Need to catch up?SXSW 2010 - Day One
SXSW 2010 - Day Two
SXSW 2010 - Day Three
Been a while, hasn't it? Some would probably give up on doing a series of blogs on a month old film festival, but not me. I stick to what I say I'm going to do and flippin' do it. The only reason this wasn't done sooner is because I was trying to complete a screenplay for a competition called "Script Frenzy." Now that I've heard some rather good news, I've become a little distracted in the creative front of my life. I'm trying to focus on something a little more important than the screenplay I started. Plus, I was writing what I considered to be a pretty good idea that probably needed a bigger budget for a lower budget. Some things might have been a little compromised. I'll revisit it someday. Now, onto the fest.
Day four was my first true full day of movies. At this point, I should have just changed my mailing address to the Alamo Drafthouse because I was living there for the rest of the week. I saw some great full lengths and a lot of shorts (which is going to be a pain for me to write about).
I apologize now for how short these reviews are going to be. Obviously, long reviews take more time and I want to try and get these blogs done quickly.
The Films
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SOME DAYS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS
Official site!This is a simple piece, but one that seemed to speak to me the loudest. There's three main story lines being told throughout the film, none of which are incredibly complex. However, seeing the lives these people long to have or that they want to give to others really shows a complexity.
My favorite storyline concerned Eli, played excellently by the lead singer of The Shins James Mercer, who longed for the day where he didn't have to work a shitty job with an asshole boss. What can I say, I related greatly. He spends most of his free time with his step grandfather. They seem to be best friends and his grandfather has a car which he needs to use quite often. Hearing the grandfather talking about love and how he outlived those he was married to gives this film a power unlike any other I saw at the fest. You get invested into these characters and they say these profound, yet simple, epiphanies and it just astounds you.
It's amazing to me how the simplest person can have the greatest grasp on life while everyone else is trying to make it all so complex and this film represents that idea quite well. This being Matt McCormick's first feature is a true achievement. It's just a beautiful little flick that I'd love to add to my movie collection. Lets hope they get a distribution deal soon!
I give the film a 9 out of 10.
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Narrative Shorts 1
There were eight shorts in this category and I will only be highlighting the ones I loved.
BIKINI LIGHTERS
It's amazing to me how many times a coming of age story can be told, but in various different ways. In this short, a boy is becoming aware of his sexuality because of some lighters that display women in bikinis. He also notices a teenage girl making out with her boyfriend. This, of course, comes back to bite him in the arse. Great little flick here.PANCAKE BREAKFAST
My absolute favorite short from the festival. It has my sensibilities and it's amazingly funny. It's about a guy who jokes around with his girlfriend about sleeping with her best friend who happens to be a dude. He begins to worry when his girlfriend starts to play along over a pancake breakfast. Great, great short!
SNAPSHOTS
Seven love stories that were gorgeously shot in New York. This is what New York, I Love You should have been. Though, the lack of any homosexual love kind of dampers it for me (if you're going to have seven different stories, you really couldn't find room for ONE gay love story?).
GIRLS NAMED PINKY
Oh, what a twist! This is a great little short with a hell of a twist.
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Narrative Shorts 2
Again, I'm only going to highlight the ones I absolutely loved.
HAVE YOU SEEN MY HAIR?
Trippy short right here. It all takes place from the point of view of someone who has lost their hair. It was originally going to be a commercial for a hairstylist in New York, but evolved into something so much more. You need to see it to believe it.
BLACK OPS ARABESQUE
Hilarious! When you're backed into a corner by men with guns wanting the little girl you have sworn to protect, what are you going to do? Dance, of course!THE BIG FIDDLE
A complex, intertwining film that glued my eyes to the screen till the shocking end. There's so much going on that it's hard to explain. So, just try to search this film out!-----------------------------------------
STRANGE POWERS
Official site!
I'm not going to lie to you; I have never heard of The Magnetic Fields until I saw this documentary. I had unknowingly heard some of their songs before, but I would have never been able to tell you that they performed them. I am glad I saw this film merely for the fact that I now know who they are and how great they are.
This documentary focuses primarily on Stephin Merritt, lead singer, song writer, and general performer of awesomeness for The Magnetic Fields. He's such a layered artist and though it might seem hard for many to relate to him because of his hard outer shell, he's actually pretty easy to care about as a subject. He just wants to make the music he wants to make and fuck all the naysayers. He wants to love who he wants to love without being judged. He is Stephin Merritt and if you don't like it, get the fuck out. That's his attitude and I loved it. I want to be his best friend, honestly.
This is a well made doc that showed me the greatness of a band I might have missed if I hadn't taken the chance to see it (and it wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for Earthling being filled up).
I give the film an 8 out of 10.
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ALL MY FRIENDS ARE FUNERAL SINGERS
Official site!
Here is a film I was looking forward to greatly and was the first disappointment I experienced at the fest. It tells the story (I use the word story loosely) of a psychic who is forced to live with various ghosts who have yet to cross over to the after life. This film was made primarily to showcase the songs of a band Califone, who play three of the ghosts who are featured often. The coolest part about this screening was the fact that Califone actually played live as the movie screened behind them. They were awesome. Unfortunately, the movie did not live up to the experience for me.
My biggest problem is how it seems that the film has no real focus. We have parts of a story with the psychic, random interviews with a select few ghosts, and then long and drawn out musical sequences with the band Califone. It doesn't mesh and it left me feeling really unsatisfied. I mean, it could have worked, but no one told them certain parts of the whole was just stupid. I'm all for artistic expression, but this is one piece of art I just can't appreciate. It's choppy, sloppy, and all over the place. The music, however, and the experience I had with the band playing live was great. Watching the film without Califone would have been truly terrible.
I give the film a 4 out of 10.
And day four is wrapped!
