James Ransone on 'Tangerine'
James Ransone is beaming as he walks into our interview at the Redbury Hotel. Probably best known for his character Ziggy Sobotka from Season 2 of The Wire, he exclaims that he is happy to be working again with director and friend, Sean Baker. Looking like a dead ringer for Christian Bale in The Machinist, Ransone takes a seat across from me at the round table. He opens up quickly, explaining how he first met Baker at an animal hospital, his struggle finding work post-Tangerine, and playing the role of another self-proclaimed "shitty asshole" character. We begin:
What were you drawn to in playing 'Chester'?
I can't help but try to play the funny in things, even if it might be wrong. I'm an idiot and will do the fall for the laugh, so I went for anything that I could find funny. Chester is based off of a couple of real people that I met through Sean (Baker, director) when he was doing research for the movie. I just take their mannerisms and amplify them and try to make them a little bit bigger.
Did you stick solely to the script?
No, the way Sean and Chris (Bergroch, writer) work is they make scriptments, about 30-45 pages. We'll have the scene and go over it, and there will be certain lines that we all have to hit to make sure the plot propels itself forward, but then everything else can be an add-on. It's actually a really fun process because it's like writing jokes for standup comedy on the fly, but then you're also trying to do it in the context of a very serious narrative. I only worked on set for 2 or 3 days, and it was so fun to have that freedom of like, "Maybe this joke works!"
When did you first meet Sean, and what keeps you answering his calls?
Haha, right now I can't get a job to save my life! I've been auditioning for 8 months straight and no one's hiring me for anything so, if anyone's calling continuously I'll work for them. Like, "Ok man, what are we doing next? I'll fly myself there, it's totally good."
Laughter
Sean and I met in a really weird way. My dog got hit by a car and Sean's dog was in the animal hospital at the same time. He told me he liked my work from The Wire, he was really sweet about it. Then we started seeing each other at Crunch [Gym] and he told me he was making Starlet. I understand the types of movies Sean is trying to make; the thread across all of them is that they're labor movies, vocations. It's all about the disassociation between people that might otherwise be marginalized because of their vocations and then humanizing them. Just because you have this job doesn't mean that that defines your entire identity. I'm really interested in that personally, not just as an actor.
Your last role with Sean was the "shitty boyfriend".
Yeah! Let's be honest, with Sean I was like, "A shitty asshole again?" At least the reaction from Tangerine is like, "Chester's really likeable." Alright, but I'm still the same shit head I was in Sean's last movie.
Nothing personal.
Sean didn't want me to do the movie at first because it was too much like Starlet. I was working on a play in New York and he asked me for a friend of mine's number to play Chester. My friend never called him back. Sean's like, "Hey so he never called back. Do you mind just showing up...?" Dude!
Did you approach coming to set any differently, being that Tangerine was shot on an iPhone?
It didn't really impact me. I don't care if it's a $30 million movie or a $200,000 movie, if I'm not running the dog– me being the dog– every day, I feel terrible. Sean told me he was going to use iPhones and I was like, "Cool, that's fine." The only thing that I thought about was all of the other luxuries that would be lacking from a closed off set. The Donut Time was technically still open. That's the shit where, I don't care about the phone, but I care about the fact that I'm gonna be saying some line and some meth head is gonna cruise in at 2:30 on a Wednesday demanding a bunch of donuts and ruin my best take.
Were a lot of takes ruined that way?
There were a couple, yeah.
Can you talk about working with Mya and Kiki?
It would be the same as if I worked with anybody else. You do anything long enough, you'll eventually get good at it. They just hadn't done that much before, and there's enough raw stuff there that I didn't think, "Oh great, first time actors." Kiki was really f*cking funny. Really fast. One instance actually made it in the movie, where I was like, "Come on spit it out," and she goes, "I swallowed," and I go, "I set myself up for that one." That was a genuine comeback.
Did you have any idea the reception at Sundance would be what it was?
No, I'm really happy that it's the little engine that could. I'm a really harsh critic of my own work and I'm pretty objective about stuff. I was at Sean's house and he was showing me early cuts of the film and I remember thinking to myself, "This is really good." I usually don't have that reaction. Most times it's like, "F*ck, where's the movie we shot? This is not it!" So, it's not surprising because Sean is really talented. I'm happy that it's doing well but I'm not surprised.
Yana Novikova & Director Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy on 'The Tribe'
This is by far the most interesting and eye-opening press day I have ever attended. Sitting in the shaded back-courtyard of the Cinefamily's Silent Movie Theatre in LA, I'm met by Tracy, an ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter. She introduces me to Connie, who is another interpreter in charge of translating Tracy's ASL into Ukrainian sign language, the language of actress Yana Novikova. It truly does take a village (or a tribe for that matter) to communicate back and forth, but if there is one thing I learned from my experience when watching the all-silent film starring all deaf actors and no subtitles, The Tribe, one doesn't need to speak the language to understand the message. We begin:
Yana Novikova, Anya
I saw The Tribe here at Cinefamily, and it's neat being able to talk to you here as well. Where did you first see the film?
The Cannes Film Festival. There was a huge audience. The whole cast, as well as the director, watched the film together and I was really impressed. We realized it was quite a long film! I was a little bit shy, a little bit embarrassed because the nude scenes seemed so long. During those scenes I was like, "Come on, hurry hurry, let's get through these parts!" I wanted to cover my head and hide under the chair. I really found myself in my work; I was fascinated actually, watching and thinking, "Is that me? That's impossible." Then I was hearing other people talk about my work and how they liked it and when they gave me so much great praise and I was shocked. I wasn't an experienced actor, this is my first experience.
You mention being nervous about being naked in the film, so how do you feel about THE FILM'S POSTER?
When I saw the poster I was like, "Ugh couldn't they have chosen a better image? Why did it have to be from the nude scene?" I was embarrassed, it was a little overwhelming when I saw that.
Laughter
But America is definitely much more conservative. Europe is much more open compared to America. The conservatism of America is much more my style.
If there is one person that you want to see the film, who would that be?
Oh yes! Adèle Exarchopoulos from Blue Is The Warmest Color.
Why Adèle?
I love her nature, she's very confident and very much out there. She's very powerful. I am really drawn to her energy. And not only that, but she's a very beautiful actress.
Did you have another job before landing this film?
I was actually in college, I was studying engineering before the film. I had no acting experience prior, ever. I had taken a little bit of dance and a little bit of miming, but The Tribe was my very first acting experience. I have not had a job before this, ever.
Was Myroslav vocal about any expectations?
We had to rehearse over and over and over again to really get that genuine raw emotion out there. He wanted to see real, authentic facial expressions from the actors. He didn't want us to worry about the cameras being aimed at us. As the cameras were following us during filming, he would say to just take care of ourselves. If we made a mistake during filming, we weren't allowed to let that affect us. He wanted it to look like "real life."
There are a lot of tense scenes in this film, which one did you really enjoy performing?
The one scene where I am with the other female prostitute are in the back of the van and we're getting dressed up to go out to the truck stop area. That dialogue scene is one of my favorites. We had a good chat between the two of us as we were getting our makeup and clothes on. In that scene, my friend didn't have her own makeup with her and I had my makeup bag with me, and so I ended up sharing my makeup with her. We got a little bit messy because we were in the back of the van and it was really bumpy as we were driving along. I tried to put lipstick on her, but it was too messy, so I decided to kiss her to get the lipstick on her lips just right. That was a really funny part and something I really enjoyed filming.
Are you still in contact with the cast?
Right after the filming was completed everyone went back to their own lives, and I haven't really had contact since. That's pretty much normal with professional actors and actresses. They come together, do a project, and then that's it.
Can you describe Myroslav in three words?
He's absolutely brilliant. Serious. Trustworthy. And not only that, he's very brave and strong.
Do you have any plans while you're here in Los Angeles?
Yeah, we're going to Disneyland!
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For our review of The Tribe, click here.
Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy, Director
What is the perfect environment for someone to see this film?
The most important thing is to watch it at a movie theatre. Of course you can watch it later on a DVD, but when you watch it at the cinema it's a very special experience. It's very important to see this film on the big screen. I'm so happy it was able to be screened at Cinefamily.
I asked Yana to describe you in three words, how would you describe her?
She's brave, absolutely. Fantastic. Goal-oriented. Whatever she wants, she just goes for it.
Did you know she was "the one" when she auditioned for the part?
I went to a deaf culture center for casting, and she was there auditioning for the theatre group, not my audition. I was looking for a Marilyn Monroe style girl [for the part] and after she got rejected from the school's theatre group, I asked her to audition for The Tribe. I considered a different [actress], but Yana was really brilliant and very powerful with a very high energy. During the audition I asked people to [show a range of emotions], like love, anger, sadness and crying on cue. When we put Yana in a scene with a partner they were arguing and she was so into it, her skin was covered in goosebumps. We continued on with the auditions after than, but I remembered her.
The abortion scene is getting a lot of attention, what other scenes are equally disturbing to you?
The final scene was like that [abortion scene], it had a serious impact on me.
Since you don't know sign language, was it a challenge connecting to the cast?
No. Sometimes I think we can understand somebody without using any words. We spent a lot of time together, we created our own tribe.
How was the film received in the Ukraine?
People loved the film, but unfortunately it was a huge scandal because it wasn't nominated for an Academy Award. The film was part of socio-political life, there was a lot of intensive media surrounding this scandal.
Did you have any idea that The Tribe would have a this type of impact?
No, definitely not. I just really loved my concept . I've been working on this film for [over 20 years].
The Tribe is being slated as the "film in sign language with no subtitles or voiceovers". What else do you want people to remember this film by?
It is so complicated to do something new and interesting, I don't really know. I think after some time passes by we will know. I'm certain that in the textbooks of Ukrainian cinema they will actually study me [and this film].
Who do you want to see The Tribe?
A lot of people who I was fascinated with actually saw The Tribe and were really happy with it, especially Darren Aronofsky. Unfortunately a lot of people I would want to see the film have already died, so I really hope there is a movie theatre in heaven.
A giant big screen!
Haha, IMAX!
How does it feel to be sitting here, giving interviews for your first feature film in Los Angeles?
I was here last year for the AFI Film Festival, my first time in the United States. I'm so happy, it was a very special experience. I'm flying 10 hours from Paris to Salt Lake City to L.A. and I have terrible jet lag, [but it feels as if I'm in a Hollywood movie]. I'm staying on Hollywood Blvd in the Roosevelt Hotel on the opposite side of the Chinese Theatre, where the Academy Awards took place. The Dolby Theatre is very close and my film screening is in the Chinese Theatre. There are all these famous people, Spiderman is on the street, and I feel like I'm inside a movie [living the dream].
Review: 'The Tribe'
A standout at last year's Cannes Film Festival is the Ukrainian crime drama The Tribe, a film told through non-verbal acting and sign language with no voice overs or subtitles. If that doesn't sound interesting enough, note the fact that the cast is made up of entirely non-professional actors. It is a modern day silent movie with a vibrancy that will leave a lasting impression on those who are willing to experience this unique art film.
Lost souls come together at an insular co-ed Ukrainian boarding school for the deaf, where new student Sergey (Grigoriy Fesenko) quickly learns that in order to hang with the cool kids, he has to prove himself worthy. What begins as harmless high school pranks quickly turn dark as the group expose Sergey to their illegal involvement in truck stop prostitution of fellow classmates and robbery, with the expectation that Sergey is to follow in their footsteps.
As his responsibilities grow within the group, his confidence and attitude change as well, and not necessarily for the better. His love for fellow classmate Anya (Yana Novikova) grows, despite the fact that he is in charge of pimping her out nightly. His feelings begin to cause trouble for the confused teen, and headed towards an existential crisis, he is pushed to the brink of insanity.
It's hard not to become attached to Sergey or Anya, and as the lights come up we are harshly transported back into reality, wishing for a moment longer in their world.
Sergey's coming of age story is a universal concept and familiar theme, but the way in which we experience his plight is unforgettable. The film's writer/ director Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy is nothing short of a cinematic visionary, who states that he has been working on this film for over 20 years. What must have been an extremely difficult film to direct, especially since Slaboshpytskiy is not deaf himself and depended on a sign language interpreter to relay directions to the cast, seems effortless. Everything is intentional, from the run-down dorm rooms to the innocence of the characters themselves. His hard work has definitely paid off ten fold.
Most of the scenes are shot in a one take, making the actors the sole focus. What's more, the lack of dialogue makes the performances feel much more heightened. Our eyes bounce around frame as we are more observant in trying to pinpoint just who our attention should be focused on. If there was any film that fits the criteria of "performance driven," this is it– like an intimate dance between lovers, friends, and enemies.
I can't think of the last movie I went to that left me physically uneasy, and I say that as a compliment. I felt cold sitting in the theater, and I attribute that to the phenomenal production design and overall tone of the film. The icy, barren landscapes of the city does its job in setting up the world in which the kids live in. The film's color reminded me of the Ryan Gosling drama The Place Beyond The Pines– muted, but alive.
The run-down boarding school, the dirty and desolate truck stop, and the hopelessness of the characters drum up emotions of pity while remaining insanely touching and beautiful. It's hard not to become attached to Sergey or Anya, and as the lights come up we are harshly transported back into reality, wishing for a moment longer in their world.
Screening at such festivals like Cannes, Toronto International, Sundance, and AFI among others, The Tribe has been one of the most buzzed-about films of the year. The attention this film is getting is fully justified, and not just for its original use of sign language. At its core, the story is compelling, the performances pull at the heartstrings and the result will resonate with you way past the 132 minutes run time. The Tribe was made for an audience waiting for an authentically beautiful and powerful piece of cinematic art.
The Tribe opens at The Cinefamily on Friday, June 26th until July 2nd.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKD0sMntjWE
Thalente Biyela and Natalie Johns on 'I Am Thalente'
I had the chance to talk exclusively to Thalente Biyela and director Natalie Johns fresh off of Wednesday's announcement that I Am Thalente tied for the Documentary Audience Award at the LA Film Festival. Pretty amazing, especially considering that the film was rejected the first time it was submitted. Just goes to show what type of people both Biyela and Johns are– perseverant, determined, and all around awesome and uplifting people. We begin:
Thalente Biyela
How was last night's premiere?
It was unexplainable, you had to be in it to describe what it felt like. It was a mixture of things, but for the most part it felt good. It was great to see the film unfold into this amazing thing that had been in the works for a very long time. It felt good to see it on the big screen. I didn't go to bed until 3:30 am [last night], my mind was racing. I couldn't go to bed, I was so excited about it.
Can you believe it?
It is still really hard to believe all that has happened in my life, where I am and how far I've come. Obviously it's sinking in, and now I'm trying to live up to it and own it in a way. It's still very fresh. More cool things keep happening, my life keeps changing every day. I keep growing and learning as a person.
What has been one of the best compliments you've received?
Oh I don't know, I think maybe Tony Hawk acknowledging me as a person. Him being one of my biggest fans is like the craziest thing.
What was your first experience with Tony Hawk?
Video games, that was my first ever experience. My best friend Jake from Jersey played video games– I've never been into them– but that was how I found out about him. I didn't know he was an actual person, but then I obviously grew to know that he was. Then when I got to meet him I was like, 'Wow!' I mean, he asked me if he could give me product. It's so cool, man.
Who is your favorite skater now?
Oh no doubt Kenny [Anderson]. Hands down. He's got swag, he's a good human being, a great dad, a great friend. He's not like a typical professional skateboarder. I've learned a lot from him just by being around him. He has a very good, positive energy to him. It's cool to see that he's just a person, and a really perfect one in a way. I'm sure he doesn't feel that way, but I look at him and I'm like 'That's what I want to be like. I want to be like Kenny." Just a humble, down to earth, steezy dude.
Before you met Natalie (Johns, Director), was there anyone who inspired you to keep going?
No there wasn't because I was on the streets doing drugs, doing really bad things. I didn't have anyone to look up to, I just had really messed up people around me. When Tammy came into my life, she changed my whole perspective on life and people. I finally had a feeling of wanting to do something with my life instead of just throwing it away. I started to care more. She was the person I looked up to most.
Have you talked to Tammy (Lee-Smith) about this whole experience?
We face-timed this morning, sucks that she couldn't be here but she's here in spirit. It's cool though, she was happy that it happened and that everything turned out well.
What's the next thing you'd like to accomplish?
I don't have a solid plan, man. I didn't even think I'd be here today, so I don't like planning things out. I never have. I get why people plan things and set goals for themselves, but for me it's never worked out. I want to move forward, definitely. I know I want to share my story and hopefully travel the world and become a professional skater. I do want to try and form another little skate part too... I'm trying to do things for myself now and better my future which I still don't know what that's going to be.
Who do you go out and skate with?
I skate with Kenny a lot. Out of all of the sponsors that I ride for and people I hang with, he's like the only person I skate with a lot. There are a lot of fake people out there, and I don't have time for that. I don't want to pretend to be friends with these guys and go skate with them just to try to fit in. I don't need to fit in. I feel like places, like in LA, people want to fit in so bad that you're going to do whatever it takes to just be with the cool guys. You don't want to be left out, I understand not wanting to be the odd man out, but you do have a choice.
What's your favorite trick?
Switch tre.
Nice! Who has the best switch tre?
Me!
Laughter
What spots do you want to street skate?
Ohh! The loading docks spot in Chinatown. If I could skate anywhere, that would definitely be it.
Knowing that skating is a hard thing to do for a long time, are you pursuing other potential opportunities?
Oh no, skating is what brought me here and what I'm going to do. If something comes along that I like or if I want to branch out to other stuff other than skating, like a more creative thing, then yeah I'd be down for it. But right now I'm focusing on this skating thing. That's what I came here to do. If that doesn't work out then I'll be like, 'Oh maybe I'll try something else,' but [skating] is the only thing that matters to me.
After years of filming, you're sitting here at the LA Film Festival, how do you feel?
Honored, actually. I feel very proud and blessed to be part of something that is going to better some people's lives out there that are in very crappy, unsettled situations. Hopefully [the film] will give them a sense of encouragement and a little bit of hope. Any way that I can help or improve or empower people lives, I'm down to do. Even the slightest thing can go a long way.
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Natalie Johns
How has today been so far?
Good! I think Thalente and I are a little bit exhausted. He looked at me earlier and was like, 'Why are we so tired?'
Last night's screening was incredibly successful.
It was intense! We had such an amazing turnout but trying to get everybody in to the theatre and navigate your way around, it was a lot of chaos but really good. The response was so amazing afterwards.
Were there a lot of professional skaters there?
Rodney Mullen, Nyjah Huston, Tom Asta, Tony Hawk, Kenny Anderson, Ray Barbee. There were also a few people who sponsor Thal there, and a few guys from the skate store.
Did it feel like a "skate video" premiere or a traditional film premiere?
Definitely like a film premiere, it's not a traditional skate film it's a documentary film. It's a human story, a portrait of this young man and his rise out of circumstance. The heart of skateboarding, the passion that he's built his life on comes out in the story. We had a lot of human beings that supported the film there, and then lots of people who bought tickets. It was a general admission audience. Also there were a lot of mother's of the kids from the parks that Thalente skates in. One of the things that was so exciting was Rodney Mullen putting his hand up at the end of the film during the Q & A. Dude! Rodney Mullen said to Thalente something like, 'You represent everything that is good about skateboarding.' I wish I had recorded it and had the exact words.
How is Thalente handling all of this?
Sometimes it's hard for Thalente to see what everyone else sees in him, he's just doing his thing. One of the things I was nervous about during the film was how vulnerable it was, how much of his life I was exposing. Exposing things that other skaters might look down on, like him not street skating. That is something I know he could be criticized for, but his peers didn't criticize him for that because they saw [where he came from]. He lived and stayed in the one place in the world where he felt safe. For seven years, he was at one skatepark. He lived in that skatepark. He didn't go street skating because he's afraid of cops. He used to get woken up by pepper spray, get beaten. He doesn't want to f*ck with the law. He wants to stay safe.
He seems like such a sensitive soul. Was it difficult to get him to open up to you?
I don't know what it was, but he and I bonded right away. For me, the thing I really value in life is when somebody follows through with what they say they're going to do. I just knew instinctively that a lot of people didn't follow through with what they said to Thalente or promised him. So many people had let him down. My #1 goal was to never let him down. He wrote a post this morning that he feels so blessed and loved. I was like, 'Yes!' That's all you want someone to feel, loved.
Could you relate to Thalente's story?
I grew up in South Africa, very middle class. The thing that bothered me, for as far back as I can remember, is the disparity. Why did some people have so little and others had so much? I didn't understand that. In South Africa, the disparity between rich and poor is huge. It's incredibly sad. When I was a child, I couldn't understand it. I used to have nightmares about this stuff as a kid.
I'm sure getting into the LAFF was a big relief, all of your hard work didn't go unnoticed.
So I got rejected first. I got a Tribeca rejection and then I got this rejection and I was mortified. I was like, 'How can you reject this story?' This, I think, is important for other filmmakers to know. I had a cut ready by the end of December, and I was so deep in it, I couldn't see the woods for the trees. I had all the parts to the story there, all of the information was there and I thought it was good enough to submit. I hadn't looked at it since December, so when I got the second rejection from LA Film Fest, I thought, 'Wait, wait, wait. Something's wrong with the film.' I called one of the producers and asked if they could sit down and watch it with me. I had to go back to the drawing board. I had a 4 month break from submitting it to watching it again with fresh eyes, and I could see everything that was wrong and I was able to re-edit for another month and a half. I feel like now, this is exactly what I wanted to say with the film.
For our review of I Am Thalente, click here.
The Cast of 'Band of Robbers'
A modern-day retelling of Mark Twain’s iconic characters Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, Band of Robbers is a comedic adventure that reimagines the characters as grown men, and small-time crooks. Having its World Premiere at the LA Film Festival on Saturday, June 13th, we got the chance to talk exclusively to the cast right before the screening. We begin:
Matthew Gray Gubler ("Joe Harper")
WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT JOE HARPER?
Joe Harper is... I have to say he's the most enigmatic character I've ever played. He's lovable on the outside but, Adam and Aaron and I discussed, he's sort of a strange psychopath who really is excited about being a pirate and would probably die for Tom Sawyer. A very loyal madman who's honored to be part of the gang.
IS THIS WHAT DREW YOU TO THE MOVIE?
Adam and Aaron drew me to it, I've known them for a very long time, and I truly think they're some of the most talented people I've ever met in my life. I've been hearing about this project for years.
CAN YOU RELATE TO TWAIN'S CHARACTERS?
I played Huckleberry Finn when I was 10 in a local play and of course I loved it. Twain is like the grandfather of wit, and he looks great in a white suit. It takes a lot of confidence to wear a white suit, because basically you're saying you have faith that you're not going to spill things all over you. I'm a fan of his outfits and a fan of his writing. And his hair. Great hair. I think one of the things about the script and really the whole filmmaking team is I feel like we're all, for better or worse, children at heart. This story and the themes of being trapped in boyhood and trying to function in a normal world ring very true with all of us and I think that's why the movie is so special.
Kyle Gallner ("Huck Finn")
HOW ARE YOU FEELING RIGHT NOW?
Very uncomfortable after all of those pictures, but I'm feeling much better now.
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT THE MOVIE?
It's an imagining of what would happen if Tom Saywer and Huckleberry Finn grew up, but in modern times. It's weirdly kind of like a love story between the two of these guys, it's a nice story about their relationship. They're both at different places in their lives, doing different things, and they're not kids anymore. It's about what happens when you grow up.
COULD YOU RELATE TO THAT PERSONALLY, THE IDEA OF WANTING TO HOLD ONTO CHILDHOOD?
I did, but then life moved very quickly for me where I had kid, then I had a second kid, and my wife... it all came along very, very quick. I was always a little bit of a wild child and never really wanted to grow up and did try to fight against growing up for a long time but now that you're here, it's nice. That journey into being a grown-up is a nice one.
Creed Bratton ("Dobbins")
SO NICE TO MEET YOU!
Great to meet you too!
Fan Girl: Can I get a selfie with you Creed? I love you!
For God's sake woman...
Takes selfie
I'M SURE THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME, RIGHT?
Well [The Office] is playing re-runs so that's good. When it stops I'll get worried.
WHAT DREW YOU TO BAND OF ROBBERS?
I read the script and loved it. It's smart and it's funny. I read for another character and didn't hear about it for a few days and thought, 'What the?' I really wanted it. Then I heard that the directors liked what I did so they took two characters and combined it into this character Dobbins, so I get to play a bad guy. That was great fun.
WOULD YOU SAY YOUR CHILDHOOD WAS LIKE A MARK TWAIN NOVEL?
I grew up in the mountains right below Yosemite in a very rural area, with a horse. I never went looking for Indian's gold, didn't find buried treasure, but I came close.
Adam ("Tom Sawyer", Director) and Aaron Nee (Director)
TELL US THE SECRET FOR SUCCESSFULLY WORKING TOGETHER AS SIBLINGS?
Adam: We have been doing it for so long. Aaron's three years older, and it was impossible [working together] for a while, but once I hit like 17 he started to think I wasn't such a numbskull and thought I had some good ideas. That's when we really hit the ground running. Honestly, our personalities are very different and I feel like my weaknesses are Aaron's strengths and vice versa and I think that's the real key for us.
HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA TO WRITE THIS STORY?
Adam: When I was starting out, I was an actor in New York City and I auditioned for an Adventures of Huckleberry Finn adaptation, a verbatim, by the books period piece, so Huck was like a 13/14-years-old but I was like 21-years-old. I was embarrassingly too old for the part and the audition was terrible. I left laughing at how embarrassing it was, but then thinking, 'Hey, what if they were grown up? What would that actually mean?' Then Aaron came on and helped me figure it out, then we wrote this thing and that's how it all started.
SO WHEN ADAM IS ACTING, IS AARON DIRECTING?
Aaron: Yeah I may have more of an active director role, but because we wrote the film together a lot of the decision-making happened back then. Once we were on set, I knew what Adam wanted, he knew what I wanted and we had worked most of that stuff out. It became more just making sure that stuff was happening.
HOW DID YOU ASSEMBLE YOUR SUPPORTING CAST?
Adam: It was tough casting because these are very difficult parts. We didn't want it to be stereotypes of these famous characters, so it was very hard for people to nail it. When Kyle Gallner came in, it was like, 'Oh that's Huckleberry Finn.' It was so obvious. And then when Melissa Benoist auditioned for Becky, it was so obvious. We got really lucky. I wasn't going to play Tom Sawyer, we just couldn't find anybody and it ended up happening last minute!
Aaron: We saw a lot of talented people who auditioned for Tom Sawyer but I think in part because this was an idea that has been ruminating for a long time, over the course of working that character out it because very much Adam's voice.
Adam: And I knew the directors really well and that helped me get the part.
Beth Grant ("Widow Douglas")
WE WERE JUST TALKING TO THE NEE BROTHERS ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER AS SIBLINGS.
Let me tell you, I'm really close with my brother Bubba. People laugh and say, 'You have a brother named Bubba? Really?' I'm like, 'I'm from the South, of course I've got a brother named Bubba!'
HOW DID YOU GET ATTACHED TO THIS PROJECT?
Matthew Gray Grubler drew me. I had worked with him before, he directed me on Criminal Minds, and I just love him. We've remained friends and have been looking for projects to do together. He called and asked me to do it, and Widow Douglas is an iconic character. I grew up reading the Mark Twain books and so to recreate an icon is always exciting.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR CHARACTER?
Pretty much me if I had stayed in the South. A lot of times I do extreme characters, but honestly this is one of the few chances I've had to really play pretty close to me. It's just a little cameo, a little fun thing, but we'll see tonight! I just tried to be present and in the moment. They guys are all really authentic and it really felt like in this movie we were all playing really close to ourselves. Wait till you see it! Matthew's outfit alone is pretty crazy.
HOW IS IT BEING HERE AT THE LA FILM FESTIVAL?
It's one of my favorite festivals because it's at home and you can invite all of your friends. They have a really eclectic taste and I love that this film was shot in Los Angeles and the festival is really trying to encourage filmmaking in LA. Being shot 100% in LA, including local actors and crew, this is the perfect place for Band of Robbers to be.
Melissa Benoist ("Becky Thatcher")
WHO IS YOUR CHARACTER IN THE FILM?
I play Becky Thatcher, the Becky Thatcher of Tom Sawyer fame. She's basically the moral compass surrounded by a bunch of crazy dudes that are just messing everything up around her.
ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT TONIGHT'S PREMIERE?
Oh yes, I haven't seen much of it and I've been excited to see it since I worked on it!
Stephen Lang ("Injun Joe")
WHO IS YOUR CHARACTER IN THE FILM?
I play Injun Joe who is not a Native American, but he's just obsessed with their culture. He's a hard, cold-blooded individual.
DID THAT INVOLVE HEAVY MAKEUP OR EXTENSIVE COSTUMES?
I really wanted to find the right look for the guy so we did a number on him. I'm a character actor, not only at heart but in fact, and I really like transforming. This seemed like the perfect role to do that with. I did a number with my hair and nose as well which was pretty fun and easy to do. I think I rendered myself almost unrecognizable.
WAS THE CHANCE TO EXPLORE A CHARACTER LIKE THIS WHAT DREW YOU TO THE FILM?
Absolutely. This is one that my son Noah, who is one of the producers, said I had to do. Now, if I had read it and just couldn't see it I would've passed, but he was dead right. It's not a big role, but it's a juicy little thing and it allows me to do something I haven't done before. I was glad to do it.
Review: 'Day Out of Days'
Zoe Cassavetes' latest film, Day Out of Days, is not so much a love letter to Los Angeles as it is a brutally honest slap in the face. A lofty yet realistic portrayal of trying to survive in Hollyweird, Cassavetes uses the city as her playground to tell this intimate story of an aging actress. From the Chateau Marmont, to Griffith Park, to Silverlake liquor marts, the film and its story is quintessentially LA, for better or for worse.
Taking noticeable inspiration from Sofia Coppola's pastel-colored and muted aesthetic, Days is a female driven narrative centered around 40-year-old actress Mia Roarke (Alexia Landeau), who struggles to stay relevant in a town where wrinkles are red flags and age is everything.
Seen glowing and basking in the limelight in the film's opening scene, a mock press junket interview for her latest hit film that reveals a bright future of fame and success ahead, Mia finds that 14 years after her big break, the roles are now only trickling in. With an agent (Brooke Smith) that is about ready to dump her, a famous ex-husband (Alessandro Nivola) newly remarried, and her mother's (Melanie Griffith) pill-popping disappointment of her daughter's backwards-moving career, Mia's discouragement is felt and only grows bigger.
A humiliating meeting with an eccentric filmmaker (Eddie Izard) here, an unsuccessful network audition for a "kooky mom" role there, and an unsatisfying part in a low budget horror flick with a verbally abusive director (Vincent Kartheiser) drive Mia to the point of near breakdown, which the film remains too self-composed to truly offer. However, things take a turn for the best when lo and behold, Mia is offered the role of a lifetime – and so, the superficial circle of showbiz remains unbroken.
From the Chateau Marmont, to Griffith Park, to Silverlake liquor marts, the film and its story is quintessentially LA, for better or for worse.
This story definitely doesn't win points for exploring a theme that has been seen many times over, though Cassavetes clearly is perceptive at subtly poking fun at the obvious stereotypes surrounding the self-validating struggle of the Los Angeles actor.
However, it becomes increasingly frustrating to watch Mia stand in the way of herself throughout the entire film. She is her own worst enemy and the fact that she so is woefully subjected to these constant put-downs is tiring. For the most part, our protagonist just lies down and rolls over. Some things that go against her, like her age and the roles she auditions for versus the ones that are offered to her, are beyond her control. But when she finds herself in other situations like being talked down to on a blind date and getting taken advantage of by the coke-sniffing, leather glove wearing director Dag (Izzard), she passively receives it, which successfully highlights her soft and gentle self amidst the more deplorable aspects of the city but fails to stimulate much of an impact otherwise.
Mia takes baths in the middle of the day and pawns off her jewelry for money, and one would think that if she has been out of the spotlight for 14 years and is desperate enough to sell her extensive wardrobe online, she should maybe start thinking about finding another career path. It's her portrayal of this yearning attempt at a fruitless game that comes across as foolish, and it's hard to sympathize with or feel sorry for her.
For those familiar with the cliches of being an aspiring actor, Day Out of Days may frustrate you just as much as you feel it may completely understand you. Mia's continually disappointed and dragging demeanor is the biggest distraction of the film. If it was meant to portray Mia as a role model for strong, confident women in control of their lives and unwilling to settle for expected societal norms, then there's a problem here, as Mia comes across as anything but in starring in Cassavettes' artistically made lensing of stuperficial living. Although, if you have wanderlust for LA and want a really easy way to see all of the emotionally empty, celebrity-ridden hot spots that the city has to offer, then let this film serve as your mini vacation.
Day Out of Days is playing on June 17th at 9:00 PM during the LA Film Fest. Tickets here.
[youtube height="360" width="640"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfRpI0B1XOM[/youtube]
Review: '3rd Street Blackout'
A technology obsessed, New York City dwelling hipster couple are forced to re-examine their seemingly perfect relationship when Hurricane Sandy hits their apartment and cuts off all power in the indie comedy, 3rd Street Blackout.
It begins as a fun and innocent situation between bespectacled and quirky Mina (Negin Farsad) and her boyfriend, bespectacled and awkward Rudy (Jeremy Redleaf), whose cutesy selves indulge in terrible rap battles and other trite offerings of hipster conversation-ing. Besides that, she's a neuro-biologist (although all we ever see of her is gratingly overplayed Millennial slang), he's a boring hacker who doesn't even believe in himself enough to further his own involvement in a startup company with his two best friends.
Things turn serious, or about as serious as the film wishes to get, when a city-wide blackout brings to light a recent hookup with Mina and a hunky rich and British venture capitalist Nathan Blonket (Ed Weeks), who fancies Mina enough to fund her vague scientist research. The film over-cuts in non-linear time, jumping all over the place between real time events of Rudy and Mina's separate dealings of heartbreak in a darkened city, with that of the "fun times" events that led to this point. This easy digest film poses the question, is their love strong enough to withstand a national disaster and personal heartbreak?
Blackout doesn't need to rely on empty crass humor that defines this generation's smart-alecky commentary to get a laugh, as it would have still been entertaining and even funnier without the abundance of dirty jokes.
Assuming lead character roles, Farsad and Redleaf also serve as co-directors, yet this is a case where their directorial sensibilities might have been better served strictly behind the camera, or being more aware of their own on-camera performances. Audience reaction may have benefitted from a more confident Rudy while Mina should have been equally toned down, whose sing-songy Zooey Deschanel-hipster cadence wears thin the more the film rolls on.
Fortunately, the film keeps a light and fresh tone reminiscent of a sitcom TV show. It seems as if the actors, both lead and supporting, have a background in improv comedy, as their naturalness on screen is at least played casually enough that it's mildly humorous and not offensively off-putting.
Because of the film's naturalness, it seems unnecessary at how often the film indulges in casually crass conversation. The first time you hear a blue joke, it can be funny. The 25th time? Not so funny, and slightly disheartening. Blackout doesn't need to rely on empty crass humor that defines this generation's smart-alecky commentary to get a laugh, as it would have still been entertaining and even funnier without the abundance of dirty jokes.
Those who are drawn to films like Appropriate Behavior or Wild Canaries will find appeal in Negin Farsad and 3rd Street Blackout. It's a film that we can all probably relate to in one way or another. With its over-indulgence in empty moments and a mildly appealing plot, it wouldn't matter much one way or the other if someone pulled the plug on this movie.
3rd Street Blackout is playing on June 15th at 8:30 PM during the LA Film Fest. Tickets here.
[youtube height="360" width="640"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfaK9kMLXtA[/youtube]
Review: 'What Lola Wants'
Like something straight from a teenage girl's tumblr or an Urban Outfitters catalogue, What Lola Wants is an equal parts road movie and passionate romance film for Generation Z. Flamboyant colors and a genuinely good Americana score give off a Tarantino-inspired aesthetic, making this innocent crime film a rolling-fun time.
Lola Franklin (Sophie Lowe) has run away from home, under the guise that she was kidnapped. Escaping from her Hollywood producer parents, her disappearance has made the headline news. Stuck in the middle of the Californian desert, she meets a charming bad boy greaser in Marlo (Beau Knapp), with duck-tailed hair and a Matthew McConaughey-drawl.
After a quick meet in a diner, exchanging winks and heavy breathing, they're off like Bonnie and Clyde – stealing, evading authorities and living life on the run. Side road scenes lead to pick-pocketing 101, motel-stop make-outs, and impromptu convenience store stick-ups, all charged with the good fun that makes the romance heist movie such a rousing watch.
While director Rupert Glasson no doubt has an intended look in mind for the film, it's just that the mechanics of the story seem to stall out rather than race down the open highway as its lead sinning duo do.
Yet after realizing Lola's face from the news, Marlo decides to offload the unpredictable bag of trouble, unwilling to invite any further danger into his young life, as he is already trying to evade the grasp of his nasty firearm wielding "Mama" (Dale Dickey). A cool one million dollar reward for Lola's safe return only heightens the drama as Marlo is caught between love and money.
Marlo wishes to wash his hands of Lola, but the two can't help but fall ever-more in love with each other. Unfortunately, the mystery of Lola and her running away from home is given the back seat when "Mama" comes back in to play, and the reveal is far too late and diluted to keep the initial electric intrigue of it all alive.
Lola wants to be edgy, and with its intensely pop-y color grade and teen magazine looking lead actors Lowe and Knapp, those who relate to the film will most likely be found within the younger generations of movie goers.
While director Rupert Glasson no doubt has an intended look in mind for the film, it's just that the mechanics of the story seem to stall out rather than race down the open highway as its lead sinning duo do. And while its outcome was a successful one, it's hard to know if this is truly his own voice as a filmmaker, or if this style was highly influenced by other cinematic works.
Playing in the Zeitgeist category of the fest, and in competition with other hard-knock, coming of age films, it's hard to say what lasting impression What Lola Wants will have past its festival run besides being a stylish re-work of a story we've seen many times before.
What Lola Wants is playing on June 17th at 3:05 PM during the LA Film Fest. Tickets here.
[youtube height="360" width="640"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXs1Nccj638[/youtube]