expect a comedy to leave you with, this is that movie in a nutshell. <br /></span><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"> </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #fcff01; font-size: large;">YOU CAN FOLLOW THIS MOVIE'S JOURNEY <a href="https://www.daddythefilm.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></b></span></div><p></p></div></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-58910484901677058302023-09-05T11:45:00.002-07:002023-09-05T11:45:29.628-07:00INDIE MOVIE REVIEW FROM CINEQUEST: PASSENGER C<p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"> PASSENGER C </span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="background-color: black; clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqrt_IbdrX1g7Yu6aFUiW2YEOXLFxpB72RGOUYoB9Uq1MEF2GimITpD9oj9yntIGQllixr1KSl_-SxEggVN1C4S_mQSpUusLsqEQV38miW17UF5hpIJSddJTxQoMwM7seSAyB32jQyuSQMkw5obggvqc239E-cgPJ-fQ1gYvbptYrmK3oT0ypPtgF74DM/s2592/passenger%20c%20poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqrt_IbdrX1g7Yu6aFUiW2YEOXLFxpB72RGOUYoB9Uq1MEF2GimITpD9oj9yntIGQllixr1KSl_-SxEggVN1C4S_mQSpUusLsqEQV38miW17UF5hpIJSddJTxQoMwM7seSAyB32jQyuSQMkw5obggvqc239E-cgPJ-fQ1gYvbptYrmK3oT0ypPtgF74DM/s320/passenger%20c%20poster.jpg" width="213" /></a></b></div><b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial;"><i style="background-color: black;">In production on "Dallas Buyers Club" and "Lee Daniel's The Butler", Cassian Elwes encountered an unruly passenger mid-flight. This film reconstructs the disturbing incident, the traumatizing aftermath and a surprising redemption.</i></b></div></b><p></p><div><div><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: black;">Wrtier/Director Cassian Elwes<br />Director of Photography: Andrew Parke</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: black;">Editor: Paul Buhl, Kyle Tekiela <br />Stars: Jon Jacobs, Éric Bruneau, Mary-Boner Baker </b></span></div></div><div><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: black;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHbP8ujVQjyMo-fFW2Fv6oGgALdZhRa4nRjN3AJ2oGURr-xp4tKzLheD_UylFw085YEuAUfVXxLkQ64TBxiMFPwtY1HD2KLLjdRMD4nGeUhNP6xS2tL7IMQ0_wMcYwJuoLK04cZ_wR5GMQgTXdaQ1-Qiwgo5geHaskKOHWQjr2dP7Kdbhi-OCcbcwMleQ/s1024/cassian%20elwes%20twitter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="1024" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHbP8ujVQjyMo-fFW2Fv6oGgALdZhRa4nRjN3AJ2oGURr-xp4tKzLheD_UylFw085YEuAUfVXxLkQ64TBxiMFPwtY1HD2KLLjdRMD4nGeUhNP6xS2tL7IMQ0_wMcYwJuoLK04cZ_wR5GMQgTXdaQ1-Qiwgo5geHaskKOHWQjr2dP7Kdbhi-OCcbcwMleQ/s320/cassian%20elwes%20twitter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>WHAT THIS FILM DOES WELL: You don't often get to see a movie in where there's a signifigant amount of dramatic reenactment, like that of a day time talk show or a murder-mystery, true crime show and be fascinated to the enth degree with it. I would also say you don't often see one based on a twitter feed but actually that's not the case anymore (severasl indies have been out in the last 3 years based on that). The nice thing about all that though is the storytelling while built in is really there for success and Cassian Elwes, who lived this experience, had full control of the idea and how to tell it and doesn't take that for granted here. It plays not as a retelling but as a strong narrative setup in a pseudo documentary style that tows the line of fictional boundaries like they were the great horizon or fourth wall. Not to mention he knows what makes a good story and good movie, having produced some of the best in Indie cinema in the last 10-15 years. That being said it still is a first time director, directing a movie wherein another actor is playing him and all the people in Cassian's lives are also real people, including Passenger C (Marco), played brilliantly by Eric Bruneau. That can be nerveracking for everyone involved and that never showed here.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqf54zSJbZ8_LRAeB-aBibXTZWg14uMifTWVRywdfLRnVj6Y8VIGobythEmpT3idJoDvX08ZLQ3QNHFVqeSTELpBsRzjQastFbNyFKswswQVjN4WQr5L_MNSWYb3VrtRLugDixSSAa2ZIMATYI-0tzQjNHnQvM1cRA2OJJ5bg32Bu3IzQ6XGm8VeLhMng/s1280/Passenger%20C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="1280" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqf54zSJbZ8_LRAeB-aBibXTZWg14uMifTWVRywdfLRnVj6Y8VIGobythEmpT3idJoDvX08ZLQ3QNHFVqeSTELpBsRzjQastFbNyFKswswQVjN4WQr5L_MNSWYb3VrtRLugDixSSAa2ZIMATYI-0tzQjNHnQvM1cRA2OJJ5bg32Bu3IzQ6XGm8VeLhMng/s320/Passenger%20C.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />What really works for this movie, coupled with the storytelling, is some amazing silent and still moments that are jarred into a dialogue or action moment that really give you this unique tension, awkwardness, and realistic, authentic truth that radiates right off the screen. I think this could have been blown up into a full on reentactment with voiceover or the tweets themselves on screen and that would feel so much less of a movie. The choice to lean into the cinematic and the documentarian-esque style using the actors and shots to convey this, was a brilliant and better choice. It really plays like even though most would know it really happened, and the person it happened to is telling the story there's still a little movie magic fairy dust sprinkled on it to just give you enough pause to create a creative license that is there but really isn't there, and get you lost in all of it. That's a good movie. The further choice to present it in Black & White gives it this fever dream element that again plays with the boundaries of what's real and what's made up. Jon Jacobs, who carries this movie as Cassian, is a strong presence that shows a lot of range, especially within in the vunerable, tortured, and brave elements that when he gets a moment to just kind of be still its that choice he makes as an actor that helps Cassian (the director not the character) frame and create that movie magic. There is an incredible scene in which his son-in-law has this earnest, real conversation with him that creates a foreshadowing element that you can't believe real life is that close to great storytelling and yet here it is for us all to see.</span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">WHY CHAMPION THIS MOVIE: Cassian Elwes has been doing this for a bit now and given us some of the best stories to be told there could possibly be and helped all them breath life into the screen, so its only fitting that here is something that really happened to him that we can champion too. This is not a braggard or self indulgent piece, this is an honest betrayal and a truthful vulenerable moment in the life of a blessed human and with that we can ourselves gather a lot from it by watching this. I also think if you are filmmaker or want to be a filmmaker this is one of those artistic strokes that shows you how to paint a real picture and still tell a narrative story without the subject being a mocked up visual necessity. It's very nicely timed and touches on so many interesting ideals both on and off screen. <br /><br />YOU CAN FOLLOW THIS MOVIE'S JOURNEY <a href="https://www.constructionfilm.de/en/projekte/passenger-c/" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></span></span></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-84596704218219169522023-08-31T15:05:00.001-07:002023-08-31T15:05:33.348-07:00INDIE MOVIE REVIEW FROM CINEQUEST: HOW TO RUIN THE HOLIDAYS<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">HOW TO RUIN THE HOLIDAYS</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxcJZYRhV31ZsqSeUmBiTMdyG3t3tc4o2ekUxgyZjqAOOdYiYZfTB_ua-vC5tw_JZfTp68HPVZbB0XWtMiVudWBD1tcE_N2jn3HY-77XwfLjeMuefejgykDG_eM5X2-s03v1EEdgYWQKmUr3Kve_3EX9jwRUp_RAMWjZ6SLvCSTVuV2Wr4lBGGfuZZwA/s1800/how%20to%20ruin%20the%20holidays%20poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxcJZYRhV31ZsqSeUmBiTMdyG3t3tc4o2ekUxgyZjqAOOdYiYZfTB_ua-vC5tw_JZfTp68HPVZbB0XWtMiVudWBD1tcE_N2jn3HY-77XwfLjeMuefejgykDG_eM5X2-s03v1EEdgYWQKmUr3Kve_3EX9jwRUp_RAMWjZ6SLvCSTVuV2Wr4lBGGfuZZwA/s320/how%20to%20ruin%20the%20holidays%20poster.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><drawer-more maxlines="6" status="closed" style="--drawerheight: 60px; --webkitlineclamp: 0; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; letter-spacing: 0.256px; margin-bottom: 15px;"><div class="drawer" style="height: fit-content; overflow: hidden; transition: height 300ms ease-in-out 0s;"><slot name="content" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 5px;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;">When a struggling comedian reluctantly returns home for the holidays, she has to deal with her eccentric family, and ultimately faces a life changing decision regarding her brother with special needs.</span></b></span></slot></div></drawer-more><ul id="info" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.256px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li class="info-item" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-size: medium;"><span class="info-item-label" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.256px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Writer: </span><span class="info-item-label" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.256px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kevin Gilesie</span></span></span></p></li><li class="info-item" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="info-item-label" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="background-color: black; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: large; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.256px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Director:</span><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.256px;"> </span><span data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="background-color: black; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: large; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.256px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Arlen Konopaki</span></p></li><li class="info-item" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span class="info-item-label" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: medium; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></p><ul id="info" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.256px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li class="info-item" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="info-item-label" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Director of Photography:</span> Felipe Vara De Rey</span></p></li></ul></li><ul id="info" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.256px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li class="info-item" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="info-item-label" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Stars:</span> Amber Nash, Colin Mochrie, Luke Davis, and Kate Lambert</span></p></li><li class="info-item" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><ul id="info" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.256px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li class="info-item" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="info-item-label" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Genre:</span> Comedy</span></p></li></ul></li></ul></ul><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THIS MOVIE: You know when you see something sometimes and you just relate to it ? Well there's something to be said about how a movie can connect to you and for me I think this one does that. Being an Artist on your own, trying to balance work/life situations, especially ones that are long distance, and then being thrust back into one or other because that's life, it's very relatable, truthful, and it comes from a genuine place that I think with the right bit of humor you see the absurdity of anything else and appreciate what this life gives you a little bit more. I know this is a film review and you are looking for a little more technical from me (or maybe expecting it) and I will get to that but I think a movie sometimes needs to be applauded for how it approaches its audience. This one doesn't try to overcomplicate or layer the subtext with over the top or worse yet misplaced humor. Don't get me wrong when the jokes here hit, they are very funny and well timed and well placed even within the context of this story but it's the underlying elements here that really captured me and I have to applaud Kevin Gilese and Arlen Konopaki for not letting that get in the way. </span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">I think beyond the storytelling though the acting really has incredible talent on display here, anchored by Amber Nash who I liked in this role as she riffs and carries us through the story arcs. I also liked how she played up Michelle's (her character) faults and flaws. I would have liked to see the shift in her arc a little more gradually and not just hit us in the face at the end of the 2nd and then not again until well into the 3rd Act. Still there's a really great moment between her and her dad (played by Colin Mochrie) in the backyard shed that I think was really nicely done and really well handled by both actors. It was nice to see a different side of Mochrie here. There is still a lot of great improv on display by him and we get the signature comedic timing and nicely placed jokes we would expect but he really has these earnest, real moments and that is quite refreshing. I know for a lot of folks Luke Davis is going to be the one that steals the screen and rightfully so, he is really awesome here. For me though this movie really would have suffered a similar fate as many of these type of films do, the ones mired in Indie mediocrity thast all fell like cookie cutter versions of themselves, if not for the performance of Kate Lambert. Her portrayal of Andrea as the younger sister to Michelle I think gives the room for Michelle's rough edges that I think would stall out eventually without Andrea. Even though I like Amber's choices for Michelle I could see how that would fade because of the choice of where the story goes and how Michelle deals with all that. Yet its a lot mor enatural and easier having Andrea there, because it gives her a bit of a cover and also enchances the opportunity for Kate to not just play up Andrea but give her the room to grow and show her character's arc. I think its a similar idea for Luke's character Mark, who I think shows a lot of growth and has some of the funniest moments in the whole movie with the both of them. </span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">There also a couple great supporting spots from Aisha Tyler, Caroline Aaron, Ronnie Chieng, Stacy Melich, and my personal favorite Henry Zebrowski who plays Larry the neighbor, that add to and play off of the family well. I think Arlen was smart to shoot a lot of this wider and give the actors the room they needed to improv and do all the great things comedians of this calibur do, even if it means there is going to be a little too much Indie in the look (and yes there is such a thing). The fire pit scene is one of those scenes in a comedy involving music we all know that I think will get a lot of play on TikTok and YouTube shorts. It's a great moment, which this movie is full of and like I said I love how much I related to it. </span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">WHY CHAMPION THIS MOVIE: It features an actor with special needs in a way that you don't get to see very often, expecially in a comedic setting. Luke Davis is a star and his talent is beautiful and there is something about his delivery crassness that endears a couple really laugh out loud moments for me but also I love how truimphant he is with it. Truly though what I think this movie really has is the grip of reality that isn't often enough seen in movies that you are supposed to laugh with and that is really something unique in this space that needs to be celebrated. I think a lot of people will relate, laugh, and smile and what more could you ask of a film to do for you. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-size: large;">TO FOLLOW THIS FILM'S JOURNEY YOU CAN GO <a href="https://www.howtoruintheholidaysmovie.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a> </span></b></span></span></p>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-52631403636236298142023-08-29T17:50:00.002-07:002023-08-30T09:34:59.085-07:00INDIE MOVIE REVIEW FROM CINEQUEST: BIBI<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"><span style="color: #04ff00;"><b> BIBI</b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpN-Fz7b_sYGi84k3M9tP-mw_zwaQfVJrPT03cn1B7mHiRVExWFJ8K1ffEiWTATtDFzCT8KiXDUm19JStebGBYpG6smuFkMVM6kyOwkztaVpAdu80lwWgFTS2JOMZKwq5dc4OC4iNljxC46HWwfDDbU-A2DkTVGYUvPW0JvS2tJF_507awuk120IhW21U/s1476/bibi%20poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1476" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpN-Fz7b_sYGi84k3M9tP-mw_zwaQfVJrPT03cn1B7mHiRVExWFJ8K1ffEiWTATtDFzCT8KiXDUm19JStebGBYpG6smuFkMVM6kyOwkztaVpAdu80lwWgFTS2JOMZKwq5dc4OC4iNljxC46HWwfDDbU-A2DkTVGYUvPW0JvS2tJF_507awuk120IhW21U/s320/bibi%20poster.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><drawer-more maxlines="6" status="closed" style="--drawerheight: 60px; --webkitlineclamp: 0; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; letter-spacing: 0.256px; margin-bottom: 15px;"><div class="drawer" style="height: fit-content; overflow: hidden; transition: height 300ms ease-in-out 0s;"><slot name="content" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 5px;"><p data-qa="movie-info-synopsis" slot="content" style="-webkit-box-orient: vertical; -webkit-line-clamp: var(--webkitLineClamp); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: -webkit-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In the gripping psychological thriller "Bibi," a grieving woman, consumed by her own demons, must confront a relentless stalker who blurs the boundaries between nightmare and reality, forcing her to question her sanity.</span></p></slot></div><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><slot name="ctaOpen" style="background-color: black;"></slot></span></drawer-more><ul id="info" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.256px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li class="info-item" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-size: medium;"><span class="info-item-label" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.256px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Writer & Director:</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.256px;"> </span><span data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.256px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Christopher Beatty</span></span></span></p></li><li class="info-item" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="info-item-label" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Producers:</span> <span data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Christopher Beatty, Logan Hunter, Eddie Micallef, Glen Trotiner</span></span></p></li><li class="info-item" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span class="info-item-label" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: medium; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></p><ul id="info" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.256px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li class="info-item" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="info-item-label" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Director of Photography:</span> John W. Rutland</span></p></li></ul></li><li class="info-item" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="info-item-label" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Editor:</span> Benjamin J Murray<span data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></p></li><ul id="info" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.256px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li class="info-item" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="info-item-label" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Stars:</span> Elizabeth Paige, Judith Ann DiMinni, and Tammy Blanchard</span></p></li><li class="info-item" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><ul id="info" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.256px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li class="info-item" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--fontFranklinGothic); font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="info-item-label" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Genre:</span> <span class="genre" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Psychological Thriller</span></span></p></li></ul></li></ul></ul><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; letter-spacing: 0.256px;"><b>WHAT THIS MOVIE DOES WELL: </b>The storytelling structure here is stellar. The way in which Christopher Beatty put us right in the middle of a tightrope trying to balance our way through a stroll across the mouth of the Grand Canyon is heartwrenching, and yet oddly exhilarating and riveting as well. One in which each step (scene) it feels like the rope is getting narrower and narrower and shakier and shakier underneath us too. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; letter-spacing: 0.256px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPQwgm0USUJNxItA_poDDItLAj9nLfKUJwDQjKZDfSOWq2EEsPtV1_s3hxI4Esd2up65tyJ-X-pMXYcMa6_Sowm1FQIdCrBsmEDM7HCEnUeYtLQo01czw3CL08HJnmkiYzZkHAmzxC1uUHRfzdWj6y-sjQ3NJ8FOLIuq_gLGmdmpoNlb_mGEqQx24Gtk/s971/bibi%20still.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="971" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPQwgm0USUJNxItA_poDDItLAj9nLfKUJwDQjKZDfSOWq2EEsPtV1_s3hxI4Esd2up65tyJ-X-pMXYcMa6_Sowm1FQIdCrBsmEDM7HCEnUeYtLQo01czw3CL08HJnmkiYzZkHAmzxC1uUHRfzdWj6y-sjQ3NJ8FOLIuq_gLGmdmpoNlb_mGEqQx24Gtk/s320/bibi%20still.jpg" width="320" /></span></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; letter-spacing: 0.256px;">There is so much to digest with the nice slow burns, incredibly interesting backstory, the neat reveals, and the internal POV of a descent into Madness, all layered with powerful hallucinations and strong metaphors that tilt the story as we wait for that one big misstep and fall into the abyss. The other impressive element is how this story seemingly tests what you know about genre, just when you think you might be watching a horror film it rips you out of that mode with these gorgeous landscapes and tauntry country club scenes. Just when you think you are watching a period drama, here comes Nancy (played by Tammy Blanchard) talking about the dance clubs and how she needs to get Vivian laid. All three main female actors in this film take turns tantalizingly playing with the text, adding subtext and emotion, and giving you some incredibly powerful moments. <br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.256px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjauTAo67RzZNIKChVpU1uy1e5nPCyCGkFjmSDSY8rO6IYgPYoelpSytEp90F_uKPbA2VUgsf_1vvxsFecxsXh5hHHCy5p4I4Zq5ymiWIJJGfOH2rOp4ahtX5RYgAU6bjZuAi07JKDgwWiZuuLdFWwM_cszThalzZNPV74WtU-JE2XSPzLgNOEOqTj7pg0/s1921/bibi%20still%202.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1921" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjauTAo67RzZNIKChVpU1uy1e5nPCyCGkFjmSDSY8rO6IYgPYoelpSytEp90F_uKPbA2VUgsf_1vvxsFecxsXh5hHHCy5p4I4Zq5ymiWIJJGfOH2rOp4ahtX5RYgAU6bjZuAi07JKDgwWiZuuLdFWwM_cszThalzZNPV74WtU-JE2XSPzLgNOEOqTj7pg0/s320/bibi%20still%202.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Each of them has their big moment but for me I really felt like Tammy Blanchard stole every scene she was in. Her psuedo black winged angel (not quite suited to be the white winged one mind you) and maybe just the lesser of 2 devils on Vivian's shoulder role is where often times we are plucked out of something drastically shifting and given a breathier with some levity and some ridculousness that only Nancy can provide. Although there is one scene that I think changes everything and is handled beautifully by all 3 of these women who share the screen in only that moment. Elizabeth Paige is also amazing as Vivian. She is our POV, our conduit, and often though we can see beyond what she is experiencing, seiing, and feeling she does so well to keep us with her. I love how controlled she think she appears while always spiraling inside and letting it slowly leak out moment by moment. Judith Ann DiMinni has these amazingly powerful moments as well and plays who she is beautifully by keeping the teeter totter tipping up and down. <br /><br />The production design here is absolutely magnificent in how they make the house almost like a breathing character, a very old house has that already but its the interesting way in which certain things are able to do this or that like a door goesonly a certain way or the sound shifts depending on the angle or the time of day even. All of that adds just that much more to prod Vivian and in turn us. There is also some incredible symbols and trickets that matter so much in the details of what helps twist this story back and forth too. <br /><br />Beatty's directing style and working with both John Rutland as the DP and Benjamin Murray as the editor really set a tone. There is often where this feels like a period piece with bright sunspots and vibrant bright colors. Then they mute a tad to chill us or foreshadow something. Then they go all the way into a dreamscape or such a wildy toeing line of reality vs hallucination. This coupled with some nice pull out by the camera, a really great jump cut in a reveal moment that I think is so magically executed perfectly, and some amazing steady shots that also add layers to this amazing descent. It's design has a patience that the actors pick up on and utilize so that we can get into it quickly and stay there till the end. It's very nicely handled from Act one to the final act. <br /><br /><b>WHY CHAMPION THIS MOVIE: </b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxkzcyX_nIO4LxnrXqcuAvdo-DvwCDX-37msexxf8XhHSo1D3xqGhiBc09AwQIn8ak9k5w6wsoN-vzRmy_x7c5jSSbsy2V0clUGuB2wg_nL2uqCbmwFnhfUYE6V0kfIr21xfjXqWKWyoS8xkt-VWJ-kjNYhZdEhaCiCcZahftrsDhK9i2M6BKUm9J71yU/s370/bibi%20still%205.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="247" data-original-width="370" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxkzcyX_nIO4LxnrXqcuAvdo-DvwCDX-37msexxf8XhHSo1D3xqGhiBc09AwQIn8ak9k5w6wsoN-vzRmy_x7c5jSSbsy2V0clUGuB2wg_nL2uqCbmwFnhfUYE6V0kfIr21xfjXqWKWyoS8xkt-VWJ-kjNYhZdEhaCiCcZahftrsDhK9i2M6BKUm9J71yU/s320/bibi%20still%205.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; letter-spacing: 0.256px;">There is a subtle perfectionist feel to everything we are watching. It was all meticuslous, carefully placed, and very well executed. I would give you some movies it remind sme of but then I am robbing you of the experience to discover what the grand reveal is and I won't do that, ever. What I will say is the perfectionism leads the audience to what I feel is an Indie that defies its limits, while sometimes embracing them even more, and provides us with an incredibly well thought out plot structure and story that is well acted, well shot, and well edited. I think if you are a fan of Southern Gothic, slow burn thrillers that pay you off tenfold in the end, then you will really get a lot from this movie. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; letter-spacing: 0.256px;"><b><span style="background-color: black; color: #fcff01;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; letter-spacing: 0.256px;"><b><span style="background-color: black; color: #fcff01; font-size: x-large;">YOU CAN FOLLOW THE MOVIE AND ITS JOURNEY <a href="https://bibithemovie.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></b></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-68779540589974602892023-08-26T17:09:00.011-07:002023-09-01T16:24:18.023-07:00INDIE MOVIE REVIEW FROM CINEQUEST: FRESH KILLS<p><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><i> <span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Written by Joe Compton</span><br /></span></i></span></b><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">FRESH KILLS</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: black; color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp2jXGm7uPfs9j3xxZI5VN3MUPiUpdzoY5IY7qpDVIW2D9Gy7cRzbRyM_bM0LchPxgvNiyMEJnv7EGK8_-1ZjjJ0MZ6FWRUJnVesCNAseu5pmrMAQxUPpJm6YAgV77xYREg1avVELzfklm388g8fxR-zGTZjHYCtX_TgNTGny7TTBgMebBQhzF4Cg0EwI/s1671/Fresh%20Kills%20Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1671" data-original-width="1095" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp2jXGm7uPfs9j3xxZI5VN3MUPiUpdzoY5IY7qpDVIW2D9Gy7cRzbRyM_bM0LchPxgvNiyMEJnv7EGK8_-1ZjjJ0MZ6FWRUJnVesCNAseu5pmrMAQxUPpJm6YAgV77xYREg1avVELzfklm388g8fxR-zGTZjHYCtX_TgNTGny7TTBgMebBQhzF4Cg0EwI/s320/Fresh%20Kills%20Poster.jpg" width="210" /></a></div></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="background-color: black; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><p></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: black;"><br /><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Follows the story of the loyal women of an organized crime family that dominated some of the boroughs of New York City in the late 20th century.<br />Written & Driected by Jennifer Esposito<br />Director of Photography: Ben Hardwicke<br />Editor: Todd Sandler<br />Stars: Jennifer Esposito, Annabella Sciorra, Odessa A’zion</span></b></span><div><b style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Genre: Crime/Drama</span></b><span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span><div><span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: black;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: black;">WHAT THIS MOVIE DOES WELL: There's a quiet disarming subtlety to the direction of where this movie goes that I feel like in lesser hands would fail to have the impact it ultimately has. Those hands are that of veteran actor Jennifer Esposito, making her directorial debut, and doing so with the kind of grit and furiosity that I feel like is often over glamourousized or just simply smoothed over in a lot of other crime films. Even in the really, really good ones. This has that Mean Streets vibe and yet there is a level that even Mean Streets couldn't touch that Fresh Kills does. A lot of that is the performances, one in particular you'll read about in the sentences to come here, but I feel like also a lot of credit has to go to the design and overall look of this film. For that Esposito turns to DP Ben Hardwicke and Production Designer T. V. Alexander. Hardwicke's filtering and lighting grabs you with this real dirty and often times messy feel and yet still honors a period in time that has an interesting look of its own in the late 70's/early 80's into the 90's. No doubt with help from Alexander's due dillegence for authencity. It's because of that feeling of what your eyes are absorbing, and then the actors working within that space, that you really get a sense of maybe how all to real the mob life really was and even among the good times how much it has this stink to it that is hard to explain but easy to feel. There are incredible moments just when you think it's going to be glamourized that it suddenly shifts. All in manner of as if it was using a lint brush to remove wet dog hair from a black sweater.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJkqayBTPVRkfYaFZhnMF9ipCdYlMWkT6YBBXD91A94jo6OKEE0nlDiTgTaKTOw4ZUaO26ELGMwiLkMxhQ813Q3UvWah_gS1RQa65OG24pViP7L7V1Z5VbTginFSen_TtOIVhQNWmoOVeLSjYZOsyxXQE9v4J_IGsyRe0G8xmFF1x0Lrt9FH7AuFpOuc/s1280/full_FRESH_KILLS-02-Clean-16x9.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJkqayBTPVRkfYaFZhnMF9ipCdYlMWkT6YBBXD91A94jo6OKEE0nlDiTgTaKTOw4ZUaO26ELGMwiLkMxhQ813Q3UvWah_gS1RQa65OG24pViP7L7V1Z5VbTginFSen_TtOIVhQNWmoOVeLSjYZOsyxXQE9v4J_IGsyRe0G8xmFF1x0Lrt9FH7AuFpOuc/s320/full_FRESH_KILLS-02-Clean-16x9.png" width="320" /></a></div>In my humble opinion the acting on display here really begins with an award recoginizing type performance from Odessa A'zion. Connie is the catalyst for all that Rose experiences and in a lot of ways how she feels as this lifetime of shit unfolds. Emily Bader who plays Rose has this incredible ability in which I love how controlled she is in moments of stillness where you can literally touch the screen and brace yourself for what comes next. Or in the case of one my favorite scenes in the movie, lean back and be awed by what you just witnessed. It's a moment toward the end in which the director Esposito shares, as she also acts in this film, because when you are as talented as she is, why wouldn't you utilize that, and she is very goodin a limited capacity here. Esposito also turns to a veteran actor in Dominic Lombardozzi to anchor and be the foil of existence for all the women in his life here. His best moments are the ones where you can see why he was who needed to play Joe Larusso. Back to Esposito though, like I said she is in my favorite moment as a shared experience that I think could eaisly become an iconic moment in all of Mob movie history. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvNFHN9mfVa5j-R7MUgKobPCh-doxAFTHf61GVGHxJXgG4IGCr-vDeF35rckfK1_8XJqL1AJL_ZJfVotoIe6776fgZGwrcBPhTgwz9a2gOTOAwKspTi-KCJfbu4RbGPdfkIRX0OswAvm0NKGVIjrvSaDTIKdaKm4OqLNWIRwJqaDBW517_6AnDK1AbIE/s2524/22Fresh-Kills22.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1416" data-original-width="2524" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvNFHN9mfVa5j-R7MUgKobPCh-doxAFTHf61GVGHxJXgG4IGCr-vDeF35rckfK1_8XJqL1AJL_ZJfVotoIe6776fgZGwrcBPhTgwz9a2gOTOAwKspTi-KCJfbu4RbGPdfkIRX0OswAvm0NKGVIjrvSaDTIKdaKm4OqLNWIRwJqaDBW517_6AnDK1AbIE/s320/22Fresh-Kills22.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />WHY CHAMPION THIS MOVIE: This piece of art has a lot to unpack and a lot to absorb and it is the quintessential example as to why I love Independent film. It takes risks and comes at a familiar story from an unfamiliar angle and does to make it more unique enough to say this feels more like a mob documentary than a crime movie. I think if you are somone who doesn't get mobor crime movies too much because they are outwrought with violence and evil than I think this might be the movie that changes your mind or at least gives you an understanding of why these movies are so rich and powerful. You can tell Esposito had a clear vision, a clear point of view, and I don't know if this was all born out of her trying to be cast in various Mob Movies and shows over the years that do have a little more gloss on them than what I sure she remembers about her childhood in these areas being a Brooklyn girl in the 70's and 80's. Whatever the motivation was to write this, it's a truimph and I can't wait to experience another Jennifer Esposito helmed and lead film. </b></span></div></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-84307870083623237692023-08-25T12:24:00.001-07:002023-08-25T12:24:21.822-07:00Our HollyShorts 2023 Review: A Complete Guide to Binging Some Great Art<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtA5PWP3PyRwJd5ruDq6ogKsPlwHgS2v6rPSwezLYujwfXpsIUcvW8873bMkUS-2pNRlt4MhsZVqVUTk6HnB36hZE1uJaZ6BvR4bTT1tebX3KU_ZSieUPI7X5z85hXkCKO1Ya43E2rpCaLssWq5sUZOSfR0dhmKfnChcqsA7XcLojKabAggvaBE4AbOrE/s299/hollyshorts%20logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="299" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtA5PWP3PyRwJd5ruDq6ogKsPlwHgS2v6rPSwezLYujwfXpsIUcvW8873bMkUS-2pNRlt4MhsZVqVUTk6HnB36hZE1uJaZ6BvR4bTT1tebX3KU_ZSieUPI7X5z85hXkCKO1Ya43E2rpCaLssWq5sUZOSfR0dhmKfnChcqsA7XcLojKabAggvaBE4AbOrE/w524-h226/hollyshorts%20logo.png" width="524" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Go Indie Now's Joe Compton received the distinct honor and privilege to experience and watch some of the best Short Films from around the World thanks to the HollyShorts Film Festival. A festival that just took place in person in Los Angeles, CA and remains online at <a href="https://bitpixtv.com/catalog">Bitpix | Bitpix (bitpixtv.com)</a> for a little bit as of this writing. <br /><br />If you are like me and go to your local cinema to sit and watch the Academy Awards Shorts every year or you have always wanted to, this may be your ultimate preview. As an accredited Oscar Qualifying Festival, it would be no surprise to this viewer that we see some if not a lot of these films make the cut. <br /><br />Not that that matters because see good art needs no qualifications but hey if you needed a reason to spend a weekend binging short films and being more entertained than you can possibly imagine, well then this has to be where you begin. The amount of talent on display here in many, many different genres, different narratives, poignancies, and thematic sovereignty is endless. That's literally the case for Hollyshorts as they have over 350+ films on display. Some Micro-short, some a little longer, and some in between. You will be surprised how fast you get sucked in and how many you end up watching. <br /><br />So that being said, let me help you start your journey and give you a good place to start with a few of my favorites.</span></i><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">KNIGHT OF FORTUNE</span> </span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mSkcwuhsD8X0FSwzSU8zyPZ6NLscHVLXPxU1fzAscAJQXH8-NaJpgQQwe5oSDtXvSpskuFFsU1KbcGObvQWyPrVIALBust1nzSk4wQEO7ghkIH0WldZNH9xerAhbG1CPpit24CC1nG8nsb2CNmpTrE-_fzbi9OV5LA1SSDIE8ULhpUtxxL8f0uCjCSo/s2667/knight%20of%20fortune%20poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2667" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mSkcwuhsD8X0FSwzSU8zyPZ6NLscHVLXPxU1fzAscAJQXH8-NaJpgQQwe5oSDtXvSpskuFFsU1KbcGObvQWyPrVIALBust1nzSk4wQEO7ghkIH0WldZNH9xerAhbG1CPpit24CC1nG8nsb2CNmpTrE-_fzbi9OV5LA1SSDIE8ULhpUtxxL8f0uCjCSo/s320/knight%20of%20fortune%20poster.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #fcff01;"><b>RUN TIME: 25 MINS<br />GENRE: DRAMA<br />SYNOPSIS: The loss of a loved one, the grief, the risk of yellow skin, and a coffin, that is too much for Karl to face. Then it's much easier to fix a broken lamp. Karl meets Torben - a destined brother, and it turns out that maybe they can help one another.<br />WRITER/DIRECTOR : Lasse Lyskjær Noer<br />STARRING : Leif Andrée, Dick Kaysø, Jesper Lohmann</b><br /></span><br />WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: The performances here are some of the best in any short I saw at this festival. The acting is a masterclass in subtlety and nuance. The writing is equally stellar as the more jovial moments hit with a kind of odd ill-informed sense that it works to preserve the emotional aspects of each moment in each room and each scene. They have these wonderful beats that mix together the words and movements equally to give it that nice cadence. The movie moves with a sort of odd precision that endears you to a few, otherwise awkward and emotional, subject matter moments. The way Director Lasse Noer decides to pepper in the foundations of the building blocks that move this narrative forward is so well orchestrated too. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdPzhvP3GlKJpmsZ0zQxyRSOabQAEV_L4OcAWzSal91PjdNrcBeb9egb5xXrpv2MHae1q8yAKLdS7OTnWq6nBSV3jry2X12BOTFSHbMWYEJZa8p9DmUr2L3nSQ3U_k2jF_2-cmmr0vHG1fRJO3xn3RWUcLiDQA1V8cnAPmkju6sbcpTi4QQ8pfvv2VZo/s1920/knight%20of%20fortune%20still.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdPzhvP3GlKJpmsZ0zQxyRSOabQAEV_L4OcAWzSal91PjdNrcBeb9egb5xXrpv2MHae1q8yAKLdS7OTnWq6nBSV3jry2X12BOTFSHbMWYEJZa8p9DmUr2L3nSQ3U_k2jF_2-cmmr0vHG1fRJO3xn3RWUcLiDQA1V8cnAPmkju6sbcpTi4QQ8pfvv2VZo/s320/knight%20of%20fortune%20still.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>There is so much power in these setups and you aren't aware of how much till the moment ends. You go from serious sympathy to crying to laughing, and then into just an odd absurdity that is neither offending nor offering to give away any of its storytelling power. The framing adds this discovery element to each moment so perfectly, kind of like that last piece of the jigsaw puzzle you found under the leg of the coffee table. This is a movie I could watch over and over again and each time I feel like I would get something different from it. For a movie that reveals slowly its little quirks and twists that's an accomplishment of rarified air. </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">SEVAP/MITZVAH</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg519Ss_MQPuP7LdtktFy1E_phWckrUHb1qDOs1WydA05rU9NJkg3L9_AZeYlcXLw-TwW4JB0I0MwYItrCNRkQvIq6_kENEH6cwbUsB26By8BOk6TBVp7se4GMrGtuOeyyXDzXwhdRWbOcZYZe-HPC5bFWz_8hd2EWh2Btc__PRTC1Z-0WLuqrFOM6ghyE/s1411/sevap%20poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1411" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg519Ss_MQPuP7LdtktFy1E_phWckrUHb1qDOs1WydA05rU9NJkg3L9_AZeYlcXLw-TwW4JB0I0MwYItrCNRkQvIq6_kENEH6cwbUsB26By8BOk6TBVp7se4GMrGtuOeyyXDzXwhdRWbOcZYZe-HPC5bFWz_8hd2EWh2Btc__PRTC1Z-0WLuqrFOM6ghyE/s320/sevap%20poster.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>RUN TIME: 25 MINS<br />GENRE: DRAMA<br />SYNOPSIS: In Nazi-occupied Bosnia, a Muslim woman risks her life to save her Jewish friends and is saved by them in turn 50 years later.<br />WRITER/DIRECTOR: Sabina Vajraca<br />STARRING: Helena Vuckovic, Adnan Haskovic, Rijad Gvozden</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: This might be my favorite directed short of the festival. I think what Sabina has done here, the meticulous nature and the authenticity that she has carefully crafted here feels so real, so powerful, and almost a transportation back to a time and place few of us will ever know. It is that careful care and storytelling that really makes this movie move perfectly and seamlessly into what is an unbelievable and powerful message. Helena Vuckovic does an amazing job of honoring a real-life person and her story, she stands out here and really has some very powerful and strong moments that add a lot to the moments of static energy and tension that fill the air of these circumstances. It makes me want to explore and learn more about Zejneba Hardaga. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9dU921Q77UGuHnHRMt99dI0y_rfOg2bIFKxTMAZ4dxd7DnSVpuZ4hMj8SrXZvc5PMVF_frPoc41wH57NNKNKlYiPqqEJxsQEpvzesbGKV0hlvbcsab7Sge8vTXcAKbmNxDFggMOyu8jpaV0mwEiNMsXe6rFigvZkzPj3wpgfCeFc7mtaALJclFrlOhA/s1440/sevap%20still.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9dU921Q77UGuHnHRMt99dI0y_rfOg2bIFKxTMAZ4dxd7DnSVpuZ4hMj8SrXZvc5PMVF_frPoc41wH57NNKNKlYiPqqEJxsQEpvzesbGKV0hlvbcsab7Sge8vTXcAKbmNxDFggMOyu8jpaV0mwEiNMsXe6rFigvZkzPj3wpgfCeFc7mtaALJclFrlOhA/w320-h240/sevap%20still.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>There is a shot through a window that pans in that I will not soon forget. This is amazing storytelling in a short period of time that covers a lifetime incredibly well and yet I am told by Sabina (check out my interview with her) that there is so much more to tell, I am in Sabina, all in for sure. <b>YOU CAN SEE MY INTERVIEW WITH SABINA <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfvFT5IsZso" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</b></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">FOR THE SAFETY OF THEO</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiltr60QJ9hOMRGGrgSkxTa2bEIDaODCJH68clPiyKAkIn7TKJGz6GwO3Bk8lfkFSyceHTD5ypKIcYN7coUAx9kgGD7wWrooKwYk0jgNAXlr5gzzHX6u0wEXTgizZwWFqgirjro1FMqtGznefIiw86royyc-4qDWyHacKyAN1LazNwDyUa9T7AMtiPSw0/s1481/for%20safety%20poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiltr60QJ9hOMRGGrgSkxTa2bEIDaODCJH68clPiyKAkIn7TKJGz6GwO3Bk8lfkFSyceHTD5ypKIcYN7coUAx9kgGD7wWrooKwYk0jgNAXlr5gzzHX6u0wEXTgizZwWFqgirjro1FMqtGznefIiw86royyc-4qDWyHacKyAN1LazNwDyUa9T7AMtiPSw0/s320/for%20safety%20poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>RUN TIME: 9 MINS<br />GENRE: DRAMA</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">SYNOPSIS: When casual hook-ups become too debilitating, a man suffering from OCD seeks out different ways to purge himself of the consequences of the night before.<br />WRITER/DIRECTOR: Christopher Macken<br />STARRING: Darragh O'Toole, Kelly Curran, Dan Sanders-Joyce<br /></span></b><br /><br />WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: The feel of this film and the way it is presented through the quick jump cuts and strong close-ups give the frenetic, crazy feel that I am going to describe by stealing from what Christopher told me in our interview; as punk rock. It has the punch you in the face, scratch and claw at your neck kind of tension that moves like it's 5 minutes and not 9. The nonverbal acting job that Darragh does, coupled with the playful and concerning dialogue moments is spot on. </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2qdh_lpf93yD9h100lJ09Sc3evExLZRcdn_pXiIZxE9BNXc_L8Gh2_m4QFv--QeX7ksIDB8bbs5sm7Vo65WrAxDgOU1qXmhbjrbdTwCEOmEb8XJeO4oCyTG2VgLTyDEmsvEDz00kG1t98Thxqo6eDWCJXlPOVKmEX8AC7lO__VIMcWw4KuclVqZxmkRU/s1920/for%20the%20safety%20of%20theo%20still.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1920" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2qdh_lpf93yD9h100lJ09Sc3evExLZRcdn_pXiIZxE9BNXc_L8Gh2_m4QFv--QeX7ksIDB8bbs5sm7Vo65WrAxDgOU1qXmhbjrbdTwCEOmEb8XJeO4oCyTG2VgLTyDEmsvEDz00kG1t98Thxqo6eDWCJXlPOVKmEX8AC7lO__VIMcWw4KuclVqZxmkRU/s320/for%20the%20safety%20of%20theo%20still.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Darragh really commits himself here and it shows tenfold. I love the foils too, the stark brash contrast of Kelly Curran's no nonsense character Claire to the brief but oh so important Sam character played by Dan Sanders-Joyce. This is a wicked ride with a strong but not overbearing message that plays so well with its franticness framed here. There is something that sits with you after you experience this a kind of numbing of what this film really was trying to say and it becomes embedded in your thoughts about it. I love films that do that and this one does it extremely well. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">VILLAIN</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-hjJB9JtHtBZsxUPtKEEnhvNQwZm_O_fyUhGXo5MgnDiHM2pxq-ksE6kLODeW1DgjYKBNjpsN49tBxenpPkSDAlWK3DqDuRGz2bTB745UIMDtmoRBoP2CdeET9wnbgtioNkB_9v2RyaZXOP4DwlAy74w2F5HiYrK19-VFeXOTshFDSk12hr_cyPsKis/s320/villain.jpg" width="226" /></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>RUN TIME: 10 MINS<br />GENRE: FANTASY<br />SYNOPSIS: An orphaned girl seeks revenge on the creature that destroyed her home, but discovers more in its lair than she bargained for.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">WRITER/DIRECTOR: Sparky Tehnsuko<br />Starring: Isla Gie, Bella Ramsey</span></b><br /></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;">WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THIS FILM: I am just going to come out and say it and y'all can throw shade on me if you wish but honestly if this was what Game Of Thrones would have been like instead of the mess and boredom it was, I would have been all in. The tension Director Sparky Tehsuko builds, the story told in a mere 9 minutes without a single word just the occasional, monosyllable grunt or scream is both breathtaking and exhilarating. I have to say too the young actors here that were given the trust of the storyteller show exactly why he was able to trust them, their restraint and discipline make me excited to see what they all do in the future here.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-q4eKmVZZB0R_wsT7rMApNSxRoCyrsOJ46zJ4Pn8Qs1jENV-RD1XmB5v0uYKZ89BzhZmqobv3MK7re9ok8Rg92pOjoUdqe_G-MlfdUrp6pEV-WtP4w-HTwxCXSIydRxieMYWLTfw_uvFgXqa7Ew6l9X13FaxHYQyZ2lbr3UYgLHEMyIGIvAYCS5Gt4wM/s2855/villain%20still.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1186" data-original-width="2855" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-q4eKmVZZB0R_wsT7rMApNSxRoCyrsOJ46zJ4Pn8Qs1jENV-RD1XmB5v0uYKZ89BzhZmqobv3MK7re9ok8Rg92pOjoUdqe_G-MlfdUrp6pEV-WtP4w-HTwxCXSIydRxieMYWLTfw_uvFgXqa7Ew6l9X13FaxHYQyZ2lbr3UYgLHEMyIGIvAYCS5Gt4wM/s320/villain%20still.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>You get everything you need, the fear, the motivation, the strength, the revenge, the need to overcome the fear, and on top of that one kick-ass-looking Dragon. I really feel like this is a road map on how to make short films work in a 3 act narrative structure. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">A MATTER OF CHOICE</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG36HZJTniYhboHNHCG4Zl4uMAbS_pD65g7lkzvaUHzg_2hSVAhCGeb2vIOg6wi6bMW-SNZ8RHNsFcbPEVsx_ZuEepqlBDU5yO1OLpwtb8m3sVXpFWbNo8r6V8hAOmFG0B2NINpOe8l8GRZomZTL5G1mPVXjOzFomd-bu6U9FXf85nnaUu4iM84HZeuFY/s281/matter%20poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="190" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG36HZJTniYhboHNHCG4Zl4uMAbS_pD65g7lkzvaUHzg_2hSVAhCGeb2vIOg6wi6bMW-SNZ8RHNsFcbPEVsx_ZuEepqlBDU5yO1OLpwtb8m3sVXpFWbNo8r6V8hAOmFG0B2NINpOe8l8GRZomZTL5G1mPVXjOzFomd-bu6U9FXf85nnaUu4iM84HZeuFY/s1600/matter%20poster.jpg" width="190" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>RUN TIME: 14 MINS<br />GENRE: DARK COMEDY<br />SYNOPSIS: </b><b>After unexpectedly finding a connection in the waiting room of an assisted-suicide clinic, Mallory and Drystan are left with a choice: do they stay or do they go?</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">WRITER/DIRECTOR: Louis Norton Selzer</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">Starring: WIll Merrick, Lydia WIlson, Ciara Pouncett</span></b><br /><br />WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: I love that it didn't end the way I thought it might or the way most might even think it should. I love strong, smart choices and this short film is full of them. From the filmmaker Louis Selzer's ending, to the way the actors all reacted in this very unusual circumstance and the setup and drabness of this atmosphere. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjXUmGiofKthX26dWwUFa2luGdJcXGVOpdZFE2KVPgREfDjKGFKDBcmi90IjmEX-6JFQSGCz5-yTKQvJP8_3RVlw8f7P88u5sqxZ6b-fBdkCnhLnTmdn4WzfwWLBojNb40RAaG27E4j6Q0vfTGdSkcXQKR4q7HYK0gOJQSDR8l_928wo-PPcrmyK2IWBc/s700/matter%20still.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="700" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjXUmGiofKthX26dWwUFa2luGdJcXGVOpdZFE2KVPgREfDjKGFKDBcmi90IjmEX-6JFQSGCz5-yTKQvJP8_3RVlw8f7P88u5sqxZ6b-fBdkCnhLnTmdn4WzfwWLBojNb40RAaG27E4j6Q0vfTGdSkcXQKR4q7HYK0gOJQSDR8l_928wo-PPcrmyK2IWBc/s320/matter%20still.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I thought Ciara Pouncett's role as the nurse administrator was particularly standing out for me. The 2 leads did very well to give this narrative the depth it needed without verbalizing it too much. A lot of great close-up choices and cutaways added a lot to building this tension and giving it this awkward craziness. I love the symbolic color choices, especially of the suitcases, and the funny line that acknowledges that I thought was very clever. There is a lot of cleverness throughout this piece and it doesn't hit you over the head or push into a false pretense, it stays true to itself and I think for that it can only be applauded. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">7 MINUTES</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObCDrFT2uS-ygnPtRw7WUTxUwp-qVJ7fnQIyqa5j2eFHRWAcP9ffqY5sGI2ci70zPRG28-lhAlVCtUiK7XwDSdap45xETLKa07b70L-nhBcvSBlW5AWnlWHrsGSK2tTDz2iPs1I2FCJaz8C10-4NTXZ7QPlvdr_sAWZGg2hgOsWaQeo4i5bpBzNkAkEw/s1333/7%20minutes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObCDrFT2uS-ygnPtRw7WUTxUwp-qVJ7fnQIyqa5j2eFHRWAcP9ffqY5sGI2ci70zPRG28-lhAlVCtUiK7XwDSdap45xETLKa07b70L-nhBcvSBlW5AWnlWHrsGSK2tTDz2iPs1I2FCJaz8C10-4NTXZ7QPlvdr_sAWZGg2hgOsWaQeo4i5bpBzNkAkEw/s320/7%20minutes.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>RUN TIME: 10 MINS<br />GENRE: DARK COMEDY<br />SYNOPSIS:</b></span><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>Follows two people awkwardly contemplating suicide on a desolated train track, which seems to be the perfect spot to end it all, until someone else turns up with the same idea.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">DIRECTOR: Ricky Gervais</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">WRITERS: Harry Carlile, Jonathan Parramint</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">Starring: Seroca Davis, Joe WIlkinson<br /><br /></span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;">WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: A great example of how a narrative can be constructed from the simplest of set-ups, from the eaisest of transitions, and the awkwardness of silence. This is so well constructed and the punchline is very nicely timed and yet even though there is a "punchline" per se it's really a lot about what is not being said here that is so fascinating and riveting. I love both Seroca Davis and Joe WIlkinson here, there is a great ying and yang about each person's juxtaposition that they really give that great subtly that Gervais is known for, which is a nice apt touch. Knowing what we are given to know, the uncomfortableness of the whole situation plays right into a fiercely deeper meaning without it ever saying so or needing to even be. I think there are few artists in this world who tow that line better than Ricky Gervais and this is a nice little example of the power of a close up shot to bringing it out wide. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">HER PERFECT LIFE<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZzxWz-FFDQF4iB0HU9gaCPSbMR1cL6UCmz-KgKN91BIH95SgCazvhLZOQSsstuejr7Fn662N09oA9Uck0h_sZbOpTgTComGVNgmQ8ovLIU7maf9AB-wQtU9UVmNQUZFzl8gN-mkT28qCSwKxf7tF_cnGbVfc7U3CwdYmfyOmhRvaCnApncjL2WvBuNkE/s1080/her%20perfect%20life.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZzxWz-FFDQF4iB0HU9gaCPSbMR1cL6UCmz-KgKN91BIH95SgCazvhLZOQSsstuejr7Fn662N09oA9Uck0h_sZbOpTgTComGVNgmQ8ovLIU7maf9AB-wQtU9UVmNQUZFzl8gN-mkT28qCSwKxf7tF_cnGbVfc7U3CwdYmfyOmhRvaCnApncjL2WvBuNkE/s320/her%20perfect%20life.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></b></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>RUN TIME: 25 MINS<br />GENRE: DRAMA<br />SYNOPSIS: </b></span><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>Every woman in Lagos, wants to be like Onajide Ibrahim - she has the perfect life. At 39 years old, she has achieved what most women twenty years older would be proud of - a flourishing career, a popular and growing small business, a loving husband and two bright and beautiful children. So why does she want to end it all?/</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">DIRECTOR/WRITER: Mo Abudu</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Starring: Pearl Thusi, Jospeh Benjamin</span></b></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: It's gorgeous and breathtaking. This is the best production design of all the shorts here at this festival. The shot selection is very nice, lot of great pans, and great reveals, and it adds a nice element to the storytelling. Joseph Benjamin has a nice moment toward the end of the film too and I love the message that is trying to be sent with this film. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsPfTrV5oXYlATxafFbAY_dvpmKnpWUYOhdVk9lNjwiHl2tNE2yxrj73KWP5Yvr9B9J2VmuN_6rJdw1iAKGS6gIi-2KRfG8nACDx5JcfToFlwZSy4sYyt5_c9gBC3zTNhfQa_KP8R9ODwsNDPS8v5YC8d-8fwibFKsM3P4RPD5WlLmKVbPLItzv4tk4A/s1033/her%20perfect%20life%20still.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="1033" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsPfTrV5oXYlATxafFbAY_dvpmKnpWUYOhdVk9lNjwiHl2tNE2yxrj73KWP5Yvr9B9J2VmuN_6rJdw1iAKGS6gIi-2KRfG8nACDx5JcfToFlwZSy4sYyt5_c9gBC3zTNhfQa_KP8R9ODwsNDPS8v5YC8d-8fwibFKsM3P4RPD5WlLmKVbPLItzv4tk4A/s320/her%20perfect%20life%20still.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">All of that is amazing but at nearly 24 minutes there is a slight disconnect for me here. I am just still not sure why Onajide had the dramatic turn that she did. I think this is a more proof of concept idea that gives a sense of what a turn like this would look like and you know in clinical depression it doesn't ever make much sense and can happen quickly and unexplainably so in that spirit this works but as a storyteller and film watcher it was a harder leap than I wanted it to be. Still Mo Abudu as a filmmaker, you can see the talent, you can see the good keen eye for shots and moving the story through showing us instead of telling us, a skillset that needs to be in more practice for a lot of us out there and Mo has it down. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>MONOCHROMATIC</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxpjtE0hDkTJcF0nL0sqT6pwNUw6dx4f_DlB72Ery7PW1Gx2bzSqnlCFmPu26KdtiUe9odxZxDB9l3p7frv6lBsACsNQhsCD_WySqeoxmGC3xqteHo2xBClko_dKxzS2xgQ0ppPIkHGRHhBQakUOjLLr5uBIjb_5xFIQdUHqI4-CRnPKIbEY7P8Hh3NY/s1406/monochromatic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1406" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxpjtE0hDkTJcF0nL0sqT6pwNUw6dx4f_DlB72Ery7PW1Gx2bzSqnlCFmPu26KdtiUe9odxZxDB9l3p7frv6lBsACsNQhsCD_WySqeoxmGC3xqteHo2xBClko_dKxzS2xgQ0ppPIkHGRHhBQakUOjLLr5uBIjb_5xFIQdUHqI4-CRnPKIbEY7P8Hh3NY/s320/monochromatic.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>RUN TIME: 13 MIN<br />GENRE: DRAMA <br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;"><span style="font-family: arial;">SYNOPSIS: The inevitable moment a six year old girl realises the world operates with bias when it comes to the colour of her skin. We're all born equal....then life happens.<br />Director/Writer Karen Bryson<br />Stars Stephanie Levi-John, Sonnyboy Skelton, </span>Kenedy McCallam-Martin</span><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18315830/fullcredits/cast?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm"></a><br /></b><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQuR9midUmKH6jjBjmHc2Ar9_nM2g4v5m13Nn7oBSSj0ow--VppgcHnSCsv1zQ76QbD4cn4NwgFPaCFXXcFenDwSlDw94yDcITZEZh-7-rMGQNrx7muIOJRliNcKumlRajBMqd-AXsH0gLOqrZMvU2X2H8msLoId67V7A-pb3qcsewVkkYFnimtrorHQ/s1708/Monochromatic%20still.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1708" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQuR9midUmKH6jjBjmHc2Ar9_nM2g4v5m13Nn7oBSSj0ow--VppgcHnSCsv1zQ76QbD4cn4NwgFPaCFXXcFenDwSlDw94yDcITZEZh-7-rMGQNrx7muIOJRliNcKumlRajBMqd-AXsH0gLOqrZMvU2X2H8msLoId67V7A-pb3qcsewVkkYFnimtrorHQ/s320/Monochromatic%20still.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: Conceptual this is a work of art, I love the approach to a 1st Person's POV here. There is an incredibly difficult and masterfully done shot of when Bev, the mother played by Stephanie Levi-John is brushing out her daughter's hair and we get this glimpse of it in the mirror, one of the best shots I have ever seen. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">This movie has a powerful and fresh take on a message that I still think needs to be heard and that's a sad statement on our society really. Yet I thought Karen Bryson's approach is so nicely woven into the POV and what it means for a young Black Girl to have those moments of self-discovery and horrifying realizations and genuine fears. It really hits home all from the approach of the filmmaker. Again this film is another in a long example from this Film Festival of how to tell a story with little or no dialogue and tell it with a poignant, powerful narrative structured like a complete story. This one sat with me for a little bit and I so appreciate and am extremely grateful to have that experience with it. </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">PIVOT </span></b></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJSIAmg5eEDhZMu3l50-napdTZoIRkCjyvmU9qu3EJeTuUy_UFbaWtY51cdkRNxsieK2sdrd3MCG8AeEoBjUA1Kxo4-FYrpZhMvRF4nHBB3M3TALI7MlVP8r5G9aqotza1qK94APHpdPuMEj4_PLgMhF4INRHHwMaybyeuzW_OrZ_eQA1F1jBOESgnrM/s1333/pivot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJSIAmg5eEDhZMu3l50-napdTZoIRkCjyvmU9qu3EJeTuUy_UFbaWtY51cdkRNxsieK2sdrd3MCG8AeEoBjUA1Kxo4-FYrpZhMvRF4nHBB3M3TALI7MlVP8r5G9aqotza1qK94APHpdPuMEj4_PLgMhF4INRHHwMaybyeuzW_OrZ_eQA1F1jBOESgnrM/s320/pivot.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>RUN TIME: 7 MIN<br />GENRE: ANIMATION <br /></b></span></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">SYNOPSIS: </span></b><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">Growing up isn't easy, and it's no exception for 12-year-old Ashley whose well-meaning Mom has her own ideas about who Ashley should be. Finding herself in an impossible situation, Ashley must decide whether to wear a gaudy dress she hates or find the courage to stand up for herself and fight the inner monster that is holding her back.<br />DIRECTOR: Ana Gusson<br />WRITER Robyn Campbell</span></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQg5vuvd9E3xyaSJicLc7uVq6sDywmP64j2RrDwLrbSEt2z0_q_WDHearNYYh_mZLIJyyVGMidS1PCp9lKk8NIp-SS8iVCN_VLLbc8rvXb87VXIiNMB-Vjjb79JG54UEV3NUFUdIknwhJgir9RarKwYrPgD_eMhSB6bHDQQO8wV8Pe7GSQpMihsW7yvh8/s1024/pivot%20still.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1024" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQg5vuvd9E3xyaSJicLc7uVq6sDywmP64j2RrDwLrbSEt2z0_q_WDHearNYYh_mZLIJyyVGMidS1PCp9lKk8NIp-SS8iVCN_VLLbc8rvXb87VXIiNMB-Vjjb79JG54UEV3NUFUdIknwhJgir9RarKwYrPgD_eMhSB6bHDQQO8wV8Pe7GSQpMihsW7yvh8/s320/pivot%20still.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: This is a great way to express a message of the constraints and lines that society draws out but also how much it is about finding who we are and it's okay if we are multiple ideas and that we might embrace aspects of anything. Beyond that the animation is nicely done, love a lot of the watercolor-esque splotching effect that serves as transitions here, they play up the somewhat playful nature in which the message is layered on top of and I really like when animation can do that. Again another incredibly awesome example of how visual storytelling can be done without ever conveying a word and yet stay compelling and give us a completed narrative, even within 7 minutes. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div></div></span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">I AM WHAT YOU IMAGINE </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nwbPZfrn-RZCX7Vtv9h637aCk-boPLdO3QKdWNgzzJgwHxi-Am5YpqeIgF6Cu6mmr1THy9IV6W2a50bc6-ayYQSTmACUCt2Ftr7GoNPY7ymdohV7lvRk_UgTgf2W5loMNmxlhq0L2_0IO_SKtZJoiAaj3d4xmOTFcZ19K4Cuqq_wLmZdiUzUKkAoPXc/s1473/IMAGINE%20POSTER.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1473" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nwbPZfrn-RZCX7Vtv9h637aCk-boPLdO3QKdWNgzzJgwHxi-Am5YpqeIgF6Cu6mmr1THy9IV6W2a50bc6-ayYQSTmACUCt2Ftr7GoNPY7ymdohV7lvRk_UgTgf2W5loMNmxlhq0L2_0IO_SKtZJoiAaj3d4xmOTFcZ19K4Cuqq_wLmZdiUzUKkAoPXc/s320/IMAGINE%20POSTER.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>RUN TIME: 6 MIN<br />GENRE: EXISTENIAL, PSEUDO DOCUMENTARY<br /></b></span></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">SYNOPSIS: </span></b><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">A resounding voice of who we are in a bound weave of self reflection and realization. Asking the burning question of who are we and getting the answer. <br />DIRECTOR/WRITER: Matthew & Ruby Modine</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61QL08SVPeTnVWMgMa0jHimuMcYRTKw9gZ2tfnoVxePN8mZG6qw3DXuFGW0MuyZwU6oL8DM9OQU5u-xGvrd3V2rvKt8OgBVmZ8HrfnPG6l53VCpjEGrhPYRfXruvGLdNUBCFkGXvkt_ZVbZCglcWXjQzPclwP90eE_xg4wn9_EHbIaF01g5A1pfIcNzw/s639/I%20AM%20WHAT%20YOU%20IMAGINE.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="257" data-original-width="639" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61QL08SVPeTnVWMgMa0jHimuMcYRTKw9gZ2tfnoVxePN8mZG6qw3DXuFGW0MuyZwU6oL8DM9OQU5u-xGvrd3V2rvKt8OgBVmZ8HrfnPG6l53VCpjEGrhPYRfXruvGLdNUBCFkGXvkt_ZVbZCglcWXjQzPclwP90eE_xg4wn9_EHbIaF01g5A1pfIcNzw/s320/I%20AM%20WHAT%20YOU%20IMAGINE.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: Well for this viewer this film says a lot of universal truths that I believe and speaks to me and my spiritual essence. Will it resonate with everyone? I can't answer that question. I do like the visuals chosen to reflect the thoughts and the conversations going on in mostly voice-over work here. I can say from a pure filmmaking and review writing standpoint that everything technically is well timed, well placed, and well developed into what ultimately this is, which is how you perceive what you are being shown and told. A film whether it tows the line of fiction or non-fiction, narrative or documenting should do exactly what this does, which aptly even refers to and plays off of the title. So clever is a great way to describe this design and this film. It's all degrees like any other narrative or documentary whether it resonates and for me, that part is a resounding yes. </span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">EVERYBODY DIES...SOMETIMES</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXqq1RyV9TT7JkWxGfHBM_zOKE--_00FBhwRm6wiwWzQFaRSw5h7GD9YD2Tem-2J-wR5SXRA1y4JtOM7NTmZbGi7Ew-69LIxf7z7_lbf4WjYzoMpfSXm54IJ-XVfgB9V2OPuUqvRZxe7MPjqIjbto1yOCEMb_eOykQYYehHK0JKs3CYgd6kIqHxcQRZxQ/s1406/everybody%20dies%20sometimes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1406" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXqq1RyV9TT7JkWxGfHBM_zOKE--_00FBhwRm6wiwWzQFaRSw5h7GD9YD2Tem-2J-wR5SXRA1y4JtOM7NTmZbGi7Ew-69LIxf7z7_lbf4WjYzoMpfSXm54IJ-XVfgB9V2OPuUqvRZxe7MPjqIjbto1yOCEMb_eOykQYYehHK0JKs3CYgd6kIqHxcQRZxQ/s320/everybody%20dies%20sometimes.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></b></div></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>RUN TIME: 9 MIN<br />GENRE: DARK COMEDY<br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;"><span style="font-family: arial;">SYNOPSIS: </span></span></b><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>A dark comedy about death anxiety that follows Mara as she grapples with the belief that she has killed everybody she's gotten close to.</b></span><b><span style="color: #fcff01;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Director/Writer Charlotte Hamblin<br />Stars Tanya Reynolds, Matthew Horne, Emma Amos</span></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;">WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: </span><span style="font-family: arial;">This has a very clever setup, punchy dialogue, and a somewhat nice pace (more on that in a few sentences) to build the interesting tension that develops. Moreover, it tells a nice origin story in 1/1000th of the amount of time that would take a Marvel movie 3 hours to do. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZWp7xGOnYvXpJS8_xLXpdeFfDyqAyNxlFnnJBTfovPQrSsIiV9CCPra7g2kV_-B90CNgn0AxRUNhIEwhwjwshSytWNAGT2oDxJMSN5cWLuMFVLj8U2hY_C1RokQpgHvnjOlzYQS77IAn_Oi98gwnUcOJpaYB7XzjM8GCuAcPBaVm_vlQG-6FoG4xQeWo/s1500/Everybody_Dies_Sometime_Still_100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1500" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZWp7xGOnYvXpJS8_xLXpdeFfDyqAyNxlFnnJBTfovPQrSsIiV9CCPra7g2kV_-B90CNgn0AxRUNhIEwhwjwshSytWNAGT2oDxJMSN5cWLuMFVLj8U2hY_C1RokQpgHvnjOlzYQS77IAn_Oi98gwnUcOJpaYB7XzjM8GCuAcPBaVm_vlQG-6FoG4xQeWo/s320/Everybody_Dies_Sometime_Still_100.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I also enjoyed the subtle payout of the ending. Matthew Horne gives an exceptional performance in this piece. I love all the little things he adds and does and doesn't do that help sell the punchline even more. The production design here is great too, you get that halfway dreamscape, almost Wes Anderson colorization that feels as surreal as it is real. These small little things add up and I appreciate that, even though I have to admit, at about the 7-minute mark I was ready for the punchline.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">THE MOBIUS TRIP</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNVjr9ENbhWPqb-9tVVIj1AOOC5LIBjWNdsHOQfcWPbN2MOdAuOT7ZDcBGEd12ybPP0Nzz2fH8-FJEJKJfBZQnk_skYbqNBaLOzrQHThbDBBgX5DHjg-Fk__AdSDKNCnyjnp1gKtfB92kPKc80Pq0Q5YQWAHwZanK0ADxvWWYCbt3_wWwDvkNUjf6_a4/s3508/mobius.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3508" data-original-width="2480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNVjr9ENbhWPqb-9tVVIj1AOOC5LIBjWNdsHOQfcWPbN2MOdAuOT7ZDcBGEd12ybPP0Nzz2fH8-FJEJKJfBZQnk_skYbqNBaLOzrQHThbDBBgX5DHjg-Fk__AdSDKNCnyjnp1gKtfB92kPKc80Pq0Q5YQWAHwZanK0ADxvWWYCbt3_wWwDvkNUjf6_a4/s320/mobius.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><br /></b></div></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>RUN TIME: 17 MIN<br />GENRE: FANTASY DRAMA<br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;"><span style="font-family: arial;">SYNOPSIS: </span></span></b><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>A road trip pushes a dysfunctional family to the brink after their journey descends into a claustrophobic hallucinatory nightmare.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;"><span style="font-family: arial;">WRITER/DIRECTOR: Simone Smith</span></span></b></div><b><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;">Stars Fiona O'Shaughnessy, Stephen McMillan, Mirren Mack<br /></span></b><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;">WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: You know films aren't always supposed to make you feel good and they shouldn't be judged for making you feel a bit awkward or uncomfortable. In fact they should be applauded for that. The Mobius Trip lives up to its name, it puts you into the framework of not just one POV experiencing Hallucination but 4 and that in itself is a feat and a half. I love how much Simone Smith utilizes this front windshield wide shot and sharply cuts into a tight two-shot or even close-up. I also love the cutaways that further ascend the audience into madness as much as the characters are experiencing. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpehp4LDpsuaIRiiiqts6SjPYnau7GgZRkQo4bnlAvE9V67H9Fzar7qZP7VGVGxmg3UEfI5fKPxztXlEH17MHJgwPOG_n5L0BJUjVtyop4NIMfi4WP98-aEUnMDnowHT_9kgmpuAkjsgi_j3UNNFb52Pewb6f6afHVNqYkrgDiaP3eZjydOEUSRVKRHM/s2560/The-Mobius-Trip-For-Review_-68-scaled.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1732" data-original-width="2560" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpehp4LDpsuaIRiiiqts6SjPYnau7GgZRkQo4bnlAvE9V67H9Fzar7qZP7VGVGxmg3UEfI5fKPxztXlEH17MHJgwPOG_n5L0BJUjVtyop4NIMfi4WP98-aEUnMDnowHT_9kgmpuAkjsgi_j3UNNFb52Pewb6f6afHVNqYkrgDiaP3eZjydOEUSRVKRHM/s320/The-Mobius-Trip-For-Review_-68-scaled.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The dialogue literally drives this car into the narrative being established or deconstructed is probably a better way to look at it. It is a bit frantic at times, and when they start talking over each other it becomes a little harder to stay in the moment but ultimately what I enjoy about this trip is never loses me fully and I am not so sure it wasn't intending to do that? Hunter S. Thompson would have loved this short, it has that crazy let me just share everything in my brain all at once type of feel. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>BERTIE THE BRILLIANT</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNvkxE4A-e_xkCHghT4os0zvle-zXGsO0APGyG2mQurnLPb7G_IdwQbzotO6xWtKTbypNQ37Od1G_ylzGbIc_1WtFB7S_fUZwWrItet3jsvKuoeLfraXxubv-m3KJM_ik2UcNbULtKEEJJDSvug-L6bYim06UYPM0UP_G4UXO9_LTVFmv_6LYmRqifi0/s6150/bertie%20the%20brilliant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6150" data-original-width="4050" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNvkxE4A-e_xkCHghT4os0zvle-zXGsO0APGyG2mQurnLPb7G_IdwQbzotO6xWtKTbypNQ37Od1G_ylzGbIc_1WtFB7S_fUZwWrItet3jsvKuoeLfraXxubv-m3KJM_ik2UcNbULtKEEJJDSvug-L6bYim06UYPM0UP_G4UXO9_LTVFmv_6LYmRqifi0/s320/bertie%20the%20brilliant.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>RUN TIME: 25 MIN<br />GENRE: FANTASY FAMILY MUSICAL<br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;"><span style="font-family: arial;">SYNOPSIS: </span></span></b><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>A young boy takes on chores and small jobs around his neighborhood to raise money for a ticket to a magic show; but when his grandmother loses her job, he is faced with a difficult decision.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;"><span style="font-family: arial;">WRITER/DIRECTOR: Gabriela Garcia Medina</span></span></b></div><b><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;">Stars Prince Pieters, Terri Hoyos, Cheryl Umana</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;">WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: This has an awesome message and is a lot of fun. If you were looking for something wherein you can introduce your kids to some great Independent art this and Pivot are 2 great choices. Beyond that I love the production design here it adds so much to the overall feeling and experience you have. I also appreciate the subtle nods to things from my childhood like Scooby Doo, Sid and Marty Kroft's universe, 3-2-1 Contact, and Sesame Street. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39tU3cxZ6usbwmwvFDIkgD94CwkawuxDYrslqvDWNzqNFOqX5FJ9NNWCdnV6jrjc23ef2luoc9LjCEUhhStrF-MoKmmkZ7_yt32MbgOhWeVyCC-7Wm1OQa_8k2B0TSMdW4ouyhS4Cplh1TCLC7em4mWePd7xd59IqUG7hjvy0ylOYYM--p0ysgjbVoXU/s1200/BERTIE-THE-BRILLIANT_still.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39tU3cxZ6usbwmwvFDIkgD94CwkawuxDYrslqvDWNzqNFOqX5FJ9NNWCdnV6jrjc23ef2luoc9LjCEUhhStrF-MoKmmkZ7_yt32MbgOhWeVyCC-7Wm1OQa_8k2B0TSMdW4ouyhS4Cplh1TCLC7em4mWePd7xd59IqUG7hjvy0ylOYYM--p0ysgjbVoXU/s320/BERTIE-THE-BRILLIANT_still.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The musical numbers are good and they add a nice whimsical element to this that I think was a nice surprise. Look the way that this is designed is exactly how I feel about it, it was meant to be fun, it was meant to convey a nice message, and be colorful and playful when appropriate so for me to sit here and analysis the writing, the acting, the story and all the things you come expect with a review of mine just doesn't do anything to change the goal of this film and how it accomplishes that. Which it does amazing well. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">MY DREAMS HAVE BEEN DARK OF LATE</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJCF31DbtL-aL-fyJGumQutgAp6rF5GU0yCReh7EpnVBmqP8t9Yw5PtdAcFueVipkijKI9_nguR-Z38GMOHkCO_DBKj-ELkBIqbZkdkVp5XMDTSO9i6d2XbhHLL2dgqf_GuP_jyvUc-CmFVUBGqNuCMNLLdBJ4xDMluOZCyUoRrYYxayI4EFInLORbmw/s1414/my%20dreams%20dark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJCF31DbtL-aL-fyJGumQutgAp6rF5GU0yCReh7EpnVBmqP8t9Yw5PtdAcFueVipkijKI9_nguR-Z38GMOHkCO_DBKj-ELkBIqbZkdkVp5XMDTSO9i6d2XbhHLL2dgqf_GuP_jyvUc-CmFVUBGqNuCMNLLdBJ4xDMluOZCyUoRrYYxayI4EFInLORbmw/s320/my%20dreams%20dark.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>RUN TIME: 3 MIN<br />GENRE: HORROR<br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;"><span style="font-family: arial;">SYNOPSIS: A Knight deals with the fallout of battle.</span></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;"><span style="font-family: arial;">WRITER/DIRECTOR: Joshua Warren</span></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;">Stars Alexander Lincoln<br /><br /><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: In what I can only describe as a fever dream meets medieval times we get a nice glimpse of surreal moment facing a man and a decision he made. Now whether this is the reality of the situation or whether this is merely a dream to interpret? Well, the title makes a case for both for sure. This is super short and leaves much to discuss about so many ideals and merits of existence. That's what makes it a powerful 3 minutes. Good acting helps sell this too and without dialogue Alexander Lincoln really does a great job, for a lack of a matter way to put it, dying here. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4miL0s4-7rtJw6577A8arHC8u8fFof62coitwficJZoR0VFHosmguBqW_ZbhJctEtygY9L0GgcC6yQvTSKrFTKAXXIgldAa3cRuimS0RCmObbp_jXIwNifYxc1fllYAtliBVKW3sYn4I3fUqzFwKjqdMUBiLY8sMEGZDsXnSxIcNuldoR7js_Fir9zo/s1920/dreams%20of%20dark%20late%20still.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4miL0s4-7rtJw6577A8arHC8u8fFof62coitwficJZoR0VFHosmguBqW_ZbhJctEtygY9L0GgcC6yQvTSKrFTKAXXIgldAa3cRuimS0RCmObbp_jXIwNifYxc1fllYAtliBVKW3sYn4I3fUqzFwKjqdMUBiLY8sMEGZDsXnSxIcNuldoR7js_Fir9zo/s320/dreams%20of%20dark%20late%20still.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Nice authencity for the time period and nice use of the setting to sell it as well. I like Joshua Warren's approach here, it leaves a lot for interpretation and maybe for a cinephile like me who may be reading way too much into it but hey art is subjective right?</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>LAST DAYS OF THE LAB</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHB1gcJ2ogGRvJTkrB30uYuV7z6rOe-1IigKqDZRovumafxtSN3Jjp-x1a4SQNYE9PT_zOA1DveufwVvu-biWPZ7NIwnoJk_bfHBRbCHgueESUQf-WIYDe2SDOA1WbyvqRWXezP-nkWQ2hIP_sUyVpC2xRfAPNZiZPwKgsbp4UCk6BOcxrlOF0lyoQXZI/s259/LAST%20DAYS%20POSTER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="194" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHB1gcJ2ogGRvJTkrB30uYuV7z6rOe-1IigKqDZRovumafxtSN3Jjp-x1a4SQNYE9PT_zOA1DveufwVvu-biWPZ7NIwnoJk_bfHBRbCHgueESUQf-WIYDe2SDOA1WbyvqRWXezP-nkWQ2hIP_sUyVpC2xRfAPNZiZPwKgsbp4UCk6BOcxrlOF0lyoQXZI/s1600/LAST%20DAYS%20POSTER.jpg" width="194" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>RUN TIME: 13 MIN<br />GENRE: DRAMA<br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;"><span style="font-family: arial;">SYNOPSIS: </span></span></b><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;"><b>A mother and daughter sift through old memories as they prepare to permanently close down their family's photo lab.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;"><span style="font-family: arial;">WRITER/DIRECTOR: Maria Alvarez</span></span></b></div><b><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: arial;">Stars Arianna Ortiz, Alex Felix, Juan Francisco Villa</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUH1UV3xuZGzGLNGCb4rFY1WjDcMnmGgRwrfV3bTkQlAwX8RD0SpL4wXXjWsp4QM9Zw48Xs929sAMRIlQ6P8GA3SWqWaL7h22OpfZ7k9l3UM9HZ9E-vi8iAmlY2y3oow4Q6ShOcDYtyhDPhgepBKn-ZptZHwoVWyXOG3AWLNGTWe6oxQSJLlEreEZ6dc8/s882/last_days_of_the_lab_S3_886X490.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="882" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUH1UV3xuZGzGLNGCb4rFY1WjDcMnmGgRwrfV3bTkQlAwX8RD0SpL4wXXjWsp4QM9Zw48Xs929sAMRIlQ6P8GA3SWqWaL7h22OpfZ7k9l3UM9HZ9E-vi8iAmlY2y3oow4Q6ShOcDYtyhDPhgepBKn-ZptZHwoVWyXOG3AWLNGTWe6oxQSJLlEreEZ6dc8/s320/last_days_of_the_lab_S3_886X490.png" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: I love how this film utilizes film to convey what it was born to do, beautiful memories that serve as reminders. There is really amazing chemistry on display with the acting in this short as well from Alex Feliz and Arianna Ortiz. I really bought into all the emotional elements and the love and passion from both actors here. Exceptional work on their parts.<br /><br /> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I love how the storytelling unfolds and the big reveal really lends a moment that is powerful and says so much in a short span. I also love the nice levity that follows and the exceptional camera shot from the rear window that exclamates this nice narrative. I want more of this story for sure but what I got I was left with a nice sense of maybe I should I call my mom. <br /><span style="color: #cfe2f3;"><br /><b><i>Overall we are so grateful to HollyShorts for allowing us this opportunity to experience as many shorts as we did here. I wish I could sit,w atch them all and review them, and maybe at some point I will do another round but I wanted to give you all a chance to see them if you read this right away. I am really encouraged by the strong sense of filmmaking prowess telling stories in nonconeventional ways and doing so in confined, short bursts. This was an awesome experience and perhaps next year I can get down to LA and do some in person coverage too. </i></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-80805184822535447132023-06-07T18:03:00.003-07:002023-06-07T18:03:39.671-07:00INDIE MUSIC REVIEW: RANCID - TOMORROW NEVER COMES<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i> Written by Joe Compton</i></span><br /><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">RANCID - <br /></span></b></span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">TOMORROW NEVER COMES</span></b></span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRBCYV0NHBCtOyYCWXCaUlVlF6UmQRk_gTfBRksZfqwZeEVOCRjLgLwjf0jKD86pKpzEkucSeqI4DxL9VRrUg4Afc6CgTo-WdQQrUCyF5n-Z2crEiGaKQjp3CKMimqmW8HmF1n3IxcBq5U1S_cWl8U76-_2Mv7T0_q3DCUAlM4y1ZXK4TEpvtNHyM/s500/rancid-tomorrow-never-comes_8EzDN_600x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="500" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRBCYV0NHBCtOyYCWXCaUlVlF6UmQRk_gTfBRksZfqwZeEVOCRjLgLwjf0jKD86pKpzEkucSeqI4DxL9VRrUg4Afc6CgTo-WdQQrUCyF5n-Z2crEiGaKQjp3CKMimqmW8HmF1n3IxcBq5U1S_cWl8U76-_2Mv7T0_q3DCUAlM4y1ZXK4TEpvtNHyM/s320/rancid-tomorrow-never-comes_8EzDN_600x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></b></span></div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">RELEASED: </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">JUNE 2ND, 2023</span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">GENRE:</span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> PUNK ROCK</span></span></b></p><p><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b style="background-color: black;">RELEASED BY HELLCAT RECORDS & EPITAPH</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: black;"><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">LENGTH</span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> 28:47<br /></span></b></span><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: black;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b style="background-color: black;">PRODUCED BY BRETT GUREWITZ</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial;"><i style="background-color: black;">This is the 10th Studio Album released by California Punk Legends Rancid. It features the familiar faces of <b>Tim Armstrong</b> on vocals, guitars, <b>Lars Frederiksen</b><b> </b>on guitars, vocals, <b>Matt Freeman</b> on bass guitar, vocals, and <b>Branden Steineckert (who joined the band in 2009)</b> on the drums, percussion. The artwork and cover design was all done by Tim Armstrong.</i></span><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: black;"><i><b><u><br /></u></b></i></span></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><b><u style="background-color: black;">TRACK LISTING: </u></b></i></span><table class="tracklist" style="border-spacing: 0px; color: #202122;"><tbody><tr><th id="track1" scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1.</span></th><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"Tomorrow Never Comes"</span></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Armstrong, Frederiksen, Freeman</span></td><td class="tracklist-length" style="padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">2:26</span></td></tr><tr><th id="track2" scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">2.</span></th><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"Mud, Blood, & Gold"</span></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Armstrong, Frederiksen, Freeman</span></td><td class="tracklist-length" style="padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1:12</span></td></tr><tr><th id="track3" scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">3.</span></th><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"Devil in Disguise"</span></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Armstrong</span></td><td class="tracklist-length" style="padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1:58</span></td></tr><tr><th id="track4" scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">4.</span></th><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"New American"</span></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Armstrong</span></td><td class="tracklist-length" style="padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">2:37</span></td></tr><tr><th id="track5" scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">5.</span></th><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"The Bloody & Violent History"</span></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Armstrong, Frederiksen, Freeman</span></td><td class="tracklist-length" style="padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">2:14</span></td></tr><tr><th id="track6" scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">6.</span></th><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"Don't Make Me Do It"</span></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Armstrong</span></td><td class="tracklist-length" style="padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">0:58</span></td></tr><tr><th id="track7" scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">7.</span></th><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"It's a Road to Righteousness"</span></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Armstrong</span></td><td class="tracklist-length" style="padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">2:18</span></td></tr><tr><th id="track8" scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">8.</span></th><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"Live Forever"</span></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Armstrong</span></td><td class="tracklist-length" style="padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1:21</span></td></tr><tr><th id="track9" scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">9.</span></th><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"Drop Dead Inn"</span></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Frederiksen</span></td><td class="tracklist-length" style="padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">2:01</span></td></tr><tr><th id="track10" scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">10.</span></th><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"Prisoners Song"</span></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Armstrong, Frederiksen, Freeman</span></td><td class="tracklist-length" style="padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">2:21</span></td></tr><tr><th id="track11" scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">11.</span></th><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"Magnificent Rogue"</span></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Frederiksen</span></td><td class="tracklist-length" style="padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1:25</span></td></tr><tr><th id="track12" scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">12.</span></th><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"One Way Ticket"</span></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Armstrong</span></td><td class="tracklist-length" style="padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1:50</span></td></tr><tr><th id="track13" scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">13.</span></th><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"Hellbound Train"</span></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Armstrong</span></td><td class="tracklist-length" style="padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1:25</span></td></tr><tr><th id="track14" scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">14.</span></th><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"Eddie the Butcher"</span></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Armstrong</span></td><td class="tracklist-length" style="padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1:34</span></td></tr><tr><th id="track15" scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">15.</span></th><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"Hear Us Out"</span></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Armstrong</span></td><td class="tracklist-length" style="padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1:26</span></td></tr><tr><th id="track16" scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">16.</span></th><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"When the Smoke Clears"</span></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Armstrong</span></td><td class="tracklist-length" style="padding-right: 10px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1:39</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><span style="background-color: white;"><b><br /></b></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><b style="background-color: black;">FAVORITE TRACK: DEVIL IN DISGUISE & NEW AMERICAN</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b style="background-color: black;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc;">WHAT THIS ALBUM DOES WELL: </b><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc;">Okay in the fairness of full disclosure I am not one of those fans who liked only the first 2 albums and maybe the third and that's it. Has everything they have done been to my liking though? The answer is no. However no matter where you fall on that line there is 1 thing you can not deny, and that's these guys are the pilars and stalwarts of the modern day punk rock genre. They have tough shoes to fill coming out of the 90's with 3 of the most listened too and praised punk rock albums ever made and they yet, here on their 10th attempt, sound just as good and constistant as the ever have. For some, that constistancy has led to compliancy, that sound has become so much theirs that it seems like they might be doing a cover of themselves. For me I would say okay, I get that, and while I think that has been true of other albums in the catalogue for sure, this one rings a little different for this listener. </span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3yK9xqar0QPz7i1Hbe_4MblazORuT9As1zUHAwZTciZu-OPjmnkbsKDK2KP60qQwcdoXH6QKwa1TQlDELRcOInPO-GXMAinGfRHUrXjrQU-PJX2PZ4kzREOFaD75bHVmKvaBZTrzxaRnzeP9kWWKcG7fBh9OPOn1aDf5ECQa1yrs91KbOmisJwdy0/s3088/rancid%202.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2056" data-original-width="3088" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3yK9xqar0QPz7i1Hbe_4MblazORuT9As1zUHAwZTciZu-OPjmnkbsKDK2KP60qQwcdoXH6QKwa1TQlDELRcOInPO-GXMAinGfRHUrXjrQU-PJX2PZ4kzREOFaD75bHVmKvaBZTrzxaRnzeP9kWWKcG7fBh9OPOn1aDf5ECQa1yrs91KbOmisJwdy0/s320/rancid%202.webp" width="320" /></a></div> First this album right from track 1, which is </span><b><span style="color: #d9ead3;">TOMORROW NEVER COMES</span></b><span style="color: #fff2cc;">, the title track, punches you in the face and just keeps pounding you till well into </span><b><span style="color: #d9ead3;">EDDIE THE BUTCHER</span></b><span style="color: #fff2cc;">. Its the kind of missing staple that has come with some of the Rancid offerings like Let's Go. There is 16 tracks in all and they all hum and spit fire as hard and as fast as they can. Yes, there is the occassional tempo change, and different arrangements but this album feels like a return to the roots that has been missing at least from the last couple efforts and a couple in between. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc;">For those of you who read this blog regularly know I often talk about these icon bands looking to change themselves, do something experimental and different and Rancid was not the exception to that rule. They did a lot of that. Now I will say while they experimented, they stayed in a comfortable lane more than they didn't. They also arranged those differently. Wherein <i>"Tommorrow"</i> seems very much in the output that those first 2 albums had. Obviously its hard to capture that rarified air that follows those iconic albums and this may take a few folks time to let it grow into that and maybe it doesn't get there. That's for history to decide but its hard to deny that it feels like they were simplifying what is Rancid more than they have before here. As someone who holds those albums in the highest of esteem I appreciate what was done here. For me Let's Go, their 2nd album needed some marinating in the eardrums before I fully appreciated a lot of what that album did. The marinating was a little faster here</span><i style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc;"> </i><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc;">with this one.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc;">The other thing I think really stands out for me is that Rancid has always captured this lost, underdog feeling of what it was like for me as a youth and this wayward vegabond way that related to me in so much of the lyrical content. However it wasn't just relating but it always struck me as cleverly and fluently a context that was just a smarter way to convey things and yet never lose tempo doing so. As some of these lyrics were layered with just amazing cadences of utter brilliance, </span><i><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3;">"</span></i></span><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;"><i><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif;">I said what's your name she said Mya, </span><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif;">She said Tim, want to take you higher</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> ." - Rats In The Hallway or "</span></i><i style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Programme, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Apology's too late when you're up against the wall</i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Programme, Arial, sans-serif;"><i>Compassion heals while duplicity kills." - The Way I Feel </i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc;">This album is no exception</span><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">, chalk full of examples of how clever the songwriting really is and how it flows within the music's nature essence,</span> <i style="color: #cfe2f3;">"</i></span></span><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Programme, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Programme, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: italic;">That's where we met Calico Jim, </span><span style="font-family: Programme, Arial, sans-serif;"><i style="color: #cfe2f3;">We drank his money and his bathtub gin" - New American. </i><span style="color: #fff2cc;"> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: Programme, Arial, sans-serif;">While</span><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: Programme, Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: Programme, Arial, sans-serif;">you can say that there is one of these examples in nearly every single Rancid album, being even more a staple of this band than their sound is no matter how much they stray from the conventional first 2 albums' sound, this album feels different. There is a longing and sense of finding yourself that I think has, dare I say, a more mature and sophisicated overall feel to them. </span><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Programme, Arial, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #d9ead3;">NEW AMERICAN</span></b><span style="color: #fff2cc;"> is a great example of this and its one of those that I think grabs you on the very first listen. It also flairs a very nice tempo change that does break up the beginning of this album. </span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: Programme, Arial, sans-serif;">You even get the sense in the more anthem-like tunes, like </span><span style="background-color: black; color: #d9ead3; font-family: Programme, Arial, sans-serif;"><b>DEVIL IN DISGUISE</b></span><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: Programme, Arial, sans-serif;">, there is growth of understanding about your lot in life and where you are and how lucky you are to be there. I think past albums have tried to look back and just haven't felt as authentic and observant as this lyrical content does here. I really dig that about this album and maybe its more because of where I am in my own life. I obviously am a bit older but still feel like I have grown as Rancid has grown and does so with them in a lot of the phases of my life. This seems like one of those more natural progressions. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Programme, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-size: medium;"><br />The production is stellar here as well, Brett Gurewitz has produced so many of these albums that you see his growth here as well but you also feel comforted by his understanding of what Rancid is and what they should sound like. So the distortion of that first album is present and flutters in with the song arrangements very easily at times but sometimes it does seem a bit manufactured. I think again Rancid has always felt like they found their lane a long time ago and try not to stray too far from it. Sometimes though the natural essence of who they are what they do outside of Rancid has leaked in and I for one think that's okay because of what does happen in the middle of this album if you listen all the way through in a sitting. There is a little bit where you lose your way and a couple songs blend into a couple other songs. The challenge there is to separate them and I think a lot more of the songs that get lost do come across a bit different in doing it that way. I like a lot of the songs I feel like I missed the 2nd time around, listening to them on their own and not within the album structure. That's kind of how Let's Go came to grab me evenutally and I think Tomorrow Never Comes will do the same. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKx50yB7luYEzr9s9C2QhPV9bdyOznLN-sNiqURBphqkxyoiEOWJfbwySP_QNn15NpEJyJjo9yPctdBQkP6-aQTh3Nj7WEtGGssS5Qi1NS84grOCLQ3PervLy3b8wQjiEqzpH1yMCDOotxN-FejDr13iOZG5Ic4cI8AQJyUi1XQ0Bn7pSK1StZSdz_/s275/rancid%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKx50yB7luYEzr9s9C2QhPV9bdyOznLN-sNiqURBphqkxyoiEOWJfbwySP_QNn15NpEJyJjo9yPctdBQkP6-aQTh3Nj7WEtGGssS5Qi1NS84grOCLQ3PervLy3b8wQjiEqzpH1yMCDOotxN-FejDr13iOZG5Ic4cI8AQJyUi1XQ0Bn7pSK1StZSdz_/s1600/rancid%201.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>WHY CHAMPION THIS ALBUM: Look, again, Rancid is not a band that needs the Go Indie Now bump and it certainly tiptoes on the edge of Indie but this album really does deserve the love of being talked about here because it has a very indie state of mind and being. If we cut out all but that which isn't seen, read, or heard then are we really embracing the spirit of what we are and who we want to be? Success should not be a critieria for membership into this mindset unless its the very thing it celebrates or flaunts more aptly or arrogantly. Rancid has never done that. They play the bigger stages and festivals, they headline, and they will probably chart with this album but they are still fringing and diving into where the cowardly don't go. If the art has the essence and the truth of what it is doing then I think it deserves a listen and to be talked about here. I will always do that for Indies, even when they don't need me too. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Programme, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Programme, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Now as far as who this is for...if you are a fan of Let's Go, yes this album will never be that but I do feel like over time if you give it a chance you will gravitate to a few tracks here if not quite a few. A couple of them may even jump out at you right away. If you are someone who just thinks this sucks because its not the first album nor the middle ones which again were more experimental, that sucks for you because I guarantee you when they play them live, a lot of these tracks will hum in between Hyena and Old Friend and seem like they belong on the setlist. It fits their mold and stays in the lane they have paved for 30 years here very easily and very nicely. So open your mind a little and let it sink in or see them live and let it take you higher. <br /><br />YOU CAN GET THIS ALBUM <a href="https://rancid.bandcamp.com/album/tomorrow-never-comes" target="_blank">HERE</a> ON BANDCAMP </span></span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: Programme, Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-75529011088652507932023-05-05T12:10:00.003-07:002023-05-05T12:25:48.643-07:00Indie Movie Review (Friday Collab): Women In The Front Seat <p><span style="background-color: black;"> <span style="font-family: arial;">W<span style="color: white;">ritten by Joe Compton & Karina Kantas </span></span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCg-oqLrqU1JAQN9LMNZL0tCstYkL45Bk5jqkm2Zbmm12AwywW7GvpEYnfcu8ZWwyMB7bz5WmwSLmIhBcHELAVbSnb7t1pMWvfZmLh8layDtJFsjDCq1ntvy9pw_frx4bD7HBrg9ghcrg53xU1tx6Wie80mPSK3uIhquhigZe85byMz0ZiHynkjQ8/s800/women-in-the-front-seat.jpg" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCg-oqLrqU1JAQN9LMNZL0tCstYkL45Bk5jqkm2Zbmm12AwywW7GvpEYnfcu8ZWwyMB7bz5WmwSLmIhBcHELAVbSnb7t1pMWvfZmLh8layDtJFsjDCq1ntvy9pw_frx4bD7HBrg9ghcrg53xU1tx6Wie80mPSK3uIhquhigZe85byMz0ZiHynkjQ8/s320/women-in-the-front-seat.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>Fierce, Bold, Fast, Brave. Women in the Front Seat paints a vibrant and diverse picture of women who not only drive their motorcycles but drive their lives. Filmmaker Indy Saini challenges her own fears to capture their inspiring stories.</i><br /><br /><b>Genre: </b>Documentary<br /><br /><b>Original Language: </b>English<br /><br /><b>Director: </b>Indy Saini<br /><br /><b>Writer: </b>Indy Saini<br /><br /><b>Release Date (Streaming): </b>Jan 19, 2023<br /><br /><b>Runtime: </b>1h 14m<br /><br /><b>Distributor: </b>Indie Rights</span></span></span><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><i><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">(Joe's comments are in blue and Karina's in green)</span></i></div><div><i><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b style="background-color: black;">WHAT THIS MOVIE DOES WELL: </b></span><span style="color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black;">I felt like this film captures how many of the women featured, were not just riders, using a motorbike as a means of transport. No, these women were tough and had something to prove to themselves and so they raced, took part in rally’s and even travelled internationally. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black;">Indy not only made it to Atlanta in one piece, but she created a sisterhood, with the women riders she met and filmed and who were willing to tell their story.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black;">I agree the passion here in this film and the details of each of these women's journies is absolutely what makes this film so amazing. I also love the juxaposition of how the editing uses an intricate weaving in and out of the more detailed storytelling of each individual biker into a broader subject that they all weigh in on. In that way it feels like we are on a roadtrip as the audience and the nuances of that experience pace this like being on the bike itself throughout this documentary. <br /><br />Moreover I love the choice Indy makes here to include herself and make it seem more like a life mission and self discovery (which as she has told me in many ways was), that touch really adds a personal level that wouldn't have been there otherwise. In making that choice we really get an idea right from the first frame and monologue what we are in for and it captured me immediately and never lost me because of it. Yes, this is one of those times where voiceover exposition worked and only because it was there did this film pack a much stronger punch for me.<br /><br /> Not to be too techinical but the sound design here is beyond stellar, it's near prestine and because of that there is yet another layer added to bring us in and give that personal, like we are there with all these women, touch. <br /><br />This documentary never seems too lecture or q &a heavy to point of disconnection instead the cutaways, the 4th wall breaking that I think is a chef's kiss of a touch, and the pacing all lend itself to a more condusive narrative feel that offers a bit on the educational front for those of us not in the biker landscape and a warm hug for those who are.<br /><br /></span><br /></span><span style="background-color: black; color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Yes it's a wonderful documentary that shows the love and passion women bikers have for their bikes, the road and for themselves.</span></div><div><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b><span style="color: #fff2cc;">WHY CHAMPION THIS DOCUMENTARY: </span></b></span></span><span style="color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: black;">As a biker, I could relate to the pleasure and feelings these ladies get when they ride. </span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial;">Male bikers assume woman are not strong enough to lift their bikes, not resilient enough to go on a bike tour. And they assume that these women were not riding alone.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black;">“Where’s your husband?” Is one of the main questions they get asked. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black;">“That’s a lot of weight for you to handle.”</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black;">This stereotyping has to change. And not all women are ‘dikes on bikes’ (as the male bikers like to call them.)</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: black;">There’s vulnerability when you’re out on the open road, but there’s also the sense of freedom. You can forget about what trouble you may be having. They are far behind you, when you ride. </span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial;">It’s awesome sitting on a back of a bike, whizzing down the road. The scenery flashing by. It’s exhilarating. But what’s even better is taking the front seat. You feel free, empowered, it’s therapeutic it makes you feel strong and there a feeling of respect, when some male bikers see how you can handle a big engine. </span><span style="background-color: black; color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial;">A few of these women in the documentary were always told know when they wanted something as a child that went against the typical female role and stereotype. So as soon as they turned 18, they rebelled and did everything they were once told not to. And had no regrets doing it. Eventually the parents saw how happy it made their daughter. They were then accepted, for who they were. That was a huge step for both of them. They would have bought a bike and rode anyhow, but having their parents realise how much joy they got from it, made them change their mind, which only cemented their bond even more.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3;"><span>Yeah I think there is a lot for everybody to get from this film in one way or another, especially if you are really into motorbikes but I do think there is a universal truth and a very interesting foray that we are privy to in watching a person, the filmmaker in fact, discover themselves through their work but also doing so as the camera points on them. </span><span>This is easily one of the best movies I have seen so far this year beacuse it does all the things a good documentary does and hasn't done much of before but also everything a good point to make needs to do to make you say, wow that was cool and I am a better person for vicariously experiencing it instead of being told I need to know or believe. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">CHECK OUT GO INDIE NOW'S SPOTLIGHT SERIES WHICH IN THIS EPISODE FEATURES THIS DOCUMENTARY'S FILMMAKER INDIY SAINI<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="319" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ncjs7wvaA_M" width="485" youtube-src-id="ncjs7wvaA_M"></iframe></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #fcff01;"><br /><br />YOU CAN WATCH THE MOVIE <a href="https://amzn.to/41bPJTQ" target="_blank">HERE </a><br /><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #fcff01;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3;"><span><br /><br /></span></span></span></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-12776051245214517162023-02-24T10:33:00.003-08:002023-02-24T11:06:27.015-08:00Indie Movie Review (Friday Collab): Who Are You People<p><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Written by Joe Compton & Madilynn Dale</span><br /><br /><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXL-DlKJrOvdeWS6xLcxVlRAvWZzOZXUqUt1HQ7tJIDLRFcNja3-1EshGiXXuuLlpLaTZoys84e1z-7dC37xP3gDtvW3CJaTlpesbfzVc2lp_T34lTeCe6jAlILBwph-no3_aGW8FuJrGmRyz42vabFSI9b3SdH1xhHfj4qq5OMggJJnmz-IhCM9IA/s4096/WAYP%20poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="2764" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXL-DlKJrOvdeWS6xLcxVlRAvWZzOZXUqUt1HQ7tJIDLRFcNja3-1EshGiXXuuLlpLaTZoys84e1z-7dC37xP3gDtvW3CJaTlpesbfzVc2lp_T34lTeCe6jAlILBwph-no3_aGW8FuJrGmRyz42vabFSI9b3SdH1xhHfj4qq5OMggJJnmz-IhCM9IA/s320/WAYP%20poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div class="movie_synopsis clamp clamp-6 js-clamp" data-qa="movie-info-synopsis" id="movieSynopsis" style="-webkit-box-orient: vertical; -webkit-line-clamp: 6; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: -webkit-box; line-height: 1.2em; max-height: 7.5em; overflow: hidden;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>After a botched attempt to seduce her English teacher, 16-year-old Alex runs away from boarding school to seek out her biological father.</i></span></span></div><ul class="content-meta info" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2a2c32; display: table; font-family: "Franklin Gothic FS Book", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; list-style-type: none; margin: 10px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; width: 710px;"><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Genre:</span></span></div><div class="meta-value genre" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-transform: capitalize; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Drama</span></span></div></li><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Original Language:</span></span></div><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">English</span></span></div></li><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Director:</span></span></div><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><a data-qa="movie-info-director" href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ben_epstein" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Ben Epstein</span></span></a></div></li><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="color: #2a2c32; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Starring: </span></span></span></span></div><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #2a2c32;"><span style="color: white;">Ema Horvath, Alyssa Milano, Devon Sawa,<br /> and Yeardley Smith</span></span><br /></span></span></div></li><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Writer:</span></span></div><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ben_epstein" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Ben Epstein</span></span></a></div></li><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Release Date <br />(Theaters):</span></span></div><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><time datetime="Feb 24, 2023" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Feb 24, 2023</time> <span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-transform: capitalize;"> Limited</span></span></span></div></li><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Runtime:</span></span></div><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><time datetime="P1h 44mM" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1h 44m</span></span></time></div></li><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Distributor:</span></span></div><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Gravitas Ventures</span></span></div></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="background-color: black;"><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">(Joe's comments are in blue, </span><span style="color: #d9ead3;">Madi's are in green</span><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">)<br /></span></i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><i><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">So in full disclosure I first saw this movie as part of the Mammoth Film Festival the year prior, not that my opinion on it has changed but I have kind of changed a bit since first seeing it, and the movie itself had one fundamental change in it that my colleague Madilynn Dale noticed and shares with us here in her first viewing of the movie. I thought that was interesting having viewed it a 2nd time and of course reading the review by Madilynn.</span><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"> </span></i><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #fff2cc;">WHAT THIS MOVIE DOES WELL:</span> </b></span></span><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This movie touched on many themes revolving around family. For one, the lack of communication between family members was obvious.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6Sdf8BcWcf39Fk8r-5Gyk7S392w2ceKpteMV5pSGGQTs5GheRjWDOrmRwN6mFOJKpKQR5ZgDVrtPWaBuBGDrqECCfC-x6e0IWyJinHxfUC9FzqIRIphMJLrHmGlsYxyr-ZmEisnnDvDipms2qKAGmCyfeD_bHI6pizEzD9oIpDL54qoCrk0Szbss/s500/wayp%203.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6Sdf8BcWcf39Fk8r-5Gyk7S392w2ceKpteMV5pSGGQTs5GheRjWDOrmRwN6mFOJKpKQR5ZgDVrtPWaBuBGDrqECCfC-x6e0IWyJinHxfUC9FzqIRIphMJLrHmGlsYxyr-ZmEisnnDvDipms2qKAGmCyfeD_bHI6pizEzD9oIpDL54qoCrk0Szbss/s320/wayp%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="background-color: black; color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Alex was disconnected from her parents, not from lack of trying, but from her parents being wrapped up in their work lives. There was also an apparent difference in how she was treated versus her younger twin siblings. When Alex attempts to communicate with her parents, half of the time they don’t listen. When angry, her father yells, and her mother avoids.</span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />Another focus falls into the coming of age and self-exploration category. Alex is confused about who she is and where her place is in the world. She doesn’t fit in anywhere and feels that she doesn't belong with her family. When things blow up she ventures out to discover who her father is while also discovering more of herself along the way. She makes a new friend that sparks an interesting relationship between the two and is taught a bit of what faith is. Not in the sense that she has to believe what the other person believes but in a different way. <br /><br /><br />I thought </span><span style="background-color: black; color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">overall, this movie does well focusing on family and problems that arise with them.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Yeah, the dynamics here are what really sell this movie from the family aspects to the inner POV that we get from Alex, played well by Ema Horvath, and all written very well by Ben Epstein. What I think from a filmmaker and cinephile perspective that was interesting about a lot of the performances here is we have smart, savvy actors who know what they have been given and they play right to it. Often these things can pirouette into sloppy over dramatics, but even in those moments that this film does have, they are designed with a real sense of control that I think only veteran film actors can provide. This is maybe one of the best examples of that principal I have seen in a while. You never feel like any of this is out of any of the actors' depths and that allows us as a viewer to settle in and get absorbed by the movie</span><span style="background-color: black; color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ZGy54jAIBh41MhYj8ppLK1d2521g8sYHP8I87IeyX3P8ogMOX6s2qyrrZkmRIERD82YFSjycgoPif8PE3hfRCClAOgevNn01rrJmQZSprH9KzR3RksXltQwI9xzvFUQ2NgNuooYiF1wbZs9C7fBbg72LneYzEGvdGEc0iGJH--XqiIpfGpvUYYgn/s1000/WAYP.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="1000" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ZGy54jAIBh41MhYj8ppLK1d2521g8sYHP8I87IeyX3P8ogMOX6s2qyrrZkmRIERD82YFSjycgoPif8PE3hfRCClAOgevNn01rrJmQZSprH9KzR3RksXltQwI9xzvFUQ2NgNuooYiF1wbZs9C7fBbg72LneYzEGvdGEc0iGJH--XqiIpfGpvUYYgn/s320/WAYP.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #d9ead3;">It was a sweet movie that had me absorbed from the start. It had a great cast, and the actors did a fantastic job. It was a realistic and relatable tale. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">I like that real aspect of it too. This felt like a very plausible idea, maybe even too much so, but that's okay, because I think in the moments when you feel like okay, really? You feel like that because that's what you are supposed to feel. Again, I think the editing, directing, and writing play around, and with, the actors in the same manner of control that I mentioned. <br /><br />This really has an ensemble, collaborative feel to it that I think designs it a cut above your typical movie in the coming-of-age genre and in that sense it doesn't feel as indie for me, and I think I would have liked to see take a little more chances actually. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Something that bothered me after finishing the movie was the ending. I could not get past how it ended. I felt that it was a bit rushed and that life for the family after the truth was shared should have been expanded on. <br /></span><span style="background-color: black; color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />A touchy theme that will hint at spoilers but must also be acknowledged, is the mention of rape and the aftereffects of it. This isn’t something obvious at the start of the movie but as I watched, I wondered if that was something that had happened. Maybe there wasn’t anything between Karl and Judith originally? I mean no is still no regarding the situation but did the two care for each other? While the ending left me with those question, the effects of dealing with the emotions following rape were highlighted. Alex was left trying to process all that she had learned and return to school. She was not sent to boarding school but instead enrolled in counseling. She didn’t make any new friends upon returning to her old school and rumors still circulated about her but she was in counseling. Karl was spent some time in jail for assault but came out focused. He wanted to continue to have a relationship with his daughter, but Alex wasn’t sure about that. </span><span style="background-color: black; color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Things are never simple when something that heavy is dropped on a young girl. Also, what happened to the teacher? Was he fired? Did Alex’s parents file charges against him? That too was glossed over and it should have had a significant role on some of the things Alex had to work through. Alex had a lot of things happen that affected her mental health that were glossed over and I wanted to know more.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-family: arial;"><br />Leaving you to want more I think makes it more real and that might have been the intention, I don't know? But Madi you bring up a great point in that here's the one change it made from the first time, in that we get a little more exposition at the end then we did than the last cut I saw. Yet it is vague and almost superfluous to the idea of trying to be more feel good than the situation really called for. I mean </span><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-family: arial;">everybody who reads my reviews knows I have a real aversion to voiceover narration, no matter where it is in the movie, but I thought the modern way in doing it here, via text, was clever, but it still was expo</span><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-family: arial;">sition that I think does miss a little of what we really were draw too in this movie.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1pqnY-33KxlA1-JUIesahajFzmKLcx-XwyYkUbtZ9pPAo7lG7hkfQ7A1Jq6CUu-TfUOYbRH1gX5YBhnlo63nPAAZ03zyRKx4YYJuOPzK_xQy4YW21HEo9hPRAmZJMk6a4Nqmn8RoTpLVVUpmVYBbr8WeIK--XO3nEKRSwL1Ana96BFUFrZ3-pEdR/s300/WAYP%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1pqnY-33KxlA1-JUIesahajFzmKLcx-XwyYkUbtZ9pPAo7lG7hkfQ7A1Jq6CUu-TfUOYbRH1gX5YBhnlo63nPAAZ03zyRKx4YYJuOPzK_xQy4YW21HEo9hPRAmZJMk6a4Nqmn8RoTpLVVUpmVYBbr8WeIK--XO3nEKRSwL1Ana96BFUFrZ3-pEdR/s1600/WAYP%202.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />It's the safer choice. It doesn't make it bad, but it did take away from what I thought was a more interesting ambiguity I saw the first time around. <br /><br />I have to also mention that I thought Yeardley Smith stole the show here. She was powerful and she really commanded our attention. I thought all the acting played well in harmonies with one another but Yeardley in particular kind helped change the tempo and raise the stakes for me, and without this may have been a way different movie. Also Alyssa Milano has one of the best controlled scenes in the movie that I think without her would have been disastrous. She is so, so good in that moment in the hotel, probably it will be one of my favorite acting moments of the year and that's all I will say about it. <br /><br /></span><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b> WHY CHAMPION THIS MOVIE: </b></span><span style="background-color: black; color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">With all that I mentioned, I feel that this movie would be an excellent choice for an audience interested in family drama, coming of age, self-discovery, and mental health following traumatic events such as rape, with a rating of PG13. Some of the triggers I noticed include mention of domestic violence verbal, emotional, and physical, a range of drinking from mild to heavy, smoking, mention of rape, religion, runaway child, cursing, mention of sex, attempted suicide by police officer and bullying.</span><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #d9ead3;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">I think also for artists reading this, filmmakers especially, but also storytellers I think this movie is a great yardarm for how to tighten things to move in a smooth almost seamless manner from beginning to end. I never felt like we were sent out of this movie by anything anyone did or didn't provide. It feels like a movie theater movie for those who are tired of the loud and obnoxious two and half hours of Dolby surround sounds and 4k/3d/IMAX destruction of our senses, and appreciate their emotions being challenged instead. I like that an Indie film can show that range and show that power without needing conventions that would have watered this down or pressed into a neat little box. This movie has some mess, as does life, but I still would have liked it to take up a notch personally and be a tad even more messy, but I really do appreciate what it is and what it gives us too and I think a lot of us cinephiles and writers, filmmakers will too.</span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="368" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BZSvkPSh7Zo" width="481" youtube-src-id="BZSvkPSh7Zo"></iframe></div><br /><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: large;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3EA5coq" target="_blank">YOU CAN WATCH THIS HERE</a></span></b></div><br /><br /></span><div><br /></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-28399040139170459212023-02-21T10:36:00.005-08:002023-02-21T17:36:28.686-08:00Indie Movie Review: Back To The Wharf <p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> Written by Joe Compton</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfLtDFunb6niP7PH996c3TXe2nAhNaFE3owCM1oZ777Ko8CyEaybM0YSkvs-KR_Z90RlDKZ1mtDHKsqI4sIDe7fGCIwKr-fhfVYBOH-D1jdMPLBvTiRiaKgryqAbycgeBzr-8nXLGQq0_Clmd2PIkEiT98VLkOOMfM5d_ar6HURRf4RtHVx6cJBFev/s1259/back%20to%20the%20wharf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1259" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfLtDFunb6niP7PH996c3TXe2nAhNaFE3owCM1oZ777Ko8CyEaybM0YSkvs-KR_Z90RlDKZ1mtDHKsqI4sIDe7fGCIwKr-fhfVYBOH-D1jdMPLBvTiRiaKgryqAbycgeBzr-8nXLGQq0_Clmd2PIkEiT98VLkOOMfM5d_ar6HURRf4RtHVx6cJBFev/w286-h400/back%20to%20the%20wharf.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="movie_synopsis clamp clamp-6 js-clamp" data-qa="movie-info-synopsis" id="movieSynopsis" style="-webkit-box-orient: vertical; -webkit-line-clamp: 6; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: -webkit-box; font-family: "Franklin Gothic FS Book", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; max-height: 7.5em; overflow: hidden; text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">An escaped convict who was serving time for negligent homicide returns to his hometown after 15 years, but he is haunted by his past and gets mixed up in a scheme involving the daughter of his victim.</span></span></div><ul class="content-meta info" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2a2c32; display: table; font-family: "Franklin Gothic FS Book", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; list-style-type: none; margin: 10px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; width: 710px;"><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--gray); display: table-cell; font-weight: 700; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Genre:</span></span></div><div class="meta-value genre" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-transform: capitalize; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Drama, Romance</span></span></div></li><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--gray); display: table-cell; font-weight: 700; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Original Language:</span></span></div><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Chinese</span></span></div></li><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--gray); display: table-cell; font-weight: 700; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Director:</span></span></div><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Li Xiaofeng</span></span></div></li><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--gray); display: table-cell; font-weight: 700; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Producer:</span></span></div><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Dun He, Bo Huang</span></span></div></li><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--gray); display: table-cell; font-weight: 700; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Writer:</span></span></div><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Xin Yu</span></span></div></li><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--gray); display: table-cell; font-weight: 700; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Release Date (Streaming):</span></span></div><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><time datetime="" style="background-color: black; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Jan 17, 2023</span></time></div></li><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--gray); display: table-cell; font-weight: 700; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Runtime:</span></span></div><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><time datetime="P1h 58mM" style="background-color: black; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">1h 58m</span></time></div></li></ul></div><br /><p></p><div class="movie_synopsis clamp clamp-6 js-clamp" data-qa="movie-info-synopsis" id="movieSynopsis" style="-webkit-box-orient: vertical; -webkit-line-clamp: 6; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #2a2c32; display: -webkit-box; font-family: "Franklin Gothic FS Book", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; max-height: 7.5em; overflow: hidden;"></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #fff2cc;">WHAT THIS MOVIE DOES WELL:</span> </b>There are many, many ways in which this movie succeeds but the 1st hurdle it leaps over with ease is the way it flows within the time jumping and spanning across, really, a lifetime of a man who carries a heavy burden. It's because of this burden being so well fashioned that we are able to squeeze into these intense emotional crescendos, and be struck by the variances, some up and some down, and the many that this movie presents, and really feel as though we experienced what Song Hao was going through. Time jumps and long escapades into a lifetime journey are often softened, misconstrued, and even confusingly frustrating by missing details. Yet the beauty of Yu Xin's script and the execution of it on screen by director Li Xiaofeng is that no matter where the timeline jumps, we are confronted with lingering feelings, doubts, and never far from our minds is the incident that triggered this all and we begin wondering when it will rear its ugly head again. That's the power of this story and its storytelling that even in moments that lull and the small bits of confusion jumping ahead creates, we are quickly reengaged and thought provoked. The lead acting earlier on and throughout the 2nd act anchor this very well. Nice nuanced and boisterous performances by Wan Yanhui and Lee Hong-Chi coupled with a very nuanced, quiet performance by Zhang Yu really layer over the timeline and how each segment seems to bring something old and new to it. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPlBdbGH_2zsAyzHZIS1-rtegCFKFEbYS2jGyTT8iZrefqh4z1Fr2GCKIMU_RONxn_jJ_Kg_oaeL24jIAgcPQZrDa06O04mNr9SWx8D9mC6cCHw4bjJNAai9GALnaV8NS2vwsbMgWPZwBhTYZnJNdjqPimxwjHyaG7Yi-0id631lBPe3C-x9UhWES/s1600/REVIEW-Back-to-the-Wharf-3.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="1600" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPlBdbGH_2zsAyzHZIS1-rtegCFKFEbYS2jGyTT8iZrefqh4z1Fr2GCKIMU_RONxn_jJ_Kg_oaeL24jIAgcPQZrDa06O04mNr9SWx8D9mC6cCHw4bjJNAai9GALnaV8NS2vwsbMgWPZwBhTYZnJNdjqPimxwjHyaG7Yi-0id631lBPe3C-x9UhWES/s320/REVIEW-Back-to-the-Wharf-3.webp" width="320" /></a></div>The real true stand out though is Song Jia, who I think steals all the scenes she is in, and really adds an element to the 2nd and 3rd acts that destroy any chance of stagnation. I think between Jia's Pan Xiaoshuang's old friend pining and the many facets of the Father by Yanhui, we get a lot of push and pull that brings to surface the more internal depths of Song. It's a clever aspect of storytelling that allows for those much more silent moments to matter and not bore us. <br /><br />There are some beautiful shots, especially amongst rain, with this grey and almost muted hue throughout that really set atmosphere and dictate a lot of that pacing through the subtlety and the even through the time shifts. It's much like the story in that even in moments where we have a brighter pallet that musty, rain clouded hue lingers ready to jump in and push its true agenda. <br /> <br />This movie is all about that one moment that changes things and no matter how far it gets buried it resurfaces which is a lot of how I felt in watching this, after the first couple times thinking a corner has turned or we are about to hit a lull, I resided to the more conventional expectation of waiting for that other proverbial shoe to drop, and it never disappointed to do just that. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXV12U9WJ18O0ci72kI-jFRqMF3sSZwvdcHdXUAShcYNfDpz1nuVvzT5uY3IM3a742vr-7_TkBbEWW1sCdytT88BH383yo_bQ7woDQ-mvTmMXEYAJY3MOhus3ROJGJH6tRxAipDRc8WSHD8xGv1Jvg0eXUOQYaLoEYh7_N4Qt3wWknpr02HO9Gm0Al/s1024/back%20to%20the%20wharf%202.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="1024" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXV12U9WJ18O0ci72kI-jFRqMF3sSZwvdcHdXUAShcYNfDpz1nuVvzT5uY3IM3a742vr-7_TkBbEWW1sCdytT88BH383yo_bQ7woDQ-mvTmMXEYAJY3MOhus3ROJGJH6tRxAipDRc8WSHD8xGv1Jvg0eXUOQYaLoEYh7_N4Qt3wWknpr02HO9Gm0Al/s320/back%20to%20the%20wharf%202.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #fff2cc;">WHY CHAMPION THIS MOVIE:</span></b> It's not always the destination but the journey and I think a lot of films forget that aspect of storytelling so often that we are left either wanting more or not getting enough. This is not one of those movies, in fact I think it's almost too clever in the ways it tends to give us these elements, but I think if you stick with it, realize quickly you are on a journey that has a pay-off, I think you will really enjoy the ride. <br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="351" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mdaZ5vlE_VA" width="422" youtube-src-id="mdaZ5vlE_VA"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://amzn.to/3YQOkSx" target="_blank">YOU CAN WATCH THE MOVIE HERE</a></span></b></div><br /></span><br /></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-23319138168707613492023-02-17T09:53:00.008-08:002023-02-17T09:55:10.350-08:00Indie Game Review: Hades<p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> Written by J. D. Estrada </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwycspRrfTvjrTBF-GNaKBc2qFcelw5_VvAA3YsSYszh80E7qOHzQ4rBSWGraKMjEBGyqa_ESZ7z2uIxx5ikKtzNot5f1Dd23vqgGIlYDT_NsFrZ10qQDRHpOaPvAR0kI5C4wELioiLjKLoDxdv5EBqzC7YYY6uuzf2WRznOOC0JAsLzw-3hANGvco/s1600/Hades%20Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwycspRrfTvjrTBF-GNaKBc2qFcelw5_VvAA3YsSYszh80E7qOHzQ4rBSWGraKMjEBGyqa_ESZ7z2uIxx5ikKtzNot5f1Dd23vqgGIlYDT_NsFrZ10qQDRHpOaPvAR0kI5C4wELioiLjKLoDxdv5EBqzC7YYY6uuzf2WRznOOC0JAsLzw-3hANGvco/s320/Hades%20Poster.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><b><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Mode: Single-player video game</span></b></p><p><b><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Developer: Supergiant Games</span></b></p><p><b><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Original author: Supergiant Games</span></b></p><p><b><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Composers: Martin Stig Andersen, SØS Gunver Ryberg</span></b></p><p><b><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Genres: Rogue-like Dungeon Crawler</span></b></p><p><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #fff2cc;">WHAT THIS GAME DOES WELL:</span></b><span style="color: white;"> Imagine a game so good, whose combat is so tight and varied, and whose multiple overlapping storylines are so engaging, that not only are you willing to play through the same 40 levels over and over and over again, but are actually looking forward to it.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Although there are countless amazing aspects about HADES, one that absolutely blows my mind is that Supergiant Games took the basic premise of Kung Fu from the original NES and brought it to the 21st century in a super giant way. Both games throw a slew of baddies your way to be disposed of as you see fit, you continue to ascend levels and meet bosses at the end of the level, and then, once you’re done, you get to do it all over again.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaysMbIaSetu7dbrx7yn8GybgG3F_AFraxeCEEHlRl4g3BkiF54UhIJ6qiIKdxtQ2a53FKRsA76EUycYxOpCAqxZ5tZPU5cy6PU_1BLeeH1HK49CNXA3JJwxAm89IAf_m25TuUNAQt6i00b_eP7qBvY-D9qssAne4BIYbCdlTXCrb9GQZUXZo2i153/s1920/Hades%20gameplay.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaysMbIaSetu7dbrx7yn8GybgG3F_AFraxeCEEHlRl4g3BkiF54UhIJ6qiIKdxtQ2a53FKRsA76EUycYxOpCAqxZ5tZPU5cy6PU_1BLeeH1HK49CNXA3JJwxAm89IAf_m25TuUNAQt6i00b_eP7qBvY-D9qssAne4BIYbCdlTXCrb9GQZUXZo2i153/s320/Hades%20gameplay.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The fact is that the combat in HADES is some of the most satisfying I’ve ever come across and it’s rare if ever the same twice. You play as Zagreus, son of Hades. Although you cannot jump, that is apparently the only limitation you will be offered in terms of gameplay mechanics. You have a trusty dash that almost works like teleportation. You have a cast button that throws red diamond projectiles. You have a special button that varies depending on the weapon you choose. And you have an attack button that’s going to get QUITE the workout. No matter what boons and powerups you get, you’ll always have these base controls. Each of them can be modified in a myriad of ways. But there’s a catch. EVERYTHING depends on which gods you meet on each attempt to escape the Underworld. This will give you enhancements for speed, power, projectiles, buffs, debuffs, and all sorts of goodies to try to equip you with what you need to escape. </span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">So, in terms of controls and combat, this game is a masterclass...but if you ask me, it’s what hooks you initially but not what keeps you going.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwA0_jDEQaC81o-3nFTsPRe9gxMGsKiHZCoye1jAcR_DpnvGv0MzylmBCRt_Vlk9m7cHxy4jYPsJpzI_tXhSiVRm4kIH6nCGhFd2ig9SSZ5IHIkmAuuPmyxIdJbsQEFUM4twPmnKBMwrCgI2SlLWEfMwIgeUceeNOIYBFSqD7jwT2wqUgZFuZQY61k/s1920/Hades_Aug19_04.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwA0_jDEQaC81o-3nFTsPRe9gxMGsKiHZCoye1jAcR_DpnvGv0MzylmBCRt_Vlk9m7cHxy4jYPsJpzI_tXhSiVRm4kIH6nCGhFd2ig9SSZ5IHIkmAuuPmyxIdJbsQEFUM4twPmnKBMwrCgI2SlLWEfMwIgeUceeNOIYBFSqD7jwT2wqUgZFuZQY61k/s320/Hades_Aug19_04.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />That would be the combination of multiple interweaving and engaging storylines, probably the best voice acting I’ve ever experienced, and the ever-pressing question of what happens next? I finished the game once...then finished it 10 more times to get the true ending. Then finished it about 20-25 more times to get the proper epilogue, then finished it a dozen or more times to finish up storylines. All in all, out of ALL the storylines, the only one I wasn’t able to finish was that of Hermes, but everything else I got 100%. What’s absolutely mind boggling is that every storyline delivers. Everything gels. Everything makes sense. </span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">And.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">That.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Is.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Insane.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGnQryzz8riU0W1swYHaFVgJeDt6R3_2AOXLSsNgiwmicB5w0ex9Hj1_HUQcNjNqbmmX65EeX7Oi9e5OUXE1GIiNJCjsXirQBpABFdQGHEKIJMppvom7wsHcwZ39IgOiSlPMMRn-pGTGlZmrDLGco_o31yLH3qykFG1GbBPRn_-hohTLD7dYQOZdR/s2560/hades-scaled.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1439" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGnQryzz8riU0W1swYHaFVgJeDt6R3_2AOXLSsNgiwmicB5w0ex9Hj1_HUQcNjNqbmmX65EeX7Oi9e5OUXE1GIiNJCjsXirQBpABFdQGHEKIJMppvom7wsHcwZ39IgOiSlPMMRn-pGTGlZmrDLGco_o31yLH3qykFG1GbBPRn_-hohTLD7dYQOZdR/s320/hades-scaled.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />A true testament to solid writing, engaging dialogue, and offering a new spin on Greek mythology, HADES doesn’t shy away from any character and gives everyone a proper representation. If I had to guess, I’d say that just in dialogue, the script has to be over 300 pages, easy.</span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">How many times have you been playing a game that is alright and suddenly a random line of dialogue is cringy? Now imagine playing a game that will hook you for 70-80 hours if you’re a completionist and ALWAYS deliver. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">So is the game hard?</span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Let’s put it this way, #GetReadyToDieALot should come with the game.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">HADES is unforgiving and if you let your guard down, you will die and have to start again no matter how leveled up you are. But that’s part of the fun. Dying rewards you with dialogue, storyline, and of course, low blows from people who find it hilarious that you once again got axed by a villain. Also, the more you die, the more you’ll realize how nuanced the dialogue is in this game. Hypnos (Sleep Incarnate) greets you every time you die and are respawned. And he will always have something interesting and unique to say. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">You know those games that have dialogue that repeats and gets SUPER annoying? Supergiant wants none of that and I could count on one hand the times I think dialogue repeated in the game...after playing 70-80 hours. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">But let’s go back to my comparison with Kung Fu. Is that game easy? No. Does it get harder as you progress? Yes. Is there a pattern to your enemies that you can learn? Yes. Except that with HADES’s super deep combat system, you have a varied assortment of ways to deal with baddies instead of the limited array in Kung-Fu. Even more amazing is that since you have a different build every time you head out to Tartarus, you will learn several ways of addressing the challenge of each room.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><b style="font-family: arial;">WHY CHAMPION THIS GAME:</b><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;">Simply put, if you’re a gamer who loves a good challenge and want to be rewarded for EVERY attempt? Play this Game. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">If you love voice acting with a cast where everyone delivers unique representations of characters? Play this Game. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">If you love games with varied, deep, challenging, and satisfying controls? Play this Game. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">And finally, if you’re writer and want a masterclass in fresh, engaging, and memorable dialogue, and you want to see what a proper twist is, PLAY THIS GAME. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpEtThjW4w0Qu7Z8KViolk2X8OPtK8YBFLkQrkHa57iT7FCV5SzK1FyZfC7poUbeU-9K5EoA6EqtbdIDgn5JqreLrtbLakppvse_9CCZ_h-F59lnUHIbEk78_EuSYPiTF0pc5ExzErSdVwV0rhc7DUY0Of1HUpQrQvDq_Hkcu1C1HmowSsBvnaMIfY/s320/hades-price-hike.jpg" width="320" /></div><br /><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145360/hades/" target="_blank">YOU CAN BUY AND PLAY THIS GAME HERE</a></span></b></p>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-9352006535783074322023-02-15T10:47:00.005-08:002023-02-15T11:07:51.773-08:00Indie Movie Review: The First Step <p><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> Written by Joe Compton</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTSQcm8rEcyjJb22qzqhKxTArE2iXlxnxFn316PzOwiwDOtGKHveZhr1m_vcSm1-8wE665kXbAYOsIhTHQvHfiZy3XVXU3uzMkLz3apSQ8US8f0g5sp8B-sMKNzJo4oxuRvTguuVJ0blevWMIxnh-mWin9hHfaEmiDuAancth4S4Y1Mz0GCLLXwxI/s1915/the%20first%20step%20poster.jpg" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1915" data-original-width="1300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTSQcm8rEcyjJb22qzqhKxTArE2iXlxnxFn316PzOwiwDOtGKHveZhr1m_vcSm1-8wE665kXbAYOsIhTHQvHfiZy3XVXU3uzMkLz3apSQ8US8f0g5sp8B-sMKNzJo4oxuRvTguuVJ0blevWMIxnh-mWin9hHfaEmiDuAancth4S4Y1Mz0GCLLXwxI/w271-h400/the%20first%20step%20poster.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><span style="background-color: black; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="movie_synopsis clamp clamp-6 js-clamp" data-qa="movie-info-synopsis" id="movieSynopsis" style="-webkit-box-orient: vertical; -webkit-line-clamp: 6; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #2a2c32; display: -webkit-box; font-family: "Franklin Gothic FS Book", sans-serif; line-height: 1.2em; max-height: 7.5em; overflow: hidden;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></div><div class="movie_synopsis clamp clamp-6 js-clamp" data-qa="movie-info-synopsis" id="movieSynopsis" style="-webkit-box-orient: vertical; -webkit-line-clamp: 6; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: -webkit-box; font-family: "Franklin Gothic FS Book", sans-serif; line-height: 1.2em; max-height: 7.5em; overflow: hidden;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-size: medium;">In a divided America, Van Jones attempts to pass a landmark criminal justice bill -- and finds himself under fire from all sides.</span></div><ul class="content-meta info" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2a2c32; display: table; font-family: "Franklin Gothic FS Book", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; list-style-type: none; margin: 10px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; width: 710px;"><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; font-weight: 700; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-size: medium;">Genre:</span></div><div class="meta-value genre" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-transform: capitalize; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-size: medium;">Documentary</span></div></li><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; font-weight: 700; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-size: medium;">Original Language:</span></div><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-size: medium;">English</span></div></li><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; font-weight: 700; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-size: medium;">Director:</span></div><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-size: medium;">Brandon Kramer</span></div></li><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; font-weight: 700; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-size: medium;">Producer:</span></div><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-size: medium;">Lance Kramer</span></div></li><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; font-weight: 700; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-size: medium;">Release Date:</span></div><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-size: medium;"><time datetime="Feb 17, 2023" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Feb 17, 2023</time> </span></div></li><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; font-weight: 700; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-size: medium;">Runtime:</span></div><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><time datetime="P1h 30mM" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-size: medium;">1h 30m</span></time></div></li><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-label subtle" data-qa="movie-info-item-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; font-weight: 700; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 213px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3; font-size: medium;">Distributor:</span></div><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">8 Above<br /></span><br /><br /></span></div></li></ul><span style="background-color: black;"><b style="font-family: "Franklin Gothic FS Book", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZw31rQvge92JIhjYKV-WLx-rxImjlZq2UCSN2kF8ChM2fL8_st4pbs1Dv_xd0bdmVEcdK-h0hg3n7DP3SX5aJzG2k78ozexeow9CWMLH_XfqPxnpNFLIQxp0z5Kn81V_lpJydOmMy7sBbybpkTJHFiYhcvmxyS9j0v5GrLVQAFosW1G0GzDtvDVs3/s1280/full_The-First-Step_1920x1080.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZw31rQvge92JIhjYKV-WLx-rxImjlZq2UCSN2kF8ChM2fL8_st4pbs1Dv_xd0bdmVEcdK-h0hg3n7DP3SX5aJzG2k78ozexeow9CWMLH_XfqPxnpNFLIQxp0z5Kn81V_lpJydOmMy7sBbybpkTJHFiYhcvmxyS9j0v5GrLVQAFosW1G0GzDtvDVs3/s320/full_The-First-Step_1920x1080.png" width="320" /></a></div>WHAT THIS DOCUMENTARY DOES WELL:</span><span style="color: white;"> </span></b><span face="Franklin Gothic FS Book, sans-serif" style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Well, the access here is amazing and because of that the filmmakers do get some opportunities to set up and film in a manner that does design itself very well around the POV its representing. There are some great shots that feel intimate, and almost so insider that on one hand you feel like you are spying on how the sausage is being made and maybe you weren't meant to see this. There are some nice Steadicam and lower tripod or dolly shots that frame some two shots and wider shots like we are peaking through a doorway. A very effective tool for like what I said the spying feeling. There also some nice over the shoulder, raised tripod shots that also capture the movement of a busy man and his day. </span></span><div><span face="Franklin Gothic FS Book, sans-serif" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Franklin Gothic FS Book, sans-serif" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rcE1D4aeZQPCAl57Xs06CUWfvo6VqF7An2QhmlQi25024hXu9LtQrgGPQ_u2eqmySoEBbJEFsQ0lHe24N4aidwszK_XPXq6xlni-mMWUlmcseLDQvAH96E9iB6sgImwXY4kbagm_ZR20eBr7j35taeCxZBtqbMuovWOVW1IQbTgO4ZV3zH47W8TH/s2400/van%20jones%20kushner.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2400" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rcE1D4aeZQPCAl57Xs06CUWfvo6VqF7An2QhmlQi25024hXu9LtQrgGPQ_u2eqmySoEBbJEFsQ0lHe24N4aidwszK_XPXq6xlni-mMWUlmcseLDQvAH96E9iB6sgImwXY4kbagm_ZR20eBr7j35taeCxZBtqbMuovWOVW1IQbTgO4ZV3zH47W8TH/s320/van%20jones%20kushner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>On the other hand, it made this viewer wonder why we don't see this candidness, people being human, especially in the polarized, heavy partisan society that America has become. What are they all afraid off, I guess is what I wondered a lot in watching this? </span></div><div><span face="Franklin Gothic FS Book, sans-serif" style="background-color: black; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGae1Kw86O3c5R5QNbaw3UVtNZ8KGkyWcz8fLHAj2Z9DJFSRPjIdwfjaewaWdu5ZwHr13bcIVlkbGShVqa13it2CycH_nVkPXyYSkaQCVJ1dpoLZB1xdDveTsRmFOmahzPIpWSxP1QKu9R2mVmVZtXJJvWZOQ9wRYcgi1sQ6jmJjNwTBerFrzZelb-/s1920/the%20first%20step%202.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGae1Kw86O3c5R5QNbaw3UVtNZ8KGkyWcz8fLHAj2Z9DJFSRPjIdwfjaewaWdu5ZwHr13bcIVlkbGShVqa13it2CycH_nVkPXyYSkaQCVJ1dpoLZB1xdDveTsRmFOmahzPIpWSxP1QKu9R2mVmVZtXJJvWZOQ9wRYcgi1sQ6jmJjNwTBerFrzZelb-/s1920/the%20first%20step%202.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div><br />The storytelling here is crafted well, we get a 3 act structure that takes us a on a journey and tells one man's/one side's story. It's honest to a point and Brandon and Lance, both as documentarians, point the camera and let the story unfold. The untethered access helps paint a picture, and one that can often be surprising to this viewer who is a heavy political person, but it was the moments when we are sitting with Mr. Jones watching his humanity and his emotions that really are what helps keep up watching, and brings us in.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQLBQZi2CG434JN3g232TB0Nau12BccoPrQKzDUJr9Sltr_c0NWu9DizuQ-2qLIx99alxRtLmsSPzLO09ovborSOTkQnLdrduxzAwt5tJr8abiYyZkFcLDnC6D-ZkyK9MFagDr-Hd94Ge8zZCvA95JGnH0U9EJhdDmDAbp8HCspZD8Oine5sH3NA5/s1920/the%20first%20step%202.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQLBQZi2CG434JN3g232TB0Nau12BccoPrQKzDUJr9Sltr_c0NWu9DizuQ-2qLIx99alxRtLmsSPzLO09ovborSOTkQnLdrduxzAwt5tJr8abiYyZkFcLDnC6D-ZkyK9MFagDr-Hd94Ge8zZCvA95JGnH0U9EJhdDmDAbp8HCspZD8Oine5sH3NA5/s320/the%20first%20step%202.webp" width="320" /></a></div></div><div><span face="Franklin Gothic FS Book, sans-serif" style="background-color: black; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGae1Kw86O3c5R5QNbaw3UVtNZ8KGkyWcz8fLHAj2Z9DJFSRPjIdwfjaewaWdu5ZwHr13bcIVlkbGShVqa13it2CycH_nVkPXyYSkaQCVJ1dpoLZB1xdDveTsRmFOmahzPIpWSxP1QKu9R2mVmVZtXJJvWZOQ9wRYcgi1sQ6jmJjNwTBerFrzZelb-/s1920/the%20first%20step%202.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGae1Kw86O3c5R5QNbaw3UVtNZ8KGkyWcz8fLHAj2Z9DJFSRPjIdwfjaewaWdu5ZwHr13bcIVlkbGShVqa13it2CycH_nVkPXyYSkaQCVJ1dpoLZB1xdDveTsRmFOmahzPIpWSxP1QKu9R2mVmVZtXJJvWZOQ9wRYcgi1sQ6jmJjNwTBerFrzZelb-/s1920/the%20first%20step%202.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a></span></span><div><b style="background-color: black; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">WHY CHAMPION THIS DOCUMENTARY:</span><span style="color: #2a2c32;"> </span></b><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: large;"> I think no matter where you stand on the issue that is being brought front and center, I think one of the things that polarization does is it handcuffs you to seek only what you want to seek, and I think there is something to be gained by giving something you might automatically dismiss because of who is being followed for this or what the subject does politically for your beliefs. I always encourage looking at both sides. The small issue I have with this doc is it only present one side, and one man's thoughts but that's the aim of it. I understood that and in that context there are very few that do it more intimately and nicely designed around truth then this one. This making a limited run out there in Theaters, so go support Indie Film and if you see it at your cinema, give a chance. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: black;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"></div></span><ul class="content-meta info" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2a2c32; display: table; font-family: "Franklin Gothic FS Book", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; list-style-type: none; margin: 10px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; width: 710px;"><li class="meta-row clearfix" data-qa="movie-info-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table-row; width: 710px;"><div class="meta-value" data-qa="movie-info-item-value" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: table-cell; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 497px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></div></li><li style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div></li><br /></ul></div><p></p></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-33889029739545842682023-02-10T09:55:00.004-08:002023-02-10T10:32:39.351-08:00Indie Music Review (Friday Collab): Obituary - Dying of Everything <p> <span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Written by Adam Johnson & Joe Compton</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZNUb0EsWTOhHID52EEK3w-85sYHWilWcZsG85OuJqNUItV-h3kDs6VOOuuYu78wRGxsBwd3f6w3D0ihoWcd7muicIELWehl4R_Ue4WUKRADNkmj1ibO0_o_ZvoQeUu25mokOR6mH3jA95zHsUEaeulSwqe32B-ArTgsLLCF4d077vmRqLuDORbcsi/s1280/dying.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZNUb0EsWTOhHID52EEK3w-85sYHWilWcZsG85OuJqNUItV-h3kDs6VOOuuYu78wRGxsBwd3f6w3D0ihoWcd7muicIELWehl4R_Ue4WUKRADNkmj1ibO0_o_ZvoQeUu25mokOR6mH3jA95zHsUEaeulSwqe32B-ArTgsLLCF4d077vmRqLuDORbcsi/s320/dying.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="background-color: black;"><span class="w8qArf"><br /><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: bolder;">Artist</span><span class="eTVOZd" style="font-weight: bolder;">:</span><span style="font-weight: bolder;"> Obituary</span></span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="w8qArf" style="font-weight: bolder;">Release date<span class="eTVOZd">:</span> </span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e" style="line-height: 22px;">January 13, 2023</span></span></p><div class="wDYxhc" data-attrid="kc:/music/album:skos genre" data-hveid="CEIQAA" data-md="1001" data-ved="2ahUKEwis6rD38fn8AhW4JkQIHVfbA_gQkCl6BAhCEAA" style="clear: none;"><div class="Z1hOCe"><div class="zloOqf PZPZlf" data-ved="2ahUKEwis6rD38fn8AhW4JkQIHVfbA_gQyxMoAHoECEIQAQ" style="line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 7px;"><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="w8qArf" style="font-weight: bolder;">Genres<span class="eTVOZd">:</span> </span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e" style="line-height: 22px;">Death, Doom, Speed Metal</span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-size: medium;"><span class="w8qArf" style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bolder;">Label<span class="eTVOZd">:</span> Relapse Records</span></span></div></div></div></div><div class="wDYxhc" data-attrid="kc:/music/album:label" data-hveid="CEQQAA" data-md="1001" data-ved="2ahUKEwis6rD38fn8AhW4JkQIHVfbA_gQkCl6BAhEEAA" style="clear: none;"><div class="Z1hOCe"><div class="zloOqf PZPZlf" data-ved="2ahUKEwis6rD38fn8AhW4JkQIHVfbA_gQyxMoAHoECEQQAQ" style="line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 7px;"><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="w8qArf"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-weight: bolder;">Length</span><span class="eTVOZd" style="color: #fff2cc; font-weight: bolder;">: 45:21<br /></span><br /><i><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">(Joe's comments are in blue, </span><span style="color: #d9ead3;">Adam's are in green</span><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">)</span><br /></i><br /><i style="color: #cfe2f3;">The Kingdom of Heavy crew is back! When I first heard this album and knew I was going to do this, Adam is the first person I reached out too. So we gave it about a month to marinate with it but now it's time to talk about this Legendary Death Metal band's 11th studio album released on the #1 Indie label on the planet, in Relapse Records. </i></span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="w8qArf" style="color: #d9ead3;"><i style="background-color: black;"><br /></i></span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Their last album, Obituary's 2017 self-titled release, has been hailed as a death metal masterpiece, with fans and critics alike raving about its revival of the band's classic sound with a fresh twist. </i></span></span></div><span style="background-color: black; color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin: 0pt 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THIS ALBUM:</span></b><span style="color: #d9ead3; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Get ready to headbang like there's no tomorrow, because this album is a non-stop metal fest, loaded with relentless riffs, thundering drums, and a mix that will blow your socks off. The opening track, </span><span style="color: #fff2cc; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Barely Alive"</span><span style="color: #d9ead3; white-space: pre-wrap;">, is a true metal anthem, a blazing showcase of Obituary's unstoppable energy.</span>
<br /><span style="color: #d9ead3; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span><span style="color: #cfe2f3; white-space: pre-wrap;">I mean to get just punched right in the face without a pause, this opening track just set the tone for me and tells me that the aforementioned self-titled 2017 effort was the beginning of a return to form of that this band cultivated those many years ago. You especially get that in the very next track, the "single" that was released before the album in </span><span style="color: #fff2cc; white-space: pre-wrap;">"The Wrong Time"</span><span style="color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> a melodic pace breaker that keeps the headbanging going but also your whiplash to heal a tad. This album does that tit for tat idea, a staple of 80s Death Metal and this band's early catalogue entries that was refreshing and nostalgic enough to put a smile on this listener's face, in between headbangs of course.</span></span></span></span></p><span style="background-color: black; color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin: 0pt 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a fan of melodic, technical metal, I have to admit that "Dying of Everything" left me wanting a little more. Don't get me wrong, it's a solid death metal album that will surely appeal to fans of the genre. The musicianship is top-notch and the production is fantastic. The songs are heavy, fast, and intense, with plenty of grooves to headbang to, but when you have Death Metal royalty, Cannibal Corpse, putting out albums like 2021’s Violence unimagined, you need to step your game up to keep up with the kings. The title track of the album delivers a relentless onslaught of heavy riffing and some really solid vocal work that reminds you why Obituary has been such a consistent name in the genre.
</span><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">That consistency is the fundamental problem that is not Obituary's fault, but it is one they do have. This band knows itself so well, that when it strayed off the path a little in the mid 2000s, </span></span></span><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">they were damned if they do and damned if they don't. When they did go a little experimental and tried something a little different the critics and fans panned it as selling out and longed for the days of </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;">"Slowly We Rot" </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and now that they are back to being Obituary, it's being a little panned for that. </span><br /></span><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;"> I think because 2017 brought so much nostalgia that anything following it up whether in the box or outside of it was going to be the red headed stepchild of the discography. I woudl say though this album has its amazing moments, moments and heights that nto even Obituary had reached ever before. I mean the opening track being one of those but then you have the layered title track </span><b><span style="color: #fff2cc;">"Dying of Everything"</span> </b><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">followed later into the album with the amazing </span><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-weight: bold;">"Weaponize The Hate" </span><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">both have these clever intros but that's not the newness factor I am talking about, rather it comes in these interesting bridges and almost held notes by John Tardy. Who by the way is so on point with his growls and even-keeled tempos, you get the sense him and his brother Donald, the drummer (who writes most of the songs) had some incredible jam sessions to come up with the pacing.Donald is one of the more underrated drummers around and he continues to prove it here. Sme of amazing kicks and spikes that really engage all your senses and push you past what often times seems very much formulaic. <br /> </span><span style="color: #d9ead3;"> </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin: 0pt 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Yeah Obituary is known for their brutal, straightforward style and "Dying of Everything" sticks to that formula, but for me, I was hoping for a little more variety and experimentation.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin: 0pt 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin: 0pt 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">I can understand that but for a band like this, they do kind of paint by numbers because that works and in medium sized doses and maybe with a little playful rearranging for me on my playlist I can really engage with this album's strengths and kind get past its weaknesses and repetiveness.
</span><b><span style="color: #fff2cc;">
WHY CHAMPION THIS ALBUM:</span></b><span style="color: #cfe2f3;"> I have to say too, if you are feeling like the pandemic has just ran you down, the lyrics here are all based on how Donald and John viewed how the world was dealing with it, so it's a little bit of nice way to release that with this album. The songs that are really good here are instant classics, and I can't wait to experience </span><b style="color: #fff2cc;">"Buried Alive" </b><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">live. I hope, no, they have to open with it and do so just as the album does. This another strength of a band that has been around a while, their live shows will win you over, maybe even with songs that don't stand up in the studio. So even if you are hesitant or feel like Adam and I do a bit, then let's go to the show and see if they win us even more over that way.</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin: 0pt 0px;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin: 0pt 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Yeah, maybe? I did feel a little let down that they kept everything so straightforward. It sort of felt like a stock death metal album. But don’t let that take away from the onslaught of metal they bring you! It’s still heavy and a fun listen.</span></span></p><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #d9ead3;"><br style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Helvetica Neue", "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 13px;" /></span></span><div class="rVusze"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="w8qArf"><span style="background-color: black; color: #d9ead3; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Dying of Everything" is still a decent album and Obituary continues to deliver what their fans love. For fans of death metal, this is a must-listen, and for fans of more technical and melodic metal, it's still worth checking out, even if it doesn't quite hit the spot.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #d9ead3; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span><br /><span style="color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="background-color: black;">Agreed, I guarantee that a couple songs on here will grab any fan of metal and not let them go. </span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="color: white; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: large;"> YOU CAN GET THE ALBUM <a href="https://obituary.bandcamp.com/album/dying-of-everything" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></b></div><br /></span></span></span></div></div></div></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-23205547330114488622023-02-09T12:53:00.005-08:002023-02-10T09:56:26.646-08:00Indie Book Review: Blue Flames by Madilynn Dale<p> <span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Written by Joe Compton</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVQ147z-SV45Pl1a0-r3KhcYm26Vei7TS_TnkaYpW8PMm5A6z-gMgLlXa_a07BL3SbqADgvyiA_35nY-WDCPGWCOFtxlhMT7gO8EzRK-HamYUnU4VbsRKnggYv5lhQiyqoKM1iMM3HZ4jLG0M-I7x0GSkxbzb-XnEc0Odz0Lbc2CHBsXHrmr0iD0J/s1035/blue%20flames.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1035" data-original-width="644" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVQ147z-SV45Pl1a0-r3KhcYm26Vei7TS_TnkaYpW8PMm5A6z-gMgLlXa_a07BL3SbqADgvyiA_35nY-WDCPGWCOFtxlhMT7gO8EzRK-HamYUnU4VbsRKnggYv5lhQiyqoKM1iMM3HZ4jLG0M-I7x0GSkxbzb-XnEc0Odz0Lbc2CHBsXHrmr0iD0J/s320/blue%20flames.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="background-color: black;"><span class="w8qArf"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: bolder;">Author</span><span class="eTVOZd" style="font-weight: bolder;">:</span><span style="font-weight: bolder;"> </span></span></span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e" style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Madilynn Dale</span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="w8qArf" style="font-weight: bolder;">Release date<span class="eTVOZd">:</span> </span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e" style="line-height: 22px;">January 31, 2023</span></span></p><div class="wDYxhc" data-attrid="kc:/music/album:skos genre" data-hveid="CEIQAA" data-md="1001" data-ved="2ahUKEwis6rD38fn8AhW4JkQIHVfbA_gQkCl6BAhCEAA" style="clear: none;"><div class="Z1hOCe"><div class="zloOqf PZPZlf" data-ved="2ahUKEwis6rD38fn8AhW4JkQIHVfbA_gQyxMoAHoECEIQAQ" style="line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 7px;"><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="w8qArf" style="font-weight: bolder;">Genres<span class="eTVOZd">:</span> </span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e" style="line-height: 22px;">Romance, Fantasy, Supernatural</span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b>Book 2 of The Ember Series</b></span></span></div></div></div></div><div class="wDYxhc" data-attrid="kc:/music/album:label" data-hveid="CEQQAA" data-md="1001" data-ved="2ahUKEwis6rD38fn8AhW4JkQIHVfbA_gQkCl6BAhEEAA" style="clear: none;"><div class="Z1hOCe"><div class="zloOqf PZPZlf" data-ved="2ahUKEwis6rD38fn8AhW4JkQIHVfbA_gQyxMoAHoECEQQAQ" style="line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 7px;"><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="w8qArf" style="font-weight: bolder;">Length<span class="eTVOZd">:</span> 223 pages</span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="w8qArf" style="font-weight: bolder;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="w8qArf" style="font-weight: bolder;">Blurb:</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><i style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-size: large;"> With the chaos of her escape from Hell and loss of a mate, Ember attempts to focus on her pack. More is coming for them with Alpha Gale keeping secrets and Greed building an army. It’s only a matter of time before she must return to claim her place as princess of Hell and train as a hellhound. Still, having spent her entire life thinking she was a latent shifter, she doesn’t want to leave those she loves unprotected.</i><br /><i style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-size: large;">In her pursuit to bring Alpha Gale down, Ember must reach out to other packs. With Adam’s lead, and all their friends by their side, they devise a plan to stop Alpha Gale and have him removed once and for all. No more sacrifices, arranged marriages, or hidden agendas.</i><br /><br /><i style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-size: large;">When Ember is forced to leave before their plans can take effect, she must depend on her vampire mate, Zeke, and her friends, as she begins to learn how to lead Hell. What Lucifer didn’t expect was having to prepare her for an all out war so soon. The balance of power and time are now on her shoulders. Will Ember buckle under pressure or will her unrealized power be able to bring down those seeking to conquer them all?</i><br /><br /><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-size: medium;">WHAT THIS BOOK DOES WELL: T</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">here is a tremendous amount of incredibly well designed, well executed literary devices used here to near perfection that really puts and keeps you in the story, and it's coupled with a very well written prose technically that never pulls you out or makes you double back (which for this reader is a big deal because that's what keeps me from reading a little faster than I would like). It all starts with a nifty sub plot that not only picks up from where we were left off in </span><b><i style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">BLACK FLAMES</span></i></b><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"> but enhances the group dynamic, furthers the importance of family and friends, and gives us a nice little ease into what is to come. </span></span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">This device is used in unison with another couple of aspects I really came to appreciate. The 1st is the callbacks, not only from the 1st book, but it is also used effectively within the same book in later pages. Then there is also the foreshadowing that raises the stakes for what happens in the 3rd act. All very cleverly and meticulously designed here to really enhance the reading experience. </span></span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">I also like how much Madilynn respects her readers to know what is going on and does dwell too much on recapping or rehashing as it were. The moments that she does do that she does it neatly within the dialogue which helps keep things moving while simultaneously reminding us of this or that. </span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">The emotional moments are really strong here and play out not only logically but very much as they would do in real life. I appreciate that there is that connection even though we are talking about Hell, vampires, and werewolves. That subtle human element shows great depth for Ember especially. However it kind misses though with the other characters a little bit, but then again they aren't very human so it plays to who they are, but it still seems a tad bit callous at times. Something that I obviously rationalize here enough to not let it stop me from feeling along with Ember anyway. </span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">There are also small moments where I feel like as not the target audience and that certain dialogue and certain actions plays a little much to that. To be fair though I knew that going in and Madilynn knows where her bread is buttered with her audience, so to give them what they want, is smart on her part. I am just going to have to get over it. Which I am fine doing, its nothing that ever gets too much but I did find myself tempted to skip ahead a little bit at times. </span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">I do feel like she wrote a lot of the first act for her non target audience, thank you Maidlynn, as it takes about 90 pages before what I expected to come (a little bit of a pun intended there) does and does all over the rest of the 2nd act for the most part. So, getting those 1st 90 pages of the subplot I mentioned above, it was nice of her to do that. However as much I appreciate and enjoyed it, I actually think the 2nd into the 3rd act and then throughout to the end is really where this book hums and is beyond fantastic. I really enjoyed the return of Ember and the gang, and the trip to Hell and look forward ot more of it in the 3rd book to finish the trilogy.</span><br /><br /></span><span style="background-color: black; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">WHY CHAMPION THIS BOOK: </span><span style="color: white;">This is a great continuation read, that if you read the 1st book in the series and enjoyed it, this book should not only be a part of that, but it should have the opportunity to enhance it by the different devices I mentioned above. There is a sort of Empire Strikes Back feel and energy to this middle book of the trilogy which really gives this reader excitement for the 3rd installment. So, if you like how a trilogy like that is built and you didn't go read the 1st book yet, I hope maybe you will consider it. </span></span><br /><div style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><div style="background-color: black; text-align: center;"><b>YOU CAN BUY THE BOOK <a href="https://amzn.to/3I95sgh" target="_blank">HERE</a></b></div></span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="w8qArf" style="font-weight: bolder;"><br /></span></span></div></div></div></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-17645137985440109742023-02-04T10:37:00.005-08:002023-02-04T10:42:34.951-08:00Festival Spotlight: SLAMDANCE 2023 Ep 5 w/filmmaker Zash Kashkett & Star Hip Hop Maverick L'Orange of the feature Documentary The Mad Writer <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="386" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H0_iZG_DuOo" width="464" youtube-src-id="H0_iZG_DuOo"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <b style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">THE MAD WRITER</span></b><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 18px; text-align: center;"> </span></div><div style="background-color: black; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4-sg0h0w3KJ4psdpegeqWjIqiI6l7-xmsn-yoO8CfR052C7fkr3_sL1bbPdMTEY9UEjiOkng6grcBJAU9xKaVbF3ExwXaFE1DrmTF6i43qRdn9ZsfMUpDIvewjWXnoDUWObI2JTnmKGPu3U5qCS4jWSrDYJYhXM_GhIvlpdLBk0RXci_NzFasI_u/s273/the%20mad%20writer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="184" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4-sg0h0w3KJ4psdpegeqWjIqiI6l7-xmsn-yoO8CfR052C7fkr3_sL1bbPdMTEY9UEjiOkng6grcBJAU9xKaVbF3ExwXaFE1DrmTF6i43qRdn9ZsfMUpDIvewjWXnoDUWObI2JTnmKGPu3U5qCS4jWSrDYJYhXM_GhIvlpdLBk0RXci_NzFasI_u/s1600/the%20mad%20writer.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><br /><h2 class="lvp__sub-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 18px; line-height: 48px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;">70 mins | United States | 2023</span></h2><div class="lvp__attributes" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 27px; text-align: start;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #eeeeee; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Director</span>: Zach Kashkett</span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #eeeeee; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Producer</span>: Jon Webb,Zach Kashkett,Trevor Metscher,Katherine LeBlond,James Haygood,Michael Raimondi,Michael Tolle</span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #eeeeee; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Premiere Status</span>: World Premiere</span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #eeeeee; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Screenwriter</span>: Zach Kashkett</span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #eeeeee; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Editor</span>: Zach Kashkett</span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #eeeeee; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Cinematographer</span>: Trevor Metscher</span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #eeeeee; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Cast</span>: Austin Hart, Leah Lawson, Mr. Lif, Dylan Green, Seiji Inouye, Zach Kashkett, Ian Mauldin</span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #eeeeee; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Genre Tags</span>: Documentary, Music, Depression, Medical, Romance</span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #eeeeee; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Release Year</span>: 2023</span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #eeeeee; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Language</span>: English (United States)</span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #eeeeee; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Subtitle</span>: English (United States)</span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #eeeeee; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Country</span>: United States</span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #eeeeee; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Genre</span>: Documentary</span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #eeeeee; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #eeeeee; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Rising hip hop phenom L'Orange, is a recluse. Clinically depressed, he rarely leaves the comfort of his Nashville home or his faithful dog Scraps' side. But when he develops mysterious tumors in his ear's canals, his world is thrown into chaos. With his career on the line, he will need to undergo several risky surgeries if he wants a hope of retaining his hearing.</i></span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #eeeeee; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold;">WHAT THIS DOCUMENTARY DOES WELL: </span><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">As much as he might try or not care, trying to be as much the unrelatable protagonist as he the unreliable narrator L'Orange is the kind of interesting subject that wins you over or pushes you away. I absolutely am convinced after talking with him and the director he hopes its the later but here's the thing he doesn't get to decide that. The audience does and too much of Zach's credit he does an incredible job giving us the opportunity to do just that. This documentary's power and poise comes from the love of something that only a mad genius can fully understand and a touch of the human spirit that is the whole reason those of who do like documentaries, like documentaries! This isn't falshy this isn't even a deep dive into the creative process, this is one friend taking us into another friend's journey. It's the absolute most truthful escapade there is, and it done very, very well here. </span></span></span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white; font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span><span><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: 18px;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">WHY CHAMPION THIS DOCUMENTARY:</span></b><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 18px;"> If you are a lover of music, especially hip hop I don't know how you can't appreciate a look at creativity like this. As for cinephiles, there are some nice Cinema Verte moments, some nice documentary set ups that are staples of this type of doc, and they are done well, but ultimately there is nothing that can replace how you feel about friendship, having love and passion for something, and having it taken away from you or at least pushed out of arm's reach. You will have to watch the movie to find out which way it turns out. </span></span></span></div></div></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6066445751873531119.post-5993651631769318632023-02-03T10:39:00.004-08:002023-02-11T09:54:22.319-08:00Indie Music Review (Friday Collab): Iggy Pop - Every Loser <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Written by J. D. Estrada & Joe Compton</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAqRbCqNxq6lC_7t_2D1os8HsqmDMhXCEWiZFb2_4-Zx-vMlfVWn1Z_yddyBiXpQZWFyTPKQR-EPdqMl7PcmVnkkLCnW4m4PpoY0kScTYTgxytvmVHTyfpmqXMSGHPmtbLda4PYtP-zyJSuV_cuafJKqQaKW0eGj1bvpTLv2n-XSm_tRv8JabLot4/s640/iggy%20album.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAqRbCqNxq6lC_7t_2D1os8HsqmDMhXCEWiZFb2_4-Zx-vMlfVWn1Z_yddyBiXpQZWFyTPKQR-EPdqMl7PcmVnkkLCnW4m4PpoY0kScTYTgxytvmVHTyfpmqXMSGHPmtbLda4PYtP-zyJSuV_cuafJKqQaKW0eGj1bvpTLv2n-XSm_tRv8JabLot4/s320/iggy%20album.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: black;"><span class="w8qArf"><br /><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: bolder;">Artist</span><span class="eTVOZd" style="font-weight: bolder;">:</span><span style="font-weight: bolder;"> </span></span></span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e" style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Iggy Pop</span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="w8qArf" style="font-weight: bolder;">Release date<span class="eTVOZd">:</span> </span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e" style="line-height: 22px;">January 6, 2023</span></span></p><div class="wDYxhc" data-attrid="kc:/music/album:skos genre" data-hveid="CEIQAA" data-md="1001" data-ved="2ahUKEwis6rD38fn8AhW4JkQIHVfbA_gQkCl6BAhCEAA" style="clear: none;"><div class="Z1hOCe"><div class="zloOqf PZPZlf" data-ved="2ahUKEwis6rD38fn8AhW4JkQIHVfbA_gQyxMoAHoECEIQAQ" style="line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 7px;"><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="w8qArf" style="font-weight: bolder;">Genres<span class="eTVOZd">:</span> </span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e" style="line-height: 22px;">Alternative/Indie, Rock</span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-size: medium;"><span class="w8qArf" style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bolder;">Label<span class="eTVOZd">:</span> </span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e" style="font-family: arial; line-height: 22px;">GOLDTOOTH INC</span></span></div></div></div></div><div class="wDYxhc" data-attrid="kc:/music/album:label" data-hveid="CEQQAA" data-md="1001" data-ved="2ahUKEwis6rD38fn8AhW4JkQIHVfbA_gQkCl6BAhEEAA" style="clear: none;"><div class="Z1hOCe"><div class="zloOqf PZPZlf" data-ved="2ahUKEwis6rD38fn8AhW4JkQIHVfbA_gQyxMoAHoECEQQAQ" style="line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 7px;"><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="w8qArf" style="font-weight: bolder;">Length<span class="eTVOZd">:</span> </span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e" style="line-height: 22px;">36:53<br /><br /></span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black;">Yes, technically this was distributed by Altantic Records in a new multi-album partnership with Iggy and Andrew Watt's Goldtooth Records but (and JD and I have had this conversation a lot over the years and again with this one) the spirit in which this was made and how it came together, I can't think of anything more Indie than EVERY LOSER and IGGY POP respectively. Atlantic Records is basically the distribution arm, they had nothing to do with how this art was created. For that reason and for others that will be explained within this review, this had to be talked about. </span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: black;">In fact, every Friday myself and others at Go Indie Now will collaborate with another writer and together review a more "mainstream" indie piece of brand new art. We are still very much committed to bringing you those who we might be introducing you to for the first time and that need our help to get the word out. Very much committed!! </span></span></i></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><span style="background-color: black;">We just can't ignore something like this, if we are going to say we are covering all Indies. There is not only the spirit of what Iggy has done here but what he has managed to do over the course of a lifetime. For that I will now let J. D. Estrada give you all a little background</span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc;">. </span><br /></i><br /><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><i>Some elder statesmen show their age by wearing different clothes, taking it slower, and kind of getting a bit lame.</i></span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT4mKs3tHQUtKFFkz00iugxE6fFgeXVScdIQPPvp_hw1B5C4UZx1GXJxvAv91vCxWWmr0KTZvH2p9WlF7osc6kZ49jkJe7RQiQ37ozx61gsIKEU8ub-ysU-Vq7QLzoMof78aYRF7zsN0HxtsoZ1rtezIdNqf5GuAnm3VIg__kcNg_ETX8ZSa3bVDMh/s299/iggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT4mKs3tHQUtKFFkz00iugxE6fFgeXVScdIQPPvp_hw1B5C4UZx1GXJxvAv91vCxWWmr0KTZvH2p9WlF7osc6kZ49jkJe7RQiQ37ozx61gsIKEU8ub-ysU-Vq7QLzoMof78aYRF7zsN0HxtsoZ1rtezIdNqf5GuAnm3VIg__kcNg_ETX8ZSa3bVDMh/s1600/iggy.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><br />Iggy Pop will be 76 in April and this album sounds like he’d whip out his dick during a set just because he was lost in the music.</i></span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div></span><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-family: arial; font-style: italic;">There’s a difference between being cocky and being cocksure, and Iggy has ALWAYS been his own man, offering a much better discography than his record sales would indicate. We’ve often seen artists beyond their prime just go through the motions to push out an album and remain active. Maybe it’s an attempt to remain relevant. Maybe they have to fulfill contractual obligations. Maybe they had nothing better to do. But some artists don’t do much more than an obligatory musical bowel movement.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><i style="color: #b6d7a8;"> </i><br /><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><i><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">None of this applies to Iggy Pop’s latest release, Every Loser, and I can’t state this enough.</span></i></span><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><br /></span></i><br /><b><span style="color: white;">WHAT THIS ALBUM DOES WELL: </span></b></span></span><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">11 tracks (9 with two interludes if you want to be nitpicky, but I’d count them because they’re fun and definitely should NOT be skipped).</span></span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; color: #b6d7a8; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; color: #b6d7a8; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">37 minutes.</span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; color: #b6d7a8; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; color: #b6d7a8; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Tight as fuck. </span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; color: #b6d7a8; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">This is classic Iggy and dare I say, one of the most solid albums he’s ever released...and doing this at 75. What I love about this album is that anyone that gives it a chance should definitely feel inspired to check out his discography. There are rockers like album opener </span><b><span style="color: #fff2cc;">"Frenzy"</span></b><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"> but Iggy’s croon doesn’t take long to show up, tracks 2 and 3 offer Iggy serenades coupled with new wave sounds that sometimes echo even a bit of vintage Cure. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">I couldn't agree more with J. D. this album is a masterpiece and masterclass. Those tracks J. D. referred to in "</span><b><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Strung Out Johnny</span></b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">" and "</span><b><span style="color: #fff2cc;">New Atlantis</span></b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">" have this goth-like, echo chamber, deep growling vocal accompaniment that changes the tempo of the opening track and leads you into this vortex of a mismashed retrospective that gives you everything you know or don't know about Iggy Pop's discography. He goes through it all, a little bit of The Stooges in songs like</span><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"> </span><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-weight: bold;">"Neo Punk" </span><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">and "</span><b><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Frenzy</span></b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">". You get the trippy Natural Born Killers / Tarantino-esque-ness</span><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"> </span><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">in</span><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"> </span><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">"</span><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><b>Comments</b></span><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">". There's even some nice spoken word with a rich layering of music to bring it out.</span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Then there's the social commentary and smart-ass, tongue and cheek aspect that has always been with Iggy and it is layered thick here but yet it </span></span><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: arial;">is surprisingly touching, haunting, and downright funny at times. Something I think Iggy has always had...but not like this. </span></span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; color: #b4a7d6; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjML8Qyf1XScoINTqPy6rXseqyvSiV-NAUCt-Osgto4zwRQcVqzrXjrP81RW3P4AJwCvCL2tBwMP_0u18lTSpY67DR24qFAGHa_tkzI1BoE043ZQZ3q0Yue3UYSCT073sdpqXgmgCa5pADnggRi8N2vb_9e1w280tFMpVOK8LYeytpBx4IP5oQem9z6/s1280/iggy%20cartoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjML8Qyf1XScoINTqPy6rXseqyvSiV-NAUCt-Osgto4zwRQcVqzrXjrP81RW3P4AJwCvCL2tBwMP_0u18lTSpY67DR24qFAGHa_tkzI1BoE043ZQZ3q0Yue3UYSCT073sdpqXgmgCa5pADnggRi8N2vb_9e1w280tFMpVOK8LYeytpBx4IP5oQem9z6/s320/iggy%20cartoon.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="background-color: black; color: #b4a7d6; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Yeah like the album's closer "</span><b><span style="color: #fff2cc;">The Regency</span></b><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">" is a great example. It starts dreamy and then pushes 75 MPH in a school zone. It has such wonderful shifts and closes off an album that screams that age is just a number and lyrically speaking, Iggy keeps it honest and pretty in your face, but not brazenly so. Still, it does have some classic lines I’ll leave you to discover in between rocking out to tracks like "</span><b><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Modern Day Ripoff</span></b><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">" and particularly "</span><b><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Neo Punk</span></b><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">". The croon becomes a snarl in "</span><b><span style="color: #fff2cc;">All the Way Down</span></b><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">", including a riff that oozes swag. "</span><b><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Comments</span></b><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">" brings new wave back and the synths and heavy bass again remind me of the Cure but with such raw energy. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc;">WHY CHAMPION THIS ALBUM: </b><span style="background-color: black; color: #b4a7d6;">I think on a fundamental level, the songs are catchy, road trip worthy and often afterwards, even in the not so serious aspects of this album, leaving you with something to digest and think about as only Iggy can make you do. For any Indie trying to make it, this album is a good study tool in how to just let it all be what it is going to be, and never flinch at or doubt that.</span><br /></span></span></div><div class="rVusze"><span style="background-color: black; color: #b6d7a8; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="rVusze"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwm84YiS90fEjsShYo-Cs9OlaVxuuaARh5n-PZA-i2Gw3Zu8wMwQifC-TGSqMNAs7D_YAz9-aXh89S_yzHVGm9Gp2gnYWpGiuyJ-Q2UzwVWot_6pKeels1eNtHxGPeEQ3jIE9kSnCMnvUBfgG2o7ycLkLwjaMqUx4tFbz5YCAnDrTyl-h-Nx0H9Nzl/s512/iggy%20retro.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="512" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwm84YiS90fEjsShYo-Cs9OlaVxuuaARh5n-PZA-i2Gw3Zu8wMwQifC-TGSqMNAs7D_YAz9-aXh89S_yzHVGm9Gp2gnYWpGiuyJ-Q2UzwVWot_6pKeels1eNtHxGPeEQ3jIE9kSnCMnvUBfgG2o7ycLkLwjaMqUx4tFbz5YCAnDrTyl-h-Nx0H9Nzl/w298-h334/iggy%20retro.png" width="298" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #b6d7a8; font-family: arial;">If you think Iggy Pop has any plans to coast, to be lazy, or to half ass it, you’re out of luck because not only does the album kick ass but it's more proof </span><span style="background-color: black; color: #b6d7a8; font-family: arial;">that when you have talented musicians an up-and-coming producer like Andrew Watt who makes sure EVERY track shines, plus a no nonsense guy like Iggy, you will be reminded that rock is not a phase, it’s a fucking way of life, and that many shall imitate, more shall copy or rip off the man, but that there is only one Iggy Pop.</span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><b style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: black; font-size: large;">YOU CAN GET THE ALBUM <a href="https://amzn.to/3X3ZK3E" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></b></div></b></div></div></div></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905826271945027657noreply@blogger.com0