Director Celesta Davis
Subject: Sexual Abuse hidden under normalacy
winner of the Cinequest 2004 Documentary Film Award
The story traces Celesta and sister Karen's personal, heart rending journey through their discovery of why bad things happend to them as children and why what happened remained hidden...for 25 years!
The driving question that forced them into uncertain but compelling waters, was "WHY?" They had to know why a family friend exposed their innocence, why he remained in their social circle, and why the problem wasn't address nor solved.
Director Davis simply told me that, "The film had to be made. This story had to be told."
Silence isn't the answer. And victims should not be made to feel guilty. This very serious and sinister problem should not be driven into hidding. Davis' film helps bring an awareness to the table that is touching and compelling. Hurrah for the Davis sister's bravery in facing such dark corners and painful memories and for sharing them with so many.
###
Director Celesta Davis
Subject: Sexual Abuse hidden under normalacy
winner of the Cinequest 2004 Documentary Film Award
The story traces Celesta and sister Karen's personal, heart rending journey through their discovery of why bad things happend to them as children and why what happened remained hidden...for 25 years!
The driving question that forced them into uncertain but compelling waters, was "WHY?" They had to know why a family friend exposed their innocence, why he remained in their social circle, and why the problem wasn't address nor solved.
Director Davis simply told me that, "The film had to be made. This story had to be told."
Silence isn't the answer. And victims should not be made to feel guilty. This very serious and sinister problem should not be driven into hidding. Davis' film helps bring an awareness to the table that is touching and compelling. Hurrah for the Davis sister's bravery in facing such dark corners and painful memories and for sharing them with so many.
###
Director Terry Benedict
Subject: Desmond T. Doss - the first noncombatant ever to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor.
The film won the DbyD award (film produced only on digital);
Mr. Doss (now 85) was in attendence at the world primeire of the film and received the Maverick Spirit Film Award
Doss was a man incapable of using a weapon by personal interal governing values. He was a man incapable of working on the Sabbath, again, by personal values. Doss became a medic in the US Army. Enduring tremendous villification by his peers and the Army which he served, his courage was highlighted by his constant acts of bravery, putting himself at risk in order to save the lives of "my men," those that wished him drummed out of the service.
This is an extraordinary film. In editing, in content, in narration, in cimematography, in composition, in story dynamics...it all comes together into one tight, powerful, and touching package. Hurrah for the human spirit!
###
Director Terry Benedict
Subject: Desmond T. Doss - the first noncombatant ever to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor.
The film won the DbyD award (film produced only on digital);
Mr. Doss (now 85) was in attendence at the world primeire of the film and received the Maverick Spirit Film Award
Doss was a man incapable of using a weapon by personal interal governing values. He was a man incapable of working on the Sabbath, again, by personal values. Doss became a medic in the US Army. Enduring tremendous villification by his peers and the Army which he served, his courage was highlighted by his constant acts of bravery, putting himself at risk in order to save the lives of "my men," those that wished him drummed out of the service.
This is an extraordinary film. In editing, in content, in narration, in cimematography, in composition, in story dynamics...it all comes together into one tight, powerful, and touching package. Hurrah for the human spirit!
###
Director Joe Morton
Cast Cady Huffman, Julie White, Suzzanne Douglas, Amiee Turner
Four roommates struggle with their everyday lives and normal problems. Personality likes and dislikes keep the conversation(s) hopping about and help focus the dialog into some witty repartee through engaging exchanges.
Scotch for breakfast is the morning swill to dampen the pain Elly is feeling. Gayle and Jen join her as they try to understand how to deal with their difficulties as well as a more than perfect roommate, Jessica.
I didn't see this as a chick flick, though, clearly, it could be. I saw in it the interchange of human drama between friends, the bonding that takes place when friendships are on the line, and where barriers are drawn and crossed.
Enjoyable editing, cinematorgraphy, and presentation.
###
Director Joe Morton
Cast Cady Huffman, Julie White, Suzzanne Douglas, Amiee Turner
Four roommates struggle with their everyday lives and normal problems. Personality likes and dislikes keep the conversation(s) hopping about and help focus the dialog into some witty repartee through engaging exchanges.
Scotch for breakfast is the morning swill to dampen the pain Elly is feeling. Gayle and Jen join her as they try to understand how to deal with their difficulties as well as a more than perfect roommate, Jessica.
I didn't see this as a chick flick, though, clearly, it could be. I saw in it the interchange of human drama between friends, the bonding that takes place when friendships are on the line, and where barriers are drawn and crossed.
Enjoyable editing, cinematorgraphy, and presentation.
###
Director Peter Hayes
Cast Billy May, Monica MacKinnon, Devon lee Grover
Shown but not listed separately by Cinequest...
Produced in the 1920's structure of B&W silent films, Hayes and May bring to life a 12 minute short honoring that man of humor, Charlie Chaplin.
According to Steven Connelly, Producer, the project was a special treat where the cast and crew tried to emulate both style and film, right down to Chaplin's smile and walk, and the films jerkiness and scratches.
Springtime Dreams is about May (as Chaplin) who must retrieve his fiancee's wedding gown and the trouble he encounters along the way.
A film treat...
###
Director Peter Hayes
Cast Billy May, Monica MacKinnon, Devon lee Grover
Shown but not listed separately by Cinequest...
Produced in the 1920's structure of B&W silent films, Hayes and May bring to life a 12 minute short honoring that man of humor, Charlie Chaplin.
According to Steven Connelly, Producer, the project was a special treat where the cast and crew tried to emulate both style and film, right down to Chaplin's smile and walk, and the films jerkiness and scratches.
Springtime Dreams is about May (as Chaplin) who must retrieve his fiancee's wedding gown and the trouble he encounters along the way.
A film treat...
###
Director Laura Paglin
Cast: Seymour Horowitz, Donna Casey, Paddy Connor, Bernard Canepari, Anne Kitral, Allan Pinster
Nightowls is a storyed treat. Take a cutting-corners cafe owner who underpays his staff, short changes his customers, and hides from bills and food inspectors. Then throw in a crotchety group of older men who sit in that cafe every night, each wanting to focus the conversation on their own thoughts. Enter a neophyte to the city seeking to make a life on her own terms and you have a tongue-in-cheek enjoyable and warming film with a plot.
Bad - drug scenes and roaches (the scurrying kind). Good - dialogue, wit and wisdom, audience connection to the cast, and the tempo - all makes for a very nice film.
###
Director Laura Paglin
Cast: Seymour Horowitz, Donna Casey, Paddy Connor, Bernard Canepari, Anne Kitral, Allan Pinster
Nightowls is a storyed treat. Take a cutting-corners cafe owner who underpays his staff, short changes his customers, and hides from bills and food inspectors. Then throw in a crotchety group of older men who sit in that cafe every night, each wanting to focus the conversation on their own thoughts. Enter a neophyte to the city seeking to make a life on her own terms and you have a tongue-in-cheek enjoyable and warming film with a plot.
Bad - drug scenes and roaches (the scurrying kind). Good - dialogue, wit and wisdom, audience connection to the cast, and the tempo - all makes for a very nice film.
###
The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam
Director Anne Marie Fleming
This documentary is a wonderful must-see.
Wanting to discover the life and times of her great-grandfather, Anne Marie Fleming went searching into the interesting and varied past of Long Tack Sam's history. And there were discoveries.
Sam was in show business and worked with Laural and Hardy, Orson Wells, and opened for the Marx Brothers. Harry Houdini tried to recruit him. His talents were known throughout the US and Europe, yet oddly, not so much in his homeland of China.
The cinematography was wonderful, the use of animation and narration a delight. This is a very nice nostalgic visit into the past.
By the way, the film will be shown again at the upcoming Asian Film festival in San Francisco. It's worth the effort.
###
The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam
Director Anne Marie Fleming
This documentary is a wonderful must-see.
Wanting to discover the life and times of her great-grandfather, Anne Marie Fleming went searching into the interesting and varied past of Long Tack Sam's history. And there were discoveries.
Sam was in show business and worked with Laural and Hardy, Orson Wells, and opened for the Marx Brothers. Harry Houdini tried to recruit him. His talents were known throughout the US and Europe, yet oddly, not so much in his homeland of China.
The cinematography was wonderful, the use of animation and narration a delight. This is a very nice nostalgic visit into the past.
By the way, the film will be shown again at the upcoming Asian Film festival in San Francisco. It's worth the effort.
###
Director Christopher Coppola (yep, same family)
Cast Andre Ware, Steven Hedden, Frank Gorshin, Bernie Kopell, Lynda Carter, and Shirley Jone
According to director Coppola, he would like to rename "Bloodhead" so as to emphasize the 50's drive-in B-movie tongue-in cheek style in which he created the film. And "Bloodhead (aka "Curse of the Bloodhead") is just that - campy tongue-in-cheek. Coppola also wanted to address the serious issue of racism as a not so hidden subplot. Take two racists, one white and one black. Have them discover each other to be brothers. Require them to work together to receive an inheritance and overcome the demon killing everyone in sight.
According to Coppola, the cast got into the campiness of the film and had a lot of fun. Hosting a cast from the top TV shows of the 70's, the film doesn't take itself seriously, thought it is a serious effort. Carter (Wonder Woman), Kopell (Love Boat), Jones (Partridge Family) and the great Frank Gorshin (Batman), played with the film and toyed with us. It was a pleasant kick of a ride.
The film is a bit rough on continuity editing, but nothing that hurts the b-movie enjoyment. Watch for the film, possibly under a different name, get some popcorn, a soft drink, and pretend you're at a drive-in. You remember what a drive-in is, don't you?
###
Director Christopher Coppola (yep, same family)
Cast Andre Ware, Steven Hedden, Frank Gorshin, Bernie Kopell, Lynda Carter, and Shirley Jone
According to director Coppola, he would like to rename "Bloodhead" so as to emphasize the 50's drive-in B-movie tongue-in cheek style in which he created the film. And "Bloodhead (aka "Curse of the Bloodhead") is just that - campy tongue-in-cheek. Coppola also wanted to address the serious issue of racism as a not so hidden subplot. Take two racists, one white and one black. Have them discover each other to be brothers. Require them to work together to receive an inheritance and overcome the demon killing everyone in sight.
According to Coppola, the cast got into the campiness of the film and had a lot of fun. Hosting a cast from the top TV shows of the 70's, the film doesn't take itself seriously, thought it is a serious effort. Carter (Wonder Woman), Kopell (Love Boat), Jones (Partridge Family) and the great Frank Gorshin (Batman), played with the film and toyed with us. It was a pleasant kick of a ride.
The film is a bit rough on continuity editing, but nothing that hurts the b-movie enjoyment. Watch for the film, possibly under a different name, get some popcorn, a soft drink, and pretend you're at a drive-in. You remember what a drive-in is, don't you?
###
Ealasaid looks back at the festival now that it's over.
Cinequest 14: A Personal Perspective
Ealasaid A. Haas
Cinequest, San Jose's annual film festival celebrating the maverick spirit, ran from March 3 through March 14 of this year. As you may have guessed from the capsule reviews published over the last few weeks, your humble reviewer spent the last week and a half watching as many movies as humanly possible. Cinequest 14 was a phenomenal event, and those who weren't able to make it down to San Jose for any of the films should definitely mark their calendars for next March and watch www.cinequest.org for updates on the schedule for Cinequest 15.
Cinequest is a marvelous experience: a rare opportunity for folks in this area to see independent films without having to drive up to San Francisco. Cinequest is made up of films of every stripe from documentaries to dramas, comedies to heartbreaking tragedies. They come from the heart of their makers, because independent films usually aren't big money – these are films made by people who really cared about their projects.
This festival is run by volunteers, and although there were numerous technical problems scattered through the screenings the volunteers stayed cheerful and nearly all of the 68 films scheduled were shown. It's a lot of fun to stroll in the cool evening air from one screening to another and think about the fact that these films would be almost impossible to find if not for festivals like Cinequest.
Many of the films shown were delightful, and all of them were interesting or unusual. "Dorian Blues" in particular is worth mentioning – this coming-of-age story is a funny and at times heartwrenching study of a young gay man trying to make it out of high school with his sanity intact. The documentaries shown were also a pleasure, particularly the thoughtful study of Imelda Marcos, "Imelda", and the quiet and moving "Story of the Weeping Camel." The shorts programs were well-chosen, and the forums were packed with information for folks interested in the process of making an independent film.
If you have a good internet connection, many of the shorts and several of the features are available for secure download at www.cinequestonline.org and you can read capsule reviews of the films W. Fred Crow and myself saw at www.ealasaid.com/cineblog2004/ Cinequest was a great festival, and although I'm exhausted from the strain of seeing and writing about 25 films in only a couple of weeks, it was a lot of fun.
Ealasaid looks back at the festival now that it's over.
Cinequest 14: A Personal Perspective
Ealasaid A. Haas
Cinequest, San Jose's annual film festival celebrating the maverick spirit, ran from March 3 through March 14 of this year. As you may have guessed from the capsule reviews published over the last few weeks, your humble reviewer spent the last week and a half watching as many movies as humanly possible. Cinequest 14 was a phenomenal event, and those who weren't able to make it down to San Jose for any of the films should definitely mark their calendars for next March and watch www.cinequest.org for updates on the schedule for Cinequest 15.
Cinequest is a marvelous experience: a rare opportunity for folks in this area to see independent films without having to drive up to San Francisco. Cinequest is made up of films of every stripe from documentaries to dramas, comedies to heartbreaking tragedies. They come from the heart of their makers, because independent films usually aren't big money – these are films made by people who really cared about their projects.
This festival is run by volunteers, and although there were numerous technical problems scattered through the screenings the volunteers stayed cheerful and nearly all of the 68 films scheduled were shown. It's a lot of fun to stroll in the cool evening air from one screening to another and think about the fact that these films would be almost impossible to find if not for festivals like Cinequest.
Many of the films shown were delightful, and all of them were interesting or unusual. "Dorian Blues" in particular is worth mentioning – this coming-of-age story is a funny and at times heartwrenching study of a young gay man trying to make it out of high school with his sanity intact. The documentaries shown were also a pleasure, particularly the thoughtful study of Imelda Marcos, "Imelda", and the quiet and moving "Story of the Weeping Camel." The shorts programs were well-chosen, and the forums were packed with information for folks interested in the process of making an independent film.
If you have a good internet connection, many of the shorts and several of the features are available for secure download at www.cinequestonline.org and you can read capsule reviews of the films W. Fred Crow and myself saw at www.ealasaid.com/cineblog2004/ Cinequest was a great festival, and although I'm exhausted from the strain of seeing and writing about 25 films in only a couple of weeks, it was a lot of fun.
Directed by Daniel Kraus
Sheriff Ronald E. Hewitt of Brunswick County, North Carolina is a very savvy man. Whether raiding an illegal video poker parlor, looking into stolen ceramic bunny molds, or running a manhunt, he is polite, deals well with the media, and gets what he wants. His rural Carolina charm is as smooth and pleasant as his gentlemanly southern accent. "Sheriff" feels like an episode of "COPS" that's actually pleasant and interesting to watch.
Although director Kraus is a bit too fond of the super-closeup and suffered from some sound difficulties while filming, this is an intriguing documentary. Hewitt is presented as a good sheriff, boss, and father, and it's easy to see why he was elected. For folks who live here in the Bay Area, "Sheriff" is also an interesting taste of what life in rural North Carolina is like.
Directed by Daniel Kraus
Sheriff Ronald E. Hewitt of Brunswick County, North Carolina is a very savvy man. Whether raiding an illegal video poker parlor, looking into stolen ceramic bunny molds, or running a manhunt, he is polite, deals well with the media, and gets what he wants. His rural Carolina charm is as smooth and pleasant as his gentlemanly southern accent. "Sheriff" feels like an episode of "COPS" that's actually pleasant and interesting to watch.
Although director Kraus is a bit too fond of the super-closeup and suffered from some sound difficulties while filming, this is an intriguing documentary. Hewitt is presented as a good sheriff, boss, and father, and it's easy to see why he was elected. For folks who live here in the Bay Area, "Sheriff" is also an interesting taste of what life in rural North Carolina is like.
Directed by Tennyson Bardwell
Starring Michael McMillian, Lea Coco, Steven Charles Fletcher, Mo Quigley
This is an amazing film, and definitely worth watching regardless of your sexual orientation. Young Dorian is a self-termed "stereotypical gay." He uses words like "fabulous!" without thinking about it, wears pink shirts, and can't hold his own in a fight. For Dorian, trying to survive High School, emerge from the shadow of his successful jock brother, and deal with his homophobic and domineering father is bad enough, but when he finally escapes to college he discovers that his problems are far from over.
But with the help of his brother, a swing-dancing stripper, a drunken counsellor, and his friends, he might just make it. "Dorian Blues" is a powerful film, at once heartbreaking and very funny, and it blends the best of life with the worst of life with surprising deftness.
Directed by Tennyson Bardwell
Starring Michael McMillian, Lea Coco, Steven Charles Fletcher, Mo Quigley
This is an amazing film, and definitely worth watching regardless of your sexual orientation. Young Dorian is a self-termed "stereotypical gay." He uses words like "fabulous!" without thinking about it, wears pink shirts, and can't hold his own in a fight. For Dorian, trying to survive High School, emerge from the shadow of his successful jock brother, and deal with his homophobic and domineering father is bad enough, but when he finally escapes to college he discovers that his problems are far from over.
But with the help of his brother, a swing-dancing stripper, a drunken counsellor, and his friends, he might just make it. "Dorian Blues" is a powerful film, at once heartbreaking and very funny, and it blends the best of life with the worst of life with surprising deftness.
Directed by Warren P. Sonoda
Starring Jason Jones, Mike Beaver, Jennifer Baxter, Samantha Bee, Dave Foley, Scott Thompson, Polly Shannon
There are actors we revere, people who make the craft seem like something utterly natural. Richard and Barry are not in that group.
They're utterly dedicated to acting, though, and undeterred by their lack of talent or the people who point it out to them, they are determined to make it. "Ham and Cheese" is a mockumentary that rings painfully true and it's hard not to root for these guys even as they make us (and almost everyone around them) cringe with their terrible attempts at acting.
Directed by Warren P. Sonoda
Starring Jason Jones, Mike Beaver, Jennifer Baxter, Samantha Bee, Dave Foley, Scott Thompson, Polly Shannon
There are actors we revere, people who make the craft seem like something utterly natural. Richard and Barry are not in that group.
They're utterly dedicated to acting, though, and undeterred by their lack of talent or the people who point it out to them, they are determined to make it. "Ham and Cheese" is a mockumentary that rings painfully true and it's hard not to root for these guys even as they make us (and almost everyone around them) cringe with their terrible attempts at acting.
Directed by Ramona S. Diaz
Imelda Marcos, widow of the Phillipine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, is an odd contradiction. Wife of a notorious dictator, capable of the most amazing excesses (famously, she once owned enough shoes to change pairs every day for eight years and never wear the same shoe twice), and yet completely convinced that their rule was just and that the people of the Phillipines love her. Or at least, that's how she seems.
It's difficult to tell exactly how much of the version of her life she tells is what she truly believes and how much is what she wishes were true. "Imelda" lets her tell her story herself, however, and although other people (opposition candidates, journalists jailed and tortured under her husband's reign, her children, etc.) are interviewed, the film is not biased in either direction. She is given enough rope to hang herself and it is up to the audience to make up their mind about her.
This is a fascinating portrait of a powerful woman, and well worth seeing.
Directed by Ramona S. Diaz
Imelda Marcos, widow of the Phillipine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, is an odd contradiction. Wife of a notorious dictator, capable of the most amazing excesses (famously, she once owned enough shoes to change pairs every day for eight years and never wear the same shoe twice), and yet completely convinced that their rule was just and that the people of the Phillipines love her. Or at least, that's how she seems.
It's difficult to tell exactly how much of the version of her life she tells is what she truly believes and how much is what she wishes were true. "Imelda" lets her tell her story herself, however, and although other people (opposition candidates, journalists jailed and tortured under her husband's reign, her children, etc.) are interviewed, the film is not biased in either direction. She is given enough rope to hang herself and it is up to the audience to make up their mind about her.
This is a fascinating portrait of a powerful woman, and well worth seeing.
This is a delightful documentary for anyone with an interest in opera or classical music. Montserrat Caballe is widely considered to be one of the greatest female opera singers of our time, if not the greatest. She is also a great philanthropist, singing for benefits and promoting humanitarian causes.
Although the subtitles, particularly in the first half, are riddled with spelling and grammar errors, this is a wonderful look at an amazing performer. The title seems odd, however, given that for Montserrat Caballe, life is music.
This is a delightful documentary for anyone with an interest in opera or classical music. Montserrat Caballe is widely considered to be one of the greatest female opera singers of our time, if not the greatest. She is also a great philanthropist, singing for benefits and promoting humanitarian causes.
Although the subtitles, particularly in the first half, are riddled with spelling and grammar errors, this is a wonderful look at an amazing performer. The title seems odd, however, given that for Montserrat Caballe, life is music.
Title List:
Bid ‘em In (dir. Neal Sopata)
Eden’s Wake (dir. Sarah Michelle Brown)
I Am Stamos (dir. Rob Meltzer)
I Used to be a Filmmaker (dir. Jay Rosenblatt)
I’ll Wait for the Next One (dir. Philippe Orreindy )
Inamorata (dir. Robert A. Cuadra)
The Most Beautiful Man in the World (dir. Alicia Duffy)
Prom Night (dir. Robbie Pickering)
She Kept Silent (dir. Svetlana Cvetko)
The Voice of Silence (dir. Gunnar Bergdahl)
These short films are, according to the program, all centered on extreme emotions - hate, love, betrayal, and so on. Most of them are excellent and evoke the intended emotion very effectively, but some don't work quite as well. "Bid 'em In" is an animation set to an a capella song about a slave auction and it is poignantly beautiful. "Eden's Wake" is a brutal story of love's betrayal. "I Used to be a Filmmaker" stars the director's infant daughter, already a natural actress, and is a touching portrayal of parental love. Somehow this program is able to contain both the raunchy humor of "Prom Night" and the quiet brutality of "The Voice of Silence" without too much jarring. Although the treatments vary as wildly as the emotions, this is a good collection of shorts and well worth seeing.
Title List:
Bid ‘em In (dir. Neal Sopata)
Eden’s Wake (dir. Sarah Michelle Brown)
I Am Stamos (dir. Rob Meltzer)
I Used to be a Filmmaker (dir. Jay Rosenblatt)
I’ll Wait for the Next One (dir. Philippe Orreindy )
Inamorata (dir. Robert A. Cuadra)
The Most Beautiful Man in the World (dir. Alicia Duffy)
Prom Night (dir. Robbie Pickering)
She Kept Silent (dir. Svetlana Cvetko)
The Voice of Silence (dir. Gunnar Bergdahl)
These short films are, according to the program, all centered on extreme emotions - hate, love, betrayal, and so on. Most of them are excellent and evoke the intended emotion very effectively, but some don't work quite as well. "Bid 'em In" is an animation set to an a capella song about a slave auction and it is poignantly beautiful. "Eden's Wake" is a brutal story of love's betrayal. "I Used to be a Filmmaker" stars the director's infant daughter, already a natural actress, and is a touching portrayal of parental love. Somehow this program is able to contain both the raunchy humor of "Prom Night" and the quiet brutality of "The Voice of Silence" without too much jarring. Although the treatments vary as wildly as the emotions, this is a good collection of shorts and well worth seeing.
GRAVEYARD ALIVE: A ZOMBIE NURSE IN LOVE
Directed by: Elza Kephart;
Starring Anne Day Jones, Karl Gerhardt, and Samantha Slan.
Screens: 03/12/04 7:15pm SJSU University Theater.
With images of previous, well-worn comic parodies (Attack of the Killer Tomatoes) and off-the-wall Sci-Fi horror films (Plan 9 from Outer Space), I approached “Graveyard Alive” with a heart filled with hope. I do enjoy a good nuts-o story now and again. Maverick filmmakers have taken this test before and I've been delighted with some of their products. However, I can sum up this flick in a single, painful sentence I uttered when the film hit fin', "I cannot believe I watched it completely through to the credits!"
Nurse Patsy, living in the land of the lonely, falls for a patient, who happens to be a walking, talking zombie. He seems quite normal, except for the scaling face, lobotomized expression, and an appetite for flesh flavored carcass parts. He dies (again?!) at the hands of the janitor (and closet doctor), but not before passing to Patsy the curse of joining the un-dead. She begins to share her condition with everyone including her heartthrob, Dr. Dox, who is engaged to Nurse Goodie Tueschuze. Well, the film goes downhill from there.
The film was shot in 50's black and white dementia and that sort of worked. Almost. But the baggage of poorly protracted acting, a pitifully unsatisfying script, and having to endure some under-the-top direction simply overcomes such slim, one-dimensional praise.
###
GRAVEYARD ALIVE: A ZOMBIE NURSE IN LOVE
Directed by: Elza Kephart;
Starring Anne Day Jones, Karl Gerhardt, and Samantha Slan.
Screens: 03/12/04 7:15pm SJSU University Theater.
With images of previous, well-worn comic parodies (Attack of the Killer Tomatoes) and off-the-wall Sci-Fi horror films (Plan 9 from Outer Space), I approached “Graveyard Alive” with a heart filled with hope. I do enjoy a good nuts-o story now and again. Maverick filmmakers have taken this test before and I've been delighted with some of their products. However, I can sum up this flick in a single, painful sentence I uttered when the film hit fin', "I cannot believe I watched it completely through to the credits!"
Nurse Patsy, living in the land of the lonely, falls for a patient, who happens to be a walking, talking zombie. He seems quite normal, except for the scaling face, lobotomized expression, and an appetite for flesh flavored carcass parts. He dies (again?!) at the hands of the janitor (and closet doctor), but not before passing to Patsy the curse of joining the un-dead. She begins to share her condition with everyone including her heartthrob, Dr. Dox, who is engaged to Nurse Goodie Tueschuze. Well, the film goes downhill from there.
The film was shot in 50's black and white dementia and that sort of worked. Almost. But the baggage of poorly protracted acting, a pitifully unsatisfying script, and having to endure some under-the-top direction simply overcomes such slim, one-dimensional praise.
###
SPECTRES
Directed by Phil Leirness;
Starring Marina Sirtis, Dean Haglund, Tucker Smallwood, Lauren Birkell, Alexis Cruz,
"Spectre" is a different kind of film. Part sci-fi, part horror, and part drama. It comes with a talented cast and experienced filmmaking. It's edgy. It's spirited (at times). It's sad and touching (at other times). Not a great film, but it kept me involved the entire trip.
A satchel of note to overcome was the post-presence of Startrek, TNG (Sirtis) and X-Files (Haglund). Thankfully, the notorious past didn't offer any renderings as we remained with the current characters on screen.
Kelly (Birkell), age 16, tries to commit suicide. She is saved from death but emerges a different person. Her workaholic mother (Sirtis) makes a life changing attempt to reconnect with her daughter by taking an entire summer for vacation. Still angry and bitter, Kelly begins moving toward a more gentle spirit that wants to help others, especially children. Kelly attends regular visits to the psychiatrist Halsey (Haglund) and befriends and opens up to local boy, Sean (Cruz).
But is Kelly's friend real or imagined? Is he safe or a threat? Is Kelly even "Kelly?" Enter psychic Franklin (Smallwood) who is "sensitive" to the spirit world and the ethereal gossamer hits the fan. Kelly appears to be a spiritual nexus acting as the next host of a long list of suicides lined up from history.
The film wants to be darker than it is, tries to be more dramatic then it can be, yet holds the story as viable and the complex characters as touchable. Overall, holding a haunted house and a scared teenager, a concerned but unseeing parent, and a cast of those who just want to help, "Spectres" works.
###
SPECTRES
Directed by Phil Leirness;
Starring Marina Sirtis, Dean Haglund, Tucker Smallwood, Lauren Birkell, Alexis Cruz,
"Spectre" is a different kind of film. Part sci-fi, part horror, and part drama. It comes with a talented cast and experienced filmmaking. It's edgy. It's spirited (at times). It's sad and touching (at other times). Not a great film, but it kept me involved the entire trip.
A satchel of note to overcome was the post-presence of Startrek, TNG (Sirtis) and X-Files (Haglund). Thankfully, the notorious past didn't offer any renderings as we remained with the current characters on screen.
Kelly (Birkell), age 16, tries to commit suicide. She is saved from death but emerges a different person. Her workaholic mother (Sirtis) makes a life changing attempt to reconnect with her daughter by taking an entire summer for vacation. Still angry and bitter, Kelly begins moving toward a more gentle spirit that wants to help others, especially children. Kelly attends regular visits to the psychiatrist Halsey (Haglund) and befriends and opens up to local boy, Sean (Cruz).
But is Kelly's friend real or imagined? Is he safe or a threat? Is Kelly even "Kelly?" Enter psychic Franklin (Smallwood) who is "sensitive" to the spirit world and the ethereal gossamer hits the fan. Kelly appears to be a spiritual nexus acting as the next host of a long list of suicides lined up from history.
The film wants to be darker than it is, tries to be more dramatic then it can be, yet holds the story as viable and the complex characters as touchable. Overall, holding a haunted house and a scared teenager, a concerned but unseeing parent, and a cast of those who just want to help, "Spectres" works.
###
Security
Directed by Brien Burroughs;
Starring Stephen Kearin, Tim Orr, Regina Saisi, Gerri Lawlor;
Screenings: 03/12/04, 9:15pm (Camera 3); 03/14/04, 11:30am Morris Dailey Auditorium SJSU
Comedy is serious business. It takes hard work and talent to create the environment and trigger mechanisms required to make people laugh. And that's when people want to laugh, are willing to laugh, and are waiting to laugh. There are very few folk on this planet that can improvise humor. Jonathon Winters and Robin Williams immediately come to mind, and even they work diligently at their craft. Unfortunately for the film, "Security," Kearin and Orr are just not that capable. Working in a chocolate factory as night shift security guards, Dull and (if possible) Even Duller, stagger through their scenes unscripted and apparently undirected. Any comparisons to Laural and Hardy is strictly a typographical error.
The film offers a plausible plot. Special chocolate products are being snatched under the less-than-attentive noses of a pair of witless security guards. Find the culprit(s) and save the day. Hurrah. But with a pain in the caboose cast of script less characters, missing-in-action-direction, and a nervous quirky editing, this film goes nowhere. Offbeat, unconventional, and with a twist of a creative idea, a film by any other name may have worked, maybe. Then again, maybe not.
###
Security
Directed by Brien Burroughs;
Starring Stephen Kearin, Tim Orr, Regina Saisi, Gerri Lawlor;
Screenings: 03/12/04, 9:15pm (Camera 3); 03/14/04, 11:30am Morris Dailey Auditorium SJSU
Comedy is serious business. It takes hard work and talent to create the environment and trigger mechanisms required to make people laugh. And that's when people want to laugh, are willing to laugh, and are waiting to laugh. There are very few folk on this planet that can improvise humor. Jonathon Winters and Robin Williams immediately come to mind, and even they work diligently at their craft. Unfortunately for the film, "Security," Kearin and Orr are just not that capable. Working in a chocolate factory as night shift security guards, Dull and (if possible) Even Duller, stagger through their scenes unscripted and apparently undirected. Any comparisons to Laural and Hardy is strictly a typographical error.
The film offers a plausible plot. Special chocolate products are being snatched under the less-than-attentive noses of a pair of witless security guards. Find the culprit(s) and save the day. Hurrah. But with a pain in the caboose cast of script less characters, missing-in-action-direction, and a nervous quirky editing, this film goes nowhere. Offbeat, unconventional, and with a twist of a creative idea, a film by any other name may have worked, maybe. Then again, maybe not.
###
Directed by Christopher Coppola
Starring Andre Ware, Steven Hedden, Frank Gorshin, Andre Marcus, Bernie Kopell, Lynda Carter, Shirley Jones
Screenings 3/12/04 9:30pm at SJSU Morris Dailey Auditorium and 31303 at 11:30pm at Camera 3
Doug and Donny are about as different as two men can be and still be related. One's black, one's white. One's a self-starter and business owner, the other shares a dingy apartment with a bunch of potheads. But they're also both big, strong, and intent on claiming the property - and money - their recently deceased birth mother left them. There's a couple of catches though, starting with the fact that neither knew about the other until they both showed up to claim their inheritance and ending with the rather large and bloodthirsty monster that inhabits the hills near the property.
"Bloodhead," aka "The Curse of Bloodhead" is an above-average B monster movie. It does have plenty of cliches: the feuding brothers, the family secret, the "appearances can be deceiving" subplot, and so on, but it also has surprisingly good production values and some solid acting. Director Christopher Coppola (part of the extended family which includes Nicholas Cage and Francis Ford Coppola) has put together a quality piece of entertainment here, one that will make you laugh and make you cringe. It's also a real pleasure to see Frank Gorshin (remembered for his comedy work and his stint as the Riddler on the old Batman show) back in action.
Directed by Christopher Coppola
Starring Andre Ware, Steven Hedden, Frank Gorshin, Andre Marcus, Bernie Kopell, Lynda Carter, Shirley Jones
Screenings 3/12/04 9:30pm at SJSU Morris Dailey Auditorium and 31303 at 11:30pm at Camera 3
Doug and Donny are about as different as two men can be and still be related. One's black, one's white. One's a self-starter and business owner, the other shares a dingy apartment with a bunch of potheads. But they're also both big, strong, and intent on claiming the property - and money - their recently deceased birth mother left them. There's a couple of catches though, starting with the fact that neither knew about the other until they both showed up to claim their inheritance and ending with the rather large and bloodthirsty monster that inhabits the hills near the property.
"Bloodhead," aka "The Curse of Bloodhead" is an above-average B monster movie. It does have plenty of cliches: the feuding brothers, the family secret, the "appearances can be deceiving" subplot, and so on, but it also has surprisingly good production values and some solid acting. Director Christopher Coppola (part of the extended family which includes Nicholas Cage and Francis Ford Coppola) has put together a quality piece of entertainment here, one that will make you laugh and make you cringe. It's also a real pleasure to see Frank Gorshin (remembered for his comedy work and his stint as the Riddler on the old Batman show) back in action.
Opening Night/"United" Screening
The 14th Annual San Jose Film Festival
It's that time of year. Celluloid is in the air. Lights are being dimmed in theaters. Stories are being told. Directors and Screen writers, actors and producers, filmologists of local note and world renown have descended upon San Jose en masse to share some of the world's interesting, entertaining, creative, oddball, and "out-there" films. Cinequest opened the 14th Annual San Jose Film Festival March 3 to an excited and expectant audience.
It's time for the Maverick filmmaker to bring their wares to the Silicon Valley public. Mavericks stretch the envelope in creative thought and process. Mavericks seek to discover new and rewarding ways to tell a tale. Mavericks sometimes leave mainstream to explore strange personal places. An estimated 300 film makers and 60,000 film goers will be attending any of the 174 films being shown. The festival runs through March 14 and printed guides showing schedules and locations are a-plenty downtown San Jose.
San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales welcomed the enthusiastic crowd to a 12-day feast of film and warned that next year would bigger and better as he outlined
revitalization changes being planned to downtown San Jose and highlighted possible new venues to be made available to Cinequest.
Films came from around the globe. Films with a Latino connection, films from the Pacific Basin, films that focus on Norway. There are drama and comedies and
science fiction films. There are specialty short films of various types. Films of all kinds. In addition, there are forums on movie making and film selling.
The capstone of the evening was the North American premiere of "United," a romantic comedy about love and soccer. It's not quite the festival discovery as "A Beautiful Mind," from years ago, but "United" will leave you smiling. Filmed in a small Western Norwegian town, the story is simple and delightful. Kare (Havard Lilleheie) has a personal dream of playing for the English soccer team, Manchester United. He also wishes to wed the beautiful Anna (Berte Rommetveit). Unfortunately, he dreams larger than his initiative and ends up working in a warehouse. Waiting for Kare to mature, the frustrated Anna is being chased by Stian, owner of the same warehouse. Dragging his feet, Kare keeps tabs on the soccer world by coaching local kids. Iversen, played by 12-year old Sondre Sorheim, was almost a scene stealer having some great lines and a strong, natural delivery.
The delight of the night for me was to meet the "United" director, producer and the romantic leads. This was director Magnus Martens' first feature film in which he offered a smooth and touchable story, the actors sensitive and real and reacting well to one another. Martens experience in television and commercials and working with children helped him tend reign on his young group.
His cast didn't come completely from stardom. Rather, it was gathered, in part, by serendipity. Rommetveit, offering only some local theater, was chosen over 30 more experienced women. Lilleheie did came with TV and standup comedy credits (and had already worked with Martens) on other projects. The engaging Sorheim was discovered simply walking with his family in the neighborhood while waiting his turn for an audition. Remarkably, the film only took five weeks to shoot. The film is rich in local scenery, a gentle spirit, and a wonderful story. Even with English subtitles, the movie was a treat.
###
Opening Night/"United" Screening
The 14th Annual San Jose Film Festival
It's that time of year. Celluloid is in the air. Lights are being dimmed in theaters. Stories are being told. Directors and Screen writers, actors and producers, filmologists of local note and world renown have descended upon San Jose en masse to share some of the world's interesting, entertaining, creative, oddball, and "out-there" films. Cinequest opened the 14th Annual San Jose Film Festival March 3 to an excited and expectant audience.
It's time for the Maverick filmmaker to bring their wares to the Silicon Valley public. Mavericks stretch the envelope in creative thought and process. Mavericks seek to discover new and rewarding ways to tell a tale. Mavericks sometimes leave mainstream to explore strange personal places. An estimated 300 film makers and 60,000 film goers will be attending any of the 174 films being shown. The festival runs through March 14 and printed guides showing schedules and locations are a-plenty downtown San Jose.
San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales welcomed the enthusiastic crowd to a 12-day feast of film and warned that next year would bigger and better as he outlined
revitalization changes being planned to downtown San Jose and highlighted possible new venues to be made available to Cinequest.
Films came from around the globe. Films with a Latino connection, films from the Pacific Basin, films that focus on Norway. There are drama and comedies and
science fiction films. There are specialty short films of various types. Films of all kinds. In addition, there are forums on movie making and film selling.
The capstone of the evening was the North American premiere of "United," a romantic comedy about love and soccer. It's not quite the festival discovery as "A Beautiful Mind," from years ago, but "United" will leave you smiling. Filmed in a small Western Norwegian town, the story is simple and delightful. Kare (Havard Lilleheie) has a personal dream of playing for the English soccer team, Manchester United. He also wishes to wed the beautiful Anna (Berte Rommetveit). Unfortunately, he dreams larger than his initiative and ends up working in a warehouse. Waiting for Kare to mature, the frustrated Anna is being chased by Stian, owner of the same warehouse. Dragging his feet, Kare keeps tabs on the soccer world by coaching local kids. Iversen, played by 12-year old Sondre Sorheim, was almost a scene stealer having some great lines and a strong, natural delivery.
The delight of the night for me was to meet the "United" director, producer and the romantic leads. This was director Magnus Martens' first feature film in which he offered a smooth and touchable story, the actors sensitive and real and reacting well to one another. Martens experience in television and commercials and working with children helped him tend reign on his young group.
His cast didn't come completely from stardom. Rather, it was gathered, in part, by serendipity. Rommetveit, offering only some local theater, was chosen over 30 more experienced women. Lilleheie did came with TV and standup comedy credits (and had already worked with Martens) on other projects. The engaging Sorheim was discovered simply walking with his family in the neighborhood while waiting his turn for an audition. Remarkably, the film only took five weeks to shoot. The film is rich in local scenery, a gentle spirit, and a wonderful story. Even with English subtitles, the movie was a treat.
###
Directed by Jan Krawitz
Screenings: 3/7/04 7:00 pm at San Jose Rep, 3/9/04 7:15pm at SJSU Morris Dailey Auditorium
In 1981, Jan Krawitz made a documentary called "Little People" which has run on PBS and the Discovery Channel (among others). A few years ago, she contacted one of the subjects of that documentary to ask about letting some of the footage of him run on another program, and got the idea to follow up on the other people she interviewed back in 1981.
The result, "Big Enough," mixes unused footage from the first film with new footage to show how the children and teenagers she talked to in 1981 have matured and changed. It covers all sorts of topics: what the dating scene is like for little people, the issues around having children (there's a 75% chance of passing the dwarfism gene on to offspring), and what the future may hold now that the gene for dwarfism can be spotted while a child is still in the womb.
This is an uplifting portrait of a subgroup of American society and one that folks of any size should see.
Directed by Jan Krawitz
Screenings: 3/7/04 7:00 pm at San Jose Rep, 3/9/04 7:15pm at SJSU Morris Dailey Auditorium
In 1981, Jan Krawitz made a documentary called "Little People" which has run on PBS and the Discovery Channel (among others). A few years ago, she contacted one of the subjects of that documentary to ask about letting some of the footage of him run on another program, and got the idea to follow up on the other people she interviewed back in 1981.
The result, "Big Enough," mixes unused footage from the first film with new footage to show how the children and teenagers she talked to in 1981 have matured and changed. It covers all sorts of topics: what the dating scene is like for little people, the issues around having children (there's a 75% chance of passing the dwarfism gene on to offspring), and what the future may hold now that the gene for dwarfism can be spotted while a child is still in the womb.
This is an uplifting portrait of a subgroup of American society and one that folks of any size should see.
Directed by Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni
Screenings 3/7/04 4:30 pm and 3/9/04 9:00 pm at Camera One
Sometimes when a female camel has a very difficult delivery, it will shun its calf and not allow the infant to nurse. "The Story of the Weeping Camel" chronicles the lengths a family of Mongolian nomads in the Gobi desert go to in order to get a mother camel to accept her colt.
Munich film students Davaa and Falorni travelled thousands of miles of desert to find a family with large enough herds that this sort of event might happen, and they found perfection. Their lifestyle is almost completely alien to those of us who live in Western countries (although eventually the youngest boy begs his father to buy them a TV), and this slow and thoughtful treatment of a struggle to prevent tragedy is as much about life in the desert as it is about the camel.
Since its completion, this film has won awards from almost every festival at which it has appeared, and they are well deserved. The camera work is inspired, the family is surprisingly at ease in front of the camera, and it's impossible to resist the camel and her offspring.
Directed by Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni
Screenings 3/7/04 4:30 pm and 3/9/04 9:00 pm at Camera One
Sometimes when a female camel has a very difficult delivery, it will shun its calf and not allow the infant to nurse. "The Story of the Weeping Camel" chronicles the lengths a family of Mongolian nomads in the Gobi desert go to in order to get a mother camel to accept her colt.
Munich film students Davaa and Falorni travelled thousands of miles of desert to find a family with large enough herds that this sort of event might happen, and they found perfection. Their lifestyle is almost completely alien to those of us who live in Western countries (although eventually the youngest boy begs his father to buy them a TV), and this slow and thoughtful treatment of a struggle to prevent tragedy is as much about life in the desert as it is about the camel.
Since its completion, this film has won awards from almost every festival at which it has appeared, and they are well deserved. The camera work is inspired, the family is surprisingly at ease in front of the camera, and it's impossible to resist the camel and her offspring.
Screenings 3/7/04 2:15pm at Camera 3, 3/9/04 9:30pm at SJSU University Theater
Title List:
Bludren (dir. Jill Johnston-Price)
The Crux (dir. Jeffrey Seckendorf)
Dream a Little Dream for Me (dir. Ned Farr)
Elevations (dir. Zarah Laszlo)
Excursion (dir. Cris Jones)
If You Step on a Crack (dir. Jennifer Atkins)
Little Figures (dir. Sarah Vanagt)
Rent-a-Person (dir. Kurt Kuenne)
The Schoolboy (dir. Edina Kontsek)
Thomas Grey’s Rainy Day (dir. Justin L. Smith)
Yin Yang (dir. Adele Uddo)
This odd collection is definitely anything but ordinary. We have here people ranging from a bathroom attendant who finds that things aren't what they'd hoped at the top of the world to the head of a telephone scam office. Stories range from a couple dealing with waiting for the wife's biopsy results to a surreal animated tale about plant life. This program of short films is an excellent break from overly predictable Hollywood productions!
Screenings 3/7/04 2:15pm at Camera 3, 3/9/04 9:30pm at SJSU University Theater
Title List:
Bludren (dir. Jill Johnston-Price)
The Crux (dir. Jeffrey Seckendorf)
Dream a Little Dream for Me (dir. Ned Farr)
Elevations (dir. Zarah Laszlo)
Excursion (dir. Cris Jones)
If You Step on a Crack (dir. Jennifer Atkins)
Little Figures (dir. Sarah Vanagt)
Rent-a-Person (dir. Kurt Kuenne)
The Schoolboy (dir. Edina Kontsek)
Thomas Grey’s Rainy Day (dir. Justin L. Smith)
Yin Yang (dir. Adele Uddo)
This odd collection is definitely anything but ordinary. We have here people ranging from a bathroom attendant who finds that things aren't what they'd hoped at the top of the world to the head of a telephone scam office. Stories range from a couple dealing with waiting for the wife's biopsy results to a surreal animated tale about plant life. This program of short films is an excellent break from overly predictable Hollywood productions!
Directed by Celesta Davis
Screenings 3/5/04 7:15pm and 3/7/04 12:00 pm at SJSU University Theater, 3/12/04 5:00 pm at SJSU Morris Dailey Auditorium.
There are some films which are incredibly difficult to watch at times yet undeniably worth seeing. "Awful Normal" is one of these. This story of the director's quest to confront the family friend who molested both her and her sister when they were children is a profoundly powerful film. It is emotionally devastating at times but is ultimately inspirational.
Celesta and Karen Davis grew up in a very loving family, but they were molested in the 70s, when sexual abuse wasn't talked about or dealt with. Their parents' comparative lack of action was not unusual, and the fact that the two families went on as though nothing had happened was normal for the time.
Now, twenty five years later, these women are still damaged and seeking closure. Director Celesta Davis lets us follow them as they track down their molester and confront him. This is not an easy film to watch, nor was it an easy film to make. But as Celesta herself says, "too many people are affected by this issue and they don't know how to talk about it... There are so many people who live in silence."
Hopefully this amazing film will help to break that silence.
Directed by Celesta Davis
Screenings 3/5/04 7:15pm and 3/7/04 12:00 pm at SJSU University Theater, 3/12/04 5:00 pm at SJSU Morris Dailey Auditorium.
There are some films which are incredibly difficult to watch at times yet undeniably worth seeing. "Awful Normal" is one of these. This story of the director's quest to confront the family friend who molested both her and her sister when they were children is a profoundly powerful film. It is emotionally devastating at times but is ultimately inspirational.
Celesta and Karen Davis grew up in a very loving family, but they were molested in the 70s, when sexual abuse wasn't talked about or dealt with. Their parents' comparative lack of action was not unusual, and the fact that the two families went on as though nothing had happened was normal for the time.
Now, twenty five years later, these women are still damaged and seeking closure. Director Celesta Davis lets us follow them as they track down their molester and confront him. This is not an easy film to watch, nor was it an easy film to make. But as Celesta herself says, "too many people are affected by this issue and they don't know how to talk about it... There are so many people who live in silence."
Hopefully this amazing film will help to break that silence.
Directed by Travis Klose
Screenings: 3/6/04 9:45pm and 3/9/04 7:15pm at Camera 3
Araki is a well known (some might call him notorious) photographer based in Japan. His work is hailed as visionary and as filthy, with approximately the same intensity. It's easy to see why. Whether his subject is a flower, a person he met on the street, or a beautiful and half-naked woman, his photographs are full of emotion.
"Arakimentari" introduces Araki and his work to us, lets us hear from both his supporters and those who find his work unsettling. We get to see his photos, from shots of nature to pornography, and watch him work. His models tell us that he makes them feel comfortable and is a perfect gentleman, but he often comes across like a dirty old uncle.
This is a fascinating look at a man who has dedicated his life to his work (he has released over 350 books of his artwork) and wisely, director Klose lets us decide for ourselves what to think of Araki. Is he a genius, a monster, or maybe a bit of both?
Directed by Travis Klose
Screenings: 3/6/04 9:45pm and 3/9/04 7:15pm at Camera 3
Araki is a well known (some might call him notorious) photographer based in Japan. His work is hailed as visionary and as filthy, with approximately the same intensity. It's easy to see why. Whether his subject is a flower, a person he met on the street, or a beautiful and half-naked woman, his photographs are full of emotion.
"Arakimentari" introduces Araki and his work to us, lets us hear from both his supporters and those who find his work unsettling. We get to see his photos, from shots of nature to pornography, and watch him work. His models tell us that he makes them feel comfortable and is a perfect gentleman, but he often comes across like a dirty old uncle.
This is a fascinating look at a man who has dedicated his life to his work (he has released over 350 books of his artwork) and wisely, director Klose lets us decide for ourselves what to think of Araki. Is he a genius, a monster, or maybe a bit of both?
Directed by Amanda Micheli
Screenings 3/5/04 7:00 pm and 3/6/04 5:30pm at Camera 3
This exuberant documentary about stuntwomen is a joy! Jeannie Epper, once the stunt double for Linda Carter on the old Wonder Woman series, grew up as part of an extended family of stuntmen and stuntwomen. Now in her early sixties, she is a grandmother and still doing stunts for a living. Although she has to fight prejudice against women in the field and assumptions about her age limiting her abilities (which it doesn't!), she refuses to retire.
Zoe Bell was the stunt double for Xena: Warrior Princess but when the series ended she found herself out of work. Moving to LA to pursue a career as a stuntwoman, she meets Jeannie and finds an ally, mentor, and role model. These two women are at opposite ends of their careers - Zoe trying to break in and Jeannie refusing to quit.
Director Micheli takes us behind the scenes of the Stunt Awards, filming for various films (including Tarantino's "Kill Bill") and it's impossible not to be fascinated by this aspect of filmmaking. Jeannie and Zoe are amazing people and it's a pleasure to get to know them. They have a genuine passion for their jobs and matter-of-fact knowlege of how to do things most people would consider insane. This won't be showing again at Cinequest, but keep your eyes out for it elsewhere!
Directed by Amanda Micheli
Screenings 3/5/04 7:00 pm and 3/6/04 5:30pm at Camera 3
This exuberant documentary about stuntwomen is a joy! Jeannie Epper, once the stunt double for Linda Carter on the old Wonder Woman series, grew up as part of an extended family of stuntmen and stuntwomen. Now in her early sixties, she is a grandmother and still doing stunts for a living. Although she has to fight prejudice against women in the field and assumptions about her age limiting her abilities (which it doesn't!), she refuses to retire.
Zoe Bell was the stunt double for Xena: Warrior Princess but when the series ended she found herself out of work. Moving to LA to pursue a career as a stuntwoman, she meets Jeannie and finds an ally, mentor, and role model. These two women are at opposite ends of their careers - Zoe trying to break in and Jeannie refusing to quit.
Director Micheli takes us behind the scenes of the Stunt Awards, filming for various films (including Tarantino's "Kill Bill") and it's impossible not to be fascinated by this aspect of filmmaking. Jeannie and Zoe are amazing people and it's a pleasure to get to know them. They have a genuine passion for their jobs and matter-of-fact knowlege of how to do things most people would consider insane. This won't be showing again at Cinequest, but keep your eyes out for it elsewhere!
Director Ann Marie Fleming
Screenings: 3/4/04 7:15pm and 3/6/04 12:45pm at Camera 3
This film is not showing again at Cinequest but will be running at the Asian American Film Festival in San Francisco. GO SEE IT!
Long Tack Sam was a consummate performer, a vaudiville performer and magician who travelled the world during dangerous times and led a truly magical life. His great-granddaughter has done a great deal of research and followed his tracks around the world and back to find out about him. She's had to, because although he was once famous in China, Australia, America, and everywhere in between the fact that he never went into movies has essentially doomed him to obscurity outside the magician community.
Fleming has created a delightful historical film full of wonder. Cartoon sequences and animated photographs bring a circus-like magic to the movie, illustrating this showman's life in a most appropriate manner.
Long Tack Sam broke boundaries and crossed borders wherever he went, mixing Asian and Western magic in his show, marrying an Austrian woman in a time when intermarriage was most unusual, and refusing to be hemmed in by xenophobia and successfully dodging both world wars. His really was a magical life, and Fleming's comment that "memory is a lot like magic" rings true in this amazing homage.
Director Ann Marie Fleming
Screenings: 3/4/04 7:15pm and 3/6/04 12:45pm at Camera 3
This film is not showing again at Cinequest but will be running at the Asian American Film Festival in San Francisco. GO SEE IT!
Long Tack Sam was a consummate performer, a vaudiville performer and magician who travelled the world during dangerous times and led a truly magical life. His great-granddaughter has done a great deal of research and followed his tracks around the world and back to find out about him. She's had to, because although he was once famous in China, Australia, America, and everywhere in between the fact that he never went into movies has essentially doomed him to obscurity outside the magician community.
Fleming has created a delightful historical film full of wonder. Cartoon sequences and animated photographs bring a circus-like magic to the movie, illustrating this showman's life in a most appropriate manner.
Long Tack Sam broke boundaries and crossed borders wherever he went, mixing Asian and Western magic in his show, marrying an Austrian woman in a time when intermarriage was most unusual, and refusing to be hemmed in by xenophobia and successfully dodging both world wars. His really was a magical life, and Fleming's comment that "memory is a lot like magic" rings true in this amazing homage.
Screenings 3/6/04 10:00 am at Camera 3 and 3/8/04 5:00 pm at SJSU Morris Dailey Auditorium
Film List
Behind Blue Eyes
Dandelion
Fisherman's Troubled Odyssey
Haircut
A Hollywood Story
Letters
The Lost Art
The Promethean
The Show
Springtime Dreams
This is a wonderful collection of student-made short films which range from the whimsical to the frightening. There are mullet-wearing air guitar toughs, a woman who sends letters out into the world carried by balloons, a lynching, an apocalyptic tale about dandelions, a retelling of the Prometheus myth, and more.
One thread that ties these shorts together is that they are all new takes on old stories. They may pay homage to the past but they also go beyond it, they don't just merely retell it. These filmmakers have bright futures and it will be a pleasure to see what they contribute to the film world.
Screenings 3/6/04 10:00 am at Camera 3 and 3/8/04 5:00 pm at SJSU Morris Dailey Auditorium
Film List
Behind Blue Eyes
Dandelion
Fisherman's Troubled Odyssey
Haircut
A Hollywood Story
Letters
The Lost Art
The Promethean
The Show
Springtime Dreams
This is a wonderful collection of student-made short films which range from the whimsical to the frightening. There are mullet-wearing air guitar toughs, a woman who sends letters out into the world carried by balloons, a lynching, an apocalyptic tale about dandelions, a retelling of the Prometheus myth, and more.
One thread that ties these shorts together is that they are all new takes on old stories. They may pay homage to the past but they also go beyond it, they don't just merely retell it. These filmmakers have bright futures and it will be a pleasure to see what they contribute to the film world.
Directed by Hak-Soon Kim
Starring Hun-Sung Chang, Eun-Jin Pang, Youn-Hong Oh, Hyun-Sung Jang
Screenings 3/4/04 2:45pm and 3/5/04 9:30pm at Camera One, 3/14/04 10:00 am at SJSU University Theater
Set in South Korea, the aptly-titled "Rewind" focuses on the life of Huynh, a man who is letting his life pass by while running a video store. He has given up on a family life or the career and is content to live without dreams. However, his isolation and the monotony of his life begin to melt when he receives an anonymous letter from a secret admirer. The tiny bit of interest and hope it sparks begins to affect his life in subtle ways and when he receives a homemade video in his return box his life is changed forever.
This quiet, thoughtful film dances between resigned despair and a kind of quiet hope, and it's difficult to tell what the ultimate message is. Is life really better when you don't let yourself have dreams? Huynh believes that having dreams means you think something is missing from your life, but maybe refusing to dream is a way of pretending you have everything when really you don't.
Directed by Hak-Soon Kim
Starring Hun-Sung Chang, Eun-Jin Pang, Youn-Hong Oh, Hyun-Sung Jang
Screenings 3/4/04 2:45pm and 3/5/04 9:30pm at Camera One, 3/14/04 10:00 am at SJSU University Theater
Set in South Korea, the aptly-titled "Rewind" focuses on the life of Huynh, a man who is letting his life pass by while running a video store. He has given up on a family life or the career and is content to live without dreams. However, his isolation and the monotony of his life begin to melt when he receives an anonymous letter from a secret admirer. The tiny bit of interest and hope it sparks begins to affect his life in subtle ways and when he receives a homemade video in his return box his life is changed forever.
This quiet, thoughtful film dances between resigned despair and a kind of quiet hope, and it's difficult to tell what the ultimate message is. Is life really better when you don't let yourself have dreams? Huynh believes that having dreams means you think something is missing from your life, but maybe refusing to dream is a way of pretending you have everything when really you don't.
Directed by Dusan Milic
Starring: Branka Katic, Srdjan Todorovic, Dubravka Mijatovic
Screenings: 3/5/04 7:15pm and 3/10/04 9:00 pm at Camera 1
This Serbian comedy is an utter delight! Jagoda works as a cashier at the new American Supermarket. When her coworker and "friend" steals a potential date, she is so frustrated that she refuses to sell an old lady strawberries for her only grandson's birthday. The next day, the grandson storms the supermarket with a machine gun, taking the workers and shoppers hostage and demanding to know who harassed his granny.
Naturally, things don't go exactly as he planned and soon the plainclothes inspector is trying to keep the old-school Serb SWAT team from just bombing the supermarket to smithereens.
This is a sweet film, laugh-out-loud funny in both the political and the romantic comedy spectrums. Katic and Todorovic are brilliant as Jagoda and the grandson, and the gentle jabs at American cultural and economic spread are thoroughly witty, especially in this day and age.
Directed by Dusan Milic
Starring: Branka Katic, Srdjan Todorovic, Dubravka Mijatovic
Screenings: 3/5/04 7:15pm and 3/10/04 9:00 pm at Camera 1
This Serbian comedy is an utter delight! Jagoda works as a cashier at the new American Supermarket. When her coworker and "friend" steals a potential date, she is so frustrated that she refuses to sell an old lady strawberries for her only grandson's birthday. The next day, the grandson storms the supermarket with a machine gun, taking the workers and shoppers hostage and demanding to know who harassed his granny.
Naturally, things don't go exactly as he planned and soon the plainclothes inspector is trying to keep the old-school Serb SWAT team from just bombing the supermarket to smithereens.
This is a sweet film, laugh-out-loud funny in both the political and the romantic comedy spectrums. Katic and Todorovic are brilliant as Jagoda and the grandson, and the gentle jabs at American cultural and economic spread are thoroughly witty, especially in this day and age.
I don't know how to categorize these, sorry!
Screenings: 3/4/04 9:45pm at San Jose Rep and 3/5/04 11:15pm at Camera 3
Title List:
All in All (dir. Torbjorn Skarlid)
Apotheosis (dir Janet Wondra)
Back (dir. Sam Toy)
Elegy (dir. Jeffrey Travis)
Fast Film (dir Virgil Widrich)
Kerst (dir. Andrew Awes)
Parallel Passage (dir. Mandi Riggi)
Pol Pot's Birthday (dir. Talmage Cooley)
Tackle Box (dir. Matthew Mebane)
The Three of Us (dirs. Nirvan Mullick, Benjamin Goldman)
What about the Bodies? (dir. Simon Ellis)
This collection is aptly titled and will indeed bend your mind. Some of the shorts are sweet and some are scary, but they are all immensely twisted. It's hard to single out any one for comment because the entire batch are marvellously done and utterly bizarre. "The Three of Us" is a beautiful, Dali-esque work of claymation, compellingly strange and stunning. "Pol Pot's Birthday" is irreverant but truthful. Many of these films feel like Twilight Zone episodes without the comfort, and they are definitely worth seeing.
I don't know how to categorize these, sorry!
Screenings: 3/4/04 9:45pm at San Jose Rep and 3/5/04 11:15pm at Camera 3
Title List:
All in All (dir. Torbjorn Skarlid)
Apotheosis (dir Janet Wondra)
Back (dir. Sam Toy)
Elegy (dir. Jeffrey Travis)
Fast Film (dir Virgil Widrich)
Kerst (dir. Andrew Awes)
Parallel Passage (dir. Mandi Riggi)
Pol Pot's Birthday (dir. Talmage Cooley)
Tackle Box (dir. Matthew Mebane)
The Three of Us (dirs. Nirvan Mullick, Benjamin Goldman)
What about the Bodies? (dir. Simon Ellis)
This collection is aptly titled and will indeed bend your mind. Some of the shorts are sweet and some are scary, but they are all immensely twisted. It's hard to single out any one for comment because the entire batch are marvellously done and utterly bizarre. "The Three of Us" is a beautiful, Dali-esque work of claymation, compellingly strange and stunning. "Pol Pot's Birthday" is irreverant but truthful. Many of these films feel like Twilight Zone episodes without the comfort, and they are definitely worth seeing.
Screenings: 3/4/04 7:15pm and 3/6/04 2:45pm at San Jose Rep
Title list:
The Babysitter (dir. Gideon Raff)
The Climactic Death of Dark Ninja (dir. Peter Craig)
Dangle (dir Phil Traill)
Karma Wheel (dir. Austin Alward)
The Memo (dir. Daheli Hall)
The Morning Guy (dir. Mark W. Gray)
Ode to Margaret Cho (dirs. Susie Lee, Greg Pak)
Oh Yeah! (dir. Lon Lopez)
Penalty Salmon (dir. Eiji Shimada)
La Puppe (dir. Timothy Greenberg)
Restive Planet (dir. Jon Cregan)
Spelunkers (dir. Jim Lacy)
Strawberry (dir. Maira Lopes)
This is a delightful mixed bag of hilarity, running the gamut from a teenaged boy babysitting a distressingly precocious middle schooler to a marvellously surreal piece about a man whose unique form of self-expression is driving his wife insane. Add a mock preview about an action movie starring the Kool-Aid guy and a bizarre tribute to Terry Gilliam's "12 Monkeys" and you have an collection of side-splitting and often cuttingly satirical comedy.
Screenings: 3/4/04 7:15pm and 3/6/04 2:45pm at San Jose Rep
Title list:
The Babysitter (dir. Gideon Raff)
The Climactic Death of Dark Ninja (dir. Peter Craig)
Dangle (dir Phil Traill)
Karma Wheel (dir. Austin Alward)
The Memo (dir. Daheli Hall)
The Morning Guy (dir. Mark W. Gray)
Ode to Margaret Cho (dirs. Susie Lee, Greg Pak)
Oh Yeah! (dir. Lon Lopez)
Penalty Salmon (dir. Eiji Shimada)
La Puppe (dir. Timothy Greenberg)
Restive Planet (dir. Jon Cregan)
Spelunkers (dir. Jim Lacy)
Strawberry (dir. Maira Lopes)
This is a delightful mixed bag of hilarity, running the gamut from a teenaged boy babysitting a distressingly precocious middle schooler to a marvellously surreal piece about a man whose unique form of self-expression is driving his wife insane. Add a mock preview about an action movie starring the Kool-Aid guy and a bizarre tribute to Terry Gilliam's "12 Monkeys" and you have an collection of side-splitting and often cuttingly satirical comedy.
Directed by Babak Payami
Starring Maryam Moghaddam, Kamal Naroui
Screenings: 3/4/o4 1:00 pm at San Jose Rep, 3/5/04 5:15pm and 3/7/04 9:15pm at SJSU University Theater
"The Silence Between Two Thoughts" was inspired in part by the rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Director Payami has created a beautiful, austere film. The negatives were confiscated by the Iranian authorities before the film was completed, and this version was painstakingly recreated from computer tapes by the exiled director.
It's difficult to describe this movie, where so little happens but everything is important. In a remote, nameless village the execution of a young woman is halted on the orders of the fundamentalist Haji. She has been discovered to be a virgin, and if a virgin is executed she will go to heaven, but convicts must go to hell. The Haji orders the executioner to marry her and deal with the obstacle to carrying out justice.
The executioner, who is in many ways a good man led astray by the Haji, who has maniuplated everyone's religious beliefs, is torn between caring for the girl as another human being and seeing her only as another person to execute. As things in the village begin to disintegrate, the villagers must face up to what they have allowed the Haji to do to their people.
Directed by Babak Payami
Starring Maryam Moghaddam, Kamal Naroui
Screenings: 3/4/o4 1:00 pm at San Jose Rep, 3/5/04 5:15pm and 3/7/04 9:15pm at SJSU University Theater
"The Silence Between Two Thoughts" was inspired in part by the rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Director Payami has created a beautiful, austere film. The negatives were confiscated by the Iranian authorities before the film was completed, and this version was painstakingly recreated from computer tapes by the exiled director.
It's difficult to describe this movie, where so little happens but everything is important. In a remote, nameless village the execution of a young woman is halted on the orders of the fundamentalist Haji. She has been discovered to be a virgin, and if a virgin is executed she will go to heaven, but convicts must go to hell. The Haji orders the executioner to marry her and deal with the obstacle to carrying out justice.
The executioner, who is in many ways a good man led astray by the Haji, who has maniuplated everyone's religious beliefs, is torn between caring for the girl as another human being and seeing her only as another person to execute. As things in the village begin to disintegrate, the villagers must face up to what they have allowed the Haji to do to their people.
Director Nelson Antonio Denis; Starring Ricardo Barber, Malik Yoba, Angel Salazar, Jose Ramon Rosario, Gloria Irizarry, and Manuel E. Santiago.
03/10 7:15pm, 03/11 4:45pm (MD-SJSU); 03/13 10:30am (UT-SJSU)
'R' for language.
In a delightful, rough-hewn comedic farce about the politically incorrect taking politics by storm, "Vote For Me" is a positive charge. Leo, a scrawny and in-your-face New York building superintendent for whom life is just one hassle after another, makes a break for respectability after the district congressman keels over while giving a speech. Tired of drug dealers owning the street corner, tired of being pushed about, Leo makes an emotional decision one night to jump into the election fray.
Leo is socially clueless, and he's running against two some-what political savvy opponents. Al Blanco, a engaging Democratic Party buffoon, and racial opportunist Dr. La Bimbuu, her mantra, "I am the only black women running in this election!" being her platform. Leo is not suave, he is not debonair, and he's definitely not politic. He is raw, forceful, determined, and out there. With a take- it-or-leave-it attitude toward almost everything, Leo becomes the favorite son of El Barrio, New York. The televised trio debate was especially a kick. Leo's campaign platform? "I'm gonna kick those drug dealers in the ass!" A campaign promise Leo keeps.
The story was good hearted. The music solid. The characters being caricatures of politicians almost everywhere. None appears to escape the underlying acerbic wit of writer/director Denis. Aside from Barber (Leo), the acting was a bit fuzzy. Characters angry one moment becoming loyal fans without cause the next.
The political lunacy that oozes from "Vote For Me" is derived honestly. Denis was a New York state assemblyman for four years. He saw the craziest profession up close and personal. The story was a treat for me as I was born and raised in Brooklyn. And the political antics weren't that much different.
It's been stated that the worst thing about political jokes is that some of them get elected! Well, "Vote For Me" takes us on a comedy trip to see for ourselves.
Director Nelson Antonio Denis; Starring Ricardo Barber, Malik Yoba, Angel Salazar, Jose Ramon Rosario, Gloria Irizarry, and Manuel E. Santiago.
03/10 7:15pm, 03/11 4:45pm (MD-SJSU); 03/13 10:30am (UT-SJSU)
'R' for language.
In a delightful, rough-hewn comedic farce about the politically incorrect taking politics by storm, "Vote For Me" is a positive charge. Leo, a scrawny and in-your-face New York building superintendent for whom life is just one hassle after another, makes a break for respectability after the district congressman keels over while giving a speech. Tired of drug dealers owning the street corner, tired of being pushed about, Leo makes an emotional decision one night to jump into the election fray.
Leo is socially clueless, and he's running against two some-what political savvy opponents. Al Blanco, a engaging Democratic Party buffoon, and racial opportunist Dr. La Bimbuu, her mantra, "I am the only black women running in this election!" being her platform. Leo is not suave, he is not debonair, and he's definitely not politic. He is raw, forceful, determined, and out there. With a take- it-or-leave-it attitude toward almost everything, Leo becomes the favorite son of El Barrio, New York. The televised trio debate was especially a kick. Leo's campaign platform? "I'm gonna kick those drug dealers in the ass!" A campaign promise Leo keeps.
The story was good hearted. The music solid. The characters being caricatures of politicians almost everywhere. None appears to escape the underlying acerbic wit of writer/director Denis. Aside from Barber (Leo), the acting was a bit fuzzy. Characters angry one moment becoming loyal fans without cause the next.
The political lunacy that oozes from "Vote For Me" is derived honestly. Denis was a New York state assemblyman for four years. He saw the craziest profession up close and personal. The story was a treat for me as I was born and raised in Brooklyn. And the political antics weren't that much different.
It's been stated that the worst thing about political jokes is that some of them get elected! Well, "Vote For Me" takes us on a comedy trip to see for ourselves.
Director/Writer Seisoku Kajita; Starring Ken Ogata, Komaki Kurihara, Issa Hentona, Ryoko Kuninaka, and Masahiko.
Screenings: 03/06 12:00pm (Rep); 03/09 2:30pm 03/12 2:30pm (UT-SJSU);
Japanese with English subtitles
United States Primiere
A turn in the road and reflecting mirrors may be metaphors for man's search for direction, but sometimes a film is just a film and the suggested symbolism is in the eye of the beholder.
Minagawa is involved in an accident where he nearly runs over a child. The cause is possibly a dirty traffic mirror used to see around blind corners. His perfectly ordered world comes to a standstill as he becomes fixated on the accident site. After 30 years of working without taking a vacation, Minagawa abandons his family and employment without explanation and begins cleaning all the traffic mirrors in town. That not being enough, he expands his efforts to include all the traffic mirrors in the nation. His compulsive obsessive behavior begins to alienate his children leaving his wife unsure how to defend or even understand him.
Much of the slow paced film is viewed with Minagawa riding a bicycle or sitting atop a step ladder polishing mirrors, maybe too much so. And, much of the development of Minagawa's depression and aberrant behavior was left to the viewer.
Still, the film offered a comfortable view of the orderliness of Japanese life, the distress of a caring wife, and a quiet and unique conclusion. Included are some beautiful views of the Japanese landscape.
Director/Writer Seisoku Kajita; Starring Ken Ogata, Komaki Kurihara, Issa Hentona, Ryoko Kuninaka, and Masahiko.
Screenings: 03/06 12:00pm (Rep); 03/09 2:30pm 03/12 2:30pm (UT-SJSU);
Japanese with English subtitles
United States Primiere
A turn in the road and reflecting mirrors may be metaphors for man's search for direction, but sometimes a film is just a film and the suggested symbolism is in the eye of the beholder.
Minagawa is involved in an accident where he nearly runs over a child. The cause is possibly a dirty traffic mirror used to see around blind corners. His perfectly ordered world comes to a standstill as he becomes fixated on the accident site. After 30 years of working without taking a vacation, Minagawa abandons his family and employment without explanation and begins cleaning all the traffic mirrors in town. That not being enough, he expands his efforts to include all the traffic mirrors in the nation. His compulsive obsessive behavior begins to alienate his children leaving his wife unsure how to defend or even understand him.
Much of the slow paced film is viewed with Minagawa riding a bicycle or sitting atop a step ladder polishing mirrors, maybe too much so. And, much of the development of Minagawa's depression and aberrant behavior was left to the viewer.
Still, the film offered a comfortable view of the orderliness of Japanese life, the distress of a caring wife, and a quiet and unique conclusion. Included are some beautiful views of the Japanese landscape.
Directed by Brien Burroughs, Starring Stephen Kearin, Tim Orr, Regina Saisi, Gerri Lawlor
Screenings: 3/12/04 9:15pm at Camera 3 and 3/14/04 at 11:30 am at SJSU Morris Dailey Auditorium
Working security on the night shift in a factory, even a chocolate candy factory, is easily one of the dullest jobs around. Pat and his partner Bill make the best of it, though, and take their job very, very seriously, whether they’re going on patrol or accosting suspicious characters like the electrician. When batches of prototype candy start going missing, they are on the case. Although hampered by their lack of cunning and Bill’s burgeoning romance, they are determined to find the culprit!
An offbeat comedy with completely improvised dialog, “Security” is a delight. It has a somewhat peculiar ending but watching our two heroes on the case is a pleasure. Kearin and Orr vanish into their roles, bringing this odd couple of blockheads to life with a marvelously deadpan charm.
Directed by Brien Burroughs, Starring Stephen Kearin, Tim Orr, Regina Saisi, Gerri Lawlor
Screenings: 3/12/04 9:15pm at Camera 3 and 3/14/04 at 11:30 am at SJSU Morris Dailey Auditorium
Working security on the night shift in a factory, even a chocolate candy factory, is easily one of the dullest jobs around. Pat and his partner Bill make the best of it, though, and take their job very, very seriously, whether they’re going on patrol or accosting suspicious characters like the electrician. When batches of prototype candy start going missing, they are on the case. Although hampered by their lack of cunning and Bill’s burgeoning romance, they are determined to find the culprit!
An offbeat comedy with completely improvised dialog, “Security” is a delight. It has a somewhat peculiar ending but watching our two heroes on the case is a pleasure. Kearin and Orr vanish into their roles, bringing this odd couple of blockheads to life with a marvelously deadpan charm.
Directed by May Miles Thomas, Starring Maurice Roëves, Brian McCardie, Kathy Kiera Clarke, Gary Lewis
Screenings: 3/5/04 12:30pm and 3/13/04 at 9:00 pm at Camera One, 3/11/04 7:00 pm at Camera 3
“Solid Air” is a deeply personal, heartfelt film about a young man with a gambling problem whose only way out of debt is the settlement his father will be getting out of a personal injury suit. His father, you see, is dying of asbestosis. Director Thomas knows the horrible feeling of walking into a courtroom next to a dying man and helping him win a fair price for the slow death his former employer has sentenced him to. With “Solid Air”, she shares that feeling with us.
It’s not a comfortable feeling, nor is it a comfortable film. This is a brilliantly acted psychological drama, and one that is as beautifully wrought as it is difficult to watch. Roëves and McCardie bring heartfelt gravitas to their roles and hold up brilliantly under the strain of playing such unrelentingly sad characters.
Nobody in this film is happy, and with good reason: between Junior’s gambling and his father’s disease, everyone around them is affected. “Solid Air” is a powerful statement about the misery of asbestos-related illness and although not an easy view, it is well worth watching.
Directed by May Miles Thomas, Starring Maurice Roëves, Brian McCardie, Kathy Kiera Clarke, Gary Lewis
Screenings: 3/5/04 12:30pm and 3/13/04 at 9:00 pm at Camera One, 3/11/04 7:00 pm at Camera 3
“Solid Air” is a deeply personal, heartfelt film about a young man with a gambling problem whose only way out of debt is the settlement his father will be getting out of a personal injury suit. His father, you see, is dying of asbestosis. Director Thomas knows the horrible feeling of walking into a courtroom next to a dying man and helping him win a fair price for the slow death his former employer has sentenced him to. With “Solid Air”, she shares that feeling with us.
It’s not a comfortable feeling, nor is it a comfortable film. This is a brilliantly acted psychological drama, and one that is as beautifully wrought as it is difficult to watch. Roëves and McCardie bring heartfelt gravitas to their roles and hold up brilliantly under the strain of playing such unrelentingly sad characters.
Nobody in this film is happy, and with good reason: between Junior’s gambling and his father’s disease, everyone around them is affected. “Solid Air” is a powerful statement about the misery of asbestos-related illness and although not an easy view, it is well worth watching.
Cinequest 14, San Jose’s annual film festival, is running March 3 through March 14 this year and its schedule is packed with maverick films and events honoring maverick filmmakers. This year the honored guests are Kurt Miller, David and Janet Peoples, and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
|
An Afternoon With David & Janet Peoples
3/12/04 2:00 pm
Morris Dailey Auditorium, San Jose State University An Evening with Kurt Miller 3/11/04 9:00 pm Morris Dailey Auditorium, San Jose State University Life of a Maverick (Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger) Tentatively scheduled during Cinequest Date and time TBD Check www.cinequest.org for schedule updates Tickets available by calling (408) 295-FEST or at www.cinequest.org |
David and Janet Peoples are screenwriters whose resume includes “Blade Runner,” “Unforgiven,” “Ladyhawke,” and “12 Monkeys.” They are known for their meticulous work habits and well-crafted characters, and many of their scripts have become widely-praised films. They will be presented with a Maverick Spirit Award during the festival, and will spend an afternoon sharing their personal perspectives on screenwriting and filmmaking.
Kurt Miller, son of famed filmmaker Warren Miller, will also be presented with a Maverick Spirit Award. The Millers go to the edge, making films about extreme sports and catching the world’s greatest athletes on film as the pushed themselves to the limit. An entrepreneur as well as a director and producer, Kurt Miller expanded his father’s audience and spent fifteen years as President and Chairperson of Warren Miller Entertainment. He sold the company to AOL Time Warner in 2002 and now is heading Synergy Group, which specializes in live events.
Finally, a Maverick Spirit Award will be presented to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger at the “Life of a Maverick” event. Governor Schwarzenegger has long been known for setting lofty goals for himself and always reaching them. From dominating the sport of bodybuilding to taking box offices by storm as an actor, Schwarzenegger has long been in the public eye. Former Mayor of San Jose Tom McEnery will moderate a conversation with the Governor, with select audience questions to follow.
Cinequest 14 will also feature a series of forums on Digital Media. These forums will discuss the current state of the technology as well as speculating on what is to come. The Cinequest Digital Media Showcase will convert the four digital venues into state-of-the-art digital movie houses to screen six films all shot in Hi-Definition 24p.
For those interested in the process of making movies there is also a series of forums on scriptwriting and distributing movies. “Day of the Writer” is a series of forums about the basics of writing for the screen and what to do with your script once it’s written. “Day of Distribution” is a pair of forums about producing and selling independent films.
There are a total of 68 films being screened at the festival, 15 of them world premiers. The films come from all around the world, and there are showcases of Norwegian, Pacific Basin, and Latino films. There’s something here for everyone, from the desert documentary “The Story of the Weeping Camel” to sci-fi ghost tale “Spectres” to short films of every stripe.
Cinequest 14, San Jose’s annual film festival, is running March 3 through March 14 this year and its schedule is packed with maverick films and events honoring maverick filmmakers. This year the honored guests are Kurt Miller, David and Janet Peoples, and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
|
An Afternoon With David & Janet Peoples
3/12/04 2:00 pm
Morris Dailey Auditorium, San Jose State University An Evening with Kurt Miller 3/11/04 9:00 pm Morris Dailey Auditorium, San Jose State University Life of a Maverick (Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger) Tentatively scheduled during Cinequest Date and time TBD Check www.cinequest.org for schedule updates Tickets available by calling (408) 295-FEST or at www.cinequest.org |
David and Janet Peoples are screenwriters whose resume includes “Blade Runner,” “Unforgiven,” “Ladyhawke,” and “12 Monkeys.” They are known for their meticulous work habits and well-crafted characters, and many of their scripts have become widely-praised films. They will be presented with a Maverick Spirit Award during the festival, and will spend an afternoon sharing their personal perspectives on screenwriting and filmmaking.
Kurt Miller, son of famed filmmaker Warren Miller, will also be presented with a Maverick Spirit Award. The Millers go to the edge, making films about extreme sports and catching the world’s greatest athletes on film as the pushed themselves to the limit. An entrepreneur as well as a director and producer, Kurt Miller expanded his father’s audience and spent fifteen years as President and Chairperson of Warren Miller Entertainment. He sold the company to AOL Time Warner in 2002 and now is heading Synergy Group, which specializes in live events.
Finally, a Maverick Spirit Award will be presented to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger at the “Life of a Maverick” event. Governor Schwarzenegger has long been known for setting lofty goals for himself and always reaching them. From dominating the sport of bodybuilding to taking box offices by storm as an actor, Schwarzenegger has long been in the public eye. Former Mayor of San Jose Tom McEnery will moderate a conversation with the Governor, with select audience questions to follow.
Cinequest 14 will also feature a series of forums on Digital Media. These forums will discuss the current state of the technology as well as speculating on what is to come. The Cinequest Digital Media Showcase will convert the four digital venues into state-of-the-art digital movie houses to screen six films all shot in Hi-Definition 24p.
For those interested in the process of making movies there is also a series of forums on scriptwriting and distributing movies. “Day of the Writer” is a series of forums about the basics of writing for the screen and what to do with your script once it’s written. “Day of Distribution” is a pair of forums about producing and selling independent films.
There are a total of 68 films being screened at the festival, 15 of them world premiers. The films come from all around the world, and there are showcases of Norwegian, Pacific Basin, and Latino films. There’s something here for everyone, from the desert documentary “The Story of the Weeping Camel” to sci-fi ghost tale “Spectres” to short films of every stripe.
Directed by: Elza Kephart, Starring Anne Day Jones, Karl Gerhardt, and Samantha Slan.
Screenings: 3/8/04 9:45pm at SJSU Morris Dailey Auditorium, and 3/12/04 7:15pm at SJSU University Theater.
“Graveyard Alive” is one of those zombie movies that is either incredibly stylish, witty, and cutting-edge or typical, stereotyped, and poorly made. It’s hard to tell when this low-budget horror film is mocking its cheap predecessors and when it’s falling prey to the same problems.
This is the story of Patsy (Jones), a lonely nurse who is transformed into an undead sex kitten when a zombie patient infects her. She learns to get by in spite of her condition, but is soon spreading the disease and making enemies by coming on to her old sweetheart, Dr. Dox (Gerhardt). Dox is engaged to snotty nurse Goodie Tueschuze (Slan), who veers between the classic cruel popular girl and the virginal horror movie heroine stereotypes.
Shot in stylish black and white Techniscope (a technique used in old 60s westerns and horror movies), “Graveyard Alive” is unquestionably a visual pleasure to watch, particularly for fans of surrealist German cinema. However, for those who expect dialog to match the actor’s mouth movements or small details to be realistic (a Russian diploma in English? doctors who don’t notice their zombie patient has no heartbeat?) it will be a disappointment.
Directed by: Elza Kephart, Starring Anne Day Jones, Karl Gerhardt, and Samantha Slan.
Screenings: 3/8/04 9:45pm at SJSU Morris Dailey Auditorium, and 3/12/04 7:15pm at SJSU University Theater.
“Graveyard Alive” is one of those zombie movies that is either incredibly stylish, witty, and cutting-edge or typical, stereotyped, and poorly made. It’s hard to tell when this low-budget horror film is mocking its cheap predecessors and when it’s falling prey to the same problems.
This is the story of Patsy (Jones), a lonely nurse who is transformed into an undead sex kitten when a zombie patient infects her. She learns to get by in spite of her condition, but is soon spreading the disease and making enemies by coming on to her old sweetheart, Dr. Dox (Gerhardt). Dox is engaged to snotty nurse Goodie Tueschuze (Slan), who veers between the classic cruel popular girl and the virginal horror movie heroine stereotypes.
Shot in stylish black and white Techniscope (a technique used in old 60s westerns and horror movies), “Graveyard Alive” is unquestionably a visual pleasure to watch, particularly for fans of surrealist German cinema. However, for those who expect dialog to match the actor’s mouth movements or small details to be realistic (a Russian diploma in English? doctors who don’t notice their zombie patient has no heartbeat?) it will be a disappointment.
Directed by: Phil Leirness, Starring Marina Sirtis, Tucker Smallwood, Dean Haglund, Lauren Birkell, Alexis Cruz, Chris Hardwick, Loanne Bishop, Linda Park.
Screenings: 3/6/04 7:30 pm at Camera 3 and 3/7/04 4:30 pm at SJSU University Theater
“Spectres” is being described as a science-fiction ghost story in press material, and with this cast it’s easy to see why. Sirtis, Smallwood, and Park have all filled major roles in Star Trek series, Haglund was a beloved cast member of “The X-Files” and its spinoff “The Lone Gunmen,” and Bishop, Cruz, and Hardwick have all appeared in major sci-fi films or TV shows.
Thankfully, this story of a suicidally depressed teenager (Birkell) and her workaholic mom (Sirtis) is not a film centered around a gimmicky cast. There are no garish references to the actors’ other roles. There is only the tension of this haunted family and the two men, a therapist (Haglund) and a psychic (Smallwood) who try to help them.
The characters are all complex, and director Leirness lets the film flirt with stereotypes without falling into their traps. This is an unusual ghost story and an excellent bet for anyone interested in tales of the supernatural.
Directed by: Phil Leirness, Starring Marina Sirtis, Tucker Smallwood, Dean Haglund, Lauren Birkell, Alexis Cruz, Chris Hardwick, Loanne Bishop, Linda Park.
Screenings: 3/6/04 7:30 pm at Camera 3 and 3/7/04 4:30 pm at SJSU University Theater
“Spectres” is being described as a science-fiction ghost story in press material, and with this cast it’s easy to see why. Sirtis, Smallwood, and Park have all filled major roles in Star Trek series, Haglund was a beloved cast member of “The X-Files” and its spinoff “The Lone Gunmen,” and Bishop, Cruz, and Hardwick have all appeared in major sci-fi films or TV shows.
Thankfully, this story of a suicidally depressed teenager (Birkell) and her workaholic mom (Sirtis) is not a film centered around a gimmicky cast. There are no garish references to the actors’ other roles. There is only the tension of this haunted family and the two men, a therapist (Haglund) and a psychic (Smallwood) who try to help them.
The characters are all complex, and director Leirness lets the film flirt with stereotypes without falling into their traps. This is an unusual ghost story and an excellent bet for anyone interested in tales of the supernatural.
Directed by Joe Morton, Starring Cady Huffman, Julie White, Suzzanne Douglas, Amiee Turner
Screenings: 3/11/04 7:30pm and 3/13/04 2:15pm at Camera One
It’s easy to dismiss “Sunday on the Rocks,” a film adaptation of Theresa Rebeck’s play of the same name, as a chick flick. After all, it has very little in the way of plot and mainly consists of a bunch of gals sitting or standing around and talking. However, the last act contains an aura of violence and enough conflict to do a suspense movie or a thriller justice.
Elly (White) has a problem, and it’s bad enough to have her drinking scotch at 9:30 on a Sunday morning. Her housemates Gayle (Huffman) and Jen (Turner) join her and once her problem has been aired they have revelations of their own. As the morning progresses, the impromptu party veers between entertaining and embarrassing but the trio are having a wonderful time. When the fourth housemate, Jessica (Douglas), comes home from church things take a turn for the worse.
“Sunday on the Rocks” was originally a play, and it feels like one – talky, often static, and centering on only four characters (a fifth is spoken to on the phone and seen from across the street, but that’s it). However, once it hits its stride and the characters really begin to open up, it comes together well.
Directed by Joe Morton, Starring Cady Huffman, Julie White, Suzzanne Douglas, Amiee Turner
Screenings: 3/11/04 7:30pm and 3/13/04 2:15pm at Camera One
It’s easy to dismiss “Sunday on the Rocks,” a film adaptation of Theresa Rebeck’s play of the same name, as a chick flick. After all, it has very little in the way of plot and mainly consists of a bunch of gals sitting or standing around and talking. However, the last act contains an aura of violence and enough conflict to do a suspense movie or a thriller justice.
Elly (White) has a problem, and it’s bad enough to have her drinking scotch at 9:30 on a Sunday morning. Her housemates Gayle (Huffman) and Jen (Turner) join her and once her problem has been aired they have revelations of their own. As the morning progresses, the impromptu party veers between entertaining and embarrassing but the trio are having a wonderful time. When the fourth housemate, Jessica (Douglas), comes home from church things take a turn for the worse.
“Sunday on the Rocks” was originally a play, and it feels like one – talky, often static, and centering on only four characters (a fifth is spoken to on the phone and seen from across the street, but that’s it). However, once it hits its stride and the characters really begin to open up, it comes together well.