Before we begin, allow me to repost my Disclaimer from last year:
Disclaimer: I wrote these reviews for my own sake, and as there have been some interested parties, I have posted them here on my personal blog. Participants in the film festival are more than welcome to read these, but it should be warned across the board that I am not kind and complimentary in all my opinions. This is Read At Your Own Risk material, and are simply critiques of the film, and should in no way be perceived as personal attacks or insults at the individuals behind them.
It is my conviction that if we have any hope of breaking into an industry as competitive and vicious as the film industry, than we had ought to do our best to be as honest with each other as possible. It is unfair to any creative individual to coddle them and say "Good job" if that's not how we truly feel. Roger Ebert doesn't give out A's for effort, and we owe each other the same courtesy.
There is always a courage that comes with presenting something one has put their heart and soul into. Bearing one's creative products before a mass audience is an act which requires some level of bravery, and that bravery should be commended. However, that bravery stems from the fact that one bears their soul in the knowledge and awareness that their creative wok may be subject to ridicule and criticism. Take out the possibility of said ridicule or criticism, and you remove the bravery. And in removing criticism from a learning environment such as film school, you abolish any possibility of improvement. So it is with this sentiment in mind that I encourage those open to critiquing, no matter how harsh, to read on.
Also, to all the younger film students, I don’t know any of you personally, and am simply commenting on the films I saw. I assure you, no matter how “mean” I may seem in my reviews, I’m not a bad person. I promise, I’m not a bad man. I’m not a bad man! Help me Mommy!
Ah, the film festival’s first night. This year’s festival was structured differently than last years, putting Production Lab and Thesis films on the second night, and the first night being reserved for all the other films. Please forgive me that my reviews for this night are brief, but there really can’t be more than 3-4 sentences said for a 4 minute film. Overall, the films show a lot of potential for the youngins. Let’s take a look. (I make many references to last year’s films, the reviews of which can be viewed here.)
Time Never Weights- Thomas Waters
Last year, we saw five Advanced filmmaking films. Some good (Pictures of You), some not so much (Loaded, Predator’s Prey, pretty much every other Advanced film). Yet even Predator’s Prey told a more engaging story than the two films offered up by this year’s class. Yes, I’d rather watch Loaded again than either of this year’s fare. Time Never Weights in particular was a painful piece of film. Bland, banal and all around bad, it was the type of film I watched and wondered “Why do you exist?” In fact, I would have been happier if it took the cliché ending, and let the guy get the girl. At least then it would have been a feel-good film, instead of it’s current state as a feel-nothing one.
What You Don’t Know- Jeremy Benavides
The true sign of this film’s forgettable quality? It hasn’t yet been 24 hours, and I don’t remember anything about it.
Tom- Kyle Lorber
All throughout freshman year, your professors tell you not to try and do anything grand. Don’t try and tell big stories, they drill in to your head. Just take a simple moment in time, and show it. Just a simple conflict. This film is a testament to why you shouldn’t listen to that advice. In 3 minutes, it manages to tell the story and yet go absolutely nowhere. Also, it’s the start of a far too frequent trend of unfaithfulness as a theme in the freshman films.
Sincere- Natsuki Igarashi
Right before Natsuki proved himself to be a stellar cinematographer (see below) he showed himself to be a nifty little storyteller. The story, though predictable, was told neatly and eloquently, and the shots and performances were above the sub-par level expected from freshman films (I say that knowing full well my own films were way below sub-par).
The Office- Chris Jakobsen
Sure, you couldn’t hear it. Sure, nobody actually knew what the plot was besides “Guy with beard tries to bang Chrissy”. The cinematography alone on this film elevated it above the rest. The space, the lighting, the angles. Everything came together so perfectly that, well, plot be damned. I’d be just as happy watching it on mute. Though I guess that’s a negative thing, huh? Eh, well.
Hot Dog Warrior- Juan Ayabardiaz
Taking the silent film back to it’s roots, Juan made a film inventive, comedic, cinematically sound and highly enjoyable at the same time. The film keeps you guessing the whole time as to what ill happen next, with a grin on your face that says “Those clever bastards”. Between this and his documentary, Juan proved tonight that he can do no wrong.
Hope of a Dream- Courtney Taylor
I could write a lengthy review of Courtney’s latest film, and I intend to, but the best review I can give it can be said in one sentence. By the end of the film, as the son spoke his poem a second time, I felt a tear roll down my cheek. This has never happened to me before during a student film, and I doubt it will again in my tenure at C.W. Post. Courtney Taylor’s newest film is brilliantly topical, without beating you over the head with it’s message. From a stoically hurt Henry Gray as a grieving son, to the compassionate Chiquita Camille as the wife in a collapsing family, and Keith Fine’s fantastic portrayal of a man buried in debt, Hope of a Dream is an assemblage of poignant performances. Yet, one cannot ignore the clean, crisp writing, the gentle, smooth cinematography, or the seamless editing. Could I pontificate longer about this film? Certainly, but nothing could capture the film’s brilliance as well as that one tear. I encourage you all to seek this film out. Undoubtedly the best of the night.
The Babysitter- Unknown
Well, the film was nicely shot, I’ll give it that. That’s about all I’ll give it.
The Little Trumpet Player- Ryan Campbell
The Little Trumpet Player works so well, it feels like the type of film they would screen in Basic filmmaking classes in order to show that good things can be done on a silent film camera. From it’s use of music and sound to move the story along, it felt like a like of dialogue was an artistic choice rather than a class requirement. The film is well-shot, sincere, ad a definite crowd-pleaser. Freshman film night is always a time to see what film majors are definitely worth keeping an eye on, and Ryan Campbell definitely proved himself to be just that. I look forward to seeing what he brings to the table next year.
The Deal- Patrick Douglas
By far the strangest film of the night, and this was a night that had a film of two people copulating blindfolded. One has to wonder whether this film was the lowest in poorly thought out filmmaking, or an experiment in absurdity comedy. For the sake of humanity, I hope for the latter.
Dreams- Mairi Morrison
Let’s talk about dreams. On the plus side, it wasn’t bad. The performances were better than most, even if the subject matter was a bit…odd. Something about soccer and acting. I’m not quite sure, the film has very dialogue heavy, and the dialogue was hard to follow. The film was too weighed down by the conversation, and those who’ve seen Shadowplay or read my writing before will now it takes a lot for me to suggest something has “too many words”.
Today Sucks- Gary Malfa
So does this film.
Coincidence- Patrick Madden
The entire film sets up the cliché two guys waiting for the same girl, so points to Patrick Madden for finding a clever way to subvert the formulae.
Pizza-Kelli Roach
Again, the infidelity thing. Was the admissions criteria this year “Have you been screwed over emotionally?” I harp on the repeated theme, but in truth this film was better than the simple title suggests. Not earth-shattering, but the dialogue was better than average, and there were no glaring mistakes. Unlike the next film…
Fixation- Robert LaRosa
Oh, where to start?
From the painful dialogue to the atrocious acting, this film manages to eradicate all memory of last year’s catastrophe Collision with a single absurdly faked gunshot. The film opens interestingly enough, with two young men in a dark room, one pointing a gun at the other. It’s the kind of opening that would make audiences wonder “How did they get to this point? What circumstances brought those two here?” Unfortunately, with lines like “I know what you want, but it’s like you don’t have any semblance of reality anymore.” (Clearly the exact manner one would talk when at gun point) delivered in what sounds like a poor man’s Woody Allen-accent, the audience is instead left wondering “Who the hell cast these guys?”
Of all the weaknesses Fixation has, the performances are clearly it. The actors seem almost directionless, wandering aimlessly through the lines without any clear sense of purpose. Yet, perhaps that’s not the fault of the performances alone. Perhaps it’s bad actors acting in poorly fleshed out roles. Indeed, within the film, there’s nary a third dimension to be found. A female character (Jackie) so sparsely shown as to almost have “Plot Device” written across her forehead, a good guy (Jessie) who seems to have no reason for befriending so clearly a border-line psychotic (Hector), and who puts on the same “I’m a cool, sexy guy” pretense as your typical “cool guy” character from a sub-par 90’s sitcom. Then we get to Hector. Oh, Hector. While admittedly actor Michael Gittleson (who those who didn’t opt for a lobotomy will remember from last year’s Collision) does his damndest to try and sell the role, the character manages to have less depth than even those we saw in Robert’s last film. At least in last year’s film, there was a motivation for the main character’s actions, and it felt like a more whole film because of it. This film felt shallow. No emotion, no driving force for any character besides some cheap, throwaway, unexplained obsession. Fixation is just an empty film.
Yet, there are some positives. The film benefits from LaRosa not casting himself, as is his usual fair, and the performances as a whole are not as bland as Collision. The cinematography is, as is expected of Marc Riou, excellent given the material. It’s the reason you watch people’s faces contort in confusion, not knowing what to expect when they see Bob-O-Vision followed by MMP Productions, making the film an odd hybrid of the best cinematography and the most sub-par storytelling. The film is well edited, and has a score worthy of a far better film, reminiscent of something one would hear in an Elm Street Film (one of the good ones, like Dream Warriors.)
Though, on the subject of Elm Street, I’d like to draw one comparison. This film does share the somewhat odd homosexuality of Nightmare on Elm Street 2. Jessie’s extraordinarily effeminate nature (talking about that “butterflies in the stomach“ feeling, his hands and wrists flailing about.), his interest more in talking with Hector than Jackie, and the fact that the two young men apparently go apple-picking all seem to give off the same vibe as the awkward dialogue of Elm Street 2.
It goes without saying Fixation fails in many areas. But is it worse than Collision, of any of the other Bob-O-Vision films? No. In fact, I would rank this 2nd in the oeuvre (far behind 2009’s actually quite good Luck of the Draw). And that’s unfortunate for Fixation, because the few improvements in quality Fixation makes causes it to rise above the level of “laughably bad” or “so bad it’s good” (an area so inhabited by Bob-O-Vision films you would think Rob is trying to gentrify the genre) and simply become bad. I’ll reiterate what I said in my review last year for Collision as a way to en this review. “LaRosa could benefit from doing like other film makers in his class, such as John Waters, Ralph Bakshi, Tim Burton, and even Federico Fellini, and that is embracing the bizarreness of his films, and cranking it up to 11. Then you’ll have a film I’ll enjoy. Until then, this foray into “serious” films just isn’t lighting my fire, dig?”
Tyler’s Story- Sean Brogan
This film was without a doubt the biggest surprise of the night. The only things I’d heard about it beforehand was that it was an action film (near-impossible to do in s student film, so that’s a bad sign) and that Sean’s actor had dropped out, so he had to play the lead himself (my flashbacks to Collision and Nocturne in C# Minor caused me to go into panic mode). I don’t mind admitting I was expecting s hit-show. What I got was a fantastic film I’d gladly watch again. Let’s begin with the fantastic color-correction, giving the film a totally unique atmosphere. The best edited film of the night not about jazz, Tyler’s Story is indeed and interesting one. With a plot that keeps you guessing, cinematography that keeps the viewer engaged, and the best gunfight ever seen come out of Post, Tyler’s Story never ceases to be fun and engaging. Yet the most surprising thing about Tyler’s Story is the main performance. Sean Brogan is so engaging as Tyler that you don’t for a second realize he’s not a professional actor, and those who didn’t know Sean didn’t realize the guy on screen was also the director. The film throws in dashes of much appreciated humor amongst all the drama, and kept everyone on the edge of their seats the whole time.
Well, almost the whole time. The ending gets completely muddled. Sean attempts to explain why Tyler’s being stalked in these dreams, and that’s when the action derails. I’ve spoken to several people, and no one, myself included, is quite sure what the ending actually meant. Something about a book and people meeting in a backyard. The film would have benefited from exorcising this explanation (nobody really cared why Tyler was being hunted. We only cared that he was and it was cool to watch). Yet, beyond a muddled ending, Tyler’s Story is a great film, and for creating a great script, directing a great film, and giving a helluva performance, I raise my glass to you, Mr. Brogan.
The Argument- James Steigelbauer
From it’s laughably bad dialogue to it’s stagnant cinematography, there’s not much to be said about The Argument. I mean, there’s a lot to be said, but we’ve covered the poor quality cinematically and dramatically, so we’d just be beating a dead horse now.
Spaghetti- Gina Massaro
There was inconsistent lighting, a bizarre plot, and genuine strangeness from beginning to end. It was two people arguing, particularly over dinner, and I haven’t felt so disoriented by a freshman film since I watched Jason Hess and Josh Paige play chess for money. Yes, ladies and gentleman, the torch of the LaRosa legacy burns on in the younger class.
Misunderstanding- Mila Fontana
My apologies to Mila Fontana, but I really do not remember a second of this film.
Just Call Me- Chrissy Sire
Nor do I remember any of this one. I promise I wasn’t high for this festival.
Can’t Run- Connor Gaffey
Now here’s one I remember, if for nothing else but us all realizing Galjaar is as awesome in front of the camera as behind. The film has an eerie vibe, a unique story, good writing and well-done cinematography. Out of the freshman films tonight, this one was definitely a highlight.
Perseverance- Galjaar Nerway
A far from cliché plot, great shot choices, intriguing dialogue, and a depth rarely achieved by a 4 minute film. Galjaar Nerway isn’t just a bunch of vowels and consonants I’d butcher if I attempted to pronounce it, it’s the name of the next generation of Post students answer to Staffieri.
Faces of Jazz: Henry Cole- Juan Ayabardiaz
I was certain last year’s DPA and OBI would be the best documentary I had ever seen at this school. I was proven wrong by this brilliantly assembled film. With clear passion behind the camera, this masterfully edited film was one of the absolute highlights of tonight, and a joy to watch. Even non-fans of jazz can connect to the story of one man’s drive and passion to pursue a dream. It is my sincerest hope that this film is made available online, so that those reading this can watch it. I cannot recommend it enough.
Scream- Christina Theodorou
There was barely a plot, it was poorly executed. I was almost stunned speechless afterward. The incoherence was mind-boggling.
Justice- Dontae Hawkins
The better of the two advanced films, but that’s not saying much. A bare bones plot, isolated, cold cinematography, not a single interesting or developed character in the cast, this film exemplified everything I hate about that Michael Haneke style of filmmaking.
The Wash- Ryan Markoe & Tom Kiernan
Sound issues were abound in the festival tonight, but no more so than in this documentary. Though not poorly edited, you prayed for the scenes with subtitles since the volume was so low you couldn’t understand the people being interviewed. Is it a bad film? No, but nothing memorable. Compared to the only other documentary tonight, The Wash stumbles and staggers where Faces of Jazz soars.
Detour- Natsuki Igarashi
Natsuki’s final film of the night proved what a tremendous talent this school is losing. It’s very hard to make driving scenes visually interesting, yet he does it, partially due to another extraordinarily captivating performance by Galjaar (damn him and his multiple talents). The story is sharp, the dialogue great, and the cinematography on-par-with if not better than The Office, Natsuki’s other great work from the festival. The ending is powerful, the characters engaging. It’s slow to pick up steam at first, but Detour is a mightily impressive film, and a perfect way to close out the festival.
Mike’s Picks from Night 1:
6 Must-See Films:
1. Hope of a Dream
2. Tyler’s Story
3. Faces of Jazz: Henry Cole
4. The Little Trumpet Player
5. Detour
6. Perseverance
6 You Can Skip:
1. Scream
2. Today Sucks
3. Fixation
4. Time Never Weights
5. The Babysitter
6. Tom
So there end the reviews of the 2010 C.W. Post Underclassmen film festival. Once again, this was intended as healthy criticism, and was not meant to make anyone cry. I welcome all disagreements and commentary (beyond "You suck") and encourage a healthy dialogue, as that is the only way we are going to improve.
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