2006 South by Southwest Film Festival recap
03-11-06, 12:39 AM
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2006 South by Southwest Film Festival recap
I'll update this first post daily.
Friday, March 10:
I only made it out to one movie today. I tried to get to two of them but simply couldn't. I had a job interview that ran a bit longer than I expected, then I had a handful of errands to run in town. I ended up leaving San Marcos for Austin at around 6:15 or so. I was making great time (thanks to a chap in a truck doing 100 or so about a half a mile ahead of me, thus allowing me to do the same speed with minimal fear of a ticket). Then I hit traffic, or should I say that traffic hit me...hard.
I got to Waterloo Video at around 7:00 to purchase my film pass. I immediately left there and went to the downtown Alamo Drafthouse for the screening that I wanted to attend. By the time I got there it was 7:15 or so, and the theater was already filled, so I missed out on Thank You for Smoking. It was the only screening of the film at the SXSW festival this year, so I'm a bit disappointed that I won't get another chance during the week to see it, but that's the way things go. It opens in Austin on March 17 anyway, so I may check it out later.
I had two hours to kill before the next screening, so I went to IHOP and ate some dinner. I also discussed movies with two guys for the length of my stay, so it was actually a pretty enjoyable way to spend my down time.
After eating and paying my bill, I headed out to the Paramount for the last screening of opening night. Since the Paramount is gigantic, I had no trouble securing a seat (even though it was an uncomfortable one in the balcony). Matt Dentler, producer of the SXSW festival came out at around the 9:15 starting time to introduce John C. Reilly and some crew members, who in turn spoke a few words then proceeded to introduce the film that we were going to see, the North American premiere of Robert Altman's A Prairie Home Companion. It's only screened one other time; back in February at the Berlin Film Festival.
The film was a wonderful work reminiscent of Altman's earlier films. The ensemble cast was absolutely amazing, especially Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin. Lily was in Austin a few weeks ago doing an autograph signing, but I missed her because I overslept...and I couldn't be more aggravated with myself. But, I digress. If you enjoyed Streep and Tomlin's presentation at last week's Academy Awards, you'll absolutely adore the way they play off of each other in this film. And don't lose faith in me for saying this, but Lindsay Lohan, for the first time in her career, seemed to belong up there on the screen. Woody Harrelson and John C. Reilly played off of one another about as well as Streep and Tomlin, and Virginia Madsen and Kevin Kline had this mysterious and appealing chemistry throughout. Great performances from a great cast.
The screenplay of the movie held within itself a certain mystique, and Altman's work give the movie a lovable authenticity. To paraphrase a line from the film, as I watched these characters on-screen, I felt as if I actually knew them. The blend of drama and steady-handed comedic pacing was spot on. All told, the film was an absolute delight. I've seen exactly one movie at this year's South by Southwest Film Festival, and truth be told, I think it's going to be hard to top.
Saturday, March 11:
Overslept a bit, but I finally got up and headed out to Austin for day two of the SXSW festival. My first stop was at the Paramount, and luckily the screening was scheduled for 1:30 so I didn't have to pay for parking in the nearby garage. I headed in and took a seat just in time for the start of the film, Live Free or Die. This was followed by a Q&A with stars Aaron Stanford, Paul Schneider, and Judah Friedlander, along with co-writers and directors Gregg Kavet and Andy Robin.
The movie was obviously low-budget (in the Q&A, somebody asked if the budget was less than $200,000, and Kavet laughed and gave an emphatic "yes"). The film once again pairs Paul Schneider and Zooey Deschanel, the stars of "All the Real Girls." As such, the following comparison will seem drawn from that, but trust me when I say that any cast could've been in place and I would've come to the same conclusion. "Live Free or Die" reminded me of the movie that you'd get if you asked David Gordon Green to create a film that's cut from the same cloth as "Bottle Rocket."
The movie has a certain dry wit about it, and the audience just couldn't get enough of it. There was laughter throughout the screening, and after the show I overheard more than one person label the film, "the funniest movie I've seen in a long time." One of the guys was about my age, a fellow that I've seen at many screenings around town in the past year. Conversely, the same opinion was expressed by a woman in her late 50s to early 60s while talking to her husband, who echoed the sentiments. "Wide appeal" is the phrase that comes to mind.
The entire cast is great, but Paul Schneider steals the show with a character that's best described as a toned-down Napoleon Dynamite type (which wasn't intentional; they'd done table reads and developed their characters nearly two years prior to Napoleon's release). Anyway, I highly recommend checking this one out whenever you get a chance.
I had some time off between movies so I went and did some shopping. At around 5:30 I got to the Alamo Drafthouse and got in line for the next screening of the afternoon. The line was already long, and I ended up missing the cut to get in. It was a film that I really wanted to see, though, and it was only screening once at SXSW...so I waited for the crowd to clear out and ducked in past the volunteer workers to take a seat on the steps. Just as I was getting settled in, Wim Wenders came up to introduce his latest film, Don't Come Knocking. After the screening he was joined by Sam Shepard for a Q&A.
The film was typical Wenders, slow-moving but steadily building a wonderful story with character arcs as deep as the ocean. Shepard approaches and plays his role in a way that'll make you swear that you're watching a biopic. Sarah Polley's character is thoroughly mysterious, and equally familiar. I know that doesn't make sense on paper, but it's the best way I could think to express the great job done by all involved in the film (from Shepard's screenwriting, to Wenders' direction, to the superb cast itself). I enjoyed this film through and through.
The last movie of the night immediately followed, and was held at the Austin Convention Center. For starters, that place is the size of a basketball arena...and I'd never stepped foot in the building before tonight. So, it's no surprise that I wandered around the complex for at least ten minutes before coming across a janitor and asking him where I should be. He told me that I was about as far away from the screening as I could possibly be, then directed me to Exhibition Hall 5, which was literally two city blocks away from where I was standing.
Once I finally found my destination, I found a crowd that was far too large for my liking. Sure enough, I was right. As I stood at around 70th in the passes line, I watched as the badges filled 475 of the 500 seats. I went upstairs and watched as the lucky few early birds with passes were allowed in, and the rest of the crowd was sent away. About two minutes after that, I went down and walked up to the door. Three staff members told me that I was too late, that the theater was already filled to capacity. I told them that I'd gotten in with my pass earlier but had to leave to take a phone call. They told me to go on in and I did so, taking a seat on the back of the stairs with four other people who managed to get in after all of the seats were filled. We all kicked back and watched Danny Roane: First Time Director.
The first three films of the festival were not only good, they were great. This was the first movie of SXSW that not only wasn't great, but was just horrible. There were three or four laugh out loud moments, a handful of chuckles, and everything else was just painful. The movie is cut from the same cloth as "Pauly Shore is Dead," in that it's a mockumentary directed by a D-list celebrity, and said celebrity is in the lead role making fun of himself. The main difference is that Shore played himself, whereas Andy Dick played a fictional character. Kinda.
Allow me to explain. After the screening, there was a Q&A with Andy Dick, Anthony Rapp, Mo Collins, Tyler Sedustine, and three others. Before I discuss the Q&A, allow me to backtrack. In the film, there's a scene where Roane's film premieres at a film festival. After the premiere, there's a Q&A, and Roane is piss drunk and unintelligible throughout. Similarly, Andy Dick was so trashed during the Q&A that I can't even begin to explain the scene that played out. Seriously, it was the most awkward, odd...I'm left speechless. I just wish I had it on tape. I can't even quote him here because his ramblings about being eaten out, the microphone, the movie Jarhead, and how badly he wants to fuck Mo Collins, were so unintelligible that often, they quite literally made no sense. When he got the impression that people weren't comprehending the ramblings coming from his lips, he would just squawk or jump around.
Anyway, given that, perhaps you'll understand my hesitation to label Danny Roane a fictional character. My suggestion is that if this film gets any sort of a release at all, you do everything in your power to avoid it. Please, please take me for my word on this. It was painful. On the other hand, if you ever get to see Andy Dick do a Q&A, you should definitely jump at the opportunity. I'm not sure if his publicist will ever let him do another one after tonight (I swear to you it was that bad...at one point, five of the six cast and crew members joining him for the Q&A had their hands over their faces in embarrassment), but if he does, you should give it a go.
Sunday, March 12:
I really need to start leaving sooner if I want to get into these screenings. I was late leaving San Marcos and then I hit unexpected Sunday afternoon traffic thanks to a wreck on the freeway, so I didn't get to Austin until 20 minutes after the scheduled starting time for the movie I'd intended to see, Friends with Money starring Jennifer Aniston, Francis McDormand, and Catherine Keener. The movie has a noteworthy cast and it's making only one appearance at the festival, so I have absolutely no idea why they decided to hold the screening at the 200-seat Arbor instead of the 1,200-seat Paramount. They did the same thing with "Don't Come Knocking," showing the film on a 180-seat screen at the Alamo. Damn it all to hell.
Since I was so late anyway, I didn't mind not being able to get a seat. In fact, it turned out to be the best thing that could've happened, because after making the 30-mile drive to Austin I didn't want to go back home without seeing a movie...so I headed over to the Alamo Drafthouse to see a movie that wasn't previously on my schedule. It was a documentary by Doug Block titled 51 Birch Street, and it absolutely blew me away. I'm not going to discuss the film's themes or "plot" here, simply because I think this is a movie best left to reveal those things itself. However, I will say that this look at director Doug Block's parents does as good a job at drawing captivating characters out of the subjects as another one of my favorite documentaries, Hoop Dreams. The themes and subjects of the two films are entirely different, but on a fundamental documentary vs. documentary level, they're quite similar. I don't know if this one will ever get a wide release, but if it does you should be sure to check it out.
Monday, March 13:
I actually didn't miss out on any of my must-see movies for the day. Hooray. I got to the Paramount at about 3:40 for the 3:45 screening of 95 Miles to Go. It's a documentary about Ray Romano and his longtime friend (and writer on Everybody Loves Raymond), Tom Caltabiano, going on a road trip across America for Ray's stand-up comedy tour. It sounds a bit like Jerry Seinfeld's "Comedian," but they're entirely different. While Seinfeld's documentary went out with the purpose of showing the creation of a new routine (and developed a subplot of an established comedian taking a young gun under his wing), this film set out with the sole intention of making people laugh...and boy does it deliver. It's a fascinating look into the personality of a famous sitcom star, and it's the funniest movie I've seen since "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang." Romano, Caltabiano and Brad Garrett did an equally hysterical Q&A after the screening.
Immediately after that I hopped in line for the next movie showing at the Paramount. It was a film by first-time filmmaker Billy Kent titled The Oh in Ohio. It has a wonderful cast considering the fact that it's an independently produced feature coming from a director with no prior work. In the cast: Parker Posey, Paul Rudd, Danny Devito, Mischa Barton, Liza Minnelli, and Heather Graham (who, for some reason, isn't listed on the IMDB page for the film). The screenplay is all about sex, and that might push a few buttons. The risque subject matter will definitely be the focus of most reviewers' write-ups, and I wouldn't be surprised to see their conservative/liberal nature skew their opinion of the film.
The movie itself was a bit mediocre. Perhaps it's because I've seen so many great movies in the first four days of the festival that it just couldn't live up to it's counterparts, but I just didn't think it was that great. Don't get me wrong, it delivered many many hearty laughs (Paul Rudd was amazing), but I think it's comedic pacing was a bit off. It's an interesting screenplay, and I'm surprised a first-time director was able to get it green...lighted(?), not to mention the cast he came up with. I'd recommend it to a specific audience (see: not my grandmother), but I'd tell them to go in with lowered expectations and prepare to have them surpassed, which they will be, instead of the opposite. The screening was followed by a Q&A with writer/director Billy Kent and some of the cast members (none of the noteworthy actors mentioned above).
The last film of the night was a spectacular biopic about the Scottsboro Boys titled Heavens Fall. It's a courtroom drama slash period piece, set in the 1930s. The movie is based on the true story of nine black boys from Alabama who were wrongfully convicted of rape and sentenced to death. It features a wonderful cast including Timothy Hutton, David Strathairn, Leelee Sobieski, Bill Smitrovich, and Bill Sage. It's a very detailed and complex story to be cut down under two hours, but second-time writer/director Terry Green does a fantastic job. Not to mention, it doesn't fall into the trap that so many movies dealing with race relations do: stereotyping the characters and taking the easy way out by making obvious villain/victim charicatures out of the characters. The movie was beautifully done, and I highly recommend it.
Following the screening was a Q&A with (deep breath): Terry Green, Bill Smitrovich, Bill Sage, B.J. Britt, Ian Nelson, Azura Skye, and three or four others. Oddly enough, just as Green was apologizing for Timothy Hutton, saying that he wanted to be there but was currently shooting two movies in Vancouver, his phone rang. Sure enough, it was Mr. Hutton checking to see how the screening went. With Green putting the phone up to the microphone, Hutton actually fielded three or four questions from audience members.
After that, I made my way over to the Alamo Drafthouse to try to catch a screening of a movie that I saw back in December, "District 13." Unfortunately it was sold out by the time I got there, so I just headed home. I'll try to catch it on the 17th. It's one of those movies that's amazing to watch with a packed house full of first-time viewers during a film festival. Anybody who has seen "Ong-bak" will appreciate my saying that the action sequences in District 13 are just as breathtaking as those in Ong-bak. Anyway, I'll talk more about this one when I actually see it again later in the week. Now it's off to bed before another full day tomorrow.
Tuesday, March 14:
It was a short, two-film day today. The first movie of the evening was at the Paramount at 6:45. The film doesn't have an IMDB page for some reason, but it's a documentary called East of Havana. It was a wonderfully done movie that tells the story of an underground rap movement going on in Cuba. While the movie focuses on a group and their music, it does so while making statements about family, loss, politics, and poverty. It's an unflinching film with great characterization and some of the most impressive cinematography I've ever seen in a documentary. The screening was followed by a Q&A with directors Jauretsi Saizabitoria and Emilia Menocal, as well as Saizabitoria's brother and Charlize Theron, both of whom were producers on the film.
After that I headed outside and hopped in line for the next film of the night, and one of my most anticipated screenings of the festival, The King. Gael Garcia Bernal is one of my very favorite actors, and he's one of only two performers (Edward Norton being the other) who can draw me to a film based solely on their involvement. I definitely wasn't disappointed with this one. The movie is twisted, and the screenplay looks a lot like something you'd expect from Todd Solondz. That's as far into the plot as I'll go, but suffice it to say that there are some seriously uncomfortable situations in this one. The movie is beautifully shot and scored, and often the filmmakers chose to let silence say far more than any words possibly could. The performances were uniformly superb. I honestly don't want to say too much about this one, aside from the following two words: highly recommended.
Wednesday, March 15:
Just two movies today. I had four planned but I decided to call it an early night since I have a 10:00 appointment tomorrow morning about a job I'd applied for. I'm skipping V for Vendetta since I already saw it back in December (and the line was already ridiculously long when I got out of the second screening). The one I'm sorry to miss, though, is the midnight screening of a movie called Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. Here are the few paragraphs from AICN that got me interested in seeing the movie:
..from there, a documentary crew follows an upstart serial killer as he tries to add his name to the list of Jasons and Freddys, and picks apart the horror genre in the process. It sounds really original, and I'd absolutely love to see it. It's screening again at midnight on Saturday, the last day of SXSW, so I intend to make it my last movie of the festival. But, enough about what I didn't see, and on to what I did see...
As I drove to the Paramount, I noticed a line of people that stretched for a city block, turned the corner and stretched for another half a block. These were the badge people, who have priority over the pass people. I'm in the latter of the two categories. I still parked and got in line, only to see the 1300-seat Paramount fill to capacity. Around 200 people with badges were turned away, as were 150 or so pass people who were ahead of me in line.
Anybody who has encountered me on the forums knows that I'm stubborn as a mule. So, I walked around the side of the building, down an alley, and up to the row of exit doors to the theater. Naturally, none of them have handles on the outside. Fortunately, one door on the far, adjacent wall was ajar. I opened it only to see that it led into a back room that was currently vacant. I stepped into the room, through some curtains, and I was in the lobby. I quickly went and took my seat at around the time that festival producer Matt Dentler came up to congratulate the people that got in (a part of me thought he was speaking directly to me), and tell us that we were about to become the first audience to ever see Richard Linklater's A Scanner Darkly.
I absolutely adored the movie. I'm a big fan of Linklater's work, and this film is a return to form after his Bad News Bears payday. The film is really faithful to the novel, so needless to say, the story is a great one. The dialogue is wonderful and the rotoscoping is absolutely amazing (wait until you see extended sequences with the suits work by the undercover officers). It really helps drive home the surreal, spaced-out and paranoid tone of the movie. After seeing the movie in it's entirety, I couldn't imagine watching it as a live action piece. The acting itself is about what you've come to expect from Downey Jr. and Keanu Reeves. I'm really not sure what else to say other than thumbs way up. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
So, after that screening I headed out and hopped in line for the next (and final) movie of the night, Awesome; I Fuckin' Shot That!. The screening was followed by a Q&A with The Beastie Boys. During a 2004 concert held at Madison Square Garden, the band handed out 50 cameras to audience members. This film is the footage from all of those cameras (plus some additional ones, I believe the total came to 61) spliced into one movie. In the end, this is just a glorified concert video. That's not an insult to the film, it's just a fitting description. While there are some nifty editing tricks used and a few glimpses of something more than the performance (backstage bits, a restroom break, and some celebrity cameos), the majority of the film boils down to this: watching their kickass concert from numerous different angles on grainy super-8 stock. This certainly wouldn't qualify as a "documentary" in the classical description of the word. Check it out if you're a fan of the band and want to see one of the best concert videos ever produced, but don't bother with it if you're hoping for a "documentary."
Thursday, March 16:
Took the day off.
Friday, March 17:
Relatively full day of movies for me today. I saw four films, the first of which was a documentary titled Tales of the Rat Fink. I had seriously mixed feelings on this one. The subject matter (the life story of Ed "Big Daddy" Roth) was wonderful. The man did so many things with automobiles that'd never been done before. He invented the fiberglass body, took hot rods and custom cars to an art form, and came up with numerous other ideas (he pretty much "invented" the notion of making t-shirts with designs on them, whereas they'd previously been plain white and viewed as underwear of sorts). Unfortunately, the execution was far from what I'd hoped for. I loved that it was told in first person through the voice of John Goodman. However, the filmmakers threw so much into one movie (cheesy animation, cars that give interviews in the first person, amateurish title screens, and so on) that it just seemed really cluttered. While I'm glad I've seen it, I didn't really enjoy watching it.
The next movie is my favorite of the festival so far, and it immediately vaulted itself into my all-time favorite movies list. It's a film out of New Zealand called In My Father's Den, and it was absolutely magnificent. It's a first feature for director Brad McGann, who also wrote the screenplay. I'm now anxiously awaiting the opportunity to see any future works out of him. It made that big of an impression on me. The pacing is deliberate and slow, but in the end every scene in the film accounts for some little piece of necessary character depth and development...and that's exactly what makes this movie so perfect. I could go on for days about the effect this movie had on me, but I highly doubt anybody is still reading this thread, so I won't bore you. I will say this much...if you're still reading, please please please see this movie whenever you get a chance. Go in with a mindset expecting a slow pace, and just let the story carry you away like it did me.
The third movie of the night was a film out of Brazil titled Lower City. Alice Braga (City of God; the girl on the cover) is in a lead role and has absolutely no reservations. The film is made up of sex scene after sex scene, and were it not for the captivating plot about the effects a girl can have on a brotherly friendship between two guys (as well as the brilliant acting and cinematography), I'd have sworn that this was a softcore pornographic movie. The story is well told, and none of the numerous sex scenes come off as gratitutious since all of them serve a very distinct purpose. Mixed feelings about this one. I wasn't blown away, but I did see some merit to the film so I'll give it a mild recommendation if you ever have the opportunity to see it.
The last movie of the night was a French film, written and produced by Luc Besson, titled District 13. The plot is extremely thin, and I'm being gracious by giving it that much credit. The acting is sufficient but not stellar. The action, though. Jesus, the action. As I said earlier when I missed a SXSW screening of this movie: the action is comparable to that in Ong-Bak. There are no wires, special effect or stunt men used for the physical stunts...though I wouldn't be surprised if you saw this movie and came back calling me a liar. Yeah, the action in this movie is that amazing. If you go in expecting some mind-blowing action and not much out of the screenplay, I promise you won't be let down. I just...god this movie kicks so much ass. Please see it if you get a chance.
Saturday, March 18:
The first movie of the day for me was American Dreamz. It's the new comedy from Paul Weitz, the director of American Pie, About a Boy, and In Good Company. Cast members include Dennis Quaid, Mandy Moore, Hugh Grant, Marcia Gay Harden, Willem Dafoe, and Chris Kline. It's basically a satire on American culture and the current presidential cabinet. Those of you who are bitching about V for Vendetta, woohoo wait until you see this one.
In the end, this film was just...bleh. Simply put, the political and cultural humor isn't at all clever or subtle. It's just sort of there. While I laughed a few times, for the most part the satire was so dumbed-down that I just didn't find it at all funny. Add to that the fact that the movie haphazardly switches gears from satire to seriousness and back again with absolutely no rhyme or reason and you're left with a jumbled mess that isn't quite sure what it wants to say or be. The performances are just as hit-or-miss, with some moments featuring spotless delivery, and some that appear to be nothing more than an actor going through the motions (and this goes for the entire cast). I wanted to like it going in, but I'm sad to say that this one will be quickly forgotten...if it even gets noticed at all.
Next on the night's schedule was a documentary called Jam. It's a great work that takes a simple topic (Roller Derby) and turns it into something deep and wonderful. This movie is about roller derby, sure. But beyond that, it's about commitment, dreams, love and loss. To watch these aging, out of shape, one-time stars going through this for mere peanuts, all in an attempt to reclaim some of their beloved sport's lost glory, was at once painful and touching. This movie ended up getting the documentary Grand Jury prize at this year's SXSW festival, and deservedly so. I only watched this to fill a time slot between movies that I actually wanted to see, and I couldn't be happer that it worked out that way. I was mesmerized throughout. I hope "Jam" manages to become this year's Murderball, Penguins, or Mad Hot Ballroom.
The last movie of the night, and of the festival, was one that I mentioned earlier. The movie is called Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. To put it simply, the movie is a blend of Man Bites Dog and Scream. Like the former, this movie features a documentary crew following a killer as he plans and executes his acts. Please note, though, that they're entirely different types of movies. While Man Bites Dog took place in a reality where Ed Gein and Charles Manson are historical figures, Behind the Mask takes place in a reality where Freddy, Jason and Leatherface are actual true life figures from the past.
If you're a fan of the horror genre, this movie is an absolute must-see. Not only does it have an original premise, but it thoroughly picks apart the genre that so many people adore. It is genuinely funny on so many different levels. While "Behind the Mask" isn't my favorite movie of the festival (I'll still give that nod to "In My Father's Den"), it's definitely one of the few movies that I'll wholeheartedly recommend to anybody and everybody. Please, please see this movie. I promise that you won't be let down.
And that's it. 19 movies in eight days. Fifteen thousand paragraphs of summary for this thread, and maybe three people that will actually bother to read it all. What a fun week. I actually feel sorry for the people who went to Vegas or Cancun for this year's Spring Break. I spent far less money, and couldn't have had a better week.
If you stuck with me through all of this, accept my sincere thank you.
-JP
Friday, March 10:
I only made it out to one movie today. I tried to get to two of them but simply couldn't. I had a job interview that ran a bit longer than I expected, then I had a handful of errands to run in town. I ended up leaving San Marcos for Austin at around 6:15 or so. I was making great time (thanks to a chap in a truck doing 100 or so about a half a mile ahead of me, thus allowing me to do the same speed with minimal fear of a ticket). Then I hit traffic, or should I say that traffic hit me...hard.
I got to Waterloo Video at around 7:00 to purchase my film pass. I immediately left there and went to the downtown Alamo Drafthouse for the screening that I wanted to attend. By the time I got there it was 7:15 or so, and the theater was already filled, so I missed out on Thank You for Smoking. It was the only screening of the film at the SXSW festival this year, so I'm a bit disappointed that I won't get another chance during the week to see it, but that's the way things go. It opens in Austin on March 17 anyway, so I may check it out later.
I had two hours to kill before the next screening, so I went to IHOP and ate some dinner. I also discussed movies with two guys for the length of my stay, so it was actually a pretty enjoyable way to spend my down time.
After eating and paying my bill, I headed out to the Paramount for the last screening of opening night. Since the Paramount is gigantic, I had no trouble securing a seat (even though it was an uncomfortable one in the balcony). Matt Dentler, producer of the SXSW festival came out at around the 9:15 starting time to introduce John C. Reilly and some crew members, who in turn spoke a few words then proceeded to introduce the film that we were going to see, the North American premiere of Robert Altman's A Prairie Home Companion. It's only screened one other time; back in February at the Berlin Film Festival.
The film was a wonderful work reminiscent of Altman's earlier films. The ensemble cast was absolutely amazing, especially Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin. Lily was in Austin a few weeks ago doing an autograph signing, but I missed her because I overslept...and I couldn't be more aggravated with myself. But, I digress. If you enjoyed Streep and Tomlin's presentation at last week's Academy Awards, you'll absolutely adore the way they play off of each other in this film. And don't lose faith in me for saying this, but Lindsay Lohan, for the first time in her career, seemed to belong up there on the screen. Woody Harrelson and John C. Reilly played off of one another about as well as Streep and Tomlin, and Virginia Madsen and Kevin Kline had this mysterious and appealing chemistry throughout. Great performances from a great cast.
The screenplay of the movie held within itself a certain mystique, and Altman's work give the movie a lovable authenticity. To paraphrase a line from the film, as I watched these characters on-screen, I felt as if I actually knew them. The blend of drama and steady-handed comedic pacing was spot on. All told, the film was an absolute delight. I've seen exactly one movie at this year's South by Southwest Film Festival, and truth be told, I think it's going to be hard to top.
Saturday, March 11:
Overslept a bit, but I finally got up and headed out to Austin for day two of the SXSW festival. My first stop was at the Paramount, and luckily the screening was scheduled for 1:30 so I didn't have to pay for parking in the nearby garage. I headed in and took a seat just in time for the start of the film, Live Free or Die. This was followed by a Q&A with stars Aaron Stanford, Paul Schneider, and Judah Friedlander, along with co-writers and directors Gregg Kavet and Andy Robin.
The movie was obviously low-budget (in the Q&A, somebody asked if the budget was less than $200,000, and Kavet laughed and gave an emphatic "yes"). The film once again pairs Paul Schneider and Zooey Deschanel, the stars of "All the Real Girls." As such, the following comparison will seem drawn from that, but trust me when I say that any cast could've been in place and I would've come to the same conclusion. "Live Free or Die" reminded me of the movie that you'd get if you asked David Gordon Green to create a film that's cut from the same cloth as "Bottle Rocket."
The movie has a certain dry wit about it, and the audience just couldn't get enough of it. There was laughter throughout the screening, and after the show I overheard more than one person label the film, "the funniest movie I've seen in a long time." One of the guys was about my age, a fellow that I've seen at many screenings around town in the past year. Conversely, the same opinion was expressed by a woman in her late 50s to early 60s while talking to her husband, who echoed the sentiments. "Wide appeal" is the phrase that comes to mind.
The entire cast is great, but Paul Schneider steals the show with a character that's best described as a toned-down Napoleon Dynamite type (which wasn't intentional; they'd done table reads and developed their characters nearly two years prior to Napoleon's release). Anyway, I highly recommend checking this one out whenever you get a chance.
I had some time off between movies so I went and did some shopping. At around 5:30 I got to the Alamo Drafthouse and got in line for the next screening of the afternoon. The line was already long, and I ended up missing the cut to get in. It was a film that I really wanted to see, though, and it was only screening once at SXSW...so I waited for the crowd to clear out and ducked in past the volunteer workers to take a seat on the steps. Just as I was getting settled in, Wim Wenders came up to introduce his latest film, Don't Come Knocking. After the screening he was joined by Sam Shepard for a Q&A.
The film was typical Wenders, slow-moving but steadily building a wonderful story with character arcs as deep as the ocean. Shepard approaches and plays his role in a way that'll make you swear that you're watching a biopic. Sarah Polley's character is thoroughly mysterious, and equally familiar. I know that doesn't make sense on paper, but it's the best way I could think to express the great job done by all involved in the film (from Shepard's screenwriting, to Wenders' direction, to the superb cast itself). I enjoyed this film through and through.
The last movie of the night immediately followed, and was held at the Austin Convention Center. For starters, that place is the size of a basketball arena...and I'd never stepped foot in the building before tonight. So, it's no surprise that I wandered around the complex for at least ten minutes before coming across a janitor and asking him where I should be. He told me that I was about as far away from the screening as I could possibly be, then directed me to Exhibition Hall 5, which was literally two city blocks away from where I was standing.
Once I finally found my destination, I found a crowd that was far too large for my liking. Sure enough, I was right. As I stood at around 70th in the passes line, I watched as the badges filled 475 of the 500 seats. I went upstairs and watched as the lucky few early birds with passes were allowed in, and the rest of the crowd was sent away. About two minutes after that, I went down and walked up to the door. Three staff members told me that I was too late, that the theater was already filled to capacity. I told them that I'd gotten in with my pass earlier but had to leave to take a phone call. They told me to go on in and I did so, taking a seat on the back of the stairs with four other people who managed to get in after all of the seats were filled. We all kicked back and watched Danny Roane: First Time Director.
The first three films of the festival were not only good, they were great. This was the first movie of SXSW that not only wasn't great, but was just horrible. There were three or four laugh out loud moments, a handful of chuckles, and everything else was just painful. The movie is cut from the same cloth as "Pauly Shore is Dead," in that it's a mockumentary directed by a D-list celebrity, and said celebrity is in the lead role making fun of himself. The main difference is that Shore played himself, whereas Andy Dick played a fictional character. Kinda.
Allow me to explain. After the screening, there was a Q&A with Andy Dick, Anthony Rapp, Mo Collins, Tyler Sedustine, and three others. Before I discuss the Q&A, allow me to backtrack. In the film, there's a scene where Roane's film premieres at a film festival. After the premiere, there's a Q&A, and Roane is piss drunk and unintelligible throughout. Similarly, Andy Dick was so trashed during the Q&A that I can't even begin to explain the scene that played out. Seriously, it was the most awkward, odd...I'm left speechless. I just wish I had it on tape. I can't even quote him here because his ramblings about being eaten out, the microphone, the movie Jarhead, and how badly he wants to fuck Mo Collins, were so unintelligible that often, they quite literally made no sense. When he got the impression that people weren't comprehending the ramblings coming from his lips, he would just squawk or jump around.
Anyway, given that, perhaps you'll understand my hesitation to label Danny Roane a fictional character. My suggestion is that if this film gets any sort of a release at all, you do everything in your power to avoid it. Please, please take me for my word on this. It was painful. On the other hand, if you ever get to see Andy Dick do a Q&A, you should definitely jump at the opportunity. I'm not sure if his publicist will ever let him do another one after tonight (I swear to you it was that bad...at one point, five of the six cast and crew members joining him for the Q&A had their hands over their faces in embarrassment), but if he does, you should give it a go.
Sunday, March 12:
I really need to start leaving sooner if I want to get into these screenings. I was late leaving San Marcos and then I hit unexpected Sunday afternoon traffic thanks to a wreck on the freeway, so I didn't get to Austin until 20 minutes after the scheduled starting time for the movie I'd intended to see, Friends with Money starring Jennifer Aniston, Francis McDormand, and Catherine Keener. The movie has a noteworthy cast and it's making only one appearance at the festival, so I have absolutely no idea why they decided to hold the screening at the 200-seat Arbor instead of the 1,200-seat Paramount. They did the same thing with "Don't Come Knocking," showing the film on a 180-seat screen at the Alamo. Damn it all to hell.
Since I was so late anyway, I didn't mind not being able to get a seat. In fact, it turned out to be the best thing that could've happened, because after making the 30-mile drive to Austin I didn't want to go back home without seeing a movie...so I headed over to the Alamo Drafthouse to see a movie that wasn't previously on my schedule. It was a documentary by Doug Block titled 51 Birch Street, and it absolutely blew me away. I'm not going to discuss the film's themes or "plot" here, simply because I think this is a movie best left to reveal those things itself. However, I will say that this look at director Doug Block's parents does as good a job at drawing captivating characters out of the subjects as another one of my favorite documentaries, Hoop Dreams. The themes and subjects of the two films are entirely different, but on a fundamental documentary vs. documentary level, they're quite similar. I don't know if this one will ever get a wide release, but if it does you should be sure to check it out.
Monday, March 13:
I actually didn't miss out on any of my must-see movies for the day. Hooray. I got to the Paramount at about 3:40 for the 3:45 screening of 95 Miles to Go. It's a documentary about Ray Romano and his longtime friend (and writer on Everybody Loves Raymond), Tom Caltabiano, going on a road trip across America for Ray's stand-up comedy tour. It sounds a bit like Jerry Seinfeld's "Comedian," but they're entirely different. While Seinfeld's documentary went out with the purpose of showing the creation of a new routine (and developed a subplot of an established comedian taking a young gun under his wing), this film set out with the sole intention of making people laugh...and boy does it deliver. It's a fascinating look into the personality of a famous sitcom star, and it's the funniest movie I've seen since "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang." Romano, Caltabiano and Brad Garrett did an equally hysterical Q&A after the screening.
Immediately after that I hopped in line for the next movie showing at the Paramount. It was a film by first-time filmmaker Billy Kent titled The Oh in Ohio. It has a wonderful cast considering the fact that it's an independently produced feature coming from a director with no prior work. In the cast: Parker Posey, Paul Rudd, Danny Devito, Mischa Barton, Liza Minnelli, and Heather Graham (who, for some reason, isn't listed on the IMDB page for the film). The screenplay is all about sex, and that might push a few buttons. The risque subject matter will definitely be the focus of most reviewers' write-ups, and I wouldn't be surprised to see their conservative/liberal nature skew their opinion of the film.
The movie itself was a bit mediocre. Perhaps it's because I've seen so many great movies in the first four days of the festival that it just couldn't live up to it's counterparts, but I just didn't think it was that great. Don't get me wrong, it delivered many many hearty laughs (Paul Rudd was amazing), but I think it's comedic pacing was a bit off. It's an interesting screenplay, and I'm surprised a first-time director was able to get it green...lighted(?), not to mention the cast he came up with. I'd recommend it to a specific audience (see: not my grandmother), but I'd tell them to go in with lowered expectations and prepare to have them surpassed, which they will be, instead of the opposite. The screening was followed by a Q&A with writer/director Billy Kent and some of the cast members (none of the noteworthy actors mentioned above).
The last film of the night was a spectacular biopic about the Scottsboro Boys titled Heavens Fall. It's a courtroom drama slash period piece, set in the 1930s. The movie is based on the true story of nine black boys from Alabama who were wrongfully convicted of rape and sentenced to death. It features a wonderful cast including Timothy Hutton, David Strathairn, Leelee Sobieski, Bill Smitrovich, and Bill Sage. It's a very detailed and complex story to be cut down under two hours, but second-time writer/director Terry Green does a fantastic job. Not to mention, it doesn't fall into the trap that so many movies dealing with race relations do: stereotyping the characters and taking the easy way out by making obvious villain/victim charicatures out of the characters. The movie was beautifully done, and I highly recommend it.
Following the screening was a Q&A with (deep breath): Terry Green, Bill Smitrovich, Bill Sage, B.J. Britt, Ian Nelson, Azura Skye, and three or four others. Oddly enough, just as Green was apologizing for Timothy Hutton, saying that he wanted to be there but was currently shooting two movies in Vancouver, his phone rang. Sure enough, it was Mr. Hutton checking to see how the screening went. With Green putting the phone up to the microphone, Hutton actually fielded three or four questions from audience members.
After that, I made my way over to the Alamo Drafthouse to try to catch a screening of a movie that I saw back in December, "District 13." Unfortunately it was sold out by the time I got there, so I just headed home. I'll try to catch it on the 17th. It's one of those movies that's amazing to watch with a packed house full of first-time viewers during a film festival. Anybody who has seen "Ong-bak" will appreciate my saying that the action sequences in District 13 are just as breathtaking as those in Ong-bak. Anyway, I'll talk more about this one when I actually see it again later in the week. Now it's off to bed before another full day tomorrow.
Tuesday, March 14:
It was a short, two-film day today. The first movie of the evening was at the Paramount at 6:45. The film doesn't have an IMDB page for some reason, but it's a documentary called East of Havana. It was a wonderfully done movie that tells the story of an underground rap movement going on in Cuba. While the movie focuses on a group and their music, it does so while making statements about family, loss, politics, and poverty. It's an unflinching film with great characterization and some of the most impressive cinematography I've ever seen in a documentary. The screening was followed by a Q&A with directors Jauretsi Saizabitoria and Emilia Menocal, as well as Saizabitoria's brother and Charlize Theron, both of whom were producers on the film.
After that I headed outside and hopped in line for the next film of the night, and one of my most anticipated screenings of the festival, The King. Gael Garcia Bernal is one of my very favorite actors, and he's one of only two performers (Edward Norton being the other) who can draw me to a film based solely on their involvement. I definitely wasn't disappointed with this one. The movie is twisted, and the screenplay looks a lot like something you'd expect from Todd Solondz. That's as far into the plot as I'll go, but suffice it to say that there are some seriously uncomfortable situations in this one. The movie is beautifully shot and scored, and often the filmmakers chose to let silence say far more than any words possibly could. The performances were uniformly superb. I honestly don't want to say too much about this one, aside from the following two words: highly recommended.
Wednesday, March 15:
Just two movies today. I had four planned but I decided to call it an early night since I have a 10:00 appointment tomorrow morning about a job I'd applied for. I'm skipping V for Vendetta since I already saw it back in December (and the line was already ridiculously long when I got out of the second screening). The one I'm sorry to miss, though, is the midnight screening of a movie called Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. Here are the few paragraphs from AICN that got me interested in seeing the movie:
Essentially what you have is a combination of MAN BITES DOG and SCREAM. I know on the surface that sounds a little lame, but Glosserman pulled it off with a great cast, smart script and truly inventive filmmaking.
The film starts off telling you that you're not in the real world, but the movie world. In this world the events of Camp Crystal Lake, the murders in Haddonfield and the rash of teen deaths on Elm Street are all real. They've happened. It's part of the history, like Charles Manson, Ed Gein, Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer are part of our recent history.
The film starts off telling you that you're not in the real world, but the movie world. In this world the events of Camp Crystal Lake, the murders in Haddonfield and the rash of teen deaths on Elm Street are all real. They've happened. It's part of the history, like Charles Manson, Ed Gein, Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer are part of our recent history.
As I drove to the Paramount, I noticed a line of people that stretched for a city block, turned the corner and stretched for another half a block. These were the badge people, who have priority over the pass people. I'm in the latter of the two categories. I still parked and got in line, only to see the 1300-seat Paramount fill to capacity. Around 200 people with badges were turned away, as were 150 or so pass people who were ahead of me in line.
Anybody who has encountered me on the forums knows that I'm stubborn as a mule. So, I walked around the side of the building, down an alley, and up to the row of exit doors to the theater. Naturally, none of them have handles on the outside. Fortunately, one door on the far, adjacent wall was ajar. I opened it only to see that it led into a back room that was currently vacant. I stepped into the room, through some curtains, and I was in the lobby. I quickly went and took my seat at around the time that festival producer Matt Dentler came up to congratulate the people that got in (a part of me thought he was speaking directly to me), and tell us that we were about to become the first audience to ever see Richard Linklater's A Scanner Darkly.
I absolutely adored the movie. I'm a big fan of Linklater's work, and this film is a return to form after his Bad News Bears payday. The film is really faithful to the novel, so needless to say, the story is a great one. The dialogue is wonderful and the rotoscoping is absolutely amazing (wait until you see extended sequences with the suits work by the undercover officers). It really helps drive home the surreal, spaced-out and paranoid tone of the movie. After seeing the movie in it's entirety, I couldn't imagine watching it as a live action piece. The acting itself is about what you've come to expect from Downey Jr. and Keanu Reeves. I'm really not sure what else to say other than thumbs way up. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
So, after that screening I headed out and hopped in line for the next (and final) movie of the night, Awesome; I Fuckin' Shot That!. The screening was followed by a Q&A with The Beastie Boys. During a 2004 concert held at Madison Square Garden, the band handed out 50 cameras to audience members. This film is the footage from all of those cameras (plus some additional ones, I believe the total came to 61) spliced into one movie. In the end, this is just a glorified concert video. That's not an insult to the film, it's just a fitting description. While there are some nifty editing tricks used and a few glimpses of something more than the performance (backstage bits, a restroom break, and some celebrity cameos), the majority of the film boils down to this: watching their kickass concert from numerous different angles on grainy super-8 stock. This certainly wouldn't qualify as a "documentary" in the classical description of the word. Check it out if you're a fan of the band and want to see one of the best concert videos ever produced, but don't bother with it if you're hoping for a "documentary."
Thursday, March 16:
Took the day off.
Friday, March 17:
Relatively full day of movies for me today. I saw four films, the first of which was a documentary titled Tales of the Rat Fink. I had seriously mixed feelings on this one. The subject matter (the life story of Ed "Big Daddy" Roth) was wonderful. The man did so many things with automobiles that'd never been done before. He invented the fiberglass body, took hot rods and custom cars to an art form, and came up with numerous other ideas (he pretty much "invented" the notion of making t-shirts with designs on them, whereas they'd previously been plain white and viewed as underwear of sorts). Unfortunately, the execution was far from what I'd hoped for. I loved that it was told in first person through the voice of John Goodman. However, the filmmakers threw so much into one movie (cheesy animation, cars that give interviews in the first person, amateurish title screens, and so on) that it just seemed really cluttered. While I'm glad I've seen it, I didn't really enjoy watching it.
The next movie is my favorite of the festival so far, and it immediately vaulted itself into my all-time favorite movies list. It's a film out of New Zealand called In My Father's Den, and it was absolutely magnificent. It's a first feature for director Brad McGann, who also wrote the screenplay. I'm now anxiously awaiting the opportunity to see any future works out of him. It made that big of an impression on me. The pacing is deliberate and slow, but in the end every scene in the film accounts for some little piece of necessary character depth and development...and that's exactly what makes this movie so perfect. I could go on for days about the effect this movie had on me, but I highly doubt anybody is still reading this thread, so I won't bore you. I will say this much...if you're still reading, please please please see this movie whenever you get a chance. Go in with a mindset expecting a slow pace, and just let the story carry you away like it did me.
The third movie of the night was a film out of Brazil titled Lower City. Alice Braga (City of God; the girl on the cover) is in a lead role and has absolutely no reservations. The film is made up of sex scene after sex scene, and were it not for the captivating plot about the effects a girl can have on a brotherly friendship between two guys (as well as the brilliant acting and cinematography), I'd have sworn that this was a softcore pornographic movie. The story is well told, and none of the numerous sex scenes come off as gratitutious since all of them serve a very distinct purpose. Mixed feelings about this one. I wasn't blown away, but I did see some merit to the film so I'll give it a mild recommendation if you ever have the opportunity to see it.
The last movie of the night was a French film, written and produced by Luc Besson, titled District 13. The plot is extremely thin, and I'm being gracious by giving it that much credit. The acting is sufficient but not stellar. The action, though. Jesus, the action. As I said earlier when I missed a SXSW screening of this movie: the action is comparable to that in Ong-Bak. There are no wires, special effect or stunt men used for the physical stunts...though I wouldn't be surprised if you saw this movie and came back calling me a liar. Yeah, the action in this movie is that amazing. If you go in expecting some mind-blowing action and not much out of the screenplay, I promise you won't be let down. I just...god this movie kicks so much ass. Please see it if you get a chance.
Saturday, March 18:
The first movie of the day for me was American Dreamz. It's the new comedy from Paul Weitz, the director of American Pie, About a Boy, and In Good Company. Cast members include Dennis Quaid, Mandy Moore, Hugh Grant, Marcia Gay Harden, Willem Dafoe, and Chris Kline. It's basically a satire on American culture and the current presidential cabinet. Those of you who are bitching about V for Vendetta, woohoo wait until you see this one.
In the end, this film was just...bleh. Simply put, the political and cultural humor isn't at all clever or subtle. It's just sort of there. While I laughed a few times, for the most part the satire was so dumbed-down that I just didn't find it at all funny. Add to that the fact that the movie haphazardly switches gears from satire to seriousness and back again with absolutely no rhyme or reason and you're left with a jumbled mess that isn't quite sure what it wants to say or be. The performances are just as hit-or-miss, with some moments featuring spotless delivery, and some that appear to be nothing more than an actor going through the motions (and this goes for the entire cast). I wanted to like it going in, but I'm sad to say that this one will be quickly forgotten...if it even gets noticed at all.
Next on the night's schedule was a documentary called Jam. It's a great work that takes a simple topic (Roller Derby) and turns it into something deep and wonderful. This movie is about roller derby, sure. But beyond that, it's about commitment, dreams, love and loss. To watch these aging, out of shape, one-time stars going through this for mere peanuts, all in an attempt to reclaim some of their beloved sport's lost glory, was at once painful and touching. This movie ended up getting the documentary Grand Jury prize at this year's SXSW festival, and deservedly so. I only watched this to fill a time slot between movies that I actually wanted to see, and I couldn't be happer that it worked out that way. I was mesmerized throughout. I hope "Jam" manages to become this year's Murderball, Penguins, or Mad Hot Ballroom.
The last movie of the night, and of the festival, was one that I mentioned earlier. The movie is called Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. To put it simply, the movie is a blend of Man Bites Dog and Scream. Like the former, this movie features a documentary crew following a killer as he plans and executes his acts. Please note, though, that they're entirely different types of movies. While Man Bites Dog took place in a reality where Ed Gein and Charles Manson are historical figures, Behind the Mask takes place in a reality where Freddy, Jason and Leatherface are actual true life figures from the past.
If you're a fan of the horror genre, this movie is an absolute must-see. Not only does it have an original premise, but it thoroughly picks apart the genre that so many people adore. It is genuinely funny on so many different levels. While "Behind the Mask" isn't my favorite movie of the festival (I'll still give that nod to "In My Father's Den"), it's definitely one of the few movies that I'll wholeheartedly recommend to anybody and everybody. Please, please see this movie. I promise that you won't be let down.
And that's it. 19 movies in eight days. Fifteen thousand paragraphs of summary for this thread, and maybe three people that will actually bother to read it all. What a fun week. I actually feel sorry for the people who went to Vegas or Cancun for this year's Spring Break. I spent far less money, and couldn't have had a better week.
If you stuck with me through all of this, accept my sincere thank you.
-JP
Last edited by NatrlBornThrllr; 03-19-06 at 03:53 AM.
03-12-06, 09:03 AM
#3
By the way, one of the things people end up getting frustrated about SXSW is that many events are closed to the public. 
It's almost like SXSW is as much an industry-only trade show as a arts festival.
It's almost like SXSW is as much an industry-only trade show as a arts festival.
03-12-06, 02:53 PM
#4
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Thread Starter
Originally Posted by RayChuang
By the way, one of the things people end up getting frustrated about SXSW is that many events are closed to the public. It's almost like SXSW is as much an industry-only trade show as a arts festival.
It's almost like SXSW is as much an industry-only trade show as a arts festival.
03-12-06, 08:54 PM
#5
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Thread Starter
Originally Posted by NatrlBornThrllr
Elaborate, because I haven't noticed that.
Also, I added a short update on the only movie I saw today.
-JP
03-14-06, 12:54 AM
#6
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Thread Starter
Through day four. Is it bad that at one screening, a decent looking girl gave me a badge to a VIP party at a club with live music and free alcohol...and I, a 21 year old college student, skipped her offer to try to catch a midnight screening of a movie that I'd already seen back in December (then, when that was sold out, went home so that I could get some sleep before tomorrow's full schedule)?
03-15-06, 05:46 PM
#7
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No, I'm also 21 and a college student, and would have probably done the same... Over the last two years I've come to realize that I value artistic events (e.g. a movie screening) much more than massive, decadent parties. Maybe we're just exceptions to the rule. 
03-15-06, 11:06 PM
#8
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Originally Posted by Tyler_Durden
No, I'm also 21 and a college student, and would have probably done the same... Over the last two years I've come to realize that I value artistic events (e.g. a movie screening) much more than massive, decadent parties. Maybe we're just exceptions to the rule.
Also, Wednesday update posted.
-JP
03-16-06, 12:20 AM
#11
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Originally Posted by Y2K Falcon
Are you going to see Slither on Friday night? If not, can I borrow your pass? 
-JP
03-19-06, 05:08 AM
#13
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Thread Starter
Alright, tonight was the closing night so that's that for this thread. I keep bumping it in hopes that somebody will have some interest in one of the 19 movies I saw over the past week and I can get a bit of discussion going...but no such luck. Regardless, it was a fun week and I actually had a good time using this thread to document what I saw. If you actually read half of what I wrote, thanks.
Edit to provide some cliff's notes on the 19 movies I saw over the last week, in the form of some simple categories.
My favorite movie of the festival:
In My Father's Den
Movies that I loved and intend to own on DVD:
Live Free or Die
The King
District 13
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
Movies that I thoroughly enjoyed, will see again, and might purchase:
A Scanner Darkly
95 Miles to Go
Movies that I enjoyed and am glad I saw:
A Prairie Home Companion
Don't Come Knocking
51 Birch Street
Heavens Fall
East of Havana
Jam
Movies that I left me with less-than-thrilled, mixed emotions:
The Oh in Ohio
Lower City
Movies that I didn't particularly care for:
Awesome: I Fuckin' Shot That
Tales of the Rat Fink
American Dreamz
My absolute least favorite movie of the festival:
Danny Roane: First Time Director
-JP
Edit to provide some cliff's notes on the 19 movies I saw over the last week, in the form of some simple categories.
My favorite movie of the festival:
In My Father's Den
Movies that I loved and intend to own on DVD:
Live Free or Die
The King
District 13
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
Movies that I thoroughly enjoyed, will see again, and might purchase:
A Scanner Darkly
95 Miles to Go
Movies that I enjoyed and am glad I saw:
A Prairie Home Companion
Don't Come Knocking
51 Birch Street
Heavens Fall
East of Havana
Jam
Movies that I left me with less-than-thrilled, mixed emotions:
The Oh in Ohio
Lower City
Movies that I didn't particularly care for:
Awesome: I Fuckin' Shot That
Tales of the Rat Fink
American Dreamz
My absolute least favorite movie of the festival:
Danny Roane: First Time Director
-JP
Last edited by NatrlBornThrllr; 03-19-06 at 05:42 AM.
