'Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press' Review: Hulk Hogan Takes on the Press
New on Netflix is a documentary that sent shockwaves through Park City when it premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.
Screening the film for a crowd made up of mostly journalists and other media/ industry folk, the now infamous Gawker Media case flipped the script on the way that controversial and boundary-pushing journalism was held accountable. When Gawker made an enemy out of Terry Bollea (aka Hulk Hogan) by publishing a clip of his sex tape, they inadvertently dug their own grave. In an eye-opening look at the power and consequences of wealth and free speech, director Brian Knappenberger’s documentary Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press is a terrifying exposé at how the media can be controlled by the right (rich) people and the true cost of preserving one’s integrity, for better or for worse.
There is no doubt that Hulk Hogan is regarded as one of the most popular wrestlers of all time. From action figures to having his own reality TV show on MTV, Hogan’s public persona has saturated pop culture for decades. It’s no surprise then, that when the online gossip tabloid Gawker posted a grainy black and white clip of an allegedly leaked sex tape in 2012, the public was devastated. This man who was seen as an American icon had now been caught not only sleeping with his best friend’s wife but spouting off racial insults. This revelation went against everything that made Hogan so likable, but the man who appears in the tape in Gawker’s possession wasn’t Hulk Hogan– at least, that was the response that came from his camp of powerful attorneys.
Hulk Hogan and Terry Bollea are not the same person. One is a flamboyant caricature of a man while the other is a private and sensitive individual. This difference is at the pinnacle of what ignited a fierce debate throughout the media, raising the question of where does one draw the line between privacy rights and the First Amendment?
It set a frightening precedent for journalists everywhere, can the First Amendment be thwarted if there is enough money involved?
What makes this case even stranger is what happened next. Silicon Valley venture capitalist and Donald Trump supporter Peter Thiel had been anonymously funding the legal fees for Bollea and had a very pointed agenda aimed at Gawker– to bankrupt them and shut the site down for good. Thiel had a longtime feud with Gawker and saw Bollea’s case as the perfect time to strike. Years earlier, Thiel had been outed by Gawker as being gay, and despite it being true, he considered the exploitation similar to an act of terrorism. It turns out that Gawker was no match for the power of a very vengeful and rich Peter Thiel, and in true David vs Goliath fashion, was forced to shut down. In this case, money was all it took to shut down independent journalism and set a frightening precedent for journalists everywhere, can the First Amendment be thwarted if there is enough money involved?
Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press uses Bollea’s case as the prime example of the exploitation of the First Amendment, but his is not the only case examined. The secretive purchase of the Las Vegas Review-Journal by the politically divisive billionaire Sheldon Adelson is told firsthand by the journalists who stood up for what they believed in, which ended up costing them their jobs because they did not want to play by Adelson’s rules. And there is no shortage of footage showing President Trump undermining and disrespecting journalists with every opportunity. Aside from ridiculous and repetitive claims of the media being “fake news,” his treatment of this American right and freedom is a very real threat to democracy and a terrible message to send to the American people.
'Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press' is not rated. 95 minutes. Now streaming on Netflix.
'Ingrid Goes West' Red Carpet with Aubrey Plaza and Director Matt Spicer [WATCH]
Last Thursday, the dark comedy that charmed critics at Sundance had the honor of being the closing night film at the LA Film Festival. It's fitting that Ingrid Goes West was selected as the bookend to another successful festival put on by Film Independent. The indie film, which has been acquired by NEON for an August 11th release date, is a hilarious parody of Los Angeles and the way social media drives an unrealistic need for superficial "perfection."
I had the opportunity to chat with Aubrey Plaza, who plays the titular character, Ingrid Thorburn, and director Matt Spicer on the red carpet minutes before the screening took place. Since this is a film centered around the impact of social media, I asked Aubrey what her personal favorite emoji is and had Matt settle the debate on whether or not dogs should have Instagrams.
Suki Waterhouse and Ana Lily Amirpour of 'The Bad Batch' Talk Venice Beach and 'My Breast'
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When I meet Suki Waterhouse and Ana Lily Amirpour at the London Hotel in West Hollywood, they greeted me as if I was a long-lost friend.
Instantly, we vibed and for the duration of our 15-minute interview, I was living out my fantasy of being a part of their badass girl tribe. After our interview wrapped and I had to slowly come down from cloud 9, the most amazing thing happened. Suki and Ana both said our interview was the best one they've had. Was it because we shared crazy Venice Beach stories? Read on to see...
What was your first job? Did that in any way impact your passion for filmmaking/acting?
Ana Lily Amirpour: I worked at a coffee shop as a barista in Santa Barbara. I made cappuccinos and stuff.
Suki Waterhouse: I had a couple of jobs where I dressed up as Powerpuff Girls...
ALA: What's a Powerpuff Girl?
SW: A Powerpuff Girl is a cartoon! I really didn't want to go to school, I just wanted to dress up. I was about 8 years old. I told my mom I wanted to dress up so we would find websites where you can hire people to come out [in costume]. My first proper job was working on a phone line, answering calls for people who wanted breast implants. The place was called My Breast. So I'd be like, "Hello, this is My Breast."
Laughter
ALA: Aww, my answer was like, "I work in a coffee shop."
They're like, "How weird you are inspires us." I'm just like, "Woah, you're saying that to me?" -Ana
I kept picturing Arlen as a badass Dorthy Gale from "The Wizard of OZ"...
SW: Oh my God, I was Dorthy in the "Wizard of Oz!"
No way! I must've picked up on that. Arlen's on her own trying to find her way back home and runs into a cast of characters that help her, in a way, get home. Who are the people in your life that you feel most comfortable around, or the people that inspire your creativity?
SW: I'm not really in one place ever, so sometimes I write down in my phone people's name so I remember [who to reach out to]. I like people who are similar, not ever in one place. They have lots of stories to tell me.
ALA: For me, I feel led my the film and story I'm telling into really intimate, meaningful connections with people. It's like a density of intimacy for a duration, and then life changes and you go into the next thing.
SW: It's so hard not to fall in love with everyone when you're making a movie because you get to see everyone's humanity. You're hanging out with everyone all the time, how can you not fall in love with them?
ALA: One thing that's happened to me lately, now that I'm putting out this movie and the stage of where I'm at with things, I've developed a few friendships with other filmmakers that have been really helpful for me as a filmmaker. I'm just so grateful that they are there. They're like, "How weird you are inspires us." I'm just like, "Woah, you're saying that to me?" Everybody needs someone to tell them to just keep going.
We got into this conversation and he said, "I'm trying not to be such a loser, I want to be a finder. A finder finds things, a loser loses things." -Ana
What was on your mood board when you were thinking of "The Bad Batch" world?
ALA: My whole office was covered in images of the desert, women porn, lots of books about American Desert Badlands that had fallen to crust.
SW: Hugh Hefner.
ALA: Hugh Hefner! Burning Man, the boombox obviously. The Dark Side album really inspired me. Francis Harris, Jim Phillips skateboard graphics from the 70's and 80's, Skid Row, Venice Beach...
SW: Ana took me to Venice Beach for the first time.
ALA: I had been hanging out in Venice a lot and was thinking about Comfort. One day I started talking to these very young, hippie street kids and this guy came up to me– he was very spaced out, tripping on something. We got into this conversation and he said, "I'm trying not to be such a loser, I want to be a finder. A finder finds things, a loser loses things."
SW: No!
Woah...
ALA: That's why The Screamer (Giovanni Ribisi) says that in the film. Yeah, Venice is weird, you're in the "city" but so disconnected from everything in the city.
SW: I went down there recently and saw people cleaning up a guy who had died. It's hardcore down there.
ALA: Hardcore as shit.
"It's melted cauliflower with loads of cheese that you put bread crumbs on and bake. It's incredible." -Suki
Ana, did you feel any pressure coming off of your last film, "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night?"
ALA: I wrote "Bad Batch" when I was editing "Girl," and I didn't know how, when, if "Girl" would come out, so [no]. I never wait for external circumstances to put me in a position to tell a story. The most terrifying thing for me is the well drying up and not knowing what you want to make. I've already started writing a third one. As long as I have a place to disappear to with my imaginary friends, I feel like I'm ok. The pressure I can handle.
Ok, weird question. Say you were stuck in the desert a lá "The Bad Batch." What food would you not mind eating every day for the rest of your life?
ALA: Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
SW: Oh yes! That's the shit. I'd say cauliflower cheese.
Laughter
ALA: What the fuck is that?!
SW: It's melted cauliflower with loads of cheese that you put bread crumbs on and bake. It's incredible.
Oh yeah, that sounds good.
ALA: But you would eat that for the rest of your desert days?
SW: Yeah. I mean, I'd like to share some of your peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
'The Bad Batch' Review: A Bizarro Burning Man Take on the Border Crisis
Bringing "Bad" back to the big screen for her highly anticipated sophomore film is Ana Lily Amirpour, the visionary who made black and white Vampire Spaghetti Westerns a thing.
Amirpour trades the streets of Bad City for the barren desert of Texas in The Bad Batch, a meditative and highly audacious cannibal film that makes Burning Man look like your grandmother's tea party. Check back tomorrow for our exclusive interview with Amirpour and actress Suki Waterhouse.
Our heroine is Arlen (Suki Waterhouse), a young woman who has been dumped in the desert after spending an undisclosed amount of time in a detention facility. Disoriented and penniless, her stamina is no match for unrelenting sun as she decides to let her guard down for a quick nap in a conveniently abandoned car. It's not long until a group of ragtag cannibal misfits find Arlen and take her to their base camp. Her desperation to escape literally costs Arlen an arm and a leg as she quickly learns that it's every man, or in this case, woman, for herself in the Bad Batch.
Elements of what made Amirpour's first film, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, so successful are replicated here– strong female protagonist, gritty skate culture and trendy soundtrack, including songs from Die Antwoord and Culture Club, and all-around cool vibes. Perhaps too cool at times, but how can it not be coming from distributors like Vice, NEON, and Annapurna?
Ana Lily Amirpour's moody, high-style horror flick is an unconventional watch, but for as tough and tireless as the premise is, the cinematic style of the film itself is quite idyllic.
Arlen encounters many characters as she wanders through the barren landscape, including the big and burly Miami Man (Jason Momoa), his quiet yet independent daughter, Honey (Jayda Fink) and The Dream (Keanu Reeves), the idolized patriarch of the desert camp called Comfort. The subsidiary cast of kooks like Hermit (Jim Carrey) and The Screamer (Giovanni Ribisi) are unexpected but welcomed additions that further round out Arlen's reality. Like a badass Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz, Arlen just wants to go home and uses these characters she meets along the way to help her get there.
The audience isn't given the luxury of knowing Arlen's backstory, or how she wound up in the Bad Batch in the first place, but character development clearly wasn't the focus here. We are dropped into a dystopian desert without knowing how we got there or where we're going, but we blindly buckle up for the ride. By default, we root for Arlen's success because the odds are against her, plus she is fighting to survive with a missing left arm and leg, I'd venture to guess, however, that a backstory would have made the audience further emotionally invested.
Ana Lily Amirpour's moody, high-style horror flick is an unconventional watch, but for as tough and tireless as the premise is, the cinematic style of the film itself is quite idyllic. Minimal dialogue and long, sweeping shots of the vast wasteland makes for a meditative watch despite the blood, guts, and gore. Lingering shots of barren desert-living mixed with the effortlessly cool and all-around badass Suki Waterhouse makes The Bad Batch an artistic vision, or dare I say... dream?
'The Bad Batch' is rated R for violence, language, some drug content, and brief nudity. 118 minutes. Opening this Friday at ArcLight Hollywood and On Demand, Amazon and iTunes.
'Out of State' Review: Hula Heals Convicted Criminals
Competing for the title of Best Documentary at the festival this year is "Out of State," a story about personal change and second chances.
Director Ciara Lacy follows two inmates as they learn about their rich cultural heritage while locked up behind bars, and the transition from a life of controlled routine to total freedom back on the beautiful island of Hawaii. Exposing the wisdom and hardships they gained throughout their turbulent journey, "Out of State" is a film worth rooting for.
Since the mid-1990s, Hawaii has sent most of their male prisoners to for-profit prisons in the United States, due to overcrowding. The men profiled, David and Hale, had been locked up at the Saguaro Correctional Center in Eloy, Arizona, a unit specifically built for men who committed crimes in Hawaii. Being held thousands of miles away from home, the men grow to see their incarcerated peers as brothers. They learn ancient Hawaiian traditions behind bars, including dance routines, chants, and other rituals that they had previously disregarded for a life of crime and substance abuse.
They learn ancient Hawaiian traditions behind bars, including dance routines, chants, and other rituals that they had previously disregarded for a life of crime and substance abuse.
Only about the first quarter of the film is dedicated to the prison system (personally, I would have loved to explore that a bit more), but the true test lies in how the men act once released. David's release seems promising, turning towards spirituality and keeping the traditions he learned close. He is wise when talking about his "second chance" and his appreciation for the friends and family that love him unconditionally.
Ciara Lacy is a native Hawaiian and her approach in humanizing and sympathizing with convicted criminals is a testament to her directorial skills. The film itself is a straightforward character-driven documentary, but what makes it special is the common thread of personal growth and the universal desire to better oneself.
“Out of State” premiered at the 2017 LA Film Festival on June 18.
'Funeral Parade of Roses' Review: New 4K Restoration is Still Erotically Charged
Cinelicious Pics and The Cinefamily have breathed new life into the 1969 black and white experimental film, Funeral Parade of Roses.
The new wave Japanese film, from director Toshio Matsumoto, had been banned from American theaters for years, but since its recent 4K restoration, this work will now celebrate its re-release with a special screening at The Cinefamily beginning this Friday.
Drawing inspiration from the subversive world of underground drag queen bars and the mischief that surrounds them, Funeral Parade of Roses is an intoxicating watch from start to finish. The protagonist, Eddie (Pîtâ), a young, doe-eyed hostess at Bar Genet, becomes entangled in a violent love triangle with club owner Gonda (Yoshio Tsuchiya) and the reigning drag queen Leda (Osamu Ogasawara). Amongst the sex and violence, Eddie worries for her safety but that doesn't stop her from participating in both drugs, booze, and naked dance parties that are overtly present in the Tokyo night scene. The further the film develops, the wilder the ride becomes, including an inadvertent "Oedipus Rex" moment that is so shocking it may be tempting to cover (or try to poke out) your eyes.
Influenced by many, but still the reigning champion of boundary-pushing movies.
Funeral Parade of Roses has become a legendary film in its own right- influencing Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange and portraying the tone of the counterculture trans scene of Tokyo in the 60s. Chaotic edits that blend documentary interviews– questioning characters about their decision to "become gay"– with avant-garde performance art, and film-within-a-film moments, "Funeral Parade of Roses" is most definitely not a straightforward watch.
This queer, art-house cinematic masterpiece was ahead of its time in 1969, and the argument could be made that it remains that way, even today. While the normalization and societal acceptance of trans people are becoming more mainstream, the technique and way in which Matsumoto created this buzzy, gritty, and subversive world have still gone unmatched in modern cinema. Influenced by many, but still the reigning champion of boundary-pushing movies, Funeral Parade of Roses includes a line of dialogue towards the end that provides the most accurate summary - "Such a unique film with cruelty and laughter."
"Funeral Parade of Roses" is not rated. 107 minutes. Opening this Friday at The Cinefamily with additional cities to follow.
The 6 Things We’re Looking Forward To Most at This Year’s LA Film Festival
The 2017 LA Film Festival kicks off this Wednesday, and we here at Cinemacy can’t wait to return to the fest filled with promising screenings, conversations, red carpet events, and much more (free yoga on the festival lawn!).
Running through next Thursday, the 22nd annual LAFF showcases 48 feature films, 51 short films, 15 high school short films, and 10 short episodic works- representing 32 countries. In anticipation of the event, Cinemacy’s staff writers have made a list of the six things we’re most looking forward to. If you can’t make it out, be sure to follow Cinemacy as we cover the festival from start to finish on Instagram , Twitter , and Facebook!
Bryce Dallas Howard: Coffee Talks Actors at 2015 LA Film Festival
Morgan’s pick: Coffee Talks
One of the most alluring events that the festival offers aren’t even the movies– but rather, the conversations with some of the industry’s inspiring talents. Taking place at the Kirk Douglas Theatre on 6/18, the Coffee Talks are a series of one-hour conversations with a panel of different people working in the industry, including directors, actors, screenwriters, and composers. These events have always been a highlight for us, and this year we couldn’t be more excited to sip our latte with director Justin Simien (Dear White People), Zal Batmanglij (The OA, The East), and more to be announced.
Still from G-Funk
Ryan’s pick: G-Funk
While I admit that I’m not the most well-versed fan of hip-hop music, I, like most people, grew to see another side of the rap music scene in 2015’s summer breakout hit, Straight Outta Compton, which cinematized an untold story about this pivotal moment in art, culture, politics, and music. One of the major artists of this late ‘80s–early ‘90s era LA rap scene was Warren G. The documentary G-Funk chronicles the music’s rise and friendship between Warren, Nate Dogg, and Snoop Dogg as they create the essential style of West Coast hip hop. What’s more– the film was directed, shot, and edited by Chapman University graduates (of which Cinemacy’s staff writers hail from). G-Funk screens at the Theatre at the Ace Hotel on 6/16, to be followed by a live performance by none other than Warren G himself.
Monkey Business
Nelson’s pick: Monkey Business: The Adventures of Curious George’s Creators
Dare I say I’m curious to see how this film is? Unbeknownst to me, the creators of the timeless children’s storybook character “Curious George” escaped Nazi Germany in order to bring their character to light. Monkey Business is a multimedia documentary, and hopefully, my enthusiasm for the wave of recent boundary-pushing non-fiction films (Nuts!, Tower) carries over to this unique film, playing on 6/17. Further assuring that Monkey Business is something of quality, the film has already been picked up for distribution by indie favorite The Orchard.
Royalty Hightower
Morgan’s pick: And Then I Go
Twelve-year-old actress Royalty Hightower first hit the film scene in the 2016 film The Fits, where she gave a tour de force performance as the protagonist, Toni. In my review of the film, I stated, “Remember her name, Royalty Hightower is just getting started,” and I’m happy to say that I was right: In And Then I Go, playing on 6/16, Hightower appears alongside Melanie Lynskey, Justin Long, and more in the drama about the hardships of adolescence and the powerful bonds of friendship.
Still from Patti Cake$
Ryan’s pick: Patti Cake$
It seems like I’m looking forward to a hip-hop themed festival. Following G-Funk, the fictional movie on my must-see list is one that I missed when it made its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Patti Cake$, which screens on 6/19, tells the story of an unlikely rapper who finds her voice as a one-of-a-kind hip hop legend. This looks like a confident, brash, and entertaining film, which is always fun to watch with an audience.
DJ party at the 2016 LA Film Festival. Courtesy of Film Independent
Nelson’s pick: Anything (which takes on a double meaning)
First, the Mark Ruffalo produced drama, Anything, which features longtime character actor John Carroll Lynch (The Founder, Fargo) in a rare leading role. Lynch’s protagonist, named Early Landry of all things, moves in with his sister after losing his wife and finds himself attracted to her neighbor, Freda. While we can imagine what sort of complications can arise from this synopsis, I’m sure that there’s much more ahead for this film, playing on 6/17.
The second part of "Anything" is the festival itself. LAFF is an amazing event for discovering hidden gems. I saw my favorite film of 2015, Victoria, by complete chance without knowing anything beforehand and it is still a film I frequently mention today. This atmosphere of unknown excitement is what attracts me more than any specific title. You’ll be in good hands with almost "Anything" you see, so take this as a chance to seek out new, independent films!
To see all the latest lineup announcements, including pass, ticket and event information, visit tickets.lafilmfestival.com.
'Opening Night' Review: This Musical Comedy is Worth a Standing Ovation
This review originally ran on June 7th, 2016 during the LA Film Festival
Birdman meets 30 Rock in director Isaac Rentz's feature film Opening Night, an ensemble musical comedy with heart, soul, and a bunch of dick jokes.
We spend one hilariously chaotic night backstage of the Broadway production 'One-Hit-Wonderland,' a musical journey through the poppy hits of yesterday, led by NSYNC's JC Chasez (as himself). It is high stakes all around as the outcome of the night's show will determine whether or not the production will continue its planned run or shut down for good. For production manager Nick (Topher Grace), the Broadway stage has become a long forgotten dream as he now resorts to working behind the velvet curtain, comically tackling all of a producer's worst nightmares.
A wonderfully frenetic Topher Grace hilariously navigates his way through the endless cyclones of disaster. His calm, cool, and collected demeanor is pushed to the limit by his flamboyant friend and backup dancer Malcolm (Taye Diggs), drugged-up diva Brooke (Anne Heche), insecure assistant Alex Bean (Lauren Lapkus), clueless prop assistant Ron (Paul Scheer), and overbearing manager Mr. Goldmeyer (Rob Riggle), among others. However, all of their problems are background noise to Nick as he attempts to uncover the relationship between JC and his ex-girlfriend, Chloe (Alona Tal). As his actions threaten to destroy the show and ruin his relationship with Chloe for good, Nick must learn to face his troubled past if he is ever going to move on.
The fluidity of the film's pacing and timed comedic beats, coupled with a solid cast of outstanding performances, makes 'Opening Night' worth a standing ovation.
Opening Night enlists some of comedy's most talented actors, and with a finely tuned script bringing out the best in everyone, the result is a non-stop joyride of quotable one-liners and belly laughs. JC plays an over-exaggerated version of himself with NSYNC memorabilia plastered all over his dressing room walls and a life-sized and shirtless cardboard cutout in the corner. He is both goofy and earnest, poking fun at his boy band past much to the enjoyment of the audience. Rob Riggle as the larger-than-life, insult hurling manager steals the scene every time. Not only do his cartoonish facial expressions get a laugh, the stressed delivery of his lines adds to the frantic nature of the situation and pushes Nick to the brink.
The musical numbers are another perfectly executed piece of this film's total package (full disclosure, I am a fan of musicals, however, one definitely doesn't need to be fond of theater to want an encore of Opening Night). If you're familiar with the television show "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" (if you're not, get to watching!) the original, and many times vulgar, songs are the main source of unexpected hilarity. Same thing here, while the songs are all versions of one-hit wonders, the spin the cast takes on them is completely unique.
For any director, the jump from the music video environment to a feature-length film, and a musical no less, would seem like a tall order, but Isaac Rentz is able to seamlessly make this transition to roaring applause. The fluidity of the film's pacing and timed comedic beats, coupled with a solid cast of outstanding performances, makes Opening Night worth a standing ovation.
'Opening Night' is not rated. 90 minutes. Opening in select theaters this Friday, available on Netflix August 1st.
Director Deb Shoval on the Magic of Lola Kirke in 'AWOL'
With an impressive online distribution deal and a current Rotten Tomatoes score of 100%, director Deb Shoval has a lot to be proud of in her feature-length directorial debut, "AWOL." The indie film, which premiered at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival, is an intimate, slice of life drama about navigating through the choppy waters of a budding lesbian relationship and the determination to come out from the other side unscathed, or at least as gently as possible. In our exclusive interview with Shoval, we talk about the casting of the lead actresses, her advice for women filmmakers, and what one can expect to find on her mood board.
Lola Kirke seems finds the balance between a strong exterior and emotional vulnerability quite effortlessly. What drew you to cast her as your protagonist?
It was a tall order. The Joey I was looking for had to sing like an angel, look no older than 18 but actually be at least 18 because of the nudity, have a mouthful of imperfect teeth that signaled a working class upbringing, and have incredible range as an actress.
We were on our last day of auditions for the role of Joey in New York. This was in 2012. I hadn’t seen anyone that felt right. We were about to push the shoot to hold auditions in LA, and then at 9am on the final day of New York casting, Lola walked in. She looked like the Joey in my mind. And her singing voice...
The next day we brought Lola in for a callback with Breeda Wool, because I had my heart set on Breeda playing the role of Rayna, and I wanted to see if there was chemistry. Afterward, I brought that audition tape over to Rose Troche’s house. She is both a good friend and a mentor. God bless Rose, she pulled together a whole little crew that night, and we all watched the audition tape together. And we all agreed - Lola was magical.
As a director, what does your inspiration/ mood board look like?
When prepping for "AWOL," I was inspired by the strong sense of place in Barbara Loden’s "Wanda," Bruce Beresford’s "Tender Mercies," and Terrence Malick’s "Days of Heaven." I was committed to shooting "AWOL" the feature on location in the bucolic Pennsylvania landscape where I was raised, where the Pocono mountains meet the Appalachians and the long-gone coal industry still leaves its scars. It felt as though I'd been location scouting for this project all my life, even long before I knew I wanted to make films.
"...and then at 9am on the final day of New York casting, Lola walked in. She looked like the Joey in my mind."
What have people asked you about the most after seeing the film?
What’s exciting to me is that in our Q&A’s after the film, people are talking a lot about class. "AWOL" has been called “a splendid meditation on the boundless possibilities of first love constricted by the trials of poverty.” It has been called “a story of star-crossed female lovers whose obstacles have less to do with societal norms than with the economic realities of Pennsylvania coal country.” My point is, "AWOL" is a love story on the surface, but the task of the film is to exist on multiple levels. Layered underneath the romance, I wanted to open a conversation about class and opportunity. I wanted to talk about the parts of this country that have been left behind, and the choices that young people make as a result.
What’s the biggest risk you’ve taken that you feel has paid off?
When I was 19, I worked as an apprentice on a small, organic, horse-powered farm way down east along the rocky coastline of Maine. Some kind of magical intervention of the universe must have brought me there because it was so far in every sense from the become-a-doctor-or-a-lawyer world in which I was raised. I had never before met educated people who had such disregard for money. Never before considered a farmer could also be a jazz musician or a novelist. I turned basil into pesto and blueberries into jam. I fed sheep, spun their wool, led them to slaughter, and transformed their soft parts into sausage. I fell in love with the smell of healthy soil and became aware of cycles of nature and the interconnectedness of all beings. That was half a lifetime ago, and I still have so much growing to do - but whatever I do know about this world, I likely learned it there.
"Layered underneath the romance, I wanted to open a conversation about class and opportunity."
I hear you have a baby at home, what do you want your child and future filmmakers to know about a woman’s role as a director?
Ha. Don't bring your baby to the meeting because you won't get the job.
In your opinion, what is the best thing about indie film?
I've always been a big fan of not following rules. And sure, I think there's some truth to the "necessity is the mother of invention" idea. But in all honesty, there is nothing romantic or cool about paying people shitty wages or no wages at all to work a minimum of 12 hours/day in what can often be extreme weather conditions so that they can play a supporting role in your art project, as compelling or important as that project might be. I'd love to see the US become a country that values and therefore funds intellectual curiosity and the making of art in my lifetime. I think we all would benefit. As Arundhati Roy says, "Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”
'AWOL' Review: Lola Kirke Navigates Through Messy Love
A little-known indie film is now available to stream on iTunes and VOD, and there are many reasons why it should be on your radar.
AWOL commands attention not only because of its subject matter– lesbian and bi-curious women in rural America– but also because of its strong female writer/director at the helm, Deb Shoval. Starring Lola Kirke and Breeda Wool, AWOL is a slice of life drama about navigating through the choppy waters of a budding relationship and the determination to come out from the other side unscathed, or at least as gently as possible.
Joey (Kirke) sits with her mother at an Army recruitment center, entertaining the thought of signing up to escape the small town she currently resides in. When she's not working the ice cream stand at the town's local carnival, she is working other odd jobs like tending to farm animals. Her only distraction from the daily monotony of her life is the evolving relationship with Rayna (Wool), an outgoing bad girl-type with baggage. Rayna is married to a man who acts more like a deadbeat husband than an equal partner, multiple children, and no desire to leave their small town. However, she proves to be a positive influence when she gets Joey to follow through on signing up for the Army.
[Shoval] creates a love story that is wrapped up in euphoria, confusion, and heartache all at once and portrays a pretty accurate depiction of messy love.
Joey joins the Army and uses her mechanical skills to focus on fixing cars and tanks. Despite the distraction, she can't let go of the love she has back home with Rayna. That love is reciprocated and consummated many times when Joey returns home for a quick break before deploying to Afghanistan. Confused on whether to follow her head or her heart, Joey thinks about abandoning her contract with the Army to run away with her lover and her two children to start a new life. Joey believes that with love, anything is possible, but little does she know that Rayna may be hiding a dark secret and ulterior motive that could cause Joey's world to come crashing down.
AWOL is director Deb Shoval's first feature film and it debuted at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival. She creates a love story that is wrapped up in euphoria, confusion, and heartache all at once and portrays a pretty accurate depiction of messy love. She gives the protagonist, Lola Kirke, a lot to work with in terms of a dynamic and layered character. Kirke has a tough exterior but knows when to expose her vulnerability. With an infectious laugh and moody singing voice, Kirke embodies the character of Joey with realism and empathy.
At times, AWOL feels like a watered down mix between Thelma and Louise and Brokeback Mountain, but it holds a uniqueness all on its own. At its core, AWOL is a love story about constricted love in a poverty-stricken town in rural America, and the lengths one goes through to achieve her version of the "American Dream."
'AWOL' is rated PG-13. 85 minutes. Now streaming on iTunes, Amazon Video, and VOD.
'Manifesto' Review: Cate Blanchett's Experimental Film is Visionary
Cate Blanchett is a powerhouse performer, as proven by her two Academy Awards, three Golden Globes, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three BAFTAs, among countless other nominations.
The Australian actress is now back with a film that strays from the mainstream but displays her talent in a way that she has never done before. Manifesto is extremely unconventional yet extraordinary and serves a springboard for Blanchett to showcase her talent, further convincing me to see every film she has ever been in or will ever make for the rest of her career.
Theatrical in its performance-driven style and gothic in nature, Manifesto is a series of vignettes starring Blanchett who recites monologues derived from famous 20th Century art movements. In every sense of the word, Blanchett carries the weight of the film on her shoulders as she is the sole focus of every scene. She takes on thirteen different contemporary personas– from homeless man to choreographer to anchorwoman– in order to "modernize" the manifestos of the past as well as show lasting relevance in today's world.
The visionary mastermind behind the camera is director Julian Rosefeldt, a German visual artist whose past grandiose video installations serve as a precursor to this feature. In addition to directing, Rosefeldt also wrote and produced the film (although it's fair to say that technically the script was, for the most part, already "written" since it is a compilation of various historical works from past writers.) I can honestly say that I have never seen more beautiful locations or intricate attention to detail than in Manifesto. I could re-watch it multiple times for visual inspiration alone.
Blanchett brings the star power and talent, Rosefeldt brings the vision, and together, they create an experimental tour de force.
As magical as the film is visually, Manifesto is equally as wonderful due to the many inspirational one-liners that are sure to resonate with your inner-creative. Personally, the one that most connected with me comes from Jim Jarmusch’s essay, "5 Golden Rules of Moviemaking." His fifth rule states "nothing is original," and he ends the manifesto with one of Jean-Luc Godard's infamous quotes— 'It's not where you take things from — it's where you take them to.' In this scene, Blanchett plays a schoolteacher who is passionately educating her students on the freedom that art should elicit in both the work as well as in the artist. It is a memorable scene with more than one strong takeaway.
If you're looking for a film that is neat and tidy with any sort of narrative structure, Manifesto is not that film and would stand a good chance of driving you crazy. With no direct plotline to speak of, the single thread tying the film together is the rhetorical question of "What is art" along with the various manifestos that seek to answer that question. The vignettes, while absolutely picturesque, have no relation from one scene to the next and audience members trying to instill deeper meaning may only be left confused. The artistic liberty that is executed here is commendable and wholly original but definitely not for the impatient.
That said, for those who enjoy avant-garde works of both art and film, Manifesto is a juicy bite of artistic vision. It is a colorful and vibrant call to action that stands to dissect the sanctity of art and challenges the viewer to question the authenticity of what we consider art to be today. Blanchett brings the star power and talent, Rosefeldt brings the vision, and together, they create an experimental tour de force. While on the surface it may seem like Manifesto only caters to niche "art house" enthusiasts, but if you consider yourself to possess any threads of creativity, I recommend exploring this unconventionally beautiful and stimulating work.
'Manifesto' is not rated. 95 minutes. Opening this Friday at the Nuart Theater.
'Last Men in Aleppo' Review: Hope in the Darkest of Times
One of the heaviest films to come out of Sundance earlier this year was the documentary Last Men in Aleppo.
Like its title suggests, the film centers around a group of Syrian men who left normal, civilian jobs to form an unofficial emergency response unit known in the community as the White Helmets. The men risk their lives every day by staring death in the face, whether it be scouting the Russian bomb-dropping planes or attempting to rescue their injured neighbors on the ground. The Grand Jury Prize: World Cinema Documentary winner is coming to select theaters this Friday, and while it should be considered essential viewing, it is definitely an emotionally challenging film.
Leaving their families and what little security they have behind to work a job that puts their lives in constant jeopardy, the White Helmets are the epitome of selfless heroes. The Syrian civil war has been an increasingly relentless bloodbath for the people of Aleppo, and director Feras Fayyad does not shy away from showing the heartbreaking casualties. Right off the bat, we are shown rescue footage of children trapped in the rubble, dead babies, and other images that are sure to leave a lasting impression. We are thrust onto the front lines alongside Khaled, Mahmoud, Subhi, and other volunteers as they navigate through the chaos and confusion.
But this isn't just a shock and awe documentary, nor does it rely on its graphic nature to attract attention. The heart of the film and the reason why it is one of the most compelling documentaries of 2017 thus far lies in the story of a group of men who sacrifice everything for their community, while the prospect of peace remains a distant and unattainable facade. Some, we come to find out, sacrifice their lives for the cause. Others question why no one has come to support their efforts and wonder if anyone, other Arabs and the West alike, even care.
The uprising of the Syrian civil war has been a relentless bloodbath for the people of Aleppo, and director Feras Fayyad does not shy away from showing the heartbreaking casualties of this war.
Director Feras Fayyad shoots Last Men in Aleppo in a style that exuberates naturalness in the most unnatural of situations. This cinema vérité style is unfiltered and raw but it is the only way a story like this should be told.
Sprinkled in between the moments of despair are moments of hope. In one scene, a White Helmet comes face to face with a young boy he rescued just days earlier. The boy, who could not have been more than six years old, had massive head trauma and intense bleeding when he was pulled out from under the rubble of his own home. The reunion is a bittersweet one for the volunteer– one moment he praises God for the boy's health and the next, he is reminded of those he could not save and falls into a somber mood.
Last Men in Aleppo holds a great deal of cinematic importance for its timeliness and historical context. The closing frames of the film reveal that even today, millions are still under siege in Syria and live in daily fear over the anticipation of waiting for the next bomb to drop. If this film does nothing else, It serves as an eye-opening experience to those who are unfamiliar with the crisis abroad and you will not leave without putting faces to the statistics we hear about on the news.
'Last Men in Aleppo' is not rated. 110 minutes. Opening this Friday at the Laemmle Music Hall.
'Burden' Review: Chris Burden, Self-Tortured Artist
Chris Burden was constantly asking, "What can art be?" "If art was violent, painful, or scared the shit out of you, is that art?"
If you've been to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, or the LACMA, on Miracle Mile, you've seen the exhibition "Urban Lights"– a cluster of lamp posts just outside of the museum's entrance. This installation, which consists of 202 authentic street lamps from the 1920s and 1930s, has been a tourist attraction and talking point since its creation in 2008, some even calling it the symbol of Los Angeles. The documentary Burden explores the unconventional life of the "Urban Lights" creator Chris Burden, a former resident of Topanga Canyon and world-renowned performance artist whose career was made from controversy and shock value.
In this compelling portrait, filmmakers Richard Dewey and Timothy Marrinan delve deep into the artist's past for a glimpse into the eclectic and eccentric life of Chris Burden. From his early days as an art student at UC Irvine, Burden was an unconventional guy. One assignment he called "5-Day Locker Piece" consisted of him caged in a 2' x 2' x 2' university locker for 5 days. His peers thought he was crazy, but brilliant. His professors called him “A walking slap in the face.” And while his performances may have raised eyebrows both in and out of the art world, there was no denying that Chris Burden was a pioneer.
He may have compared himself to Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Van Gogh, and other great artists of all time, but unlike the spectator approach we take in viewing those great works, Burden's talent forced the viewer to be physically active in the experience. He gravitated toward avant-garde sculpture work, living on the edge of sadomasochism and coming close to death many times for the sake of his piece. He did it all, from being shot in the arm to nailing his palms to the back of a running car for hours (which David Bowie alludes to in his song 'Joe the Lion' off his 1977 album 'Heroes'), Burden was known for eliciting the energy in everyone around him.
His wild personality attracted attention, but it was his true talent that made him an artist.
Burden is able to share many stories from the artist's past through interviews with Chris himself and those who knew him well. Roger Ebert called him a "strange kind of importance" in a profile piece he wrote for the Chicago Sun-Times. His wife talked about her anxiety when Chris would self-harm in the name of art. In one art piece, titled "The Confession," Chris confessed to an extramarital affair, a fact his wife was totally unaware of, prior to watching his performance. The anecdotes relived by those who knew him, including past teachers, classmates, and fellow performance artist Marina Abramovic, are entertaining, cringe-worthy, and darkly humorous.
Chris Burden was constantly asking, "What can art be?" "If art was violent, painful, or scared the shit out of you, is that art?" He set out to answer those questions through his various projects and crossed the boundaries of “appropriate” too many times to count, but in doing so, he made a name for himself. Chris hated the comparison of him to the stuntman, Evel Knievel, a man he called "a trickster," while he proudly considered himself as "real." I have to admit that, after watching "Burden," I would have to agree that Chris Burden was indeed the real deal.
Unfortunately, Chris died from cancer in 2015 at the age of 69 and just days shy of the unveiling of his last completed installation, "Ode to Santos Dumont." His wild personality attracted attention, but it was his true talent that made him an artist. He left a legacy through his contribution of the LACMA's "Urban Lights," which is photographed almost as much as the Hollywood sign, but his true gift to the community has been his individuality and reminder to other artists to just be themselves.
'Burden' is not rated. 88 minutes. Opening at the Nuart Theater this Friday and now available on demand, iTunes and Amazon Video.
'3 Generations' Review: Not the Trans Youth Film We Were Hoping For
3 Generations may not be the movie its filmmakers and audiences were hoping for, but if there is any takeaway to be had, it is the optimism that one can get through unbelievable hardships with family by their side.
It is obvious that 3 Generations is a film The Weinstein Company was determined to make, no matter what. Originally set for a 2015 release, the Gaby Dellal-directed drama faced criticism from the get-go. Campaigning to bring it's originally slotted "R" rating down to "PG-13," this family drama, which centers on a transgender teen's attempt gain support from his unconventional family about his decision to start testosterone hormones, was going to let nothing get in the distributor's way– not technical errors, continuity errors, or errors of any kind. And while the seed of a story is there, sloppy edits, plenty of plot holes, and distracting voiceovers resembling a Japanese game show, turn a story that would have been a sensitive coming of age film into a comedy of errors.
Our protagonist, Ray (Elle Fanning), has identified as a male since childhood and has reached the stage in his transition process to start taking testosterone. After visiting a doctor in a well-to-do New York City borough, Ray's mother Maggie (Naomi Watts) and his lesbian grandmother Dolly (Susan Sarandon) aren't shy about voicing their concerns. While Dolly isn't convinced this is the appropriate next step given Ray's age, Maggie dreads the fact that she will need to make contact with her estranged ex-boyfriend and Ray's father, Craig (Tate Donovan), to secure parental consent. Family drama aside, Ray isn't deterred from living his truth and makes it abundantly clear that he is willing to do whatever it takes to begin "T."
Since it's scheduled release in 2015, transgender issues in film have become more widely seen and accepted, thanks to TV shows like "Transparent" and the Oscar-nominated film, The Danish Girl. While 3 Generations had the potential to be another strong entry in the diversity pool, it ends up being cliché, shallow, and a poor attempt at revealing the struggles of trans youth to mainstream audiences. It just didn't seem like director Gaby Dellal understood the magnitude of the extremely personal content she was working with or had spent enough time digging deeper than headline news stories about trans youth.
This is not to say Elle Fanning's performance was off-putting, in fact, she took a huge risk in accepting this role, but as famously accomplished as she is, she can't tap into what it's like to struggle in gender purgatory.
Personally, I think the film should have kept its working title About Ray. The title 3 Generations seems to downplay the importance of Ray's situation by comparing his mother's and grandmother's non-existent life crises. Perhaps, this change was made after Dellal re-edited the film in 2016, when it had been shelved for nearly a year. I'm also curious if the original film was as poorly dubbed as the final edit I saw last week, when I counted at least five times that a character's spoken lines did not visually match the words coming out of their mouth. A terribly distracting and unintentionally comical situation of voice-overs gone wrong.
Technical flaws aside, the biggest disservice of 3 Generations is the missed opportunity to have an actual transgender actor play the part of Ray, or at the very least a more anonymous actor. This is not to say Elle Fanning's performance was off-putting, in fact, she took a huge risk in accepting this role, but as famously accomplished as she is, she can't tap into what it's like to struggle in gender purgatory. Her performance is explosive when it needs to be and introspective in all the right moments, yet it is still hard to get lost in her struggles when the distraction of her Julia Roberts a lá Mother's Day wig steals every scene.
3 Generations may not be the movie its filmmakers and audiences were hoping for, but if there is any takeaway to be had, it is the optimism that one can acquire through surviving unbelievable hardships with family by their side. For as uninspired as the film was, at the core of the story is a silver lining in the message that individuality should be celebrated and unconventional is beautiful, and that is definitely a message worth spreading.
'3 Generations' is rated PG-13 for mature thematic content, some sexual references, and language. 92 minutes. Opening this Friday at ArcLight Hollywood and the Laemmle Playhouse 7 in Pasadena.
'Rupture' Review: An Alien Sci-Fi with More Questions Than Answers
Rupture forces innocent victims to confront their worst fear and, ironically, that includes the film's director.
Director Steven Shainberg has made a name for himself in the alt/indie film world by pushing audiences toward the outer edges of their comfort zone. In his 2002 breakthrough film Secretary, a disturbed young woman gets a job as a legal secretary when her relationship with the lawyer she supports quickly turns not only sexual but sadomasochistic, reminiscent of 50 Shades of Grey. In his latest film which comes 11 years since his last project (Fur), Shainberg stays true to his reputation for incorporating torture with sexual undertones in the sci-fi picture, Rupture.
The film stars Noomi Rapace as Renee Morgan, a single mom who is deathly afraid of spiders, yet jumps at the opportunity to go skydiving with one of her friends. After dropping her son Ethen (Percy Hynes White) off at her estranged husband's house, she is on her way to meet a friend when her car tire suddenly goes flat. Accepting help from a man who (no coincidence) happened to be driving right behind her, and pulls over to inspect her car, Renee is suddenly tackled, tasered, and kidnapped– but why?
Turns out, a group of mysterious people has been spying on Renee for "a long time" by using household technology like home security cameras. Renee is chained to a portable examining table in a nondescript dungeon basement, sweating profusely as she struggles to break free from these people who are wearing what can only be described as Burning Man sunglasses. "Who are these fucking people?" she screams. It is then that she hears another prisoner, also in chains, answer her with "G1012X."
When her captors turn into shape-shifting alien creatures reminiscent of “Sloth” from "The Goonies," it's really hard to emotionally sympathize with her situation.
What is G1012X? Exactly. It is here where Rupture turns from storybook thriller to questionable sci-fi and that's all because of its ambiguity. We are questioning why Renee's captors rub their faces against hers and subject her to her biggest fear (that spider comes full circle) up until the end of the film, but by that point, it is hard to take the severity of the situation seriously. When her captors turn into shape-shifting alien creatures reminiscent of “Sloth” from The Goonies, it's really hard to emotionally sympathize with her situation.
There are, however, interesting elements to Rupture that seem to be overshadowed by the overall lack of convincing execution, but it isn't all dismissive. The wallpaper, reminiscent of The Shining carpet pattern, is a creepy yet welcomed touch. The torture of one prisoner is very A Clockwork Orange and definitely nails the sadistic horror mood. While these moments may have had me momentarily question my criticism of the film, it was then validated with Rupture's frustratingly open-ended ending. All this to say, my final takeaway is that, although Steven Shainberg’s past work has been good, Rupture will likely not be added to that list.
'Rupture' is not rated. 102 minutes. Opening tomorrow at the Arena Cinelounge Sunset.