"Maid in America" is a fascinating look at the Latina domestic workers in Los Angeles. By focusing on three of the 100,000 in the city, this film gives us a glimpse of what it's like for them all. Judith, Telma, and Eva work as nannies and housekeepers, looking after the homes and children of those with far more money than they have. Judith longs to return to Guatemala, where her children miss her terribly. Telma has looked after Mickey since shortly after he was born, and is saddened by the realization that after he's older she will probably lose her job. Eva is college educated but has a terrible time finding work as an accountant, so she cleans houses to make ends meet while taking night courses and doing temp work in her field.
We are also given a look at a co-op for illegal immigrants which lets them establish themselves as contributing members of society even though they are undocumented, and the Domestic Workers Association, which offers support and advocacy for nannies and maids. "Maid in America" is an emotional look at an all-too-often faceless group of women: the Latinas who are trusted with the homes and children of the wealthy but live on subsistence wages and are often maltreated.
Screens 3/5, 2:30 pm (University Theater) and 3/6, 2:15pm (University Theater)
"Maid in America" is a fascinating look at the Latina domestic workers in Los Angeles. By focusing on three of the 100,000 in the city, this film gives us a glimpse of what it's like for them all. Judith, Telma, and Eva work as nannies and housekeepers, looking after the homes and children of those with far more money than they have. Judith longs to return to Guatemala, where her children miss her terribly. Telma has looked after Mickey since shortly after he was born, and is saddened by the realization that after he's older she will probably lose her job. Eva is college educated but has a terrible time finding work as an accountant, so she cleans houses to make ends meet while taking night courses and doing temp work in her field.
We are also given a look at a co-op for illegal immigrants which lets them establish themselves as contributing members of society even though they are undocumented, and the Domestic Workers Association, which offers support and advocacy for nannies and maids. "Maid in America" is an emotional look at an all-too-often faceless group of women: the Latinas who are trusted with the homes and children of the wealthy but live on subsistence wages and are often maltreated.
Screens 3/5, 2:30 pm (University Theater) and 3/6, 2:15pm (University Theater)
There have been some changes to the Cinequest Schedule so I've made corresponding changes to my grid.
There have been some changes to the Cinequest Schedule so I've made corresponding changes to my grid.
"The Love Crimes of Gillian Guess" is a surreal trip through one woman's past. Gillian has always wanted a little bit more than she got -- more attention in school, a more stable home life, more love, more wealth. When she made it onto the jury of a high-profile murder case and slept with the accused, she got her 15 minutes of fame, but that's not enough. Now she's on Bobby Tomahawk's sleazy, late-late night talk show and he is getting her to tell everything.
With little allegiance to conventional storytelling and a sense of the bizarre, the filmmakers take us on a tour of Gillian's sexual history, giving us little in the way of hard facts and a lot in the way of her state of mind. This is a strange portrait of a not-so-unusual woman.
Screens 3/4, 9:30 pm (Camera 12); 3/6, 1:00 pm (Camera 12); and 3/7, 5:00 pm (Camera 12).
"The Love Crimes of Gillian Guess" is a surreal trip through one woman's past. Gillian has always wanted a little bit more than she got -- more attention in school, a more stable home life, more love, more wealth. When she made it onto the jury of a high-profile murder case and slept with the accused, she got her 15 minutes of fame, but that's not enough. Now she's on Bobby Tomahawk's sleazy, late-late night talk show and he is getting her to tell everything.
With little allegiance to conventional storytelling and a sense of the bizarre, the filmmakers take us on a tour of Gillian's sexual history, giving us little in the way of hard facts and a lot in the way of her state of mind. This is a strange portrait of a not-so-unusual woman.
Screens 3/4, 9:30 pm (Camera 12); 3/6, 1:00 pm (Camera 12); and 3/7, 5:00 pm (Camera 12).
"Duck" is hard to classify: it's part comedy and part tragedy. It takes place in Los Angeles in 2009. Arthur, a retired professor who has outlived his family, has run out of reasons to live. His wife and son are dead, their beloved city park is set to be demolished to make way for condos, and his landlord keeps threatening to evict him. But when Arthur visits his family's grave, apparently for a final farewell, he is found by an orphaned duckling. He tries to shoo it away, but it knows a good guy when it sees one and won't take no for an answer. In spite of the landlord's rules against animals, Arthur takes the duckling in and names him Joe. When the pond in the park is drained, Arthur and Joe head for the beach, on foot, through central LA.
Their journey is an oddyssey through an unfriendly world -- even the folks at an A.A. meeting they visit for a chance at free coffee and donuts give them grief -- but Joe and Arthur are survivors. Their passage changes both them and many of the people they come into contact with, because in 2009 their kind of caring and compassion is rare. This is both a humorous and poignant film, with a quiet message: the keys to a meaningful life are compassion and friendship.
Screens 3/11, 7:15 pm (Camera 12); 3/12, 5:00 pm (California Theater); and 3/13, 2:30 pm (Camera 12).
"Duck" is hard to classify: it's part comedy and part tragedy. It takes place in Los Angeles in 2009. Arthur, a retired professor who has outlived his family, has run out of reasons to live. His wife and son are dead, their beloved city park is set to be demolished to make way for condos, and his landlord keeps threatening to evict him. But when Arthur visits his family's grave, apparently for a final farewell, he is found by an orphaned duckling. He tries to shoo it away, but it knows a good guy when it sees one and won't take no for an answer. In spite of the landlord's rules against animals, Arthur takes the duckling in and names him Joe. When the pond in the park is drained, Arthur and Joe head for the beach, on foot, through central LA.
Their journey is an oddyssey through an unfriendly world -- even the folks at an A.A. meeting they visit for a chance at free coffee and donuts give them grief -- but Joe and Arthur are survivors. Their passage changes both them and many of the people they come into contact with, because in 2009 their kind of caring and compassion is rare. This is both a humorous and poignant film, with a quiet message: the keys to a meaningful life are compassion and friendship.
Screens 3/11, 7:15 pm (Camera 12); 3/12, 5:00 pm (California Theater); and 3/13, 2:30 pm (Camera 12).
Josey Fargo hasn't gotten laid in almost two years, and he is getting desperate. This offbeat film is reminiscent of a one-man show or a comedy monologue, except that it has the occasional illustrative scene with other people talking too. Hard up for love and aching to end his dry spell, Josey imagines increasingly far-fetched scenarios, tries insane things, and generally makes a fool of himself while explaining to us how difficult it can be for him to really interact with women.
Of course, he knows that what would really make him happy is if Julie, his ex, would come back. He misses her, annoying habits and all. but somehow checking up on her all the time, leaving her notes, and occasionally breaking into her house to post reminders of their love is failing to win her over. Josey is going to have to figure out something new if he's going to find love again. This is a hilarious and inventive comedy sure to make even those who are unlucky in love laugh.
Screens 3/4, 7:00 pm (University Theater); 3/6, 9:00 pm (University Theater; and 3/9, 5:15 pm (University Theater).
Josey Fargo hasn't gotten laid in almost two years, and he is getting desperate. This offbeat film is reminiscent of a one-man show or a comedy monologue, except that it has the occasional illustrative scene with other people talking too. Hard up for love and aching to end his dry spell, Josey imagines increasingly far-fetched scenarios, tries insane things, and generally makes a fool of himself while explaining to us how difficult it can be for him to really interact with women.
Of course, he knows that what would really make him happy is if Julie, his ex, would come back. He misses her, annoying habits and all. but somehow checking up on her all the time, leaving her notes, and occasionally breaking into her house to post reminders of their love is failing to win her over. Josey is going to have to figure out something new if he's going to find love again. This is a hilarious and inventive comedy sure to make even those who are unlucky in love laugh.
Screens 3/4, 7:00 pm (University Theater); 3/6, 9:00 pm (University Theater; and 3/9, 5:15 pm (University Theater).
This movie is one big surprise, both for the main character and for the audience. Max Bright (Patrick Warburton) is having a lot of trouble with women -- mostly because he is a huge misogynist. When he decides he's fed up with American women, he buys a Chinese mail-order bride. When she arrives, Mai Ling (Marie Matiko) seems like the perfect wife, but when she refuses to strip for his friends, Max discovers she isn't at all what he thought. Ultimately, she is revealed to be the only person who might be able to help Max turn himself around.
What's a surprise for the audience is that the film starts off like a comedy, but is soon delving into spiritual realms and life-and-death matters with incredible sensitivity. There is a point to be made here, but the filmmakers don't preach at us through their characters; they let this saga of a man whose ego has run completely amuck unfold at its own pace.
Screens 3/10, 9:00 pm (California Theater); 3/12, 4:30 pm (Camera 12); 3/13, 4:30 pm (Camera 12)
This movie is one big surprise, both for the main character and for the audience. Max Bright (Patrick Warburton) is having a lot of trouble with women -- mostly because he is a huge misogynist. When he decides he's fed up with American women, he buys a Chinese mail-order bride. When she arrives, Mai Ling (Marie Matiko) seems like the perfect wife, but when she refuses to strip for his friends, Max discovers she isn't at all what he thought. Ultimately, she is revealed to be the only person who might be able to help Max turn himself around.
What's a surprise for the audience is that the film starts off like a comedy, but is soon delving into spiritual realms and life-and-death matters with incredible sensitivity. There is a point to be made here, but the filmmakers don't preach at us through their characters; they let this saga of a man whose ego has run completely amuck unfold at its own pace.
Screens 3/10, 9:00 pm (California Theater); 3/12, 4:30 pm (Camera 12); 3/13, 4:30 pm (Camera 12)
For those who are interested, I have constructed a time/location grid for Cinequest 15.
For those who are interested, I have constructed a time/location grid for Cinequest 15.
"We Are Dad" is an amazing look at the lives of Steven Lofton, Roger Croteau, and the children they are raising as foster parents. Lofton and Croteau took in Frank, Tracy, and Bert as infants - three HIV+ kids from difficult backgrounds. Three years ago, they brought home Ernie and Wayne as well. Lofton quit his job to look after the kids full time and manage their complex medical needs. Under the loving guidance of their two dads, these kids have developed into happy and well-balanced children.
All that is in jeopardy, though. Bert has tested negative for HIV and because he is under 14, this makes him "adoptable" in the state's eyes. Lofton and Croteau are unable to adopt him themselves because of the Florida law banning homosexuals from being adoptive parents, so the state is looking for a "normal" famiily to take Bert. "We Are Dad" chronicles the Lofton-Croteau family's past and their current fight to stay together. Simultaneously comic and tragic, this is a must-see film.
"We Are Dad" is an amazing look at the lives of Steven Lofton, Roger Croteau, and the children they are raising as foster parents. Lofton and Croteau took in Frank, Tracy, and Bert as infants - three HIV+ kids from difficult backgrounds. Three years ago, they brought home Ernie and Wayne as well. Lofton quit his job to look after the kids full time and manage their complex medical needs. Under the loving guidance of their two dads, these kids have developed into happy and well-balanced children.
All that is in jeopardy, though. Bert has tested negative for HIV and because he is under 14, this makes him "adoptable" in the state's eyes. Lofton and Croteau are unable to adopt him themselves because of the Florida law banning homosexuals from being adoptive parents, so the state is looking for a "normal" famiily to take Bert. "We Are Dad" chronicles the Lofton-Croteau family's past and their current fight to stay together. Simultaneously comic and tragic, this is a must-see film.
Far in the north of Sweden, the town of Ensamheten (Solitude) is home to sixteen people. All of them are related, and ten of them are competitive armwrestlers. Heidi Andersson, a four-time world champion, works hard alongside her cousins, aunts, and uncles during the day, and trains with them at night after dinner. Heidi's father is her coach, and he travels with her to both competitions and the trade shows and stores where she gives demonstrations and signs autographs to finance her competition. "The Armwrestler from Solitude" follows Heidi as she trains for her biggest fight yet: the Russian team at the Canada World Championships.
This is a fascinating look at the passion it takes to be the best at something. Although athletic documentaries are nothing new, Heidi's unique background and unusual sport make this a real gem.
Far in the north of Sweden, the town of Ensamheten (Solitude) is home to sixteen people. All of them are related, and ten of them are competitive armwrestlers. Heidi Andersson, a four-time world champion, works hard alongside her cousins, aunts, and uncles during the day, and trains with them at night after dinner. Heidi's father is her coach, and he travels with her to both competitions and the trade shows and stores where she gives demonstrations and signs autographs to finance her competition. "The Armwrestler from Solitude" follows Heidi as she trains for her biggest fight yet: the Russian team at the Canada World Championships.
This is a fascinating look at the passion it takes to be the best at something. Although athletic documentaries are nothing new, Heidi's unique background and unusual sport make this a real gem.
This film will be showing at the Closing Night Gala, and it's a real gem. Bent Samuelson has been seeing the same barber, Frank, for ten years, even though he doesn't much like the hairstyle Frank gives him. Bent doesn't quite have the nerve to say so, however, and that cowardice extends through the rest of his life. He puts up with an obnoxious coworker, has never gotten a drivers' liscense, and backs down rather than stands up for himself. But when Susie movies in across the street, he is smitten and finds the courage to start taking chances - including trying a new hairstylist. Frank is not about to lose his best customer without a fight, and his jealousy may come between Bent and his burgeoning relationship with Susie.
Screens 3/13, 6:30 pm (California Theater). Gala to follow at Blake's Steakhouse and Bar.
This film will be showing at the Closing Night Gala, and it's a real gem. Bent Samuelson has been seeing the same barber, Frank, for ten years, even though he doesn't much like the hairstyle Frank gives him. Bent doesn't quite have the nerve to say so, however, and that cowardice extends through the rest of his life. He puts up with an obnoxious coworker, has never gotten a drivers' liscense, and backs down rather than stands up for himself. But when Susie movies in across the street, he is smitten and finds the courage to start taking chances - including trying a new hairstylist. Frank is not about to lose his best customer without a fight, and his jealousy may come between Bent and his burgeoning relationship with Susie.
Screens 3/13, 6:30 pm (California Theater). Gala to follow at Blake's Steakhouse and Bar.
The Bay Area has a wealth of independent film, from the festivals that crop up year round to the network of art houses circling the Bay. The crown jewel in the Bay Area’s indie film scene is Cinequest, which starts next week. Cinequest is San Jose’s annual Maverick film festival, twelve days of independent films, panels, classes, and events celebrating emerging and cutting-edge filmmakers. This year it runs from March 2 through March 13, and will screen nearly 200 feature and short films.
The festival kicks off at 7:30 pm on March 2 with "A Manual for Love Stories" at the California Theater, followed by a gala with the filmmakers at the Hotel Montgomery. "A Manual for Love Stories" is a delightful Brazilian film which takes on all the clichés of a romantic comedy as it follows an unlikely couple from their initially disastrous meeting to their happily ever after. The narrator explains the process of creating a romantic comedy to us, and occasionally has to force his recalcitrant hero to follow the rules.
Following the opening gala, the festival hits the ground running. The heart of the festival is Camera 12, which has devoted four screens to the festival. There will also be screenings at San Jose Repertory Theater, which has been converted into a cutting-edge digital theater; on San Jose State University campus; and at the California Theater, a restored motion picture palace built in the twenties. All four venues are within walking distance of each other.
The California Theater even has a pipe organ, which will be accompanying the two silent film events of the festival. On Friday, March 4 there will be a double feature of Harold Lloyd films: "Safety Last" (1923) and "Movie Crazy" (1932). Suzanne Lloyd, granddaughter of Harold Lloyd and Lloyd historian, will speak and answer questions after the films. The following Friday, March 11, there will be a double feature of "Carmen" (1915) and "La Bohème" (1926).
There will be more than seventy feature length films shown at the festival, many of them accompanied by short films, plus eight short film programs. The features range from a Swedish documentary about a little town with a passion for arm wrestling ("The Armwrestler from Solitude") to a sci-fi fantasy filmed entirely in front of a green screen ("Able Edwards"). There are comedies and tragedies, thrillers and oddities. The films come from all over the world, and some of them were filmed right here in the Bay Area.
Those who can't make it to San Jose for the festival but who have access to a good internet connection are in luck; cinequestonline.org will be showing the films and events online in DVD quality streams. There is also a special contest on the site: The Viewers' Voice Collection and Competition, which runs through the end of February. Viewers can download the competing films and vote on them. At the end of the month, the top three features and the top three shorts will be awarded special screening slots during the festival.
Cinequest offers classes as well; there will be two all-day series of classes, one for screenwriters (Friday March 11) and one for producers (Saturday, March 12). Both classes are geared toward all levels, so both novices and pros are encouraged to check them out. Cinequest is also offering, for the fifth year in a row, a four-day symposium on digital filmmaking. Sponsored by technology partners like Adobe, Kontiki, and PalmSource and presented by the people who are developing and using these new technologies, the Digital by Digital forums offer a look at the latest in film technology. They promise to be fascinating for both filmmakers and film buffs alike. This year, the five presentations will be covering affordable digital effects, new distribution and delivery methods for completed films, a comparison of the different digital options available for both recording and showing, video for mobile devices like Palm Pilots, and the effects of affordable high-quality digital technology on film as an artistic medium.
Another annual event at Cinequest is the presentation of the Maverick Spirit Award, the festival's highest honor. Each year, an exceptional filmmaker who represents the Maverick spirit is chosen and invited to the festival. Past recipients have included John Waters, Gus Van Sant, Kevin Spacey, Spike Lee, Sir Ian McKellan, and William H. Macy. This year, Sir Ben Kingsley will be receiving the award and participating in a lively moderated conversation with the audience. Sir Ben is best known for his work in the films "Gandhi" and "Sexy Beast," and is recognized as a phenomenal actor of both stage and screen. An Afternoon with Sir Ben Kingsley will take place on Saturday, March 5 at 2:00 pm, at the California Theater.
Cinequest offers the Bay Area the chance to attend an international film festival right in our back yard. Whether you're a film love, a film maker, or someone hoping to break into the industry, it has a lot to offer. Tickets are available online at www.cinequest.org or by phone at (408) 295-FEST. There are numerous options for those interested in attending, from passes to tickets to individual events.
The Bay Area has a wealth of independent film, from the festivals that crop up year round to the network of art houses circling the Bay. The crown jewel in the Bay Area’s indie film scene is Cinequest, which starts next week. Cinequest is San Jose’s annual Maverick film festival, twelve days of independent films, panels, classes, and events celebrating emerging and cutting-edge filmmakers. This year it runs from March 2 through March 13, and will screen nearly 200 feature and short films.
The festival kicks off at 7:30 pm on March 2 with "A Manual for Love Stories" at the California Theater, followed by a gala with the filmmakers at the Hotel Montgomery. "A Manual for Love Stories" is a delightful Brazilian film which takes on all the clichés of a romantic comedy as it follows an unlikely couple from their initially disastrous meeting to their happily ever after. The narrator explains the process of creating a romantic comedy to us, and occasionally has to force his recalcitrant hero to follow the rules.
Following the opening gala, the festival hits the ground running. The heart of the festival is Camera 12, which has devoted four screens to the festival. There will also be screenings at San Jose Repertory Theater, which has been converted into a cutting-edge digital theater; on San Jose State University campus; and at the California Theater, a restored motion picture palace built in the twenties. All four venues are within walking distance of each other.
The California Theater even has a pipe organ, which will be accompanying the two silent film events of the festival. On Friday, March 4 there will be a double feature of Harold Lloyd films: "Safety Last" (1923) and "Movie Crazy" (1932). Suzanne Lloyd, granddaughter of Harold Lloyd and Lloyd historian, will speak and answer questions after the films. The following Friday, March 11, there will be a double feature of "Carmen" (1915) and "La Bohème" (1926).
There will be more than seventy feature length films shown at the festival, many of them accompanied by short films, plus eight short film programs. The features range from a Swedish documentary about a little town with a passion for arm wrestling ("The Armwrestler from Solitude") to a sci-fi fantasy filmed entirely in front of a green screen ("Able Edwards"). There are comedies and tragedies, thrillers and oddities. The films come from all over the world, and some of them were filmed right here in the Bay Area.
Those who can't make it to San Jose for the festival but who have access to a good internet connection are in luck; cinequestonline.org will be showing the films and events online in DVD quality streams. There is also a special contest on the site: The Viewers' Voice Collection and Competition, which runs through the end of February. Viewers can download the competing films and vote on them. At the end of the month, the top three features and the top three shorts will be awarded special screening slots during the festival.
Cinequest offers classes as well; there will be two all-day series of classes, one for screenwriters (Friday March 11) and one for producers (Saturday, March 12). Both classes are geared toward all levels, so both novices and pros are encouraged to check them out. Cinequest is also offering, for the fifth year in a row, a four-day symposium on digital filmmaking. Sponsored by technology partners like Adobe, Kontiki, and PalmSource and presented by the people who are developing and using these new technologies, the Digital by Digital forums offer a look at the latest in film technology. They promise to be fascinating for both filmmakers and film buffs alike. This year, the five presentations will be covering affordable digital effects, new distribution and delivery methods for completed films, a comparison of the different digital options available for both recording and showing, video for mobile devices like Palm Pilots, and the effects of affordable high-quality digital technology on film as an artistic medium.
Another annual event at Cinequest is the presentation of the Maverick Spirit Award, the festival's highest honor. Each year, an exceptional filmmaker who represents the Maverick spirit is chosen and invited to the festival. Past recipients have included John Waters, Gus Van Sant, Kevin Spacey, Spike Lee, Sir Ian McKellan, and William H. Macy. This year, Sir Ben Kingsley will be receiving the award and participating in a lively moderated conversation with the audience. Sir Ben is best known for his work in the films "Gandhi" and "Sexy Beast," and is recognized as a phenomenal actor of both stage and screen. An Afternoon with Sir Ben Kingsley will take place on Saturday, March 5 at 2:00 pm, at the California Theater.
Cinequest offers the Bay Area the chance to attend an international film festival right in our back yard. Whether you're a film love, a film maker, or someone hoping to break into the industry, it has a lot to offer. Tickets are available online at www.cinequest.org or by phone at (408) 295-FEST. There are numerous options for those interested in attending, from passes to tickets to individual events.
"Sunnyvale" is a hard movie to pin down with a simple review. It's ostensibly a romantic comedy, though both the romance and the comedy are a bit skewed. It follows Ricardo (James Ricardo), an unemployed slacker, through his relationships with a collection of women. There's Thai (April Wade), a pot dealer and her girlfriend Dakota (Ute Werner) at first, then he gets entangled with a gal he meets through a personal ad. It's hard to see what the three of them see in this emotionless loser, but whatever it is, it's enough to keep them coming back for more. This is an offbeat comedy with a number of flaws, but it's an interesting take on the masochism and desperation of single women in the modern day.
Screens 3/4, 9:00 pm (University Theater at SJSU) and 3/5, 4:30 pm (University Theater at SJSU)
"Sunnyvale" is a hard movie to pin down with a simple review. It's ostensibly a romantic comedy, though both the romance and the comedy are a bit skewed. It follows Ricardo (James Ricardo), an unemployed slacker, through his relationships with a collection of women. There's Thai (April Wade), a pot dealer and her girlfriend Dakota (Ute Werner) at first, then he gets entangled with a gal he meets through a personal ad. It's hard to see what the three of them see in this emotionless loser, but whatever it is, it's enough to keep them coming back for more. This is an offbeat comedy with a number of flaws, but it's an interesting take on the masochism and desperation of single women in the modern day.
Screens 3/4, 9:00 pm (University Theater at SJSU) and 3/5, 4:30 pm (University Theater at SJSU)
When Mike Foster spoke with God, God gave him his mission in a single word: Porn. Mike and his friend Craig Gross, both pastors from California churches, started xxxchurch.com, an anti-porn site offering everything from a prayer wall bulletin board to software to help porn addicts break the habit. "Missionary Positions" travels with them on research expeditions (to Amsterdam's red light district, among other places) and in their attempts to get the word out about their site via ads, talk shows, speaking engagements, and media spots. They struggle to make their message heard, and ironically find theselves making a successful ad for the site with a porn director who doesn't like the way the industry is going. They're doing their best to fight the good fight, and this documentary gives us an inside look at just how difficult that can be.
Screens 3/11, 9:30 pm (Camera 12) and 3/13, 4:30 pm (Camera 12).
When Mike Foster spoke with God, God gave him his mission in a single word: Porn. Mike and his friend Craig Gross, both pastors from California churches, started xxxchurch.com, an anti-porn site offering everything from a prayer wall bulletin board to software to help porn addicts break the habit. "Missionary Positions" travels with them on research expeditions (to Amsterdam's red light district, among other places) and in their attempts to get the word out about their site via ads, talk shows, speaking engagements, and media spots. They struggle to make their message heard, and ironically find theselves making a successful ad for the site with a porn director who doesn't like the way the industry is going. They're doing their best to fight the good fight, and this documentary gives us an inside look at just how difficult that can be.
Screens 3/11, 9:30 pm (Camera 12) and 3/13, 4:30 pm (Camera 12).
Romantic comedies follow a definite formula, and it's a real trip to see a film that not only acknowledges this but works within it to create a truly bizarre send-up of all those cliches. The narrator steps us through the process, from meeting the heroine to the uncovering of the horrible villains and the heroic couple's Happily Ever After ending. Although the characters occasional rebel, the narrator brings them to heel and the result is a hilariously meta romantic comedy.
Shows for the Opening Night Gala on Wednesday, March 2nd, at 7pm.
Romantic comedies follow a definite formula, and it's a real trip to see a film that not only acknowledges this but works within it to create a truly bizarre send-up of all those cliches. The narrator steps us through the process, from meeting the heroine to the uncovering of the horrible villains and the heroic couple's Happily Ever After ending. Although the characters occasional rebel, the narrator brings them to heel and the result is a hilariously meta romantic comedy.
Shows for the Opening Night Gala on Wednesday, March 2nd, at 7pm.
Another year, another 100+ films to see! Cinequest 15 is on its way, and I'm already checking out some of the films, courtesy of screening copies provided for journalists by the publicity department over at Cinequest. Keep watching this site for sneek peeks at the films of this year's festival.
Another year, another 100+ films to see! Cinequest 15 is on its way, and I'm already checking out some of the films, courtesy of screening copies provided for journalists by the publicity department over at Cinequest. Keep watching this site for sneek peeks at the films of this year's festival.