Film Festival Report 1

Wednesday was Transiberian, which was pretty scenery, and... all indy gritty. So far, any time I've mentioned plot holes, someone else (mostly) filled them up, and then pointed out a plot hole I could (mostly) fill up. So, that's probably good.

Also, Ben Kingsley is taller than me. It's always nice when movie stars don't seem to be from a different race of teeny, tiny people.

Thursday was supposed to be the shorts and Eleven Minutes with the star in attendance. But, Jay is coming to the Monday screening (not this one), and the shorts were completely sold out. (Grrrrr.)

So I saw My Effortless Brilliance, with the short, Woman in Burka, instead. The former is exactly why non-film people HATE indy festivals. It was unscripted and poorly paced. The director apparently used to be an editor, and... she needs more practice. It draaaaaaaaaaaaged. However, the cast did come up with some good lines, it just took forever to get to them. And, it did less to keep me awake than the theater temperature going from frigid to tropical to frigid again until they found a happy medium. The short was decent. Thought-provoking but still funny.

These got out late enough that my only choice was between another narrative that sounded like an overly emo, woody allen wannabe, and what sounded like a really depressing documentary:

Meadowlark "An autobiographical documentary that follows Taylor Greeson, who at the age of twelve was ordained with priesthood in the Mormon faith, lost his virginity to an older man, and endured his brother’s death by stabbing."

Wow, doesn't that sound upbeat?

It's fairly formulaically edited, with footage of children and animals in regular intervals, right after some of the tougher content. Also, the quotes from the book of Mormon with accompanying twangy music could be seen as sincere AND snarky, at the same time. It's heavy stuff, but way better than reality TV. Easily the best thing I've seen so far this year. Director is at the festival, and, you'll want to applaud him for managing to survive the making of this film, which forced him to relive so much trauma.

A good rule of indy/low-budget festivals, if choosing between unknowns, pick the documentary.

Film Festival Report 1

Wednesday was Transiberian, which was pretty scenery, and... all indy gritty. So far, any time I've mentioned plot holes, someone else (mostly) filled them up, and then pointed out a plot hole I could (mostly) fill up. So, that's probably good.

Also, Ben Kingsley is taller than me. It's always nice when movie stars don't seem to be from a different race of teeny, tiny people.

Thursday was supposed to be the shorts and Eleven Minutes with the star in attendance. But, Jay is coming to the Monday screening (not this one), and the shorts were completely sold out. (Grrrrr.)

So I saw My Effortless Brilliance, with the short, Woman in Burka, instead. The former is exactly why non-film people HATE indy festivals. It was unscripted and poorly paced. The director apparently used to be an editor, and... she needs more practice. It draaaaaaaaaaaaged. However, the cast did come up with some good lines, it just took forever to get to them. And, it did less to keep me awake than the theater temperature going from frigid to tropical to frigid again until they found a happy medium. The short was decent. Thought-provoking but still funny.

These got out late enough that my only choice was between another narrative that sounded like an overly emo, woody allen wannabe, and what sounded like a really depressing documentary:

Meadowlark "An autobiographical documentary that follows Taylor Greeson, who at the age of twelve was ordained with priesthood in the Mormon faith, lost his virginity to an older man, and endured his brother’s death by stabbing."

Wow, doesn't that sound upbeat?

It's fairly formulaically edited, with footage of children and animals in regular intervals, right after some of the tougher content. Also, the quotes from the book of Mormon with accompanying twangy music could be seen as sincere AND snarky, at the same time. It's heavy stuff, but way better than reality TV. Easily the best thing I've seen so far this year. Director is at the festival, and, you'll want to applaud him for managing to survive the making of this film, which forced him to relive so much trauma.

A good rule of indy/low-budget festivals, if choosing between unknowns, pick the documentary.