tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20005346626874170162024-03-13T03:30:17.409-07:00Beyond Feedbackfilm reviews from a film festival insiderAlesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-61279256448690214232012-02-05T22:57:00.000-08:002012-02-07T00:50:47.445-08:00The Artist: Following Oscar<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYAUfqBDRWQaPpcRFojpYAcd-KC-9nsIMPK0Qcadhoo77JG4pgpJpD7CzVdd2mRMRyyJQ91qMkimYmezapWUtWSdn2GLgPDu1QlTKJQvtwFg3-Z2O7SPc5r7gCtJDWmtKhFyYkSaw-g/s1600/The+Artist.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 214px; height: 317px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706302539638551362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYAUfqBDRWQaPpcRFojpYAcd-KC-9nsIMPK0Qcadhoo77JG4pgpJpD7CzVdd2mRMRyyJQ91qMkimYmezapWUtWSdn2GLgPDu1QlTKJQvtwFg3-Z2O7SPc5r7gCtJDWmtKhFyYkSaw-g/s320/The+Artist.jpg" /></a>Every year I plan to watch all the Oscar Best Picture nominees. I never do. At least this year I'm taking a swing at it. Yesterday we decided to give The Super Bowl the finger and go see the silent film, "The Artist." Anyone who's a fan of classic film will appreciate how this film reminds us that words are sometimes (often at the most important times) completely unnecessary. Modern <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">filmmaking</span> can rely so heavily on slick angles, special effects, and overt <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">explanations</span> to stitch together poor plots, we may forget how much power a simple actor can <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">actually</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">posses</span>. In this way, lead actor Jean <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Dujardin</span> delivers beautifully in his faithful rendering of a 1920s silent film star, George Valentin, caught in the changing world of talkies. From the moment he comes on screen, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Dujardin's</span> every expression is riveting. He charms us as the attention-hogging cad, the stunning leading man who's debonair grin makes lowly chorus girls swoon.<br /><br />In addition to a playful, engaging <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">beginning</span>, the film dovetails nicely with a winning, highly satisfying conclusion. It's easy to see why this film's getting so much Oscar love. Where "The Artist" is concerned, however, the mess is in the middle.<br /><br />First of all, I give few points for sets and costume design. Every film needs sets and costumes, and any film worth it's space on a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">terabyte</span> drive pays attention to every detail. Needless to say, "The Artist" had wonderful costumes, sets, and film style. It's not my goal to be a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">contrarian</span>, but there was at least one major flaw in this movie, a shadow from which the lead characters never fully emerge. Leading man George Valentin (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Dujardin</span>) is married. Not only was their no real point for it, the fact that he was cost both him and his leading lady, Peppy Miller (Berenice <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Bejo</span>), major likability points. The film attempts to demonstrate Valentin's wife's unworthiness and therefore <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">dismissability</span> through her sullen ingratitude and passive <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">aggressive</span> habit of defacing her husband's photographs. She's a bitter bitch, but the film never tells us why. We are just expected to accept that she's terrible. Instead she becomes an enigma, an unresolved snarl. To be honest, I felt like the writer (Michel <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Hazanavicius</span>) was using this character to settle a personal score without regard to how such a two-<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">dimensional</span> character hinders his plot.<div><br /></div><div>Further than that, I question the wife's place in the plot entirely. What purpose (other than to keep the two leads from <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">pursuing</span> a romance more quickly) does she serve? Couldn't the writer have found a better <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">obstacle, s</span>omething that doesn't negatively impact the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">likability</span> of the leads and cast their romance in an unfavorable light? I could never quite root for their love, knowing the sneaky young female lead knowingly went after a married man and that the older male lead indulged and even encouraged her. Pictures of the wife littered the room during one of the leads' first intimate encounters, rubbing the audience's nose how inappropriate their interaction was. As a result, I never rooted for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Peppy's</span> success (either in love or in life). Her motives were always suspect, and at times she even came across crazy and a little <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">sinister</span>.<br /><br />Other than that (and I know it's a lot), I heartily enjoyed "The Artist." The film was a playful homage to our past. Heck, even the film's contradictions were food for thought, so it was all good for me.<br /><br />Anyone else feel like there's more to "The Artist" than meets the eye? I'd love to hear your thoughts!</div>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-43361122314143471052011-11-03T17:41:00.000-07:002011-11-03T18:04:43.247-07:00"Goodnight Burbank" Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmkOOaZS_C8ruofiSxNloDiIEgcFpZct5JuUtENvqi1Xi6wXJI04R-DxongSf9qPNG_HPL-UcFq6ISarC-hNDdwOt5-ND0WJd1c4b7vkLzRHjVFJn5BRIqbP8moyh9I0I2vRsSPiDQA/s1600/GNB_Gordon.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 175px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670937628927844338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmkOOaZS_C8ruofiSxNloDiIEgcFpZct5JuUtENvqi1Xi6wXJI04R-DxongSf9qPNG_HPL-UcFq6ISarC-hNDdwOt5-ND0WJd1c4b7vkLzRHjVFJn5BRIqbP8moyh9I0I2vRsSPiDQA/s320/GNB_Gordon.jpg" /></a> As a voracious comedy junkie, I am always on the look out for something to make me laugh. “Goodnight Burbank” had me right out of the gate. This fast paced, sitcom length, web series was recently picked up by HDNet, and no wonder. Every episode gets screwier and screwier (What kind of person thinks eating a flock of wedding swans is recycling?).<br /><br />“Goodnight Burbank” follows unlucky news anchor Gordon Winston-Smythe (Hayden Black) and his quirky co-workers as he tries desperately to get out of the crappy green screen garage where small-time local news show, “Goodnight Burbank” is filmed. Gordon just wants to be a serious newsman, but his every attempt to be taken seriously is thwarted by falling stage hands, a demon child, and a PETA terrorist.<br /><br />All that is behind good old Gordon now! The latest episode of “Goodnight Burbank” finds our hero on the verge of seeing his dream come true. He is about to get the coveted anchor position on the hot new show, “Burbank Confidential!” All he has to do is keep it together in front of his new boss for one last “Goodnight Burbank” broadcast. But does anything ever go that easily for Gordon Winston-Smythe? His zealotous co-anchor, Whitney Applebee (Laura Silverman), has finally gone completely around the bend (a lot more than usual this time), sexual harassment is afoot, and the set is overrun with grieving Eastern Europeans.<br /><br />This fast-paced new comedy just keeps getting funnier, like rewind that scene and watch it over and over funnier. Dominic Monaghan, Miracle Laurie, Camden Toy, and America Young round out this hilarious and well-balanced comedic team. “Goodnight Burbank” a serious must-see for anyone who knows how to laugh.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 283px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 403px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670938079437224338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPPErJpLfQDwpx91zps71w6vPa7d2IqBfhN_ZoWzbQCGnmRcn5WS6zKfh1-MY8kVuU7BqJ7AI0ZijS1Fp3MmSpUNMR2TkfGZTI4nMLLv5rsrGFj15Qv2hOfn3nLwRaLv4Sg7PAX3cuA/s320/GNBFullCast.jpg" />Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-77555091249759116882011-02-03T23:57:00.000-08:002011-02-04T02:13:51.658-08:00"Gitchy" Review<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 254px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 181px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569751048901825570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZA1L7dKHrgtP6lFUskfq0tPNvTdTHszZ5fKXEJk9rAlVGGL18I0oZNNPwhT18l_WE4oKUXSTYhazbKNjLUTDatdWheD7hiZmB0g5Ae_HkWQ8pY6xYASoM9Q-GIu8LWppNufyW3yyNUQ/s320/GitchyFace+3.jpg" /> <p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">David is losing his mind. At least that’s what his psychiatrist, his sister, and pretty much everyone else thinks. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Wouldn</span>’t you have to question your sanity too if you were plagued by visions of the clown who killed your parents? But David (Michael J. Brown) is sure he’s right. He’s obsessed with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Gitchy</span>, who he believes murdered his mom and dad. His sister, Kimberly (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Stefanny</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ceno</span>), is determined to help her brother through his odd grieving process while still managing her own loss. If <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Gitchy</span> gets his way, however, they won’t be grieving for long. Very soon they’ll be laughing themselves to death!</span></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">As the plot unfolds, David’s need to repeatedly draw pictures of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Gitchy</span> the clown not only gives the story focus but also allows the directors, Thomas Norman and Lenny Riviera, to highlight some really cool artwork. The various devices and methods of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Gitchy</span>’s serial <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">ticklings</span> were… creative? Creepy, that’s the word. Daring fetish overtones (feet, feather dusters, tickling in general) made <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Gitchy</span> even more bizarre. “He loves to touch?” <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Yeck</span>!</span></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">When evaluating a film on its own merits, one must ask if the film did what it came to do. How well did it achieve its own objective? In the case of “<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Gitchy</span>,” a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">comoridy</span> (or is it <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">homidor</span>?), the film did achieve the ridiculous through an excess of terror (excess being the essence of comedy). The problem, however, is that no matter how thoroughly a turtle beds a duck, when the baby’s born one must wonder if the union was a good idea. Unfortunately in this case, straddling the line between slapstick comedy and psychological horror never let the film fully cross over to one side or the other. To laugh? To scream? It was hard to say. To be disturbed? Absolutely.</span></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">The humor of clowns is a double-edged sword. On one hand the unpredictability of a clown or jester is the root of their humor. They can’t be truly funny unless they are truly unpredictable, but that element of the unknown frightens us. Victor Hugo wrote that it is human nature to cling to the known, sometimes until death, rather than face what we do not understand. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Perhaps that’s why evil clowns have found such a home in our psyche. </span></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">It is easy to believe that <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Gitchy</span>, and his creepy messenger, really are evil. They are unpredictable, capable of anything. Both characters inspired revulsion whenever they appeared on screen, making even the experience of watching the film at times unnerving, even uncomfortable. For a campy, creepy film that boarders on the sexually deviant, "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">Gitchy</span>" is the perfect guilty pleasure.</span></span></span></p></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><p class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></p><!--EndFragment--></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Calibri, 'new york', times, serif;"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 18px" class="Apple-style-span"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 361px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569751229348111858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JK_gJl7A23-e_EFkalS9uH8ZnjxulIlXAG0V6m9TWqC18RoL-NXjC-rbl3nxF-t0eTCw8dLDN_V-ZrJmgCSILOBmIVEzJbQOwVfv5ZKVHuiVzPdnoDUeItUfbbCZCZfD3LlgkiR55w/s320/GitchyDoorWay.jpg" /></span></span></div></span>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-74031738446125035462011-02-01T12:24:00.000-08:002011-02-01T22:39:29.604-08:00"Beyond the Music" Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGQPTT_JVEEdeWixh22hwSb5_nC-nOPFV-OIJ988y9HOvJ0pFWys0Ortl8DuA0AdmANoWd8nwGNuuQ4okjCgKXPVZvVhDnQF_TqAv4vFM9yBv1VJXdzLAU40FBF0yy_5pcQ9FTsSU-A/s1600/Beyond.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 218px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 321px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568823759908278866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGQPTT_JVEEdeWixh22hwSb5_nC-nOPFV-OIJ988y9HOvJ0pFWys0Ortl8DuA0AdmANoWd8nwGNuuQ4okjCgKXPVZvVhDnQF_TqAv4vFM9yBv1VJXdzLAU40FBF0yy_5pcQ9FTsSU-A/s320/Beyond.jpg" /></a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">When making an indie film, it's important to know the size of one's idea. In this 'bigger is better' culture, it can be hard to convince passionate filmmakers that less is more. Often they take an idea and stretch it thin, until it becomes too big for its britches. "Beyond the Music," is a cute one-liner about a narcoleptic rock band stretched too far. The few funny scenes of the film, mostly physical humor, were so separated by filler that one joke was forgotten before the next came along. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">In addition, the overall quality of the film was too low for a convincing Behind the Music parody. Luck for filmmakers, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">primo</span></span> quality is not required for a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">mockumentary</span></span>. In that way, it's a very forgiving genre. The film's quality, however, must match whatever it's mocking. "Beyond the Music" would have been much better served as a commercial for "The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Narcoleptics</span></span>'" TV special rather than as the TV special itself. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Condensing</span> the best moments would give "Beyond the Music" a punch it currently lacks.</span>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-88769750325843419462011-02-01T12:00:00.000-08:002011-02-01T22:05:04.691-08:00"Tracy" Review<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 223px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 160px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568815088563185170" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHdmAQd5kuFFrZvCxwwep-mizjT2c8YXudwgxXE1E83g2mVwDt-WWRQqjSyAwrJUEh6ZbWkLuD8YTzUaHPLL185DRXaoy1W0Jk0m65QXj8p4mI9pvLz7-8DHWKKw745xvZdayFLrymQ/s320/Tracy1.jpg" />Legend + Joke, does not automatically equal a good <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">mockumentary</span>. Writer/director Dan <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Scanlon</span> gets that. His formula, Legend + Jokes + Murder, does indeed equal one <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">mockalicious</span> indie film. Tracy follows Dan <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sullian</span> (<span id="lw_1296593108_0" class="yshortcuts">Dan <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Scanlon</span></span>), a documentary filmmaker who tells a whole convention of people that he knows who killed children's TV host, Tracy. The problem is... he doesn't really have a clue who did it. And he is perhaps the worst <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">amateur</span> detective ever. But even though the deck's a little stacked against him, Dan sets out to solve this ten year old murder... He has one month to do it.</span> <div><span class="Apple-style-span"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">As indie films about cultural icons go, Tracy do</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">es us a favor in that it doesn't spend the entire film talking about the supreme genius of some lamebrain. There are character arcs, silly though they ma<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">y be. Relationships develop. Things happen. The cast and crew never went on autopilot with this film, which can be easily done with a topic is so supremely silly. Every scene moves</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">at a decent pace with very little lag. It's a weird movie (no joke), but where story is concerned first time filmmakers could definitely take a page from the "Tracy" playbook.</span></span></span></div><div><br /><div><a style="TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZlQrXGTJ9VgBt9i3-UwEXXzbD7aegTIYjaINOatorRr8ot-lSoAkzfMg13_4SYlgotNQxnhwaX_rbpG-Jc9ZeKZk6aI7HpmeZt0eHwNYOh93y5GBePkA5uHQ2IBWcn0U_TFRJQq7MA/s1600/Tracy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 378px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 247px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568814780871683634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZlQrXGTJ9VgBt9i3-UwEXXzbD7aegTIYjaINOatorRr8ot-lSoAkzfMg13_4SYlgotNQxnhwaX_rbpG-Jc9ZeKZk6aI7HpmeZt0eHwNYOh93y5GBePkA5uHQ2IBWcn0U_TFRJQq7MA/s320/Tracy.jpg" /></a></div></div></div></div>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-64104822706115088212010-12-01T01:56:00.000-08:002010-12-01T02:02:23.807-08:00Take 22: Behind the Scenes of Sequestered Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHJzHL4l3K4w_gJssKv2uwr53LDQeni6rBYanza8yjWAh9RH6SdwzlUV8kQwaAkbuQL7agKjv99jsIkywL487GJ8COSaR6Tltf45e6q2Y1r1y0Gso10uN0ybj1iUe1eqw8W91__vOmQ/s1600/TAKE22+Fest+Website+Graphic+v4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 374px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHJzHL4l3K4w_gJssKv2uwr53LDQeni6rBYanza8yjWAh9RH6SdwzlUV8kQwaAkbuQL7agKjv99jsIkywL487GJ8COSaR6Tltf45e6q2Y1r1y0Gso10uN0ybj1iUe1eqw8W91__vOmQ/s320/TAKE22+Fest+Website+Graphic+v4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545650977597433570" border="0" /></a><br />“Research is critical.” “Secure financing before production.” “What’s my motivation?” When you make a film, this kind of stuff is what you will probably hear from all the crap heads trying to ruin your artistic vision. But Executive Producer, Todd Hunter (Chris Pina), doesn’t let technicalities like research, money, and actors stop him. He’s determined to make his legal drama, Sequestered, a theatrical masterpiece. To bring his dream to life Todd stops at nothing, even hustling his own grandma. He tirelessly pushes his cast and crew to the edge of breakdown in spite of a haunted location, a wandering murderer, and a cascade of Craft Service catastrophes. But in the end, the on set problems run too deep. Director Miles Tenent (Rick Overton) won’t watch the film; he’s scared of the ‘big heads’ on the screen. The cast and crew screening is a huge bomb. Sequestered will never see the light of day.<br /><br />Now, after hellish weeks following the doomed production, a group of disgruntled student documentarians are out for revenge. They will dig deep to expose all the flaws and ineptitudes of Sequestered in their hilariously scathing film, Take 22: Behind the Scenes of Sequestered.<br /><br />From the first scene, Take 22: Behind the Scenes of Sequestered sets a brisk comedic pace when the audience realizes that the fact they’re watching this film means Todd Hunter’s life has officially gone to hell. The plot’s pull is immediate and keeps the funny coming as the film spins further and further outside Todd’s control. Writer/director Michael Bayouth has assembled a sweet collection of actors for this orgy of bad luck, including not just Rick Overton and Chris Pina but also playful, chaotic cameos from Dave Thomas and Gary Anthony Williams, and featuring the legendary Groundlings.<br /><br />Five jurors are sequestered to decide a man’s fate. In the end, it is their own fate that is sealed. Sequestered could have been an awesome film if anything, even one little thing, would have gone right. But nothing did. (Especially not the research. There are twelve people on a jury. Not five!) So now instead of suffering through Sequestered audiences can enjoy watching a fellow human being’s dreams crumble to ash in Take 22: Behind the Scenes of Sequestered.Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-35601930436714208312010-10-19T23:36:00.000-07:002010-10-19T23:48:00.240-07:00"The Sierra" Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHg6TD7AuvMdvLK-mMzES9O8M7Hxxnww0bdN_tKf2GeoK94UmYNLenc70-3MNrE-13Zq2uIj72ag8N8ZTAEUVatb4ZRvuuSFp2AO42FFMDAHR0usDRAr6fYIQ8cal1lu00Oo3mNIqqFw/s1600/Sierra_poster-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 296px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHg6TD7AuvMdvLK-mMzES9O8M7Hxxnww0bdN_tKf2GeoK94UmYNLenc70-3MNrE-13Zq2uIj72ag8N8ZTAEUVatb4ZRvuuSFp2AO42FFMDAHR0usDRAr6fYIQ8cal1lu00Oo3mNIqqFw/s320/Sierra_poster-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530014141446977522" border="0" /></a>A sexy game of hide and seek through the mountain snow takes a dangerous turn when a gang of mounted white men rides through Indian Territory. Now one man is out for revenge against those who took his beloved. <span lang="EN"> <p>Throughout “The Sierra,” everyone is hunted. The man hunts the woman. The white men hunt each other. The Indian hunts them all. In this deadly game, two natural enemies end up unwittingly on the same side. But in the untamed wilds of the West, the enemy of an enemy may not stay a friend even long enough to let the gun smoke settle.</p> <p>Powerfully photographed and with a dead-on soundtrack, “The Sierra” is both tender and action packed. The use of the native language of the characters lent a special touch of realism to the film. There was a strong sense of vision to the piece, thanks to director Alano Massi, which comes across beautifully. In the end we see that two men from very different backgrounds can become united by the life and death struggles common to us all. Kalani Queypo gives a vulnerable performance. "The Sierra" is one short film that's not to be missed.<br /></p></span>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-80471270496482821372010-10-19T23:20:00.000-07:002010-10-19T23:36:01.332-07:00Layabouts, "Corrupted Scene Behind the Stage" Review<p>Spanish rock band, Layabouts, serves up a raw track with top 40-style in this music video for their song, “Corrupted Scene Behind the Stage.” With creepy use of colors and imagery, this video’s sense of duality is as driving as the beat.</p> <p>The duality of an individual is a frequent theme in rock music. Here, director Ivan Mena Tinoco focuses on the interplay between the refined and the raw, presenting those two sides of each band member as existing simultaneously yet independently of each other. Water is the common thread throughout the video, appearing either explicitly or implicitly whenever these two sides of the self appear together. Its presence almost seems to suggest that there is something elemental yet fluid to what connects these two halves of the whole, something necessary yet illusive. </p><p>Though a Spanish band, the Layabouts, "Corrupted Scene Behind the Stage," has a very American vibe. With a strong musical and visual presence, this music video piques one's interest not only in the music of the Layabouts band, but also in the other work of director Ivan Mena Tinoco.<br /></p>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-63026438291713176412010-10-19T23:14:00.000-07:002010-10-19T23:20:07.873-07:00"Man's Best Friend" Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Vih_Ca_5BaQWYhyphenhyphenvnQ_gNKQhvanMI9xZh7LQWJu2oAvzYkI2NcvjibX2zkU80SukrDE9GkGn5kefs5IPHU5Ibvlr_U9XamQFc1ZduZbT5hxUoQFdwgK8ojTQd_U_OA973XMeM50Oeg/s1600/MansBF+Poster.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Vih_Ca_5BaQWYhyphenhyphenvnQ_gNKQhvanMI9xZh7LQWJu2oAvzYkI2NcvjibX2zkU80SukrDE9GkGn5kefs5IPHU5Ibvlr_U9XamQFc1ZduZbT5hxUoQFdwgK8ojTQd_U_OA973XMeM50Oeg/s320/MansBF+Poster.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530008509573806530" border="0" /></a>Some guys spend too much time with their friends. Some guys spend <span style="font-style: italic;">way</span> too much time with their friends. And when your man’s best friend lives with you, what’s a girl to do?<br /><br />James’s relationship with the family dog, Zero (Sawyer), has gotten much too close since the dog saved him from a near explosion. It’s driving Diane (Pia Miranda) crazy. She and James (Brett Williams) are trying to have a baby, but all their romantic moments seem to be interrupted by their fluffy roommate. Even an amorous dinner loses its intimacy when there’s 50lbs. of hair and drool sitting next to you at the dinner table. Diane’s had enough. It’s her or the dog. But will Diane’s feelings about Zero change after a series of unforeseeable events that transform their lives forever? <p>Director Luke Eve delivers a good quality, loony comedy short about the true nature of friendship. “Man’s Best Friend” teaches that the ones we love are never really gone. Williams and Miranda have sterling chemistry as they depict the ups and downs of a believable long-term relationship. This Australian short comedy has a punch line that needs to be seen to be believed!</p>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-46769388074070056612010-10-18T18:36:00.000-07:002010-10-18T18:47:46.855-07:00"Porn Guide" Review<p class="MsoNormal">The perfect mockumentary is all about the perfect imitation. Mockumentaries are, after all, imitations of documentaries. The more closely a mock resembles the thing it’s mocking, the more effective the mock arguably is.<span style=""> </span>The trick is finding the humor inherent in the form (original) so as to exaggerate it in the shadow (mock).<span style=""> </span>If this is the case, then “Porn Guide” is a brilliant mock. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Drawing out the inherent ridiculousness of 1970s film making, “Porn Guide” takes viewers on an abbreviated tutorial on making your very own porno film. Fashion, graphics, color, and shot angles are all near perfect imitations of their form, the 70s doc. Even the terrible acting was dead on. <span style="border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1287451247_0">Louisa Lanewood</span> as Pauline Flowers was a hoot. Mickey Diamond (<span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1287451247_1">Nicholas Brendon</span>) was leachy in all the right places, especially as he plays the bongos. Who told him men could wear those shorts? </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Those looking for a little cheap titillation won’t be disappointed either. The title of this film writes a check that writer/director <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1287451247_2">Dick Thompson</span> wasn’t afraid to cash. This film is a ‘porn guide’ giving tips and tricks all along the way that would be helpful if it weren’t impossible to take them seriously. And, as a famous porn producer once said, one can’t make a film about porn without some nudity. It just won’t be realistic. Porn guide delivers plenty, but with lighthearted flair. Sexy and silly, “Porn Guide” is, quite simply, really well done.</p>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-32218901574046445902010-10-18T18:31:00.000-07:002010-10-18T18:36:09.514-07:00"The Shoes Maketh the Man" Review<span lang="EN"> <p>The world has it in for Alesandro’s shoes. At least that’s how it seems. He’s on his way to an extremely important business meeting, but every time he turns around something threatens the safety of his expensive, immaculate footwear. He wants to make the perfect impression for a rich potential client. His suit is perfect, his hair is perfect, his briefcase perfect, but his shoes. His shoes! At this rate, Alesandro will be lucky if he makes it to the meeting with any shoes at all! </p> <p>This comedic short from writer/director Tarek Sursock is a series of misadventures with a moral: One minute you’re on top, the next you’re not. In the end, what’s on the inside is always more important than what’s on the outside. Pasquale Cassalia play a wonderfully arrogant young businessman. You can’t help but sympathize with his string of bad luck, but who doesn’t like to see the cock of the walk get his feathers ruffled now and then?<br /></p></span>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-102382435319749012010-10-18T18:11:00.000-07:002010-10-18T18:30:46.327-07:00"April" Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtolElhbE242Qy0-5EvGQ1RgE-aZ5epEfJhkHFCHzTsG-L-zIx-njNznW_z0j9BSLZR0XwfW4So0QlNugX0siS1qkI_RuQZXQgWJrFsG1EYxds4DOPB0mPhyAnGTP8L_zhhq9DkaiOWQ/s1600/APRILposterWEB.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtolElhbE242Qy0-5EvGQ1RgE-aZ5epEfJhkHFCHzTsG-L-zIx-njNznW_z0j9BSLZR0XwfW4So0QlNugX0siS1qkI_RuQZXQgWJrFsG1EYxds4DOPB0mPhyAnGTP8L_zhhq9DkaiOWQ/s320/APRILposterWEB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529562917636398962" border="0" /></a>Films about the joys and challenges of raising zombie children are rare, but have been on the rise in recent years. Few, however, capture the struggles of the child with as much poignancy as comedy mock short “April.”<br /><br />Found wandering the woods by a young couple, April (Kallie Kerns) was immediately adopted. It was their goal to assimilate her into society by home-schooling her until they felt she was ready to attend a public high school. The other students, however, were not so ready to have a deceased classmate. There was the smell, for one thing, her difficult movements and her highly unusual diet. She struggles with all the typical issues that can make zombie kids magnets for ridicule.<br /><br />But April won’t be deterred. She is determined to do well in high school, to fit in. But when one practical joke goes too far, there are doubts about whether or not April will ever be able to live in a world so unfeeling toward the “pulse impaired.” The comedy film “April” wonderfully captures the profound sense of isolation of someone trying to fit in who is fundamentally different.<span lang="EN"> <p>What is this allure the undead have for the living? We want to love them, care for them, be scared by them. Perhaps it’s our own desire to have what they have, to never die. Perhaps we relate to them, feeling out if place in the world of the living. Whatever the reason, writer/director Mike Piccirillo understands our fascination and our need. He has a good sense of comedy as well as a deep understanding of what it is to be lonely. Kallie Kerns captures April’s range of emotion beautifully, letting the soul shine through her monstrous exterior. A deft and detail oriented performance... for a zombie.<br /></p></span>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-81460533969488257062010-10-17T19:41:00.000-07:002010-10-18T18:10:51.246-07:00The Beast of Bottomless Lake Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnTIT7DhiwNSK9wXxl69yX_Ca6qR92zNnffHMrD9JQWXj9XQhNMsJwEHYpuUA1D0vI7ClzDfwDEg08QpbZX_FpT1BRkco1p-lsDoX0XOILsaByGUIm273-kkgqpoCD3QLg0Y4s8wQcdA/s1600/Beast+Poster_flat.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 295px; height: 203px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnTIT7DhiwNSK9wXxl69yX_Ca6qR92zNnffHMrD9JQWXj9XQhNMsJwEHYpuUA1D0vI7ClzDfwDEg08QpbZX_FpT1BRkco1p-lsDoX0XOILsaByGUIm273-kkgqpoCD3QLg0Y4s8wQcdA/s320/Beast+Poster_flat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529558386606125010" border="0" /></a><br />From the first bubbly graphics to the last burst of flame, <i>The Beast of Bottomless Lake</i> is one mockumentary that’s well worth the time. <span lang="EN"><span lang="EN"><span lang="EN"> <p><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1287367932_4">Professor Paul Moran</span>’s search for the Ogopogo lake monster is pointless. His dean knows it. That’s why she’s denying him tenure just as soon as he gets back from his stupid monster hunting trip with his mish-mash of colleagues. From the British weirdo who talks to his equipment to the hippie professor who encourages species conservation with “extreme prejudice,” there’s not a normal in the bunch. </p> <p>The expedition gets off to a great start, until they try to leave the parking lot. Then things get rolling… until Dean Baxter cancels their hotel reservation and the entire team is forced to bunk down with Paul’s parents. Paul (David Nykl) starts reverting to a childlike state, which doesn’t help matters. But then things really start going well, until their first monster sighting turns out to be a log and the police confiscate their van and all their equipment. </p> <p>Basically, nothing’s going well for Paul and his team. But after a while, one has to wonder, is all this mayhem just because Paul’s an idiot? Or is something else going on? Something sinister? </p> <p>Good plots are all about tension, and co-writer/director Craig March makes sure “The Beast of Bottomless Lake” is full of it. From the tension between the characters to the endless questions, the audience wants to know what will happen next: Will Paul find the monster? What could possibly go wrong now? Will Paul’s poor dad ever get to help? Good acting, great script, and fresh <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1287367932_5">camera work</span> that keeps the story moving.</p> </span></span></span>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-23801544596120441332010-10-17T19:32:00.001-07:002010-10-17T19:41:48.235-07:00"Obama Nation" ReviewDuh, duhh, ma na bah obahh, oo baamaa…. Obama (shaking head). Sorry about that. The hot chick from music video “Obama Nation” temporarily paralyzed my vocal chords. Something on my chin? No, that’s not drool. Just give me a sec…. (napkin wipe). <span lang="EN"><span lang="EN"> <p>There! Now I’m ready to write a review of “Obama Nation,” an indie music video with a controversial message. (Maybe I just did.) How can you say anything bad about a film with a hot chick in a U.S.S.R. costume marching back and forth across the screen? I’m <i>still</i> having trouble seeing straight. It almost made me want to say, “Give Communism a chance!” </p> <p>Of course that’s not the intend of the film’s creator, writer/director John T. Williams. His satirical approach to a <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1287367932_2">propaganda film</span> left no doubt about what side of the fence he’s on… Well, maybe. The film was so extreme and ridiculous, he could perhaps be satirizing satire itself. If he is, that man is way too deep for me! </p> <p>Here’s the long and the short of it: “Obama Nation” was well done, fun and funny. A definite blow for freedom no matter what you believe, especially if you believe in the freedom of hot girls to wear whatever they want. “Down with oppression! Up with mini-skirts!” Kitten Marie Clayman, my hat (and coat and shoes) are off to you!</p> <p>This film might be ridiculous, but there’s a message: What’s truly ridiculous is being called un-American just for saying what you believe. In a beautiful and distant future, all political discourse will be <i>exactly </i>like “Obama Nation.” </p> <p><span><span><span lang="EN"><span lang="EN"><span><span><span lang="EN"><span lang="EN"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnizjhQN_ab80HYiHuFt40TX6AS4yQgHQe7dsAcWrkw88N3e2FkE3KJZcdGBONdk393I4neRp5f4zfBIFtkPi-Ne6K5i38dM5o5nUixAMBhg6YkDqVPv_s3slELNnrTuL5MVk4Vwv_Dg/s1600/Obama_Nation.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 338px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnizjhQN_ab80HYiHuFt40TX6AS4yQgHQe7dsAcWrkw88N3e2FkE3KJZcdGBONdk393I4neRp5f4zfBIFtkPi-Ne6K5i38dM5o5nUixAMBhg6YkDqVPv_s3slELNnrTuL5MVk4Vwv_Dg/s320/Obama_Nation.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529209660147280098" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p></span></span>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-7237220847687376612010-10-17T19:14:00.000-07:002010-10-17T19:35:34.342-07:00"A Track Shun" Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0srWwbfGDP-zHTuqXnwulBjfy7jvreNKZ7w1NWySNjYldtzc5HoEJggNhUYPGVTlaT2M0haSyRwd52wTUiJYqg5IyIq-FgsXB6o2rKZgrrOHKirRnvAoHr_JcsqzDosBGhsTc5T_H_w/s1600/A+Track+Shun.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0srWwbfGDP-zHTuqXnwulBjfy7jvreNKZ7w1NWySNjYldtzc5HoEJggNhUYPGVTlaT2M0haSyRwd52wTUiJYqg5IyIq-FgsXB6o2rKZgrrOHKirRnvAoHr_JcsqzDosBGhsTc5T_H_w/s320/A+Track+Shun.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529207531409236658" border="0" /></a><span lang="EN">"A Track Shun," sounds like "attrac-tion." The opening scene of this comedic short is a guy jogging on a track in the park, so one might assume the film will follow two people who fall in love on a jogging track. Well, that's almost right, as in they almost fall in love. They even almost get to know each other. This messed up jog is no walk in the park!<br /><br /><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1287367932_0">Writer/Driector Brian Maillard</span> delivers an over the top funny film that pokes fun at all the reasons we fall in love, all the myths and superstitions we believe about finding that special person, all the while ignoring reason and common sense. "A Track Shun" examines how people will set aside their better judgment to stay together, but yet let the stupidest stuff pull them apart. <span style="border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1287367932_1">As actors, Brian Maillard</span> and Brantley Aufill start silly, keep it unexpected and finish strong. This film is simple, unexpected, and really funny. A great watch.</span>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-25452920915982693442010-10-13T01:38:00.000-07:002010-10-13T04:24:10.814-07:00"Commercial Free TV" Review<p>So, you've got a script to sell. You need a pitch, something to quickly orient people to your plot, theme, and genre. Try comparing your script to known films, like this: "My movie will be like <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1286958746_5">Star Wars</span> crossed with <span style="border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1286958746_6">Weekend at Bernie's</span>," or "Think <span style="border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1286958746_7">Fight Club</span> meets <span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1286958746_8">Lord of the Rings</span>." See? Simple. </p> <p>In the comedy short, "Commercial Free TV," writer/director Barrett Windish presents four commercial parodies, all of which so closely resemble the commercials they mock, the audience can practically write Windish's pitches for him. One smacks of a Dr. Scholls Gel Insoles ad, but it's twisted and so very wrong. Another, also the product of a deviant mind, is the sort of daytime commercial one would expect to be shilling a new toy or cleaning gadget, but it... doesn't.<br /></p><p>With local access style and <span style="border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1286958746_9">SNL</span> humor, all "Commercial Free TV" commercials run the gambit from just gross to outright vulgar and offensive. All told, however, "Commercial Free TV" is funny, strongly recommended for those who enjoy <span style="border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1286958746_10">South Park</span>, <span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1286958746_11">Reno 911</span>, and any <span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1286958746_12">sketch comedy</span> that goes just a little too far. Good quality, good script, good acting. Ronald Clarkson and Barrett Windish give expert performances as the commercial announcers, and Carol Brotman has a couple of wacky appearances.<br /></p><p>Fun. But not for the <span style="font-style: italic;">whole</span> family.<br /></p>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-72403732264277830892010-10-13T01:35:00.000-07:002010-10-13T04:21:47.881-07:00"Project Life" Review<span lang="EN"><span lang="EN">"Project Life" is a short comedic mock with a simple goal, to unify the world's religions... by destroying them all at once.<br /><br />Here's a little of the doctrine from this new, one-<span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1286958746_1">true religion</span>: Life is a movie, which we've all suspected for quite some time. What we could have never guessed, however, is exactly who is behind the scenes. God is there; that's an easy one. He is, of course, the top man at Universe Studios. Jesus works there too. So does Buddha, John Smith, Satan, <span style="border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1286958746_2">L. Ron Hubbard</span>, Abraham, Kali, "Moe," and the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1286958746_3">Geico Caveman</span>. All just crew members on the movie set. They're trying to make a good movie on this sound stage of the cosmos. And they're failing.<br /><br />For those who feel confused sometimes, "Project Life" answers the big questions, like "Why are the world's religions so fractured?" "Why is God so conspicuously absent?" and "How did the world go so freaking wrong anyway?" Co-writer/Director Jason Paul answers all these questions and more in a neat <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1286958746_4">fifteen minutes</span>. Though this short is filled with hilarious religious irreverence, it is ultimately Hollywood, not religion, that gets the most char from this fun-filled roast.</span></span>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-5042529063415031842010-10-13T01:30:00.000-07:002010-10-13T04:28:58.003-07:00"The Fast Foodie" Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSrLOPrCpl0xban2xWSknBcJocFNEf2kyYSyufOUvo7FO8P4Tdg3XJ7T5LLUPY3Kw8KpDhqkcZbHQG-NWZUkN3vufYguEwSAJTs_V2nibVC_ohmhSa_zY4b6E34r-NubkBQ587Nc9jw/s1600/FF+Poster+FINAL.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSrLOPrCpl0xban2xWSknBcJocFNEf2kyYSyufOUvo7FO8P4Tdg3XJ7T5LLUPY3Kw8KpDhqkcZbHQG-NWZUkN3vufYguEwSAJTs_V2nibVC_ohmhSa_zY4b6E34r-NubkBQ587Nc9jw/s320/FF+Poster+FINAL.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527446205743919042" border="0" /></a><span lang="EN"><span lang="EN"><span lang="EN">"The Fast Foodie," a dramatic mockumentary short, opens like a true crime news report, but the whole time Jerry Duppa (Hannes Phinney), a fast food blogger, talks about drive thru chow with the attention to detail of a Michelin chef.<br /><br />Though at first his love of fast food and dedication to his blog are apparent (almost admirable in a to-each-his-own kind of way), a sense of loneliness wafts into the film like a toxic mist. But the loneliness of one man in his car going from drive thru to drive thru is nothing to the lurking danger when the audience finds out that Jerry has health problems. His doctor-ordered switch to diet soda and no fries doesn't stick for long. As Jerry says, "I gotta be me."<br /><br />It is at once heroic and pathetic how, for better or worse, Jerry embraces his chosen diet. He is a trash food connoisseur, a true believer. This hands-off examination of the modern diet and medical consequences lets the lifestyle speak for itself. Far from riveting, there are no dramatic consequences, just creeping bad health and the deteriorating life quality of living in and out of drive thrus, one's only interaction a brief exchange of money for food.<br /><br />Co-writer/director Mathew Bardocz paints an unnervingly accurate picture of a culture of isolation and instant gratification, a grim culture in which egocentric motivation and too-little-too-late action could slowly kill us all. Worst of all, watching this film exposes audiences to the very real danger that upon leaving they will crave zucchini fries.</span></span></span>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-61054423470694231122010-10-12T00:43:00.000-07:002010-10-12T00:53:31.859-07:00"Hands Solo" Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtENw8fnAoX7YPYNjZgVqZKZozRUss4_g__NCarOx5C5w43pGGlIM-T3AFxT9BABh0ziu0XBWaM2kl0T-ZoIeXtU4tTMwHgM1K5LpxsSVUUWveFxnRWcdCdcuCq3J1g3clZNKu8gK1YA/s1600/hans.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 209px; height: 312px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtENw8fnAoX7YPYNjZgVqZKZozRUss4_g__NCarOx5C5w43pGGlIM-T3AFxT9BABh0ziu0XBWaM2kl0T-ZoIeXtU4tTMwHgM1K5LpxsSVUUWveFxnRWcdCdcuCq3J1g3clZNKu8gK1YA/s320/hans.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527063751351775794" border="0" /></a>Ever hear that old saying, 'you lose one sense and the others grow stronger?' Well, apparently that’s what happened to porn star, Hands Solo (<span lang="EN">Matt Kirby)</span>. Born deaf, he spent his whole life communicating through the use of sign language. What he lost in hearing however, he made up in wicked cool finger dexterity. His ability to bring orgasms at the rate of thousands per minute has made him a big star in porn.<br /><br />There is one thing those incredible fingers can’t do, however, and that’s bring back the love of his life. With great power comes great orgasmablility, and when Hands loses control of himself on set it has tragic consequences. In the wake of the accident, Hands is left wondering who he can trust.<span lang="EN"> <p>This UK short from director William Mager has all the ingredients for a successful mock, good overall quality, a fun cast, ridiculous script. Some sweet graphics and scientific mumbo jumbo round out the documentary feel every mock strives for. <span style="border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1286868472_0">Nicola Stapleton</span> was particularly fun to watch in her vivacious portrayal of a good-natured porn star. Perhaps the only piece of real criticism for this film is in the writing. With all the other pieces in place, the jokes could have hit harder and from more unusual directions. The set up was very deliberate, and more of a spontaneous feel would have better kept the audience on its toes. At the end of the day, “Hands Solo” is a textbook mock short that never lets its guard down. It stays strong right to the end. </p></span>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-77978133719008847772010-10-12T00:37:00.000-07:002010-10-12T00:43:32.309-07:00"Special Needs" Review<span lang="EN"> <p>Some people aren’t like you and me. Some people have “Special Needs.” But being different is hard, so people often try to cover up ways they’re ‘different’ from others. Maybe you have a secret you don’t want to share. Maybe someone you know has “Special Needs” - your friend, your cousin, your mother or father, even your husband or wife! The shock could be terrible. </p> <p>That’s exactly what happens to one couple in comedic short, “Special Needs” when an innocent night watching movies at home gets personal. They discover things they never knew about each other, about their ‘needs,’ and they have to cope with realizing that perhaps they didn’t know each other as well as they thought they did. </p> <p>The results are freaking hilarious. Co-writers Emily Wilson and Brad Morris, who also portray the married couple in the film, navigate the twists and turns of their screwed up script beautifully, delivering laugh out loud moments that at the same time make you feel ashamed of yourself. Props also to director Scott Smith for bringing it all together. </p> <p>So, what would happen if you discovered someone you loved had “Special Needs?” The shock <span style="font-style: italic;">could</span> be terrible. Or maybe you’ll find out you’re not as alone as you think you are… </p> <p>…on second thought, maybe it’ll just be creepy.</p></span>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-12215248263289693472010-10-12T00:29:00.001-07:002010-10-12T00:36:46.142-07:00Edimmu Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkjPgWj9K3U-F7VxFBAUlwkx3MsbFSZhAYyaYRzZZAIwAbQ55-Cxxg944ZZnVmIgqv5cSo3gKiZT5IS3Mjh_6TbND3AmLVAZfS6iPqGAoWi8f_JMKIUqMUxpFxcCyEGrxn20zyZ-_Dhw/s1600/edimu.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkjPgWj9K3U-F7VxFBAUlwkx3MsbFSZhAYyaYRzZZAIwAbQ55-Cxxg944ZZnVmIgqv5cSo3gKiZT5IS3Mjh_6TbND3AmLVAZfS6iPqGAoWi8f_JMKIUqMUxpFxcCyEGrxn20zyZ-_Dhw/s320/edimu.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527058901485111074" border="0" /></a><span lang="EN"><span lang="EN">Eva (Eva Schran) is hosting a travel documentary about Jordan, a country of relative calm and safety in the very center of the war-torn <span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1286868472_1">Middle East</span>. She swims, dances, and gets pampered at spas that rival those in the we</span></span><span lang="EN"><span lang="EN">st, exploring castles and caves, walking through thousands of years of history. The minute the cameras shut off, however, Eva is haunted.<br /><br />The perky, carefree travel host unravels and very soon whether the camera is on or off makes no difference anymore. </span></span><span lang="EN"><span lang="EN">Is Jordan's dark history catching up to her, thousands of souls of the violently dead passing on their torment? Or is there just something very wrong with Eva?</span></span><br /><br /><span lang="EN"><span lang="EN"><span style="font-style: italic;">Edimmu</span> is a deadly serious foray into a world no foreigner can or should truely understand, one of hateful desert spirits. The imagery of the dirt, mud and sand, of Eva always looking under her bed, conjure images of something buried, dead or lost, that refuses to stay gone. Schizophrenic and disturbing, <span style="font-style: italic;">Edimmu</span> is a br</span></span><span lang="EN"><span lang="EN">illiantly acted and superbly real masterpiece of foreign suspense/horror.</span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8swD1Os39gdvejR2B28xe6jNMGfs8MuvaHnElNEprqufzuIf6ybUXW71J_QRZfUxH9f16x-7MKgplyMq466IQNwGtLY4sPGxVKf53JBUH6OJpEEaIMdvmONrjymsAp4Fj6r9Jqn84dg/s1600/Eddim.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8swD1Os39gdvejR2B28xe6jNMGfs8MuvaHnElNEprqufzuIf6ybUXW71J_QRZfUxH9f16x-7MKgplyMq466IQNwGtLY4sPGxVKf53JBUH6OJpEEaIMdvmONrjymsAp4Fj6r9Jqn84dg/s320/Eddim.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527059059185596418" border="0" /></a>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-8320481087987778682010-10-10T21:35:00.000-07:002010-10-10T21:53:15.262-07:00Silverlake Video the movie Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrygY-rahzQjJ-6EpjPjU0x1wBLwIHjZI7dpQssUBbJOOfib1B-dA7mVMqXqNUrpVH_PrNkWR-BKfQLLw_IQshP7DEXzRHF8_f_nYZEntt9TdVAY9dtvYLw92jeLlJeP2vdBzF9yuJ9g/s1600/Silver759585.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 223px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrygY-rahzQjJ-6EpjPjU0x1wBLwIHjZI7dpQssUBbJOOfib1B-dA7mVMqXqNUrpVH_PrNkWR-BKfQLLw_IQshP7DEXzRHF8_f_nYZEntt9TdVAY9dtvYLw92jeLlJeP2vdBzF9yuJ9g/s320/Silver759585.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526646198242259906" border="0" /></a>Ben is one sentimental shmuck with a rapidly mounting list of problems. He’s the owner of a small video store, and today is his last day in business. At midnight tonight, Ben will be evicted. He works in a colorful neighborhood populated by wacky idiots and troublemakers who make Ben’s life impossible, but he loves each and every one of them. Though he knows he’s a dinosaur in a dying industry, he can’t imagine life without his customers. Overzealous cops, wannabe actors, and basket cases a plenty are all brushstrokes on the vast canvas of Silverlake Video. <p>This wild, entertaining comedy feature delivers rapid fire jokes with finely tuned comedic timing. Ben (Sean King) is a lovable lead, emotionally available and terribly unlucky. His endless patience for the people around him, even in his own desperate circumstances, really makes him the kind of guy you want to see get a good break. He’s pretty much this film’s only straight man. Writer/director Matteo Ribaudo seems to have a knack for capturing every actor at his most ridiculous. </p> <p>With a clever balance of the raunchy and schmaltzy, “Silverlake Video the movie” is like a whore with a heart of gold. She might not be pretty, or clean, but in the end you know you’ll end up rooting for her. And there’s a moral to this story! Did not see that one coming… </p>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-72405843938695362802010-10-10T21:25:00.000-07:002010-10-10T21:34:50.670-07:00“Waiting for Goldblum” Review<p>When actor <span style="border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1286771033_0">Jeff Goldblum</span> is late to teach a senior workshop at the acting academy he co-founded, the local media picks up the story, reporting it as an altercation with a potential hostage/murder situation. On the streets outside the acting academy, the press interviews academy students and passers-by about what has happened to Jeff Goldblum. The press plants and insinuates more than it is actually able to confirm, and in the end manages to whip the growing crowd into a sobbing frenzy. </p> <p>Inside the academy, a tragic accident involving one of the acting students causes his scene partner to crack under the intense strain of interpreting an entirely new scenario: reality. ’Working with’ such potent material quickly drives the young actor into a crazed euphoria, which only fuels the confusion, both inside and outside the academy. Wild rumors build on top of wilder accusations until the fury outside matches the madness within.</p> <p>“Waiting for Goldblum,” comedy short from writer/director <span style="border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1286771033_1">Holly Gagnier</span>, shows two groups of people, both claiming to want the truth. However, as one group is getting more and more wrapped up in sensationalized accounts and fantasy, the other is trying desperately to break the spell of make believe and bring their ordeal back down to Earth. Some funny lines and a cast of petty, self absorbed characters makes “Waiting for Goldblum” a disturbing and thought provoking watch for anyone, God help them, who’s ever spent time around actors.</p>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-19123415366083718622010-10-09T02:48:00.000-07:002010-10-09T03:02:13.097-07:00“Jackpot: The Price of Wealth” Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1x1A3AnFSnd8rVhlFIiEJf40zOhZ8puSBzM5M9kj2vTWhIZZHbg9QTQ_LzbONUG6tvCQQrPwn3L7dbJI1sItcvsDqcN5AaR7fdspdJblm9DgIXCvBWUunKtzOlnEmsLjBcXYQxlSuUg/s1600/1499605.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 345px; height: 217px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1x1A3AnFSnd8rVhlFIiEJf40zOhZ8puSBzM5M9kj2vTWhIZZHbg9QTQ_LzbONUG6tvCQQrPwn3L7dbJI1sItcvsDqcN5AaR7fdspdJblm9DgIXCvBWUunKtzOlnEmsLjBcXYQxlSuUg/s320/1499605.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525983309587848146" border="0" /></a><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1286616672_0">Winning the lottery</span> can have a huge effect on a young man, but what will that be? The crew of TV’s “Jackpot” wants to know. So they’re following around Jeff (Dillon Oleata), recent multimillion-dollar winner, and his three best friends as they live their lives post-lottery. At first Willy (Edward Walton), Quinten (Alex Liddy), and Angelo (Kylen Deporter) see the upside to their friend’s good fortune. He can pay when they all go out, make up for his mistakes, and reward them for doing what he wants. Things sour when Jeff and the others learn that money can’t buy everything.<span lang="EN"> <p>This comedy short delivers in one big way. It’s actually funny. From director Dillon Oleata, “Jackpot: The Price of Wealth” never takes itself too seriously. These low-budget filmmakers work within their limitations and as a result the film does too. The actors were fresh. The boys’ naiveté in the face their friend’s increasingly sadistic demands is reminiscent at times of “Jackass,” making one wonder if the film’s title might not be an allusion.</p> <p>Over all this short was cute and well done. There was one scene, however, that did more harm to the film than good, the computer-breaking scene. Here’s why: Since this scene supposedly took place after Jeff won the lottery, seeing him walk into an common, everyday house broke the illusion, an illusion that took several minutes of screen time to recover. In an eleven-minute film, and so close to the beginning, this was one stumble the film can’t afford to make. </p> <p>Instead perhaps prepare the audience. Since the presence of the camera crew is acknowledged in the film, Jeff could preface the scene for the audience. As he’s walking up his friend’s lawn, he could say something like, “This is my friend __’s house. He’s not rich, so it’s kind of shitty, but we’re meeting the guys here.” He could then pause at the door to put on his stupid had, really draw attention to his 80’s chic ensemble. <span><span lang="EN"><span><span lang="EN"><span><span lang="EN"><span><span lang="EN"><span><span lang="EN"><span><span lang="EN"><span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbwDduUsQmGRX8F-cl3loaSgQzU91ebKCzLbleKI9yCfemHXwlLL2ZEsruJ25tLG4Sp1ybNZgOfyyRW8cv3Xgsn-D4xjmZF_VbED4R2bmhL6DwQXt8vodOxrCbEqNfV9wxebabST3iw/s1600/1499585.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 207px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbwDduUsQmGRX8F-cl3loaSgQzU91ebKCzLbleKI9yCfemHXwlLL2ZEsruJ25tLG4Sp1ybNZgOfyyRW8cv3Xgsn-D4xjmZF_VbED4R2bmhL6DwQXt8vodOxrCbEqNfV9wxebabST3iw/s320/1499585.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525983028644059042" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>The bottom line is that this film is much better done, over all, than the start of the computer-breaking scene lets on. Having a second for Jeff to set audience expectations about the setting and work his charm on the audience could fix all that, raising the overall film quality by a solid half star.</p></span>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2000534662687417016.post-9729287236773561362010-10-09T02:21:00.000-07:002010-10-09T02:48:41.588-07:00"Billy Baxter and The Mystery of Dr. Amazo" Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vyiXwwKGRaINR4wSdDTtqY7IGK8c-mRmOKmOfxMd0mri-S7CCt0eAJKTS3IlBbLZsCHBUJWoZuMTcY6epFuNSjXxQ4dR3SmCtYaWaWWhEWyuiKmBBIhDWBJJQBn3D5YDJiXUKLJJMQ/s1600/Billy-Baxter-2010-cover.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 161px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vyiXwwKGRaINR4wSdDTtqY7IGK8c-mRmOKmOfxMd0mri-S7CCt0eAJKTS3IlBbLZsCHBUJWoZuMTcY6epFuNSjXxQ4dR3SmCtYaWaWWhEWyuiKmBBIhDWBJJQBn3D5YDJiXUKLJJMQ/s320/Billy-Baxter-2010-cover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525977968339421970" border="0" /></a>The term MTV generation has come to imply quick cuts and flashy shots meant to appeal to today’s attention-bereft media consumers, people typically seen as over-connected adrenaline junkies. They crave thrill after thrill, so we’re told, in order to sustain their spongy minds, which due to modern living now more closely resemble <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1286616672_2">black holes</span> than gray matter. A lot goes in and nothing comes out, or so the people who make our movies seem to believe of us. <div><span lang="EN"> <p>But that is simply not the case, as writer/director Patrick Flaherty proves. No matter the generation people are people, and there is always a place in our hearts for a really good story, as in the film “Billy Baxter and The Mystery of Dr. Amazo.”</p> <p>Set in the times before honesty in advertising was under governmental regulation, back when a quarter and stamp could get you x-ray glasses, this film asks a simple question: What if the glasses worked? What if every wild promise in the comic book ads was true? Welcome to the world of Billy Baxter! </p> <p>Few films now a days really spend time developing setting, acquainting the audience with the film’s unique world, but that is not so in the world of Dr. Amazo. Set around the 1950’s, a time when science seemed able to dissolve any boundary, we meet an intrepid young boy with a garage full of send away science toys. All by himself in his garage one rainy night, we get to know Billy Baxter (Jackie Olson), and watch as he discovers all the wonders of Dr. Amazo’s products for kids. Tension builds simply in this piece as one invention at a time, the audience beings to get the sneaking feeling that with so much power in the hands of one little boy, something is bound to go terribly wrong.<span><span lang="EN"><span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz055TUZz0-tLt0QQTlWeULw7vApu1KjgrDFLx9hO_ioREwNKuct7KwQ8p9mGpBCVfMY5dcLxTXVuEkd7Ms0bgtbrxPi6leMdlqpfJaPuCsngZuAKi-RxsBmcf5S-JoKsfQe-JUsL3JA/s1600/billy-baxter-2010-photo_thumb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 368px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz055TUZz0-tLt0QQTlWeULw7vApu1KjgrDFLx9hO_ioREwNKuct7KwQ8p9mGpBCVfMY5dcLxTXVuEkd7Ms0bgtbrxPi6leMdlqpfJaPuCsngZuAKi-RxsBmcf5S-JoKsfQe-JUsL3JA/s320/billy-baxter-2010-photo_thumb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525978065584335650" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></p></span></div>Alesha Noicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900182927596762169noreply@blogger.com0