Hey folks, Harry here with Monki... sorry I haven't been getting these up... Father Geek and I had to drop out of the fest the past two days and pretty much off the face of the earth to deal with some family issues regarding Grandma Geek that were quite pressing. Here's 3 days of Monki thoughts... Here ya go...
Monki here again with my latest batch of reviews from SXSW 2004.
I managed to miss the first few panels that I really wanted to go to due to someone deciding I should cover for them at work, but I did manage to get to the film exhibition panel and hear some interesting facts about DVD sales and the average theatre go-er. Did you know 26% of Americans don’t go to the theater at all during a year? Scary.
Anyway, I jumped from that panel down to see THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND (d. Lori Cheatle, Daisy Wright). THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND is a warm little documentary about globalization and how Mom & Pop shops are being harmed by gigantic corporations coming to town. Imagine the plot of YOU’VE GOT MAIL done in documentary format.
This film made a few good points, but didn’t seem to have much of an impact on me. It felt like just an ordinary documentary; nothing too special. Not to say it is a bad film, it was shot on HD and look gorgeous (not as beautiful as A LEAGUE OF ORDINARY GENTLEMEN, mind you) but it just didn’t grip me like I would have liked.
Of course if you are into small business politics or just curious about more info on major corporations (and how Starbucks trademarked “Christmas”) check this one out. It is screening again 3/17 at the Paramount (4:45pm), and 3/19 at the Alamo (1:00pm).
BLACKBALLED: THE BOBBY DUKES STORY
From there I hung around to catch my favorite film of SXSW so far. BLACKBALLED: THE BOBBY DUKES STORY (d. BrantSersen). I have to admit, I have been Dukilated.
Rob Corddry from The Daily Show absolutely owns in this movie. His character is so much different than the characters he personifies on Daily Show. He is a very warm-hearted soul who wants to get back into the game of paintball.
You see, ten years ago Bobby Dukes was caught “wiping” during the final match of a hugely important paintball tournament. After being disqualified, he just walked away from the sport. Ten years have passed, and his ban from the game has been lifted. Now Bobby wants to reclaim his former glory by starting up a new team and taking the trophy he always wanted.
Sporting a great supporting cast, BLACKBALLED really shines in the character moments between Bobby and his friends. The owner of the paintball field that Bobby plays at is particularly hilarious. His description of Canada as “America’s retarded brother to the north,” is just one of many lines that you will be spouting after this movie.
Hopefully Corddry will get some recognition for this film. It amazes me to think he has only appeared in Old School (playing a member of the frat) and nothing else. I met Rob after the movie at the after-party and he seemed like a genuinely nice guy. He actually asked me to distribute the movie, (which is kind of difficult seeing as how I can barely pay my rent) and appreciated my kind words about the flick.
Definitely see this film. Expect it to win an audience award as well. Mark your calendar to see it either 3/15 at the Dobie (4:45pm) or on 3/19 at the Dobie (12:15pm).
HELLBOY
To finish off the night I sat for two hours in line outside to get inside to see HELLBOY (d. Guillermo del Toro). Once I did get inside, I could only secure a seat on the balcony of the Paramount, and it had an obstructed view at that. I had to lean forward the entire film to see the screen without heads blocking the lower half. That being said, this film was the most painful (literally) film experience I have ever had while watching one of the coolest films I have ever seen.
Ron Perlman is to the 2000s as Bruce Campbell was to the late 80s, early 90s. He OWNS in this film.
I don’t want to go into detail on this film, as I’m sure Quint or Harry or Rav or Annette Kellerman will go on and on about it. I’ll save you the trouble of reading a long-winded review and give you my soundbites.
HELLBOY is the richest and fullest comic book movie I have ever seen. The world is vivid and alive. GO SEE THIS FILM AT A THEATRE WITH 300 OF YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS.
To close this collection of reviews, I’d like to share a quote from Guillermo del Toro.
“We are making the world a weirder place, one film at a time.”
I love SXSW.
-Monki
Monki here again with a couple of reviews from SXSW.
I only caught two films today because I got a late start and also went to the John Landis panel in the morning. Of the two films I did see, one was okay, and the other was wonderfully good.
ABLE EDWARDS
After the panel I went and saw ABLE EDWARDS (d. Graham Robertson).
In the future, an epidemic has wiped out 90% of the population on Earth. Humans were forced to move to outer space to survive. Giant corporations did manage to make the shift from Earth to space though, and one of them is going through some major problems. They decide to clone the original CEO of the company so he can take over once again and bring the company back to its former glory.
This film was shot in 15 days entirely in front of green screen. Robertson edited all of the footage on his personal computer and completed the film for around $30,000.
The story brings a lot of possibilities for exploration of clone theory and issues regarding company ownership. If a corporation creates a clone, does that clone belong to the company? So many angles could have been covered here but were ultimately overshadowed by less important aspects of the film.
The easiest way to describe this film is if CITIZEN KANE was about Walt Disney. Able Edwards is a man who creates a cartoon character and created a huge multimedia corporation based on the success of that. He is cryogenically frozen after his death and cloned using particles from the corpse.
Ultimately the idea of the movie is great, but the execution needed work. It is showing 3/18 at the Dobie(10:00pm), and 3/20 again at the Dobie (3:00pm).
SLASHER
After that I swung over to the Paramount and saw SLASHER (d. John Landis).
Slasher is Michael Bennett, a used-car salesman who offers his services to car lots looking to move older inventory. He is a showman first, and a car salesman second.
Landis has crafted a wonderful documentary here. Bennett is a wacko, and a perfect documentary character. His antics on the car lot, and all of his personal interviews are just remarkable. One couldn’t ask for a better subject to work with.
This documentary takes place over a Memorial Day weekend in Memphis, Tennessee. Slasher has been brought up there to get rid of some old inventory so that the new cars can have plenty of floor space. We follow him from his home in southern California to Memphis and watch him do his work.
Landis’s style of documentary is refreshing too. He takes a much more narrative type of approach to the film as opposed to just a talking-head type of doc.
Definitely check this one out if you get the opportunity. It was produced for the Independent Film Channel and will be airing in June (I believe), but you SXSWers can see it at the Paramount both on 3/17 (9:30pm) and 3/20 (1:30pm).
I really have no clue as to what I’m going to see on Tuesday, but I am planning on hitting up the RichardLinklater and Jim Jarmusch panel. I’ll keep everyone posted!
-Monki
Monki here again with more reviews from SXSW.
I’ve had some trouble with my internet and email, so these may come a little late. Sorry.
COFFEE AND CIGARETTES
Anyways, on Tuesday I caught three films from completely different genres. I started my day by going to Jim Jarmusch and RichardLinklater’s panel, (which was wonderful) and then walked over to the Drafthouse to catch COFFEE AND CIGARETTES (d. JimJarmusch).
This film was a lot of fun. It is basically eleven short films about something that takes place over coffee and cigarettes. The film starts off perfectly with Roberto Benigni and Steven Wright, the poster children for coffee and cigarettes, respectively.
There are quite a few jewels in this film, I was really impressed with Cate Blanchett’s performance, and the woman playing her cousin wasn’t that bad either.
Iggy Pop needs to be used in film more. His face aches to tell stories.
Bill Murray with the Wu Tang Clan can’t be missed either.
Go see this one, it is showing again 3/18 at the Alamo (11:45am). For you non-SXSWers, I believe Jarmusch is looking for distribution still.
BLIND HORIZON
After COFFEE AND CIGARETTES, I went over to the Paramount to catch BLIND HORIZON (d. Michael Haussman).
This film is very close to being great, but ultimately cops out at the end. Val Kilmer plays a man who wakes up with amnesia after being shot in the head and falling off a small cliff. Slowly he has to piece together his life and why he is in a little border town in New Mexico. In a flash of memory, he knows something bad is going to happen to the President, but he is not sure what.
Kilmer seems to be walking through this film. Nothing too impressive here. Amy Smart plays the local nurse who takes a liking to Kilmer’s character while Neve Campbell plays his fiancé trying to get him back to normal.
All and all, the movie isn’t too bad, but the ending sort of drops off and doesn’t do too much for me.
Lions gate has picked this one up and it will probably be released in a few months. It is screening again 3/19 at the Arbor (7:00pm).
AZUMI
To close out the night I caught the amazing AZUMI (d. Ryuhei Kitamura). AZUMI is described as an “operatic action film.” It definitely lives up to that description.
Azumi is a woman who is raised by a Ninja master after he finds her orphaned when she is very young. He trains her in the art of swordplay and does a damned good job of it.
After years of training, it is finally time to go on a true mission and step past the world she knows and fights for her master.
AZUMI kicks some serious ass. If you liked KILL BILL and the fact that every blow by the weapons in that movie actually HURT, then you will dig this film. It fits into the “females kicking ass” category much like WING CHUN before it.
The one thing that really made me happy though was the fact that you get to see some REAL NINJAS! Some fighting warriors truly decked out in the ninja garb that we used to dress up like when we were kids and hitting each other with sticks. It is like a childhood fantasy reborn on screen! Ninjas kicking ass! Walking to my car I could have sworn I was followed and wanted to vanish into the night only to strike sudden death into my adversary! This film does that to you!
Check this one out, it is showing again at the Arbor both on 3/18 (9:30pm) and 3/20 (7:00pm).
So, hopefully my reviews will get caught up to where I am now if this email gets through, if not, enjoy a backlog of crappy reviews byMonki!
Monki
