Every year, there’s one movie that becomes what I like to call the “It” faux-indie. Faux-indies are movies that try to approximate the sensibilities of low-budget films, often with directors and writers known for independent work, but which feature decidedly mainstream, well-known actors. The overall effect is very odd, as the audience is being asked to see movie stars as normal human beings. Sometimes it works. More often, it doesn’t. In many ways, Sundance has become the poster child for premiering faux-indies.

And a new trend has emerged in recent years. It seems that there’s always one particular faux-indie movie that garners lots of awards show attention, often sweeping up a few Oscars. You know these films: Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, The Kids Are All Right, The Descendants. Last year it was Silver Linings Playbook (although it’s a borderline case, as David O. Russell may officially be approaching mainstream director status). And I believe that The Way, Way Back has the strongest potential to be this year’s faux-indie champion, at least, of any film to come out of Sundance.

The film was written and directed by Jim Rash and Nat Faxon, who won an Oscar for writing The Descendants. The only newcomer in the cast is Liam James as main character Duncan, a shy kid who’s at a loss for things to do while on summer vacation at the beach. He’s stuck with his mom, Pam (Toni Collette) and her boyfriend Trent (Steve Carell), and not even the allure of cute neighbor girl Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb) can shake him out of his funk. He finds a groove, though, when he starts working at a local water park, under dry-witted slacker Owen (Sam Rockwell). Over the course of the summer, Duncan slowly comes out of his shell at the park, even as he remains resolutely insular around his family.

The cast is solid, and the biggest strength in the movie’s arsenal. Carell is far and away the standout. While he’s tried to work against the Michael Scott image in his other film work, he’s done so by either playing up his goofballery or his sad-sackiness. But here, he instead escalates his inner jerk, and creates a truly loathsome character in Trent, who seems like an accumulation of every terrible step dad quality one can think of. He’s not a monster, though, just a really convincing jerk, able to work over others through vile passive-aggression. He feels eerily plausible as a result.

But no one is doing a bad job here. Collette does a great job of making sense of the fact that Pam is with Trent, and portrays a sympathetic, quiet desperation to just have a good time. Rockwell is extremely funny, even if he’s basically the archetypical indie trickster. Allison Janney is fun too, even though she’s going way, way, WAY broad and over-the-top as the family’s booze-loving neighbor. Actors like Maya Rudolph, Amanda Peet, Rob Corddry also turn in minor but nice supporting turns.

It’s a pity that everyone is trapped in such a rigidly standard faux-indie story mold. These kinds of movies are always stuck in a weird place, somewhere between trying to portray life honestly (the indie ideal) and trying to sell an easy happy ending (the Hollywood ideal). The Way, Way Back is no different. There’s more than a few things that ring true about what it’s like to be an introverted teen in an extroverted environment. James sells it well, even if he feels interchangeable with any other skinny young awkward white guy protagonist. But every beat that you’d expect comes pretty much exactly when you’d predict it. And the overall impression feels false.

The Way, Way Back is solid. It’s nice. It is far from a great film, but farther from a bad one. There’s some good performances to savor, and sturdy writing to appreciate. It’s just such so thoroughly faux-indie. Also, I don’t really know what the title means. No one, at any point, talks about traveling back to anywhere, whether literally or metaphorically. *shrug*

No one will ever mistake Hell Baby for anything close to a comedy classic. But it made me laugh. A lot. I’ll fully admit that the thinner air in the elevations of Park City might have affected my judgment. It’s heavily disjointed and badly placed, mostly a series of sketches strung together with the loosest semblance of a plot. But there’s so much good stuff seeded throughout that the movie’s an almost perfect rental.

Rob Corddry and Leslie Bibb play a couple with a baby on the way who move into a dilapidated New Orleans house, which has an unfortunate haunting problem. Soon, Bibb’s character finds herself possessed by a demon looking to be born, and supernatural shenanigans abound, with all the expected references to classic possession movies. In time, a pair of Vatican-sent priests, played by directors Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant, arrive to handle the problem.

But again, this story is just an excuse for extended gags about naked elderly women, getting high, and eating really good po-boys. The movie almost doesn’t even need the exorcism angle. Unlike pretty much every other parody to come out in recent years, it isn’t built around jokes that are basically scenes from the films it’s making fun of, but with added fart noises. It works by letting its performers cut loose, and they all get moments to shine.

And no one shines more here than Keegan Michael Key. As part of the eponymous lead duo of Key & Peele, the best sketch series on television, Key’s already demonstrated that he deserves the unending adulation of every single person who likes to laugh. Here he plays the main couple’s “next door neighbor” who is actually squatting in their house. Somehow, he manages to make an overused joke about coming out of nowhere consistently hilarious. His every facial expression is pure gold, and his manic energy is infectious, infusing every scene he’s in. This man will soon be a star.

Everyone has their moments, though. Corddry’s the harried straight man, while Bibb has fun playing up the “possessed woman” archetype. Lennon and Ben Garant run second to Key’s character as the brightest lights in the film as the supremely odd exorcists, who never stop smoking and have purposefully cartoonish foreign accents. Riki Lindhome turns up as a pretty standard hippy-dippy character, but has fun with it. Paul Scheer and Rob Heubel play wonderfully incompetent cops, with Scheer getting the movie’s best line (“Ain’t no one ever killed a demon baby by being careful”). It’s a solid ensemble, and they’re all clearly having fun.

Hell Baby was one of the most pleasant surprises I had at Sundance. I’d honestly sooner watch it again than more than a few of the movies that garnered a lot of acclaim (and awards) at the fest. It’s slight, and it won’t live on for long, but it’s a blast in a theater, and unquestionably worth a look.

One of the biggest horror hits of last year was V/H/S, a movie that capitalized on the found footage craze by introducing the found footage anthology. The idea was that a bunch of directors coming together could exploit the best thrills that found footage had to offer, without any of the dull parts that come from having to pad out such movies to feature-length. Unfortunately, only two or so of the six shorts that made up V/H/S were any good, the rest running the gamut from bland to bad to downright ugly. But it did well enough to warrant a sequel, which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. S-VHS is basically the same formula redux – five found footage horror shorts.

Here’s the thing, though: this film is a remarkable improvement on its predecessor, in pretty much every department. The production value on each short has skyrocketed. The directing, acting, and writing across the board has gotten a serious shot in the arm. The result is that S-VHS is, for the most part, a lot of fun in the theater. It’s all the more surprising given the incredibly short turnaround on the movie’s production – it started filming late last year. It turned out to be one of the best surprises at Sundance this year.

While the overall anthology is well worth a look, here’s each individual segment broken down:

Tape 49

Directed by Simon Barrett, and the undoubtedly the worst section in the lot. This one acts as a framing sequence for all the other films, which is its undoing. How can a movie possibly be scary when it continually breaks for other movies? There’s no way to build any kind of atmosphere. If it were to be reedited into one piece, it wouldn’t flow well at all. The premise has a private investigator and his partner/girlfriend break into a house while looking for a missing college student. The found footage POV comes from the video cameras that they use to film their investigation, because… um… reasons. The girl begins watching some VHS tapes she discovers, and each tape is one of the other segments in the film. It’s building some kind of mythology for this franchise, as it follows from a similar framing sequence in the first film. What’s the point, though? Why does there have to be a justification for any of this? Why can’t these movies just consist one short film after another? It’s so silly.

Phase I Clinical Trials

Directed by Adam Wingard. The found footage POV comes from the recordings of a mechanical eye that has been transplanted into the main character (also played by Wingard). Despite the absurd premise, the movie settles into an interesting groove, as it turns out that this robot eye can see ghosts. There are some thrilling jump scares, although it’s disappointing that that’s the most the film can really go for. It also doesn’t go very far with its cool premise. It seems to be about to dive into the wider implications what its about, but then it ends. Fun but airless.

A Ride in the Park

Directed by Eduardo Sanchez (director of The Blair Witch Project and thus one of the fathers of this style) and Gregg Hale, with found footage POV from a helmet cam. A guy, as you might expect from the title, goes for a ride in the park, only to encounter zombies. He’s promptly bitten and becomes one himself, making this the first zombie movie from the perspective of the undead. That’s enough to refresh the tired genre, and this segment, while not very scary, has its exciting bits, as well as some delightfully gruesome gore effects. It also ends on a surprisingly moving note of actual pathos.

Safe Haven

Directed by Gareth Evans and Timo Tjahjanto, with found footage POV from documentary film cameras, security camera footage, hidden button cams, one handheld device, and… well, there’s a lot of “eyes” in this segment. A team of journalists arrange an interview with a secretive cult leader, and go to meet him at his remote underground sanctuary. It quickly becomes apparent that something big is about to go down, and once it does, events spiral into escalating chaos that eventually reaches apocalyptic proportions. Far and away the best of the shorts, and on its own, probably one of the best horror films I’ve seen in a while. The way it builds and then releases (and releases, and releases… and releases) tension is unbelievable, and creates a fantastic atmosphere of dread that breaks into sheer terror. The only issue is that there are so many cameras in play (at least a dozen) that it might as well not be found footage. After a certain point, the question of why this wasn’t just a regularly-shot movie comes up. But whatever – it’s a horrifying blast of a film.

Slumber Party Alien Abduction

Directed by Jason Eisener, POV from a home video camera, which spends most of the short strapped to a dog. Yes, a dog-cam. The title is pretty much self-explanatory. There is a slumber party, and then aliens invade. The odd thing about this segment is that the first half, before the aliens come, is actually way more enjoyable and interesting than the second half. It’s all about a group of kids messing around with one another in a series of pranks, and it’s funny and feels completely authentic. Once the aliens show up, it feels more like the parents have come home early and spoiled our fun, rather than the beginning of a roller coaster of terror. While the aliens have a great, nightmare-inducing look, they aren’t very scary, thanks to barely-coherent camera work (again: dog-cam). There’s also the fact that most of the abduction is lit with a strobe light, a confounding decision that creates headaches instead of suspense. Eisener should absolutely make a feature-length movie about kids doing kid stuff (found footage I can take or leave), but this is half great, half a snore.

The Mayans were right. They were just off by a couple of months! It’s DOOMSDAY February 5th and Ground Zero is Way Out Club on when we present SUPER-8 END OF THE WORLD MOVIE MADNESS!

That’s right; we’ll be showing condensed (average length: 15 minutes) versions of several apocalyptic disasters on Super-8 sound film projected on a big screen. Here’s the judgment day lineup: WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953), WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE, CRACK IN THE WORLD, METEOR, and Charlton Heston in EARTHQUAKE, and THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL.

Other (non-doomsday) films screening on February 5th are: Robert Redford in JEREMIAH JOHNSON, Tom and Jerry in MILLION DOLLAR CAT, Jane Fonda in BARBARELLA, Woody Allen in TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN, THE WASP WOMAN, THE DEADLY MANTIS, a James Dean Clip Reel, and THE WARRIORS.

Cover charge is a mere $3.00 and the show begins at 8pm. We’ll have lots of posters and T-Shirts and stuff to give away. The Way Out Club is located at 2525 Jefferson Avenue in South St. Louis (corner of Jefferson and Gravois). There are yummy Way-Out pizzas available.

The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival has announced the world premiere of the comedy The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, from Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema, as the 2013 Opening Night Film on Friday, March 8, 2013.

The story follows superstar magicians Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carell) and Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi), who have ruled the Las Vegas strip for years, raking in millions with illusions as big as Burt’s growing ego. But lately the duo’s greatest deception is their public friendship, while secretly they’ve grown to loathe each other. Facing cutthroat competition from guerilla street magician Steve Gray (Jim Carrey), whose cult following surges with each outrageous stunt, even their show looks stale. But there’s still a chance Burt and Anton can save the act— both onstage and off—if Burt can get back in touch with what made him love magic in the first place. Directed by Don Scardino, from a screenplay by Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley, and story by Chad Kultgen & Tyler Mitchell and Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley, the film also stars Olivia Wilde, Alan Arkin and James Gandolfini. Produced by Chris Bender, Steve Carell, Jake Weiner and Tyler Mitchell, and executive produced by Diana Pokorny, Vance DeGeneres, Charlie Hartsock, J.C. Spink, Richard Brener, Walter Hamada and Dave Neustadter, the film will be in theaters on March 15, 2013.

Additional films announced include Joe Swanberg’s return to SXSW with Drinking Buddies, a comedy exploring the blurry line between “friends” and “more than friends,” Downloaded, Alex Winter’s definitive documentary on the rise and fall of Napster, Harmony Korine’s provocative ride Spring Breakers, Evil Dead, the much anticipated remake of the 1981 cult-hit, directed by Fede Alvarez, Ryan White’s doc Good Ol’ Freda, chronicling the never-before-told story of The Beatles’ secretary Freda Kelly, and Everyone’s Going to Die, the first feature from UK directing collective Jones. The complete festival lineup will be announced January 31, excluding Midnighter features, which will be announced with the Shorts lineup on February 6. This year marks the 20th Anniversary of the South by Southwest Film Conference and Festival, March 8 – 16, 2013 in Austin, Texas.

The 2013 SXSW Film Festival will feature:

Downloaded (World Premiere)
Director: Alex Winter

Downloaded is a documentary that explores the rise and fall of Napster and the birth of the digital revolution. It’s about the teens that helped start this revolution, and the artists and industries who continue to be impacted by it.

Drinking Buddies (World Premiere)
Director/Screenwriter: Joe Swanberg

Weekend trips, office parties, late night conversations, drinking on the job, marriage pressure, biological clocks, holding eye contact a second too long… you know what makes the line between “friends” and “more than friends” really blurry? Beer.
Cast: Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick, Ron Livingston

Everyone’s Going to Die (World Premiere)
Director/Screenwriter: Jones

A modern British story about coming home, getting by and the redemptive power of feeling you’re not alone. A story where porn hotlines rub shoulders with sexy beavers on rollerskates; where the past is laid to rest, two lives are changed and nobody, finally, is going to die.
Cast: Nora Tschirner, Rob Knighton, Kellie Shirley, Madeline Duggan (United Kingdom)

Evil Dead (World Premiere)
Director: Fede Alvarez, Screenwriter: Fede Alvarez & Rodo Sayagues

Five friends, holed up in a remote cabin, discover a Book of the Dead that unwittingly summons up dormant demons, which possess the youngsters in succession until only one is left to fight for survival.
Cast: Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jessica Lucas, Elizabeth Blackmore

Good Ol’ Freda (World Premiere)
Director: Ryan White

Good Ol’ Freda tells the story of Freda Kelly, a shy Liverpudlian teenager asked to work for a young local band hoping to make it big: The Beatles. Their loyal secretary from beginning to end, Freda tells her tales for the first time in 50 years.

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (World Premiere)
Director: Don Scardino, Story by Chad Kultgen & Tyler Mitchell and Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley. Screenplay by Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley

As superstar Vegas magicians and former best friends Burt and Anton grow to secretly loathe each other, their long-time act implodes, allowing an ambitious rival street performer the big break he’s been waiting for. Cast: Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, Olivia Wilde, with Alan Arkin, James Gandolfini and Jim Carrey

Spring Breakers (U.S. Premiere)
Director/Screenwriter: Harmony Korine

Four college girls who land in jail after robbing a restaurant in order to fund their spring break vacation find themselves bailed out by a drug and arms dealer who wants them to do some dirty work. Cast: James Franco, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson, Rachel Korine

Visit SXSW’s site: http://sxsw.com/

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Organizers of the 30th edition of Miami International Film Festival (MIFF) announced today the North American premiere of River Phoenix’s final film, DARK BLOOD directed by George Sluizer, co-starring Jonathan Pryce and Judy Davis. 20 years after its making, the film will be shown for the first time in North America at the 30th Anniversary edition of the Miami International Film Festival (March 1-10, 2013).

Jet-set Hollywood couple Harry (Jonathan Pryce) and Buffy (Judy Davis) travel through the desert on a second honeymoon, trying to save their marriage. Their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere leaving them to find shelter in Boy’s (River Phoenix) beaten down shack, unaware they will become his prisoners. Boy’s wife died of leukemia after nuclear tests occurred in the desert leaving him alone and far away from society. Buffy is seduced by Boy’s honesty and vulnerabilities, while Harry represents everything Boy hates about the civilized world and its culture. Buffy decides to sleep with Boy to buy the couple’s freedom, but these circumstances will push Harry to the edge, leading to a terrible tragedy.

DARK BLOOD was 80% complete when River Phoenix passed away in 1993 and the uncompleted film disappeared into a vault. In 1999 Sluizer heard that the footage was going to be burned to make space and with less than 48 hours notice, he saved the film, engineering efforts to get the entire film moved to The Netherlands. The footage then sat for more than ten years until last year when Sluizer set about finishing the film. The film finally premiered overseas to a standing ovation in the fall of 2012 at the Dutch Film Festival.

“Dark Blood is a film of legend, one of Hollywood’s great mysteries,” said MIFF Executive Director Jaie Laplante. “The tragic loss of River Phoenix’s outstanding talent is still profoundly felt 20 years later. We are proud that George Sluizer has honored Miami as the place to finally share his remarkable collaboration with Phoenix and the other great artists involved with Dark Blood.”

“Flying a plane is no different than riding a bicycle, just a lot harder to put baseball cards in the spokes”

Do you like movies about gladiators? Well, you’re out of luck but you won’t have to speak jive to enjoy SUPER-8 AIRPLANE MOVIE MADNESS January 8th at The Way Out Club. For this month’s monthly festival of Super-8 Sound films condensed from features (they average 15 minutes in length), we’re showing all four movies from the beloved AIRPORT series from the 1970′s. Those are AIRPORT (1970), AIRPORT ’75, AIRPORT ’77, and AIRPORT ’79 THE CONCORDE. Then we’ll be topping off those airborne disasters with the 1980 spoof AIRPLANE!……. and don’t call me Shirley!

“There’s no reason to become alarmed, and we hope you’ll enjoy the rest of your flight. By the way, is there anyone on board who knows how to fly a plane”

The earthbound films we’re showing on January 8th are: SON OF DR. JEKYLL, BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES, Lon Chaney in MAN MADE MONSTER, FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD, Superman in the 1943 Max Fleischer cartoon THE MUMMY STRIKES, Red Skelton in THE FULLER BRUSH MAN, Frank Langella as DRACULA, the ‘Fistful of Yen’ segment of KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE, and George C. Scott in HARDCORE (this last film is dubbed into French but we will have an actual French teacher translating the film live as it plays!)

These will all be projected on a large screen at the Way Out Club on Tuesday January 8th (We’re usually the first Tuesday but this month we’re pushing it back a week) Admission is only THREE BUCKS!!!! There are yummy Way-Out pizzas available and if you’ve picked the wrong week to quit drinking, there’s a full bar. The Way Out Club is at 2525 S. Jefferson in South St. Louis (at Gravois) and the show begins at 8pm.

The Fecebook Invite can be found HERE

http://www.facebook.com/events/118412288324047

Review by Cassondra Feltus

THE OLIVIA EXPERIMENT is an independent comedy that follows a woman in her late twenties as she explores her sexuality, or lack thereof. Believing that she may in fact be asexual, she attends a support group, stating that she is “awkward” and “can’t function in society.”

Olivia’s advisor tells her that she appears to have an aversion to self-exploration and advises her to “live a little.” Olivia decides to document her journey into the unknown. Through this experience, she hopes to finally feel like a typical human being.

The characters in this film aren’t very likable, especially Olivia. Her neuroticism is actually quite annoying and exaggerated, instead of endearing or sympathetic. James, her roommate who happens to be gay and CJ, the lesbian camerawoman for the documentary, are pretty stereotypical. And Felicia is the attractive and highly sexual best friend.

About nine minutes into the film, Felicia proposes that Olivia “try out” Julian, Felicia’s boyfriend. Yes, some people have open relationships, but this seems unlikely. Feeling like she can’t just write off sex without actually trying it first, Olivia agrees to have sex with Julian.

An unexpected visit from Olivia’s mother makes this experiment even more awkward for her. The film tries to establish a bond between James and Olivia’s mother, which is random. Any scene without Olivia just feels forced and irrelevant.

The film is based on this documentary experiment, but it only randomly cuts to strangers being interviewed. And it is never really explained why Olivia is still a virgin at 27 years old. I guess we’re supposed to assume that it is because she’s so awkward and focused on academics?

THE OLIVIA EXPERIMENT is rather predictable in all aspects. I feel like it was meant to have a realistic take on losing one’s virginity in adulthood. But what The 40-Year Old Virgin did right, this movie did wrong.

THE OLIVIA EXPERIMENT played in November at the St. Louis International Film Festival but was not reviewed here. Watch for it at upcoming festivals.

Nothing says ‘The Christmas Season’ like a night of blood, breasts, and puke! Two very different movies from the crazies at Troma Studios will screen Thursday night December 27th at The Way Out Club as our semi-regular monthly TROMA NIGHT AT THE WAY OUT CLUB returns!

And we’ve got a great FREE double feature.

“You killed my daddy, you maniacal, media-manipulated, homicidal, hermaphrodite freak of nature!”

First, we’re offering Troma’s traditional brand of madness (sleaze, nudity, decapitations, naked starlets, booze, and exploding bodies), with TERROR FIRMER, the studio’s most twisted, yet acclaimed, movie. A mysterious woman rips off a man’s leg and beats him to death with it as his blood gushes onto the street – she then walks up to a pregnant sunbather and tears a baby from her womb with her bare hands. And this all happens in the first two minutes of TERROR FIRMER, an entertaining and ultra-violent horror comedy satire based on Lloyd Kaufman’s book  All i need to know about film-making i learned from The Toxic Avenger It has that movie-within-a-movie-about-a-movie like thing telling the story of a homicidal maniac on the loose and the low budget film crew on a Troma movie that has the power to stop him. TERROR FIRMER is the sickest, most disgusting, gratuitously-vulgar, stomach-turning, grossly-offensive movie from the proud folks at Troma and you can see it in the appropriately characteristic confines of The Way Out Club on December 27th !

“I like a dog-faced monkey that has an appreciation for expensive sports cars.”

Our second feature is the 1990 masterpiece SGT. KABUKIMAN N.Y.P.D. After being kissed by a kabuki master, police detective Harry Griswold transforms into the superhero Kabukiman. Harnessing his new kabuki powers, he faces corrupt businessmen, drug-dealing ministers… and must prevent the monkey from riding the jaguar. SGT. KABUKIMAN N.Y.P.D contains the usual run of gleefully bad taste that is almost a certified trademark for Troma product -  lawyers vomited on from above by a queasy flying Kabukiman, a dwarf who has a dead body dropped on him in the first few moments and some worm eating .

ADMISSION IS FREE! The show starts at 9:00pm on Thursday night December 27th so join us for bad films, good films, good people, gory films, Movie trivia with door prizes, lots of cold beer and drinks, and yummy Way Out pizzas available for only $8. Did we mention that ADMISSION IS FREE? See you at The Way Out (2525 Jefferson Avenue in South St. Louis)!

We’ll be celebrating one of Hollywood’s most beloved action stars and supporting a worthy cause at the same time with SUPER-8 BURT REYNOLDS MOVIE MADNESS CHILDREN’S CANCER FUNDRAISER on Tuesday, December 4th at The Way Out Club. We’ll be showing the complete feature (96 minutes), on 16mm film, of the 1978 car chase fave SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT! We’ll also be showing , in the condensed (average length: 15 minutes) Super-8 Sounds format, Burt Reynolds in THE LONGEST YARD, Burt Reynolds in SHAMUS, and Burt Reynolds, Raquel Welch, and Jim Brown in 100 RIFLES.

Be sure to check out this week’s article Top Ten Tuesday: The Best of Burt Reynolds HERE

Article by Jim Batts, Dana Jung, Travis Keune, and Tom Stockman

We like to celebrate the movie tough guys of the ’70s here at We Are Movie Geeks and at Super-8 Movie Madness. We’ve posted  Top Ten lists to tie into Super-8 shows featuring Charles Bronson (HERE), Clint Eastwood (HERE), and Lee Marvin (HERE). This month we’re going to honor the #1 top money-making star for five consecutive years – 1978 – 1982 – Burt Reynolds. On February 11th, 1936, Reynolds was born in Waycross, Georgia, before his family moved to Jupiter Florida, where his father served as Chief of Police. Young Burt excelled at sports and played football at Florida State University. He became an All Star Southern Conference halfback (and was earmarked by the Baltimore Colts) before injuries sidelined his football career. He dropped out of college and headed to New York with dreams of becoming an actor. There he worked in restaurants and clubs while pulling the odd TV job or theater role. Burt was spotted in a New York City stage production of Mister Roberts and signed to a TV contract and eventually had recurring roles in such shows as Gunsmoke (1955), Riverboat (1959) and his own series, Hawk (1966).

Burt’s movie debut was in the 1961 ANGEL BABY. On the advice of his friend Clint Eastwood, Reynolds used his TV fame to land a leading role in the Italian Spaghetti Western NAVAJO JOE in 1966. The film was a hit and established Reynolds as a bankable leading man in movies, and earned him starring roles in American big-budget films. His breakout performance in DELIVERANCE in 1972 made him a bona-fide movie star (The same year, Reynolds gained notoriety when he posed near-naked in the April (Vol. 172, No. 4) issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine).

Super-8 BURT REYNOLDS Movie Madness CHILDREN’S CANCER FUNDRAISER December 4th, 2012, will be a terrific way to celebrate the life and films of this legendary American actor and raise money for a good cause at the same time. Condensed versions (all run 18 minutes) of these memorable Burt Reynolds films will be screened on a big screen on Super-8 sound film: 100 RIFLES, SHAMUS, and THE LONGEST YARD. We’re also bring our 16mm projector and showing a 16mm print of the complete feature SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT which runs 96 minutes. (we’ll be showing six other films that don’t feature Burt Reynolds). We’ll have some Burt Reynolds trivia with prizes and we’ll be auctioning off Jim Batt’s original Burt Reynolds artwork used on the show flyers and the slide for the event that showed before all the films at this year’s St. Louis International Film Festival. The Way Out Club is located at 2525 Jefferson Avenue (at Gravois) in South St. Louis. Admission is only $4.00 and 100% of the money raised that night goes to the St. Louis-based National Children’s Cancer Society. The show starts at 8pm. The Facebook invite for the event can be found HERE

http://www.facebook.com/events/245824348876873/?ref=ts&fref=ts

Burt Reynolds has appeared in over 160 films and TV shows so far in his six decades as an actor, and here, according to We Are Movie Geeks, are his ten best:

10. HUSTLE

Reynolds joined director Robert Aldrich a second time for this underrated slice of neo-noir.  Leisurely paced, character-driven, and dripping with irony, HUSTLE is one of Reynolds’ best films.  Once again cast as a cop, Reynolds this time plays an edgier, more jaded version of lawman – an L.A police detective involved in a romantic relationship with a high-class prostitute played with sensual warmth by Catherine Deneuve.  The mixing of American tough guy Reynolds with pensive French actress Deneuve almost sounds like a recipe for disaster, but their chemistry together smolders on the big screen.  All of their scenes have a rhythm and underlying emotional undercurrent that is at times palpable.  The somewhat simple plot follows the investigation of a dead girl found on the beach.  But it is the way in which the story unfolds, in layers of ever-more cynical revelation, that makes the film fascinating to watch. Aldrich keeps things off balance by utilizing a great eclectic soundtrack, offbeat love scenes, and hard-edged police action.  Supporting players are uniformly excellent, especially Ben Johnson and Eileen Brennan as the dead girl’s parents, Eddie Albert as the smarmy villain, and Ernest Borgnine as the cop’s boss.  The great Paul Winfield is solid as Reynolds’ partner, and look for Catherine Bach (aka Daisy Duke) in a small role–as a porn actress!  Reynolds’ performance is thoughtful and nuanced in portraying a man seeking something in life that he knows– from seeing the world through lenses of skepticism, doubt, and mistrust – will forever elude him.

9. SHAMUS

In SHAMUS (1973), based on the 87th Precinct novels by Ed McBain, Burt Reynolds played Shamus McCoy, a studly, ex-pool player-turned rugged private eye who is quick with his fists and has an eye for the ladies, especially a ridiculously sexy Dyan Cannon. Hired by a shady rich man to find out who killed a diamond thief, Shamus stumbles on something bigger: gun-running and the illicit sale of surplus US military equipment.Briskly directed by Buzz Kulik, with a colorful script by Barry Beckerman, occasional exciting outbursts of raw rough’n'tumble fisticuffs, gritty cinematography by Victor J. Kemper, a funky New York City atmosphere, and a few charmingly quirky touches (Shamus sleeps on a pool table with a mattress on it and has a deep-seated dread of large dogs), SHAMUS made for a hugely enjoyable and often thrilling private eye flick. Popping up in solid supporting parts are Larry Block as funny sports trivia freak informant Springy, Joe Santos as hard-nosed police Lieutenant Promuto, John P. Ryan as crazed fanatical army Colonel Hardcore, and John Glover in his film debut as a pathetic heroin addict. The downbeat ending was ahead of its time. SHAMUS is something of an overlooked Reynolds film, containing some startling stuntwork by the actor and is definitely one his best vintage 70′s action vehicles. The 1976 sequel, A MATTER OF WIFE AND DEATH, starred Rod Taylor as Shamus.

An 18 minute condensed version of SHAMUS will be screened at Super-8 BURT REYNOLDS Movie Madness CHILDREN’S CANCER FUNDRAISER December 4^th at The Way Out Club

8. CANNONBALL RUN

Reynolds’ teaming with stunt expert/director Hal Needham reached its peak of car chase films with this comedy based on real life cross-country races held during the 1970s.  Although the story had been filmed years earlier as GUMBALL RALLY, this version featured an all-star cast that included Farrah Fawcett, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Roger Moore, Dom DeLuise, Adrienne Barbeau, Terry Bradshaw, Jamie Farr, Peter Fonda, Jackie Chan, and even Bianca Jagger!  CANNONBALL is certainly the most absurdist car stunt movie ever, at times resembling the Three Stooges at their best, full of funny performances (Jack Elam steals every scene he’s in, and DeLuise is hilarious), witty one-liners, non-sequiturs, and numerous sight gags.  Then there’s the amazing stunts, which aren’t just limited to cars; airplanes, skydivers, and motorcycles also get into the act.  With major stars like Moore poking fun at the Bond persona (driving an Aston Martin, naturally) and Chan doing some kung fu (though he must’ve been miffed to be cast as Japanese), everyone seems like they’re having a great time, and the film was a huge box office success.  Prior to CANNONBALL, Fawcett was having a tough time in her career, after quitting CHARLIE’S ANGELS and filming three box office flops.  Reynolds thought she would be perfect as the female lead, and got her cast despite objections. Fawcett is perfect, delivering a performance that is naturally sweet and sexy, making it even funnier when she utters phrases like “gang bang”.  From the first frame when the film spoofs the 20^th Century Fox logo, to the last (this was one of the first movies to show outtakes during the closing credits), CANNONBALL is carried along on Reynold’s sense of unbridled mirth, and it’s a contagious blast.  Almost the entire cast (sadly, minus Farrah) reunited a few years later for the inevitable CANNONBALL II, with even more guest star cameos (Frank Sinatra, Shirley MacLaine) and it was also a hit, but was to be the last of Reynolds’ ‘car‘ movies.

7. THE MAN WHO LOVED WOMEN

For this remake of the Truffault directed 1977 French farce, Reynolds teamed up with comic mastermind Blake Edwards of the PINK PANTHER series and Mrs.Edwards, the lovely Julie Andrews. She plays Marianna, a therapist trying to help famous sculptor David Fowler (Reynolds) end his chronic womanizing. Reynolds had garnered quite a rep as a ladies man in the gossip columns and tabloids, so perhaps this film was his commentary on all the speculations. Quite an impressive group of women were assembled for him to romance in this 1983 comedy/drama. Besides Ms. Andrews, Reynolds shared the screen with Marilu Henner (his future TV wife on “Evening Shade”), Cynthia Sikes, Sela Ward, and Kim Basinger as a funny, daffy Texas belle. There’s plenty of the trademark Edwards slapstick here, but it’s also a chance to admire Mr. Reynolds’s charming screen persona.

6. SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Ever wonder what the second highest grossing film of 1977 was, after STAR WARS? Redneck bad boys were all the rage in ’77. Cars were still made in Michigan and CB radios were the hot technology with phrases like “10-4 good buddy” familiar expressions and SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT captured that side of American culture as well as any film. The plot of SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT was merely an excuse for the many car chases and gags that comprised the thin story, which is about Bandit (Burt Reynolds) and his buddy Cledus (aka: “Snowman” – Jerry Reed) attempting to win a bet. They have to drive from Georgia to Arkansas, pick up four hundred cases of Coors beer, (an early example of product placement) and deliver it back in Georgia within twenty-eight hours. Along the way they pick up escaped bride Carrie (Sally Field) and get chased by the jilted groom’s father, a Texas sheriff; one Buford T. Justice, hilariously played by the great Jackie Gleason. It was the directorial debut for former stuntman Hal Needham and was the first of nine collaborations with his pal Burt Reynolds. Sally Field was Burt’s squeeze at the time and looked super-cute with her skin-tight jeans and no bra.  Jackie Gleason tossed off great one-liners like the comedy legend that he was and former Tarzan Mike Henry was perfect as his doofus son. Jerry Reed contributed to the top-selling soundtrack and would co-star with Burt in six films. Like STAR WARS, there were two sequels, but they weren’t very good and Burt made but a cameo in the third film. Buford T. Justice was the name of a real Florida Highway Patrolman known to Burt’s father, who was at one time the Chief of Police in Jupiter, Florida.

A complete 16mm print of SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT will be screened at Super-8 BURT REYNOLDS Movie Madness CHILDREN’S CANCER FUNDRAISER December 4^th at The Way Out Club

5. SHARKY’S MACHINE

For his third time directing himself, Reynolds tackled this gritty crime thriller from novelist William Diehl. Echoing his previous TV lead roles (“Hawk”, “Dan August”) he plays Tom Sharky, a cop that doesn’t go by the book. He’s assigned to observe from a nearby apartment (shades of REAR WINDOW) a high-priced call girl named Dominoe (played by the very alluring Rachel Ward in her big studio film debut). Things get complicated when Tom falls for her while watching her affair with a big politico. In a twist recalling the classic noir LAURA, the two, with the help of “the machine”-Brian Keith, Bernie Casey, and Richard Libertini, try to take down a vicious drug kingpin (Victorio Gassman) and his demonic kid brother hitman (Henry Silva). This flick is a great police thriller with some fabulous stunts including a record-breaking fall by Dar Robinson. And just try not to look away when Sharky is tortured by the bad guys! Reynolds proves to be quite the artist on both sides of the camera.

4. THE LONGEST YARD

Hollywood veteran director Robert Aldrich (DIRTY DOZEN, HUSTLE) gave Reynolds one of his biggest hits – and best roles – in this seriocomic tale of prison life and football.  On the surface, the character of Paul Crewe is fairly despicable – he is a smartass, a drunk, and a violent malcontent not above mistreating women. But Reynolds not only makes us like Crewe, he makes us actually root for him to find redemption. With Eddie Albert and Ed Lauter as the villains, and wonderful character performances from Richard Kiel, Michael Conrad, Bernadette Peters, and many others, YARD doesn’t gloss over its portrayal of prison society. The hard life often explodes in violence, racial tensions abound, and then there’s the warden’s secretary. Aldrich, himself a gridiron fan, smartly peppered the film with many real-life ex-NFL players, such as Joe Kapp (Vikings) and Ray Nitschke (Packers). This gives the film, along with Reynolds’ natural athleticism (he played for Florida State), a tone of realism lacking in many sports- based tales.The climactic football game takes up nearly half the movie’s running time, and it is certainly one of the most brutal and exciting events – in any sport – ever put on film.  Coming on the heels of DELIVERANCE, this movie solidified Reynolds’ box office appeal. With his winning mixture of bravado and self-deprecating humor (we get a lot of the trademark laugh), Reynolds helped make THE LONGEST YARD one of the greatest sports movies ever made.

An 18 minute condensed version of THE LONGEST YARD will be screened at Super-8 BURT REYNOLDS Movie Madness CHILDREN’S CANCER FUNDRAISER December 4^th at The Way Out Club

3. WHITE LIGHTNING

Booze, broads, car chases, corruption and revenge — all the things that make life worthwhile! WHITE LIGHTNING (1973) was a tough country melodrama in which hard-driving Bogen County, Arkansas moonshiner Gator McCluskey (Burt Reynolds) is paroled from prison in order to get the goods on a thoroughly corrupted sheriff (Ned Beatty) who is not only taking graft but also murdered Gator’s kid brother. Crisply directed by Joseph Sargent who manages to instill the proceedings with both atmosphere and pace, the fragmented story of rough backwoods codes is punctuated by several high-powered car chases that keep the dust swirling on those backcountry roads (the stunts were coordinated by Hal Needham who would go on to direct Burt in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT and CANNONBALL RUN). While the 1976 sequel GATOR was more a comedy, WHITE LIGHTNING has real authenticity in its look at the American South of the early 1970s. Beatty is truly black hearted as the mild-mannered but hateful sheriff Conners, who kills Gator’s brother just because he looks like a hippy commie. He’s the opposite of the buffoonish cartoon lawman that Jackie Gleason would play opposite Burt in the later Smokey and the Bandit films. There is some tough suspense and some genuinely moving scenes in WHITE LIGHTNING, which was a huge hit in 1973, securing Reynolds’s place in the superstar strata throughout the 1970s. R.G. Armstrong, Bo Hopkins, Diane Lane, and Dabbs Greer all lend able support and watch for a young Laura Dern in a small role, her film debut.

2. DELIVERANCE

Reynolds had been toiling in TV and ‘B’ movies for decades before this 1972 classic finally catapulted him to big screen super-stardom. Aside from the “Dueling Banjos” scene (which became a top 40 radio hit), John Boorman’s backwoods horror tale may be best remembered for, let’s be delicate, the “squeal” sequence. Well, which character puts an end to this nightmare? It’s Reynolds as the alpha male of the foursome, Lewis Medlock. He’s the only one truly prepared for anything in this Georgia jungle. Before the Avengers’ Hawkeye, before Katness, Lewis is the deadliest screen bow and arrow marksman since Robin Hood. With his slicked-back hair and black leather vest (exposing his impressive biceps) coupled with his “good ole” boy” persona, Reynolds dominates every scene and stakes his claim as the next great action movie hero.

1. BOOGIE NIGHTS

Times, they are growing turbulent once again for the ole porn biz… with the San Fernando Valley threatening new regulations that could send the industry packing. But, how did it all begin? Leave it to Paul Thomas Anderson to give us a flashback into the wild and “wooly” ’70s when the business of sex was less corporate and more coital. Don’t let the title or the content shake your resolve, because BOOGIE NIGHTS is a great film, not exclusive to Burt Reynolds, but he most definitely added an element to the film that few could have accomplished. Burt, even today, sort of exudes ’70s masculine sexual bravado, as is on display in this film. Burt plays Jack Horner, a filmmaker of the flesh, who discovers a youngstar in Eddie Adams, aka Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg), who works alongside a young actress known as Rollergirl (Heather Graham) in what is, in many ways, a family business. Awkwardly dramatic, hilarious and a remarkably well made film that takes itself seriously, but not at it’s own expense… perhaps an original “most interesting man in the world,” Burt Reynolds makes his mark.

Burt Reynolds made so many great films and runner-ups for this list would have to include Woody Allen’s EVERYTHING YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK, THE MAN WHO LOVED CAT DANCING, STICK, and SEMI-TOUGH. Stop by the Way Out Club December 4th for more Burt Reynolds mania.

The Stella Artois poured freely (because it was free) at the Contemporary Art Museum in downtown St. Louis last night. It was the closing-night party for the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival where the slate of audience-choice and juried-competition winners were announced to an attentive crowd.

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS

Best Narrative Feature: “The Sapphires,” directed by Wayne Blair

JURIED COMPETITION AWARDS

New Filmmakers Forum Emerging Filmmaker Award (The Bobbie)

 

St. Louis Film Critics’ Joe Pollack Awards

Alliance of Womens Film Journalists’ EDA Awards

Interfaith Awards

Midrash Award

Short Film Awards

After 11 days of glorious and galvanizing cinema-going, the 21st Annual St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF) concluded on Sunday evening. At the closing ceremony the International Alliance of Women Film Journalists (AWFJ) presented awards to four women filmmakers. AWFJ President Jennifer Merin and myself were on hand to announce our winners – chosen by a panel of AWFJ members.

Ursula Meier’s SISTER received the EDA for Best Female-Directed Narrative Feature, while Debbie Lum’s SEEKING ASIAN FEMALE took the EDA for Best Female-Directed Documentary. The narrative feature FOUND MEMORIES, directed by Julia Marat, and the documentary THE WORLD BEFORE HER, directed by Nisha Pahuja, received Special Mentions from their respective juries.

SLIFF Executive Director Cliff Froehlich said, “Dating back to the silent era, women have been vital contributors to film art, but they have long been underrepresented and underappreciated in the industry. Thankfully, that situation is changing, and the number of women filmmakers has grown exponentially in recent years. SLIFF believes it’s important to shine a spotlight on their increasing role, and the EDA Awards are an excellent means of acknowledging the diverse works that contemporary women filmmakers are directing.”

Set at a luxurious Swiss ski resort, Ursula Meier’s SISTER is the story of a woman supported by her 12 year-old brother’s petty thefts, until the child starts to lose his bearings in the company of a dangerous stranger. It is a gripping drama about children who have to grow up fast. With surprising plot twists, an exceptional lead performance by the young Kacy Mottet Klein and excellent hand-held cinematography by Agnes Godard, the film is original, timely and beautifully-observed.

In SEEKING ASIAN FEMALE, documentarian Debbie Lum goes in pursuit of “yellow fever,” following a middle-aged Caucasian man who lives out his fantasy of marrying a younger woman from China, with surprising results. The film is an engaging look at the objectification and stereotyping of women, with revelations that defy expectations. Lum’s funny, charming movie showed this year at the 13th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival and the South by Southwest Film Festival.

According to AWFJ President Jennifer Merin, “SLIFF is one of the country’s top regional showcases for independent and international film, and it has been a delight to collaborate with them and to honor them for presenting such an exciting slate of films by and about women.”

This year, AWFJ expanded its outreach to audiences by presenting EDA Awards at select festivals. The St. Louis International Film Festival is the third such partnership, following programs at the Salem Film Fest in Massachusetts in March, and at Sheffield Doc/Fest in England in June. AWFJ, an organization of top women film journalists and critics from across the U.S, Canada and UK, will distribute in December a full slate of EDA Awards recognizing the year’s best (and worst) films by and about women.

Click HERE for the full list of winners. Special thanks to Sharon Kahn for all her tireless work on behalf of the AWFJ.

Review Dane Marti

The movie’s story: An actor, besotted with fame and booze, gets a metaphoric wake up call, and finds himself stranded in an environment about as far from Tinsel Town as one locale could possibly be!

I needed to watch this film more than once to completely appreciate what it was attempting to accomplish, to figure out exactly what the writer and director were trying to get across to the viewers. I wasn’t sure what I thought about the film at first. While funny and honest, some of the acting seemed a little over the top, some of the writing not quite as humorous as it should have been. Unfortunately, at first I was thinking “Hollywood”,  because some of the film’s style and conceits appear to be out and out Hollywood in tone and look.

However, the theme of the film is satirizing Hollywood product, Hollywood actors and, in particular, the cult of celebrity. The filmmakers are asking us, is this what is important in life? What is of value? How can a person make a difference in the world?

I guess I became, like the Accidental Missionary of the movie, I “saw the light.”
The main character is funny: He’s an actor that had recently had a major brush with fame, celebrity and stardom, perhaps more from acting like a fool than anything else. Again, at first, I thought that the ‘actor’ while good was often overacting a little bit. However, when he finally reaches the location where he will realize that there is more to life than transitory fame, his earlier acting seemed to work better, as if showing the audience what occurs when some people get overnight stardom and cannot handle it. One of the offshoots, of course is obnoxiousness and this character, at first always drunk and abusive, has no time for anyone or the basic human decencies of the world.

Halfway through, I began to enjoy this film and its thematic meaning a lot more than I previously had. As a low-budget, independent film, this was pretty good. Check it out and make your own decisions.

THE ACCIDENTAL MISSIONARY screens a part of the St. Louis International Film Festival on Sunday, Nov 18th at 1:00pm at the Hi-Pointe Theatre

Review by Dane Marti

Jeremy Cropf directed this Political Thriller with confident precision and movie was filmed in St. Louis. I’m not sure why I just brought this up, but since St. Louis is my city (I love and hate it), I thought I’d just get that out in the open. Whether the city informs the making or subject matter of the film is open to interpretation, but as far as the city as a backdrop for intrigue and political suspense, it works quite well.

This is a film of political espionage-  cat and mouse. The acting is well balanced and professionally conveys the seriousness of the plot. Although I won’t try to convince you – dear reader – that I understood everything that was going on in this film, I will say that it is professionally filmed – it is technically and slickly done.

FBI Agents in the movie are looking into the mysterious murders of well-connected Governmental officials, including a past vice president of the U.S. Some of these Officials have had important connections to Iraq along with certain other controversial firms. Obviously, there are people trying to hold knowledge from the F.B.I., the U.S. Government and the citizens of this country.

The acting is also very competent. Perhaps it could have used a little more charisma around the edges, but these types of films, these types of stories are meant to be low-key in certain respects, with the glint of menace and violence just around the corner. The story in slightly complex, but keeps moving toward the climax.

I was impressed that a film of this political, intellectual savvy had been lensed in our River Town, although I’m not inferring St. Louis is a hick backwater, only that the subject matter of the movie would seem to demand a background such as Washington D.C. or New York. As it is, by utilizing some establishing shots from other locales, the story works well with the architecture in our town. I would have preferred more of a cinematic element in thee film, but the mysterious nature of the murders, which happen in the movie are done with style and a Hitchcockian restraint.

This is a thought provoking film that is slickly made. It’s great that movies like this are being filmed in St. Louis! Let’s hope for more in the future.

Review by Dane Marti

This is my third Anime reviewed for the St. Louis Film Festival and I’m always reminded how beautiful, kinetic and ALIVE this form of cinema can be! Animation Rocks. Okay – I said my piece. Now back to reality: The Review. Eric Khoo directed this wild and incredible film. Hopefully he is pleased with his finished product it’s truly cool, as well as other adjectives, which I won’t get stuck writing at this moment. The point is… this film is very good.

Actually, I’m a little shocked. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy and appreciate this animated film as much as I did. Unlike the two previous colorful and inventive films which blended history and fantasy with epic legend, this film is a completely different type of beast altogether.

As a person who has written, drawn, painted and other creative pursuits, I’ve always enjoyed the biographies of famous artists. This is one of those stories.

Based on the true life of the well-known Manga Artist Yoshiro, this is a serious and often harrowing cinematic tale. Manga for any of you readers that’s been living under a non-rolling rock, are Japanese comics, the equivalent of American Comic Books and Graphic Novels. From the world of sequential storytelling art in book form to the moving images of motion picture animation, or, in Japan, Anime, this creative work is extremely popular. Also, the interest is growing across the world, not just in Japan or other Asian countries.

Obviously, this film moves, but the drawings are often similar to pen and ink line drawings of realistic people: Definitely not the type of cartoons in strips, comic books or animation which is popular with young folks interested in fantastic wizards, happy dwarves, demonic warriors and spectral beings from other planets. No, this movie is about average people, some poor and alienated from life, which struggle for survival in the modern world. Occasionally, they have tragedies, such as losing an arm in a factory accident. Or near the start of the movie, a Noir-type tale that begins right after the unbelievable carnage and horror of the bombing of Hiroshima.

Sometimes the scenes/stories are animated in a tinted blue or sepia wash. In other scenes the film is in black and white – even scratched. As in life, there are moments of blood shed. The fact is, as much as I often love fantasy, it is wonderful to see animation from Japan that takes on the dramatic lives of so-called Ordinary folks.

What is such a revelation for me is to see some of the dramatic, expressionist and shadowy elements. I mention Film Noir, but that isn’t completely correct; it’s much broader than that. The Artist, the Manga he draws so cleverly and the stories imbedded in Tatsumi are akin to potent acid burning into sheet metal. Although animated, these stories could have as easily been filmed in live action, been a part of a documentary  – been something which had happened to your neighbor down the street: These stories are universal, tales of humanity that are harsh, unforgiving, lovely, sweet and Real.

I loved this Animated Japanese film. Frankly, the movie was a revelation to me.

TATSUMI plays at the St. Louis International Film Festival Sat, Nov 10th at 4:30pm at the Plaza Frontenac Cinema and Sat, Nov 17th at 3:15pm at the Wildey Theatre

Dan Mirvish’s new film based on the play by Joe Hortua examines the friendship of two couples long after they bonded in college. At one point the film resembles the classic WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? with one seemingly happy couple uncomfortably watching another couple engage in a vicious verbal battle. Soon it’s similar to the recent CARNAGE with a tag team screaming match. While those earlier films took place over one evening or afternoon, BETWEEN US toggles back and forth between the present day and a nightmarish evening a few years in the past. As the film opens, Grace (Julia Stiles) and Carlos (Taye Diggs) are stunned to see old friends Sheryl (Melissa George) and Joel (David Harbour) at the door of their NYC apartment. Cut to their last time together. Grace and Carlos flew out to visit Sheryl and Joel at their remote Midwestern estate. Both men were photography majors in college. Carlos has stayed in the city to sell his work through galleries while Joel has done well (really well) in the world of advertising. After a leisurely, wine soaked dinner the two couples head back to the mansion-like home to sleep-over and see Sheryl and Joel’s adorable baby boy. Suddenly a phone call becomes the spark that ignites an explosive evening that horrifies the (seemingly trapped) visiting couple. Back in the present, the once bickering couple are in the Big Apple on a second honeymoon getaway. A freak accident has brought them back from the brink of divorce. But all is not well with Grace and Carlos now. In the last couple years they’re gotten married and have produced their own baby boy. But financial problems have taken a toll on them. During that long evening the couples drink lots of milk shakes (you’ll see), vent their frustrations, and expose their secrets. Envy, jealousy, infidelity are all part of the mix that night. Some of these exchanges are almost too painful to watch (at different points you may want to scream, “Get outta’ there!” to one of the couples), but the film boasts some great acting performances as it explores the effect of time and distance on BFFs when they leave school and try to survive in a cut-throat world.

BETWEEN US screens as part of the 21st Annual St. Louis International Film Festival on Sunday, Nov 18 at 4 PM at the Tivoli theatre

Review by Dane Marti

The St. Louis Film Festival is showing some superb examples of Japanese Animation this year’s animation known around the world as Anime. Directed by Keiichi Sato, this is easily one of the most visually opulent films I’ve ever seen. Anime never ceases to amaze me. Perhaps to some wise folks, it is simply silly cartoons for kids, but I feel that this genre and style is continuing to grow exponentially.

The background of the film: Between 1459 and 1461, Japan has a massive and ugly Civil War. Yes, I looked up those dates. There was also famine and desolation across the land, similar in many respects to the European Medieval Ages as well. In order to enjoy the film, and watch the young orphan mature as a person, you don’t need to know all the history, but it does help to understand the setting in which the story unfolds. Although this could have been done better, it is handled better than many old Hollywood films. And although the film is based in history, fantasy and surreal elements are added to the story, creating an intense mixture of drama!

At first I wasn’t sure if I appreciated a film in which the main character starts as a little, savage monster. But, like perhaps thousands during this period in Asian History, he is an Orphan. Like Francois Truffaut’s The Wild Child, he is bereft of nurture, with only the cruel, nightmarish landscape to serve as a teacher in survival.

This is a good moment in the review to mention that this movie, although ostensibly an animated cartoon, is filled with grotesque and horrifying moments. This isn’t your parent’s Disney film. (I really shouldn’t say this, those early-animated Disney films were not only brilliantly done, revolutionary, but also filled with a plethora of disturbing moments!). Anyway, this is not a film for young children to watch.

Like the work of pioneer adult animator Ralph Bakshi, this film is adult. It often shimmers like a spectral painting. The film is full of dazzling, kinetic action, which often puts it in the same realm as an old, famous, live action Kurosawa film: It’s truly cool animation.

ASURA plays at the St. Louis International Film Festival Friday November 16th at Midnight at the Hi-Pointe Theater

Interview conducted by Tom Stockman November 15th 2012

Since he first appeared at age 12 in the wedding sequence of THE GODFATHER, Nick Villelonga has appeared in 31 movies as an actor. Some of his roles included small parts in THE POPE OF GREENWICH VILLAGE, PRIZZI’S HONOR , and GOODFELLAS. His first script, DEADFALL, co-written with director Christopher Coppola, was made into a feature film starring Nicolas Cage, Michael Biehn, and James Coburn in 1993. Nick then went on to write and direct independent films such as A BRILLIANT DISGUISE starring Lysette Anthony and THE CORPORATE LADDER starring Ben Cross.

Now Nick Villelonga has directed the western YELLOW ROCK starring James Russo and Michael Biehn. It will be playing at the St. Louis International Film Festival on Friday, Nov 16th at 7:00pm at the Wildey Theatre and Sunday, Nov 18th at 4:15pm at the Hi-Pointe Theatre.

We Are Movie Geeks caught up with Nick Villelonga and asked him about his memories of THE GODFATHER and about directing his first western.

We Are Movie Geeks: Hi Nick, how are you doing? Are you going to be here in St. Louis for the screening of your new film YELLOW ROCK at the St. Louis International Film Festival?

NICK VALLELONGA: I’m doing good. I’m producing a film starring Nicholas Cage called I AM WRATH which we start pre-production in January. I’ve got some meetings about that over the weekend, but I’m going to see if I can get away and make it to St. Louis for the YELLOW ROCK screenings there.

WAMG: I was looking over your bio, and I’m sure you’ve been asked this many times, but what are your memories of being on THE GODFATHER set?

NV: I have a lot of memories of THE GODFATHER. My dad Tony Lip was one of the head matre d’s at the Copacabana Nightclub. Francis Ford Coppola and the casting director were in there, looking for people that would resemble mobsters and people of that era. They spotted my father and asked him to be in the movie, then they asked him if he had any kids because they needed Italian kids for the wedding scene. So we were screen-tested and we got into the wedding scene. That was the first time I saw how a movie was made and I was hooked.

WAMG: Can you spot yourself when you watch the movie?

NV: Oh yeah, I’d have to sit there with you and point me out but I’m all over the place! I knew who Brando was, but to me the big guy on that set was James Caan, who had just starred in the movie BRIAN’S SONG, so to me that was a big deal. I hung out with Caan a lot. I sat with Diane Keaton and Al Pacino though I didn’t know who they were at the time. I sat with Brando for about a half a day. I just studied him, watching him put that thing in his mouth to make his jaws open up. It was really interesting running around following the cameras.

WAMG: Hard to believe that was 40 years ago.

NV: It is hard to believe.

WAMG: You directed a horror film called CHOKER. Do like horror?

NV: I love horror films. CHOKER was like a little experiment, they renamed it DISTURBANCE. I wanted to test some HD filmmaking techniques. It was an experiment at first, then I thought I could really make something out of it, and then people wanted to buy it. It was sort of a throwback to the old Roger Corman style since I had no money for effects so I had to do what I had to to make it interesting. I wanted it to look like a comic book. We shot it in twelve days and it was a lot of fun.

WAMG: How did you come to direct YELLOW ROCK?

NV: I knew (screenwriter) Lenore Andriel for years; we had been actors together in New York. She called me one day and said she had this movie going and that they had a director, but the producing part of it she needed help with. It was a short schedule and there were some problems putting it together so I came in to help. She had cast it but I helped with things like getting trailers and getting things like that coordinated and put together. I was there to support the director and give him everything he needed but a western is quite an undertaking. There is so much to deal with; it’s not like shooting in one house or two locations. There are a lot of locations, a lot of characters, a lot going on. I think the director got a bit overwhelmed and by the middle of the second day it was apparent he was way behind, so Lenore and the other producers came to me and asked if I could take it over. We talked to the director first because I wanted to see if he thought he could still pull this off but he was pretty overwhelmed so I stepped in and we finished the movie.

WAMG: Were you a big fan of westerns?

NV: I love westerns, so I had that in my brain anyway. I hadn’t directed one but felt prepared. I’m a big John Ford fan, a John Wayne and Clint Eastwood fan. I love THE SEARCHERS, STAGECOACH, BUTCH CASSIDY and THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN. I’d always wanted to do one though I wish I’d had more time to prepare. We had to cut some things and I had to make up for some time that was lost, but I think we have a very satisfying film. It’s a throwback, like a ’50s style western.

WAMG: James Russo, who stars in YELLOW ROCK, had worked with Sergio Leone, one of the great western directors, early in his career (Russo played Bugsy in ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA in 1984). Did he ever talk about that experience?

NV: Oh yes, he talked about that a lot. That was very early on in Russo’s career and he talked about how awesome it was working with Leone and now he’s come full circle, he’s working with Quentin Tarantino in his new film DJANGO UNCHAINED. There’s a great cast in that. He also was in OPEN RANGE with Kevin Costner, a western, so he’s a natural in westerns, and he’s great in our film.

WAMG: What about Michael Biehn?

NV: I’m a big fan of his and we’ve worked together a few times. Michael has an amazing presence and you must remember him as Johnny Ringo in TOMBSTONE?

WAMG: Oh sure.

NV: There’s a little moment in YELLOW ROCKET that we put in there for the fans of TOMBSTONE where he said “I want you blood”. We found a way to do an homage to that line in our new film.

WAMG: Where was YELLOW ROCK filmed?

NV: It was filmed out in San Clarita on some ranches out there. Gene Autrey had owned one of the ranches years ago. A lot of western stuff is filmed out there. Some of DJANGO UNCHAINED is filmed there as well.

WAMG: YELLOW ROCK won Best Picture at the 2011 Red Nation Film Festival. That’s a fest for native American themed films.

NV: Yes. It also won the Western Heritage Award, which we were really happy about. The year before, the winner was TRUE GRIT and the year before that it was 3:10 TO YUMA, so for us to win that category in that fest was quite an honor.

WAMG: Do you think there could be a possible sequel to YELLOW ROCK?

NV: Well, yes, I think there could be more adventures of Lenore’s character Dr. Sarah Taylor, so there’s definitely a possibility there.

WAMG: Can you talk about I AM WRATH, the Nic Cage film you’re working on?

NV: It’s a drama with some action but I can’t say too much about it. I worked with Nic before when I wrote a film called DEADFALL he made years ago with James Coburn and Charlie Sheen and Michael Biehn. That was how I met Biehn. This new one is something of a revenge movie, bu the stakes are really high and it’s a good role for him. Right now we’re negotiating with William Friedkin to direct but there might be a problem with the timing but we’re hoping to get him. We hope to start filming in Detroit in February.

WAMG: Good luck with YELLOW ROCK and all of your future projects.

NV: Thank you.

Review by Dana Jung

The sometimes obsessive power of love is just one of the themes portrayed in the complex and often riveting new drama CAFÉ DE FLORE.

Jumping back and forth in time, and alternating between two storylines, the film weaves an absorbing and unpredictable tapestry out of its characters and plot.  Antoine is a renowned music mixer/deejay who flies to gigs at huge clubs, regularly taking him away from his beloved family.  He seems to be a man who has everything:  successful career, two adorable daughters, and a woman he is madly in love with.  However, we soon learn that the woman he is currently with is not the mother of his children, as we are introduced to Carole, Antoine’s ex-wife.  Carole lives alone, and is struggling through life separated from her family.  She is taking drugs, sleepwalking, and having a series of disturbing dreams involving a child with Down’s Syndrome.   This converges with the other main story of Jacqueline, a young mother who literally gives up everything to devote herself to her son, who has—Down’s Syndrome.

The relationship between the two family situations is not clear at first, as the film takes time to reveal bits of information and develop its characters.  It also has more secondary themes to elaborate on, such as the importance of music in our emotional lives, and how certain tunes forever remain tied to memories of loved ones and happier times (mention must be made here that the film’s soundtrack, which features selections from Pink Floyd, is excellent).  The movie also touches on (rather unnecessarily, perhaps) themes of past lives and reincarnation.  But the main impressions we are left with concern the nature and forces of love:  a mother’s love for her child, a man’s for a woman, children’s for their parents, and friend’s for each other.  Love has the ability to create an almost divine state of existence, nearly flawless in its perfection.  Or it can become an addictive compulsion which can flower into jealousy or other destructive feelings.

Writer/director Jean-Marc Vallee shows a sure hand with his talented cast and knows how to set up scenes that will have lasting impact later.   For example, the Down’s children are shot in loving slow motion at the beginning so that later scenes of turmoil are emotionally jarring.  And the sequence where the two girls watch their mother sleepwalking is just plain frightening.  The only familiar face in this French film is probably Vanessa Paradis (if only because of her long relationship with megastar Johnny Depp), who is outstanding as the devoted Jacqueline.  With her sad eyes and fierce intensity, Paradis becomes the emotional center of the film, which will take you on a thought-provoking and sometimes difficult journey that adeptly mirrors the many intricacies of love and life.

CAFÉ DE FLORE screens at the St. Louis International Film Festival on Saturday, Nov 17th at 8:30pm at the Plaza Frontenac Cinema and again Sunday, Nov 18th at 3:45pm also at the Plaza Frontenac Cinema