Review: 'And While We Were Here'

Kate Bosworth returns to the big screen with director Kat Coiro (L!fe Happens) in the film And While We Were Here, a story about a woman's love affair with a younger man set against the romantic backdrop of Ischia, a touristic island off the coast of Italy. "Independent" doesn't even begin to describe how this film was made; a cast of four and a crew of an equal number make up the entire production team. In this regard, the execution of the film is solid. The location is beautiful and the casting choices of Bosworth, Iddo Goldberg, along with newcomer Jamie Blackley were perfect. The story itself, however, is where the film substantially weakens.

Jane (Bosworth) is an American writer who is accompanying her English viola-playing husband on his concert tour in Italy. From the onset, Jane is visibly depressed and spends most of her days alone in her hotel room, transcribing audio recordings of her grandmother (Claire Bloom) for her upcoming book. One night, Jane decides to venture out on her own and meets Caleb (Blackley), a handsome young American similarly struggling to live in the resort town. The two have undeniable chemistry and ultimately, give in to temptation. Not straying far from the "formula for romance," Jane and Caleb continue their affair for days, and this spontaneity leads Jane to forget her unhappiness and literally "let her hair down."

It would seem like the motivation of And While We Were Here was more of an opportunity to travel to Italy rather than to make a meaningful film.

Ultimately, Jane confesses her affair to her blindsided husband, who rightfully feels betrayed. He says he will do whatever it takes to maintain their relationship, but Jane's mind is made up, although the outcome of her decision isn't necessarily what you'd expect.

My biggest complaint about the film is with Jane's character, I felt absolutely no sympathy for her. First of all, she decides to follow her husband to Italy for his business trip, so, of course, he's going to be busy and not have time to hang out with you, Jane! Also, the fact that she shows no compassion towards her husband after she tells him their relationship is over makes her seem less empowered and totally selfish, which I'm fairly sure wasn't Coiro's intention when writing the script.

It would seem like the motivation of And While We Were Here was more of an opportunity to travel to Italy rather than to make a meaningful film. I personally was more interested in what Bosworth was wearing as opposed to what her character was doing. Flaws aside, I think this film has the potential to be well received in younger demographics, by teenage girls swooning over Blackley or idolizing "it-girl" Bosworth. The film is not groundbreaking cinema, although the familiarity of the storyline could be comforting. One thing's for sure, And While We Were Here will make you re-think Italy as your next vacation destination (boy-toy not included).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNk1YL9G2QA


Review: 'GMO OMG'

GMO OMG has all the makings of a crowd favorite documentary as Director Jeremy Seifert, a young dad concerned with the eating habits of his wife and their three beautiful young kids, goes on a quest to discover what exactly is the make-up of his family's daily eating habits. More specifically, Seifert targets GMOs, scientifically known as Genetically Modified Organisms.

“GMO? What’s that?” This question is asked to random people on the Venice Beach boardwalk within the first 10 minutes of the film, an obvious setup to show just how clueless mainstream America really is about what we’re eating. Although slightly insulting, this is the perfect segway into Jeremy’s mission.

Although not as captivating as other food documentaries, it will likely appeal to the eco-friendly, food conscious hipsters.

Believing that the American food system is destructive and unhealthy, Jeremy investigates how the loss of seeds can affect our entire diet and ultimately, the health of the planet. While it doesn't rely heavily on the nutritional facts of GMOs, Jeremy attacks from the ethical side of our global food supply. Apparently, GMOs are in nearly 80% of processed foods and with the suggestion to just “Eat organic” and “Avoid GMOs”, eating healthy feels just plain overwhelming. An effort to provide more balance between the technical, scientific side and a more humanistic understanding would have appealed to a larger audience.

A trip to Haiti reveals just how valuable seeds are to the chain of life and how the sustainability of our planet depends on them. The obvious bad guys are the corporations that take over the farmer’s seeds every year and release chemical toxins onto the food we ultimately eat. The companies Jeremy profiles are Monsanto (Agent Orange) and Dow (Napalm), agrochemical corporations that are trying to control everything we consume (according to Seifert).

Songs by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros open the film, adding to its “indie cred.” Long sweeping shots make up most of the visual; whether they’re cornfields or a Haitian village, the cinematography in the film is definitely worth noting. GMO OMG, although not as captivating as other food documentaries, will likely appeal to the eco-friendly, food conscious hipsters and others looking for ways to better the environment and themselves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuN09KENCHA


Review: 'My Father and the Man in Black'

Some believe that "superstars are not born, they are created." Director Jonathan Holiff explores this statement in the documentary, My Father and the Man in Black, a film about his overbearing father, Saul Holiff, and his relationship with the legendary Johnny Cash. Jonathan documents his quest to find out more about his father and his experience as Johnny's manager, revealing the ups and downs of Cash's career and the effect it had on Saul's life.

Holiff is described as the man behind the success of Johnny Cash. From day one, Holiff is shown as a natural born leader, like Cash. The two men got along so well because they were both incredibly strong, yet guarded, whose similar alpha-male nature made opening up impossible. In the entertainment industry where image is everything, Holiff wanted his to be perfect. The stress of achieving perfection while working non-stop with Johnny eventually took a toll on Holiff, who succumbed to taking his own life. On top of that, Saul didn't even leave a note for a young, hurt Jonathan.

Following the death of his father, Jonathan begins to investigate who his dad really was. The film picks up steam when Jonathan takes the audience into his family's storage unit and uncovers hundreds of never-before-published letters and audio recordings, taped phone calls, and diaries from his father documenting Saul's personal demons and troubles he had with Johnny. From Cash's pill-fueled near overdoses in 1960 to playing at Folsom and San Quentin Prison, and through his conversion to a born-again Christian in1970, Jonathan leaves no stone unturned as uncovers how his father was there to pick up the pieces.

It feels like the film was made as more of a cathartic and emotional release for Jonathan as opposed to him wanting the world to know about the life of Saul Holiff.

My Father and the Man in Black is unique in its form because it plays like more of a docu-drama; While incorporating archival footage, it also includes re-enactment scenes and voice-over narration throughout the film. This switching in direction keeps the audience engaged, although it borders on the side of slightly confusing and distracting.

As director, producer, writer, and actor, Jonathan Holiff wears many hats in this film. However, his attempt at the one-man-band approach doesn't quite hit the nail on the head. At times, the film seems to shift gears from its unbiased, historical accounts of events to obvious venting at his late father. It feels like the film was made as more of a cathartic and emotional release for Jonathan as opposed to him wanting the world to know about the life of Saul Holiff.

In any case, if you're a fan of Johnny Cash, this documentary is definitely worth a watch. Even if you're just a music buff, this film gives a further and unseen perspective into the life of Johnny Cash- the good times and  the bad times, no holds barred.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtovAxxPo2Q


The Beatles' Official Secretary Shares All in 'Good Ol' Freda'

*This documentary is special to me in more ways than one; but most importantly, it was the first film I screened for CINEMACY back in July 2013. It set the bar for the type of content I wanted to cover and share with you.

Freda Kelly was your average teenage girl in 1961; she went to school, was shy around boys, and enjoyed hanging out with friends and discovering the “latest” musical talent. One night, she happened to see a band that changed her life forever. That band was The Beatles, at the time just a local Liverpudlian group hoping for their big break. Smitten with the boys, Freda literally jumped on the bandwagon and became their official secretary. As history reflects, the Beatles stayed together as a group for 10 years, although Freda was onboard for 11. In Good Ol’ Freda, director Ryan White explores the untold stories of Beatlemania, and Freda shares her personal experience for the first time in 50 years.

The transition from small town band to worldwide success is documented through Freda’s stories. She recalls working for Brian Epstein and how devastating it was to deal with his death. Her stories about Paul, John, George and Ringo are so engaging and funny; she does a great job of personifying these icons and showing that they really were just “average” boys. The archival footage paired with original recordings and songs from the group is exciting to see on the big screen, any Beatles fan would agree.

"Genuine" is the best word to describe both Freda and this film because, up until now, Freda has kept this past life a sort of mystery to her friends and even family.

Some of the documentaries’ best moments come from Freda's days at the Beatles Headquarters as she recalls outlandish requests from fans. A fan once sent her a stick of gum for one of the boys to chew on and send it back, which she did. From cutting pieces of material from their clothes to collecting their hair after a haircut, Freda did everything she could to satisfy the frenzy of Beatles fans.

"Genuine" is the best word to describe both Freda and this film because, up until now, Freda has kept this past life a sort of mystery to her friends and even family. She didn’t want her past to overshadow who she is today, which is why she kept all of her Beatles memorabilia (worth over thousands of dollars) neatly tucked away in her attic. The only reason why she even agreed to make the film, she explains, is to show her grandson one day so he knows what a full life she had “before the memory box goes completely.”

If you’re a fan of The Beatles, then Good Ol’ Freda is a must see; it's a fantastic story with heart and quirk without seeming gossipy. It highlights the evolution of the group through the eyes of the one who was there through it all; the challenges, the tours, the iconic breakthroughs and the momentum of success from the greatest band in history.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqO3DIaKTXM


Kristen Bell and Mamie Gummer on 'The Lifeguard' [WATCH]

The Soho House in West Hollywood is the location. The stars of the new independent film The Lifeguard are set up in one of the overly air-conditioned rooms, hot tea in hand and blanket in lap. We introduce ourselves and begin. Kristen Bell and Mamie Gummer are the beautiful leads in Liz W. Garcia’s feature film directorial debut The Lifeguard (review up now). We talk about working with Liz, getting into character, and the experiences of losing their childhood rooms to change or in Mamie’s case, it being kept as a time capsule.


'The Lifeguard' Review: Kristen Bell Gets Slightly Scandalous

Kristen Bell and Mamie Gummer tackle the independent genre in The Lifeguard, the feature film debut from writer/director Liz W. Garcia. The film centers on Leigh (Kristen Bell), a 29-year-old New York City girl struggling with that age-old question, “what am I doing with my life?” An impulsive decision brings Leigh to quit her job as a reporter at the prestigious AP and head back to her childhood home in Connecticut to live with mom and dad. In what appears to be a regression back to her former teenage self, she takes up her old job as a lifeguard in a gated community center, and this is when the trouble starts.

Kristen Bell and Mamie Gummer on ‘The Lifeguard’ [WATCH]

As an audience member, you wonder at what cost is she willing to hold onto her youth? Leigh’s arrested development puts her in a vulnerable position when she begins flirting with Jason (David Lambert), a 16-year-old rebel skater boy who smokes pot and ditches school. His appeal is easy to see and for Leigh, it’s just the attention she needs to feel young and beautiful.

For Kristen Bell, it’s a darker, twisted side we see as she sheds her “good girl” image to play Leigh.

Mamie Gummer and Martin Starr play Leigh’s childhoods friends and they become extremely uneasy about her relationship with Jason. Their disapproval causes Leigh to hit rock bottom; she moves out of her parent’s house and feels like “little girl lost,” which is something the audience can relate to in one way or another. Acknowledging that she is out of control, she realizes that maybe clinging onto youth isn’t as romantic as she thought.

The Lifeguard is not groundbreaking cinema or a heavy-handed story, but it succeeds in showcasing great performances from its actors. For Bell, it’s a darker, twisted side we see as she sheds her “good girl” image to play Leigh. Gummer impresses as high school vice principal Mel who tries to be the voice of reason while struggling with personal issues between her husband (Joshua Harto) and herself. Lambert breaks away from his “Disney” image and plays Jason with edge and intrigue. So, if you’re looking to watch an easy film with that independent flavor and slightly scandalous subject matter, The Lifeguard may be just the film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x92mfhWERew


'Abigail Harm' Review: Surreal-ness in Subtlety

If you're looking for the next surreal-indie-art film, look no further than Abigail Harm. Living in isolation in New York City, Abigail (Amanda Plummer) is a 50 something, single woman living the simple life; No husband and no children, only an ailing father and a dead mother. Reminiscent of an older looking Miranda July, Abigail makes her living by reading stories to the blind. The film opens with Abigail charismatically reading a passage from "Into the Looking Glass" to one of her clients (fitting for a woman who spends her days feeling like an outsider). With a daily routine of going to and from clients' homes, she is never seen by anyone- literally, all her clients are blind- and she longs for love and companionship.

One night, a wounded man (Will Patton) appears in her apartment. After dressing his wounds, he repays her by offering her the chance to not only be loved, but fall in love. Intrigued by his claim, the man continues to explain to Abigail the secret. Based on the Korean folklore "The Woodcutter and the Nymph," the man explains that if Abigail was to take the robe of a man, he will follow her forever. That man would hypothetically be a "victim to love." Cut to- Abigail entering an abandoned building and finds a man (Tetsuo Kuramochi) bathing. Seizing her opportunity, she takes his robe and sure enough, he becomes hers.

With a daily routine of going to and from clients' homes, she is never seen by anyone- literally, all her clients are blind- and she longs for love and companionship.

Abigail Harm is, at the core, a story about loneliness and the humanistic desire to be loved. Cinematically, it has that beautiful Terrance Malick look of surreal-ness in subtlety. Multiple long takes enhance Plummer's incredible raw talent, she plays Abigail with such heart. Director Lee Isaac Chung is a genius in creating this fairytale-like world in a seemingly realistic environment. For a woman who reads to people for a living, the film is overly quiet; there is not a lot of dialogue, mostly ambient sounds and score.

With roots deep in folklore, it could have been easy to pass this story off as cheesy or insincere, but it's not. It's a thinker, which is the only way this film could have been done successfully. Abigail Harm is more than just a film, it's an art piece and an experience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jJfumiMcZo


'Spark: A Burning Man Story': An Insider's Look at This Festival Phenomenon

Imagine suddenly realizing that every decision you've ever made in your life could be wrong. By the “default” world’s standards, the subjects in Steve Brown’s documentary have seemingly lost it all; from day job to life partner, these people come across as social rejects. But imagine going to a place and discovering your true self and purpose on earth, realizing that art, self-expression, and music are the true ethos of existence.

This place is Black Rock City, NV, where thousands gather every year to experience a life free from the confines of the “real world.” In Brown’s documentary SPARK: A Burning Man Story, he captures the intense journey of three artists each struggling with their own challenges and triumphs during the 2012 Burning Man festival.

The film follows Katy Boynton, a former nanny who has a change of heart after attending a previous Burning Man festival. Even though she was being evicted from her apartment and making extra cash by cleaning out garages on the side, Katy realizes her true passion is welding. She has no regrets about quitting her day job as she sets out to create her own piece of art for Burning Man 2012. The process of constructing the 12 foot tall piece, and leading up to it's eventual installation, is a great story of perseverance and humbleness.

Chances are, I may never make it out to an actual Burning Man event, however, this documentary makes me feel like I’ve already been there.

Enter- Otto von Danger, a former marine, who feels betrayed by the “institutions” he risked his life to defend, and in turn, expresses his anger and frustration through art. The doc shows the construction of his brainchild, “Burn Wall Street”- large wooden buildings meant to replicate New York City’s financial district, (ex. “Bank of Un-America”) which eventually burns to the ground during one of the nights at Burning Man.

Finally, Jon La Grace is a Burning Man organizer who left his wife a few years back when he accepted that he was gay. He realized that material things in life were meaningless to him after attending Burning Man for the first time, and it's changed his life for the better. Since then, he’s become one of the lead organizers of the theme camps as well as a fan favorite.

Brown and co-director Jessie Deeter do a great job of capturing the spirit and phenomenon that is Burning Man in SPARK: A Burning Man Story. The artists we follow along the way were perfectly selected, each are unique characters that bring to light something we as an audience member can take away once the movie’s over. Chances are, I may never make it out to an actual Burning Man event, however, this documentary makes me feel like I’ve already been there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4ZNUZDuaH4