Stupid film snobs

I barely managed to squeeze into the Best of the 48 Film Festival Tonight. (O, Sure, I've had it on my calendar for more than a month, but, I didn't think it'd sell out, and, well, I know the Coolidge staff, i.e.I know to add my name on the waiting list, which puts me miles ahead of most of the folks milling about outside the venue.) I left my foan at home, which made cat-herding people to the show unfeasible. And, had it been more than just me, I might not have gotten a ticket anyway.

My least favorite of the pack, the one that made me think "wow, this is the best of? man, this is pointless crap. Pointless, 'oooh, I can feign tension in black and white' crap", won the festival. I like tension in black and white, when it's less... pretentious? perhaps. I feel like I should go to film school just to find out why filmmakers didn't realize it sucked, what significant reference it made. Lumiere and Company it's not. Sorry.

My favorite was Eleanor Stops by for a Bite, where it was clear the filmmakers wanted to spoof 50s propaganda/etiquette films, and managed to incorporate this into their required genre, "Horror". The festival includes specific gimmicky restrictions, all films contain a common character (in this case, Thom/Thea Quimby, the gossip), a common line ("If you come up with anything good, let me know"), and a common prop (spiral notebook). A number of them were funny simply because of how they managed to work that in. Eleanor would be funny even without that explanation. I hope they submit it to festivals.

::

As to that Other Cinemaic Experience Arriving Newly Soon (13) in theaters, I saw the sneak preview on Tuesday. The most apt responses I've read so far suggested (1) Clooney would've done a better job of directing (I forget who said that) and (2) Metro suggested which women could play the various characters, were they allowed. A coed heist would be awesome. (An all-girl Oceans # would remind me too much of Marlo Thomas' dreadful remake of It's a Wonderful Life.) At least, I'd like to see as big a chunk of A-list actresses for something like this. (No, a movie version of 9 would not count.) So far Clooney is 2 for 2 (for me) as a director, but, well... I'll table letting that opinion get any firmer until after I've seen Leatherheads.

O13 fell somewhere past James Bond and Austin Powers' illegimate, American, multiple-birth litter in terms of realism. The protagonists aren't convincingly clueful enough (deliberately so, underscored by other characters' rants) to merit their success. But, really, all the movie had to do was show me hot guys dressed up and make me miss vegas.

It was a success.

::

I also went to see Paprika, which I didn't realize would be anime until I was already en route. Since I claim to hate anime, I will refrain from any comment that might betray any erosion of my dislike. The plot reminded me of Dreamscape, a guilty pleasure, so it was a win.

Stupid film snobs

I barely managed to squeeze into the Best of the 48 Film Festival Tonight. (O, Sure, I've had it on my calendar for more than a month, but, I didn't think it'd sell out, and, well, I know the Coolidge staff, i.e.I know to add my name on the waiting list, which puts me miles ahead of most of the folks milling about outside the venue.) I left my foan at home, which made cat-herding people to the show unfeasible. And, had it been more than just me, I might not have gotten a ticket anyway.

My least favorite of the pack, the one that made me think "wow, this is the best of? man, this is pointless crap. Pointless, 'oooh, I can feign tension in black and white' crap", won the festival. I like tension in black and white, when it's less... pretentious? perhaps. I feel like I should go to film school just to find out why filmmakers didn't realize it sucked, what significant reference it made. Lumiere and Company it's not. Sorry.

My favorite was Eleanor Stops by for a Bite, where it was clear the filmmakers wanted to spoof 50s propaganda/etiquette films, and managed to incorporate this into their required genre, "Horror". The festival includes specific gimmicky restrictions, all films contain a common character (in this case, Thom/Thea Quimby, the gossip), a common line ("If you come up with anything good, let me know"), and a common prop (spiral notebook). A number of them were funny simply because of how they managed to work that in. Eleanor would be funny even without that explanation. I hope they submit it to festivals.

::

As to that Other Cinemaic Experience Arriving Newly Soon (13) in theaters, I saw the sneak preview on Tuesday. The most apt responses I've read so far suggested (1) Clooney would've done a better job of directing (I forget who said that) and (2) Metro suggested which women could play the various characters, were they allowed. A coed heist would be awesome. (An all-girl Oceans # would remind me too much of Marlo Thomas' dreadful remake of It's a Wonderful Life.) At least, I'd like to see as big a chunk of A-list actresses for something like this. (No, a movie version of 9 would not count.) So far Clooney is 2 for 2 (for me) as a director, but, well... I'll table letting that opinion get any firmer until after I've seen Leatherheads.

O13 fell somewhere past James Bond and Austin Powers' illegimate, American, multiple-birth litter in terms of realism. The protagonists aren't convincingly clueful enough (deliberately so, underscored by other characters' rants) to merit their success. But, really, all the movie had to do was show me hot guys dressed up and make me miss vegas.

It was a success.

::

I also went to see Paprika, which I didn't realize would be anime until I was already en route. Since I claim to hate anime, I will refrain from any comment that might betray any erosion of my dislike. The plot reminded me of Dreamscape, a guilty pleasure, so it was a win.