Tag: Film

Tribeca 2011 Daily Recap: April 26th

For me, today’s experience at the Tribeca Film Festival was the definition of short but sweet. It opened once again with free Magnum ice cream for breakfast followed by a press screening of EVERYTHING MUST GO. The film brings us a more reserved Will Ferrell similar to what we saw in films like STRANGER THAN FICTION and he once again does a great job with that type of character. The film follows a man who lost his job only to come home and find out his wife is leaving him so he does what everyone would do in that situation, decides to live on his front lawn.

After the screening I found out that my first interview for the festival fell through, which was disappointing. However, the next email I read made me forget all about it. I got confirmation for an interview with Abigail Breslin and Alessandro Nivola for JANIE JONES, which I just reviewed yesterday. They were able to squeeze me in at the end of their press day, which I was very grateful for. It is funny how these things work out sometimes.

Since I had some time to kill before the interview, I grabbed a surprisingly cheap & delicious lunch at Dallas BBQ and then went back to the press lounge to work on my questions. The interview was set to take place right next door at the GEM Hotel. Since they had finished early, they said I could come up sooner so I got to listen to Abigail Breslin jam for a few minutes before the interview. That girl is insanely talented in everything she does. Alessando Nivola said that she is a machine and it’s true. They were both really cool to talk with and sadly our 10 minutes flew by. I will post the full interview tomorrow but for now here is a screen grab:

After that, I headed home. As I said, short but sweet.

Jerry Cavallaro  – www.StuckLikeChuck.com

Want to watch Tribeca 2011 films online for FREE?

Since Friday, I have been raving to people about RABIES (review here), which is my favorite film of the Tribeca Film Festival so far. I’ve also been telling everyone how it is available to watch for free as part of the festival’s online screening room. Pretty much no one knew what I was talking about. It occurred to me that I should write a post to explain a little bit about Tribeca’s online festival and how you can watch some great indie films for free.

By going to http://www.tribecafilm.com/tribecaonline you can get all the info. Basically you have to sign up for a free Tribeca film account and then reserve a virtual seat for one of the online screenings. Each of the films have set days when they are streaming and you should have 24 hours for each to check in and watch the film on those days.

There are 6 features and a bunch of shorts available, including a few award winning shorts from previous years. Also available as part of the online festival are streams from each red carpet and from the live Tribeca Talks panels, plus chats and interviews with some of the filmmakers.

There is a lot of great content on the site and you should check it out for yourself. To get you started, here are 5 recommendations on what to watch. Click on the title to be taken directly to that film’s virtual screening room.

RABIES – Feature

Israel’s first horror movie is one of the best horror films you will see in a while. It is a brilliant slasher film with the psycho killer removed from the equation.

THE DUNGEON MASTER – Short

A surprisingly dark but funny short about why it may not be a great idea to play Dungeons & Dragons when it has been a few years since your last roll. Written & Directed by Rider and Shiloh Strong.

MR. STACHE – Short

A whimsical tale of a man, his moustache and the girl of his dreams. Directed by Jac Schaeffer, who you may remember as the very talented writer/director of TiMER.

SOME BOYS DON’T LEAVE – Retrospective Short

Girl breaks up with Boy but Boy refuses to leave the apartment they once shared so she tries to ignore him while he lives in her hall. Expertly shot and yet another great performance from Jesse Eisenberg.

TRIBECA TALKS: AMPLIFY THE MESSAGE – Panel

A 90 minute discussion on how to use social media to build a web presence and engage with your audience.

BONUS FREE SCREENING INFO

In addition to the official online portion of the festival, several films from Tribeca are available at various VOD platforms. One of those platforms is Amazon.com and they are giving away free $6 in Tribeca credit in return for just one tweet. Go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000673791 for full details. None of the feature films available at Amazon are available for free on the Tribeca website so choose wisely or watch one for free and purchase the others. A few of the shorts are also available on Amazon for free, including MR. STACHE.

Most of this content is only available until the end of the festival so check it out now before it is too late. Hopefully this post makes you feel a little bit better about not being able to attend the festival in person. Enjoy!

Jerry Cavallaro  – www.StuckLikeChuck.com

Tribeca 2011 Review: JANIE JONES

Ethan Brand is a struggling rocker (Alessandro Nivola) who is forced to look after the daughter he’s never met before (Abigail Breslin) after her junkie mother abandons her at one of his concerts. The 13 year old happens to be a very talented musician on her own and a lot more mature than most girls her age. Ethan happens to be an unfriendly alcoholic whose life is all about music even though it can’t pay the bills. If you think you know what is going to happen next, you are probably right. While the story offers nothing new, JANIE JONES is still a well-made film that left me with a smile on my face at the end of the screening.

While the film is fairly straightforward, there are still a few ways it manages to take risks. For one thing, I was surprised that the film seems to be going for an R-rating when this type of film is typically a bit cleaner to reach a wider audience. I was also surprised by the character of Ethan Brand, who is the film’s real protagonist. I was surprised because he is such an asshole. He is not likeable at all nor does he start off with any redeeming characteristics. As the late great Blake Snyder would say, he does not “save the cat.”

If you are unaware of Snyder, he was a screenwriter who suggested the main character must do something early in the film to get the audience on board with him, such as saving a cat. When it comes time for him to “save the cat” by looking after Janie when she is abandoned, he is reluctant to even do that. He is forced to take her in and constantly reminds everyone that he doesn’t believe she’s really his kid and doesn’t even remember meeting her mom, despite a valid birth certificate. For a good chunk of the film we could care less about Ethan but because we are invested in Janie, we stick it out.

Then something happens. Slowly we come to feel sorry for Ethan and eventually we begin to root for him. He is self-destructive but he really does love his music. He is not trying to be a rock star for the sex, drugs or money. He is doing it because it is his passion. And when the time comes that he could exploit Janie’s talent, he doesn’t want to do it. It is very obvious that Ethan would evolve into a likeable father figure but it is still an interesting arch to follow.

The other big risk in the film is the music. Writer/Director David M. Rosenthal likes to linger on the musical sequences. Whenever Janie gets upset, she grabs her guitar and sings her heart out. This happens many times throughout the film. When other characters hear her playing and approach her, we always wait until she finishes her song for the scene to continue. It becomes overkill because we get that she loves to play and that is her retreat, we don’t need to see it happen constantly.  At one point I actually became suspicious of Janie because of how often she played just close enough for band members and managers to hear her. I thought maybe she was scamming Ethan and she was not really his kid. That being said the music is not half bad and while so many sequences may be unnecessary, it fits in with the film.

The highlight of the film are the performances. Everyone does a great job with the roles, especially Abigail Breslin and Alessando Nivola who both did their own singing and guitar work. The always brilliant Peter Stormare was also fantastic as Brand’s managaer. I especially loved his first scene with Janie when she is still getting used to the band. I also enjoyed seeing Joel Moore (He got rid of the David?) in this since I have always been a fan of his work.

You know exactly what kind of film you are in for with JANIE JONES. It has flaws and lacks some originality but it has heart and solid performances throughout. If the plot description interests you, definitely give this one a watch.

Jerry Cavallaro  – www.StuckLikeChuck.com

I HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THE VERSION OF THE FILM I SAW WAS NOT THE FINAL CUT. I WILL LEAVE THIS REVIEW UP BUT PLEASE NOTE THERE MAY BE CHANGES FROM WHAT IS MENTIONED HERE AND WHAT IS IN THE FINAL FILM. IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, I WILL REVIEW THE FILM AGAIN UPON RELEASE.

Tribeca 2011 Review: SAINT

Before I start my review of this killer Santa movie, I’d like to clarify one thing. This is not the Santa most of us know and love. There are no reindeer. There is no sleigh. There are no elves. This is not jolly old St. Nick. The film doesn’t even take place on Christmas. Instead it is about the Dutch tradition of Sinterklaas. While I probably would have enjoyed this movie more if I knew about the Dutch tradition beforehand, the flick is still a fun ride.

Here’s the official description listed in the Tribeca guide:

The film’s titular saint was in fact a murderous medieval marauder, ultimately slain by the villagers he tormented, only to swear a ghostly revenge on their descendents every December 5—the anniversary of his death. Centuries later, the story has settled comfortably into innocuous folklore, until a bloody encounter with the ghoul himself forces local teen Frank to believe in Santa all over again. Teaming up with a fellow believer, discharged conspiracy-theorist cop Goert, it will be up to Frank to save the city of Amsterdam in an all-out bloody battle against the wrathful “Sinterklaas” and his minions.

This Dutch horror comedy blends elements of THE FOG & A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET with other well-known genre conventions. All of the characters are typical horror fodder. Even the idea of a killer Santa isn’t wholly original. But it all works for the most part. My biggest complaint with the film is that parts of it are so incredibly well done that the rest of the film pales in comparison. This contrast causes it to feel like two films cut together; one an insanely fun Raimi-esque horror-action-comedy and the other a horror film that takes itself far too seriously.

It could be that some of the Dutch humor was lost on me or some of the jokes just fall flat but there are times where the momentum slows down far too much. The reason this is such a problem is that the action set pieces are immensely fun. The special effects for the most part are fantastic although some of the CGI could use a bit of work. The opening scenes revealing St. Niklas’ origins and Goert’s backstory are set up perfectly. Other scenes such as the Black Peters (evil elves in black face) attacking Frank’s friends and the rooftop horse chase are equally incredible.

If writer/director Dick Maas chose to cut out a few of the slower scenes and amped up the insanity, he would have a true cult classic in his hands. But as it stands now, this film is still destined to be a holiday favorite. It is already a major success in the Netherlands and I have a feeling IFC Midnight will do quite well with it stateside.

Jerry Cavallaro  – www.StuckLikeChuck.com

Tribeca 2011 Review: RABIES

There is a fundamental flaw with RABIES that will unfortunately hold it back from the major success it could have been. I am of course talking about the fact the film is in Hebrew. Because people hate to read at the movies, it will not get a wide theatrical release (unless it gets the HIGH TENSION treatment) and some people will skip it when it hits video & VOD. It’s a real shame because RABIES is one of the best and most inventive horror films I have seen in a while.

A quick summary makes the film seem like an overly clichéd backwoods slasher but its brilliant execution reveals that it is so much more. The film opens with a girl caught in a trap while her brother attempts to rescue her, a group of young tennis players lost in the woods and a kindhearted park ranger doing a routine inspection with his trusty dog. A little later we meet two cops; one is quite crooked while the other is dealing with personal issues. We are even introduced to a psychotic killer that doesn’t wear a mask or have any supernatural abilities; he’s just a man with a large knife. This all sounds pretty standard, right?

What if I told you the psycho killer doesn’t actually kill anyone yet the body count at the end of the film still meets the typical slasher quota? Shortly after we are introduced to the killer, he gets knocked out. Confusion, jealousy, mistrust, poor judgment, and several accidents put the potential victims at odds with each other. Their secluded surroundings full of bear traps, land mines, and other dangerous obstacles only add to the mayhem.

RABIES plays with genre conventions and does it well. The acting is surprisingly strong across the board and really brings you into the story. Unfortunately, there were a few times where I was unable to read the subtitles because this is by far one of the brightest horror movie you will ever see. The entire film takes place over the course of a sunny afternoon and many of the characters are dressed entirely in white. The fact they were able to make such a suspenseful horror film in broad daylight shows you how talented the writer/director duo of Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado really are. Unfortunately it made the pale yellow subtitles hard to read at times but I never lost my place in the film nor lost any interest in the characters. In fact, I believe you can watch the entire film sans subtitles and still enjoy it but then you’d miss out on some of the brutally clever dialogue. There are some hilarious jokes and lines that elevate the film to a very darkly humorous level. The pacing and cinematography are equally great.

I really loved how the film plays out in seemingly real time and that the filmmakers are not afraid to have key moments occur off screen. The scenes not shown are largely unnecessary and keeping them out keeps the film fast-paced. It even adds to the suspense at times. This approach to the story really works well throughout but I was surprised to see that it ends in the same style. While each storyline is interconnected, there was no grand finale where everything comes together. Instead each story has it’s own ending. This is where my one real big problem with the film lies. I actually liked each individual ending and wouldn’t change anything about them. However, I feel they made a huge mistake in the order of the endings. There is one very short scene that I believe should have come a little later in the film.  (To keep this review spoiler free, I will not describe the scene but will gladly tell you if you message me after you see it.) It would have worked far better as the final resolution. They could keep everything else exactly the same, including the tag within the credits, but just change the order of the finale. I know it is a very minor complaint but it is really the only thing that bothered me about the film.

I highly recommend you check out RABIES for yourself. And from now until May 1st, you can watch it online for free. Just go to the Tribeca Film Festival online streaming room at http://www.tribecafilm.com/tribecaonline/streaming-room/ and reserve a seat for the next free online screening. If you don’t get a chance to watch it now, be sure to keep an eye out for it. The film has the distinction of being Israel’s first ever horror film and it has set the bar absurdly high.

Jerry Cavallaro  – www.StuckLikeChuck.com

Tribeca 2011: Two Day Recap

I want to start off by apologizing for the delay in my coverage. I originally planned to do daily recaps from each day at the festival but my 90-minute commute to and from the festival quickly killed that idea. Below is a recap of my experience at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival so far…

THURSDAY APRIL 21

My first day at the festival didn’t start off with a bang. I planned on attending the press screening of THE BANG BANG CLUB but just couldn’t get to the festival in time. Instead I picked up my press badge and decided to check out the complimentary snack area. I opted for a breakfast ice cream bar courtesy of MAGNUM Ice Cream. Free Ice Cream for breakfast? Yes, I am living the dream.

Following my deliciously inappropriate breakfast, I decided to canvas the press lounge and theater to see what kind of promo materials I could find. I love collecting that kind of stuff to see what other filmmakers are doing to promote their films. Sadly, there was not much out but since it was only the first full day I didn’t think much of it.

At noon I caught the press screening of THE TRIP, which stars Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon as themselves on a food tour through the English countryside. The film was hilarious and definitely a good way to kick off the movie watching portion of my festival experience.

After the screening, I grabbed a quick lunch (plus another free ice cream bar) and headed back to the Clearview Cinemas for the press screening of JANIE JONES. The film stars Abigail Breslin as a talented 13-year-old musician who is abandoned by her mother (Elizabeth Shue) and is forced to stay with a struggling rocker (Alessandro Nivola) who doesn’t believe she is really his kid. While fairly conventional, it was still an enjoyable film.

Following the screening I headed over to the Filmmaker Lounge where they were hosting a filmmaker / press reception. While waiting for the doors to open, I started talking with Alan J. LaFave, Festival Director for the HELL’S HALF MILE FILM + MUSIC FESTIVAL. Although we never actually met before, he recognized me from STUCK LIKE CHUCK, which screened at his festival in 2009. We ended up chatting for over 2 hours about movies and festivals.

As the party ended, I grabbed one more ice cream bar for the road and made my way to the bus home. I got home about 10:30 and called into FILMSNOBBERY LIVE! which is a weekly live show about indie film that I cohost. After speaking with actor Jay Ferraro, I talked about my first day impressions of the festival before signing off and passing out on my bed.

FRIDAY APRIL 22

I woke up late but somehow managed to make it to the Clearview Cinemas in time for SAINT. The Dutch horror comedy reimagines Saint Nicholas as a bloodthirsty bishop who emerges whenever there is a full moon on December 5 to kidnap children and murder anyone else who gets in his way. There are many moments of crazy batshit insanity that I absolutely loved but others that I felt took down the movie as a whole. It is still a very enjoyable flick that is destined to become a holiday cult classic.

After SAINT, I headed across the lobby to theater 7 for the press screening of PUNCTURE. The film stars Chris Evans as a drug addict / lawyer who takes on a major health care case that could save millions of lives but may also be too much for him and his partner to handle. Just like its main character, the film is flawed but still enjoyable.

After the screening, I spoke briefly with Alan J. LaFave again before bumping into the legendary Bob Hawk. For those unfamiliar, he is a film consultant known for discovering Kevin Smith, Edward Burns and many others. Several months ago I went to lunch with him to discuss my current film project so it was great getting to catch up. Since talking with Hawk used up much of my break, I grabbed another Magnum Ice Cream bar from the press lounge before heading back to the theater to catch my final screening for the day.

I got back just in time for the press & industry screening of Israel’s first ever horror film, RABIES. This is my favorite film from the festival so far and set the bar pretty high for the rest. This flick brilliantly plays with genre conventions and makes for one hell of a good time. I was completely caught by surprise and ended up raving about it to several people right after.

Besides being an amazing film, this screening was especially awesome because one of the Tribeca jury groups was in attendance. I watched the film sitting behind Paul Dano, Anna Kendrick, Rainn Wilson and several other really cool people. I was able to remain professional but really wish I had a chance to talk with some of them after the screening. I also hope Paul Dano got his hat back. He left it at his seat and the woman next to me brought it to one of the volunteers. Fingers crossed for a safe recovery.

I made my way to the Cadillac Press Lounge for the Documentary Filmmaker & Press Reception. While I didn’t meet any filmmakers, I did quickly become friends with Peter Gutierrez and Ben Umstead from Twitch. We talked about the festival, horror films and general movie geekdom. We also all seemed to agree that we have not seen any filmmakers actively promoting their films and that there should be an easier way to distinguish who is a filmmaker based on our badges. Apparently I was the first filmmaker they had even spoken to at the festival. Despite it not being part of Tribeca, I gave them both copies of STUCK LIKE CHUCK because I am a total press whore.

Eventually we made our way to the Filmmaker Lounge where the DOHA Film Institute was hosting its own reception. I again bumped into Alan LaFave. I find it funny that I keep missing tons of celebrities that are popping up in pictures all around the festival but I keep running into Alan. I wonder if there are secret backrooms that us lower level press people don’t know about? When they were getting ready to close, I grabbed yet another ice cream for the bus ride and left. That night I sat on my computer determined to begin my coverage. About 20 minutes later I was out cold, which brought an end to my second day at the festival.

SATURDAY APRIL 23 & SUNDAY APRIL 24

I did not attend the festival these days because I had to spend time with my family. However, I was able to make some time to write this article as well as a few of my reviews. I will not be attending the festival on Monday but I will check out some of the online films throughout the day. I will be back at the festival starting Tuesday morning to cover Will Ferrell’s new film, EVERYTHING MUST GO.

Jerry Cavallaro  – www.StuckLikeChuck.com

A SOMEWHAT GENTLE MAN – The Review

Stellan Skarsgård stars as Ulrik, a man who is recently released from prison after serving a 12 year (!) sentence for murder. While he seems like he just wants to live the rest of his life in peace, his past connections have abandoned him.  Ulrik’s wife has left him and his son, who is now an adult who is married, has pretty much wiped all existence because of the 12 year absense in prison.  The only person that seems to still care about him is his small-time mob boss, Rune, who is trying to give some drive to Ulrik and find the person that ratted him out to the cops which resulted in Ulrik’s imprisonment.

That first paragraph might make you think this is a action packed film, but let me assure you it is not.  It is a very quiet and subdued film that plays off as a dark comedy of a man who is trying to establish an honest, normal life.  He gets a job at a garage and gets a roof over his head, yet because of Skarsgård’s superb acting, we all know that something is bound to interrupt this plan.  The audience is treated to some hilariously uncomfortable scenes between his landlord who brings down dinner for him and continues to sit on a crickety bed and watches tv with Ulrik.

Ulrik is trying to turn over a new leaf and wants to try and rekindle a relationship with his son.  While his son doesn’t initially take an interest, it becomes to blossom in a way a dirty secret would as Ulrik’s son, Geir, doesn’t want to tell his wife about his father’s history and has previously told his wife that Ulrik was dead.  Instead of owning up to the false story, Geir tells his wife that Ulrik is his uncle.  While Ulrik is a little hurt by this, he understands why and appreciates that there is at least some attempt in trying to get to know each other.

All the performers are spot on and with some subtle yet effective direction by Hans Petter Moland (ABERDEEN from 2000), we know that no matter how funny some of the situations Ulrik is getting himself into that the final result may result in violence.  The whole film can be looked at as simply a tale or yarn, but I saw it as asking the question of if someone who spends time behind bars for over 10 years, are they really better off released into a world that has moved forward without said person?

A SOMEWHAT GENTLE MAN is a touching look at one man who tries his hardest to return to normalcy. Yet, due to preconceived notions from his society, is pigeonholed into someone who can be used and or should be feared.  It is a must see for foreign film lovers for Skarsgård’s performance alone.

This review was originally published on November 25, 2010 during the 19th Annual St. Louis International Film Festival.