2007-Oct-12 - How Do You Like Them Apples?
Our latest submission for review is Cedar Street Productions’ Harvest Moon (directed by Brent Nowak).
Ahh the horror genre. What’s not to love about it? If you are a creative filmmaking type with a lack of funds but a lust for blood, you can make a horror movie for next to nothing and, if it’s good, sell it for bazillions. Just look at those plucky joes who started up the Saw machine. (Although I gotta admit, I’ve never seen Saw- too sadistic for me- so if that disqualifies me from reviewing horror movies, so be it…).
Here’s basically what you need for a quality scary flick: a solid story, competent actors, and somebody who’s real good with molasses and red food coloring. That’s about it. Harvest Moon is two for three here which ain’t too shabby now is it?
Often in indie films the acting is somewhere between mediocre and atrocious. Not the case here. All are quite capable, especially Diego Villareal Garcia (as Javy) whose blend of humor and intensity is fun to watch. Brad Ashten (as Adam) stands out as well with his cool, lines-as-second-nature delivery. As for the ladies, I enjoyed the rapport between Jennifer Black’s (as Sam) and Sierra Edwards’ (as Courtney).
For the most part, the film is technically sound as well. The cinematography is the caliber of a production with 10 times the budget: sweeping crane shots and skilled hand-held sequences increase the tonal tension. The location doesn’t hurt either (a sun-drenched, tree-filled valley) and Matthew Boyd (D.P.) does well to capture the surroundings. There is a bit stock footage of some bears crossing the road, though, which is superfluous. Using stock really cheapens a movie. Well they couldn’t afford to shoot this so they jacked it from somebody else is what goes through my mind.
The score/soundtrack begins a bit insipidly, but picks up through the film. A recurring simple yet stirring guitar piece works very well.
While the makeup effects are excellent (on par with studio gore), the special effects are a major cause for concern here. In the past when critiquing indies, I’ve tried to give them a free pass in this department. IF they had the cash the effects would be immensely improved. The thing is, in a film like this where the visual effects are relied upon to a significant degree, it’s exceedingly difficult to overlook them. It was odd- some were adequate but others were almost laughable.
Where I had further problems with Harvest Moon was in the story itself. It follows the clichéd horror equation: frolicsome kids + remote location with a dark secret = hi-jinks, blood & gore!!! However, this is the case with so many horror films (Cabin Fever, Blair Witch, Jeepers Creepers, Wax Museum to name a few) that there’s almost a tacit acceptance of this type of set-up. So let’s let go of that for a moment.
In Harvest Moon the “kids”(mid to late twentysomethings) are comprised of three couples: Mel and Courtney, Javy and Sam, Alicia and Adam. The five former, friends for some time, cruise through the country to visit Adam who’s inherited the Baldini apple orchard after his father’s unfortunate passing (in the prologue the senior Baldini shoots himself after hearing voices in the orchard). The kids, who of course are oblivious to the sinister history of the orchard (Adam’s mother and sister were themselves mauled by wolves), agree to help out for a period of time harvesting the apples. Little do they know it won’t be for long…
Speaking of length, the film clocks in right around 70 minutes, which is great from a movie watcher’s endurance standpoint (I just saw Into the Wild and although I loved it, 2:30 + trailers is grueling). But, in this case I think the movie would have benefited from a little lengthening. The characters and their relationships are a bit under-developed. I would’ve liked to know more about the romance between Alicia (Karen Corona) and Adam (Brad Ashten).
A little extra running time might have allowed for the tying of some loose ends as well. For Example-
Spoiler Alert: There are ghosts at work here, whirling around the orchard. Some apparently warn folks, and others coerce folks to do terrible things. Now, I realize there can be good and bad ghosts in a story, but why is that the situation here? There’s no explanation. Also, the question arises: Who exactly is in power? That wasn’t clear to me.
Despite my story concerns, I still found myself affected physiologically by the movie: you know- increased heart rate, stomach clenching, etc. And after all, isn’t a horror film successful if it does indeed scare you?
All in all, Harvest Moon is a positive effort which could find an audience. It looks good (scenery, easy on the eyes actors, blood) and makes one think twice about visiting remote apple orchards.
BEER RATING: Sam Adams Oktoberfest. Not quite as good as the original but still worth a try.(6 out of 10)
|
|
Comments 1 :: Post A Comment! :: :: Permanent Link
|
2007-Aug-20 - The Life I Lived... watching indie film submissions
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Reviewing/promoting indie films is a difficult business. We at HIT endeavor to not only bring exposure to our creative brethren but to root for them as they strive Sisyphus-like up the Everest that is the film biz. However, we owe it to ourselves and y’all patrons/surfers/et al. to tell it like it is.
That brings me to our latest submission: The Life I Lived. Now, first of all, I must make mention of the man (young, young man) behind this film. Ben Solenberger, the writer, director and pruducer, is the ripe old age of 20. That’s right 20! He’s already made the way from Virginny out to L.A. and back again (having logged quite a goodly number of acting gigs in the process), and is currently in production of his 3rd feature. And, as I mentioned before, he’s f***in 20! I must say kudos to you, sir.
Now, the bad news. The Life I Lived was a generally painful film to watch. And this actually began with the dvd’s menu, over which plays a musical number nearly identical to the Godfather theme. This is also played throughout the film underscoring some very Godfather-like moments (like when the lead character says "I made him an offer he couldn't refuse"). I have to wonder how on earth nobody picked this up. If it was a spoof of the Coppola masterwork, it would have been perfect. But it wasn’t.
The idea behind The Life I Lived, in and of itself, is unique: A small town man becomes a crime boss. That man is Bill Cacchiotti (played mostly capably by Richard Bennett) an electrician who arrives at the decision to get involved with a group of small town thugs over a game of really smoky poker. And how does Bill make this subsequently life-altering choice?… I have no idea. There’s no explanation.
Bill spends most of the movie smoking and getting upset with people for not honoring their deals with him and yelling at his loved ones and brooding and falling into a deep depression after having to off a senator in which he medicates himself with a select brand of Scotch introduced to him by a mysterious cowboy during a completely superfluous scene earlier in the movie and killing people and drinking and smoking some more.
One of the most major of major problems in all of this, is that as audience members, we just don’t care. A villainous protagonist (ie Michael Corleone) must be sympathetic. He must have traits that are appealing to the audience: intelligence, charisma, a sense of humor. He must have had something happen to him that drives him to this life of evil. For Michael Corleone it’s the attempt on his father’s life, the ingrained sense of familial pride, and that knowledge that no one else has the capabilities to take over. In the case of Bill Cacchiotti, he has no positive traits and no real impetus to do what he does. He's despicable and, worse, dull.
Besides this there are numbers of other problems with The Life I Lived. Characters pop up out of nowhere to be involved in pivotal scenes, and some that seemed to be integral to the plot disappear completely. Also, Bill Cacchiotti’s adult life spans 35 years by my estimates, but is played entirely by the same actor! I’d say Bennett has an age range of 15 years at the most- disbelief can only be suspended so much. Lastly (though I could continue), the acting is lackluster at best. The most lacking performance being that of a supposed Stoner Dude who mercifully shows up in only one scene for some apparent comic relief. He succeeds in being laughable, but for all the wrong reasons.
What’s to like about The Life I Lived? The makeup effects (blood spurts etc.) are great- executed very well. Jason Baustin's cinematography, though simple, is efficient. Lastly, Solenberger is but a babe. He has much to learn. But I believe that someone with the gumption to achieve what he has to this point in his young life, can only improve his craft. Hey, nobody wants to have it all figured out by 20 anyway. If you did, what would you have to look forward to?
BEER RATING: Coors Light- 3.5. Zero taste but low in calories.
|
|
Comments 2 :: Post A Comment! :: :: Permanent Link
|
2007-Aug-19 - Forever -indie horror done well
Ahh the low budge horror film- with a solid story, quality acting, and some well placed blood capsules a good movie can be made for very little. For the most part, Triple E Productions’ Forever is one such film.
Paul Del Vecchio (writer, director, producer, scorer, actor, special effects, editor, driver etc. etc. etc.) has crafted an intriguing film- a psychological thriller peppered with some time travel, a bit of cannibalism, and a couple appearances by a character who just might be construed as the Devil Incarnate.
Forever centers on a young man, Michael Zaffe (played by Brian Brady) who inherits a sprawling estate from his parents. Consumed by his work for which he isn’t compensated, he’s having trouble paying the bills and is in danger of losing the place. He explains: “I wanna find the next big thing that will change the way we live our lives.”
A stranger appears in Michael’s yard one day and makes him an offer. The stranger produces a leather collar, which he instructs Michael, if worn while he sleeps will ensure Michael’s legacy. More concerned with being remembered than anything else, Michael accepts. Upon wearing the collar, Michael is transported into the future where he discovers that he has died and another family possesses his family’s estate. Resolving to uncover this mystery, Michael continues to wear the collar despite disturbing images.
What stood out the most for me in Forever was the crisp cinematography. Wide shots of the estate grounds are gorgeous and help establish the mood of eerie isolation. Great variance of camera techniques, especially during the dream sequences, aid in stepping up the story’s tension as well.
As far as the story goes, the narrative about Michael works very well. But Del Vecchio employs a bookend structure involving a threesome influenced of course by the collar. For me this muddied things up a bit. There is a final scene tacked on which would do fine in providing the unclosed ending Del Vecchio wants to convey. Plus, I would have liked to see the estate upon which Micael's story takes place, be used a bit more.
The acting in Forever is better than average, with Charlene Miller (as Alyssa) performing ably (she’s easy on the eyes as well) and Steve Gagliano (as the Stranger) creating a wonderfully mysterious and menacing character. Brady, I had some difficulty with early on. He seems to want to exhibit a sort of aloof, apathetic quality, but comes across as bored. Which is not quite the attitude one wants to convey as an actor because it causes the audience to feel the same way. However, he does improve quite a bit throughout the film.
All in all, Forever is a strong effort from Del Vecchio. Hopefully, for his next movie he won’t have to do everything (writer, director, producer, scorer, actor, special effects, editor, driver etc. etc. etc.). Otherwise, his future projects may even be better.
BEER RATING: Blue Moon (7.0 out of 10). Great beer- even better with oranges.
|
|
Comments 0 :: Post A Comment! :: :: Permanent Link
|
2007-Jul-5 - Never Say MacBeth... in a theatre... or bad things might happen... maybe
The challenge of an indie film in my mind is to make the final product not look like an indie film- or better- an ultra low-budget one. As a reviewer you can, however, give the low budgeteds a free pass when it comes to such technical items as special effects, locations, and music, knowing that with a respectable pool of dough all of these could be immensely improved.
Really, the main area of film where the shoestring budget can go toe to toe with a BIG studio pic is in the story department (and to a lesser extent the acting, as there are multitudes of competent actors who will work for peanuts- oh the competition...).
Having said this, Never Say MacBeth is a blithely witty romp, which succeeds in what it is: a romantic comedy about the curse of "MacBeth" (which for those of you who are not theatre geeks, is the widely held belief in the acting community that simply uttering the word in a theatre can cause calamity or at least really bad karma).
Storywise Joe Tyler Gold (a triple threat who produces and stars) has concocted a cute tale that is mostly enjoyable. Yes, I said "cute" and "mostly". There are some moments of sappiness (of course this is a romantic comedy) and a plot which goes along its merry and expected way. But, I did find myself laughing quite a bit at a number of the lines and rooting for the leads.
The acting, all in all, is solid- the vast majority of the cast hailing from area L.A. theatre companies. Joe Tyler Gold (Danny) is winsome as a Science teacher turned thespian struggling to let go of an old flame. Tania Getty (Tamara) delivers a charming, effervescent performance as danny's liason into the oddities of the theatre world and eventual love interest. As the crazed though highly believable director (for anyone who's done much of any work in a theatre company he is believable), Alexander Enberg (Jason) is fun to watch.
Where the film suffers a bit is in its execution. Heavily relying on special effects is not the best route to go if you're lacking in the cashflow department. Yes, I realize I'm being hypocritical here having made the point that as viewers we know things would be better if better resources were to be had. But, the fact is that the film utilizes these effects to such a great degree and in so many scenes that it does become a bit distracting.
Overall, Never Say MacBeth is a gratifying effort. And we applaud the cast and crew for their work.
BEER RATING: Newcastle- a decent English brew. (6.5 out of 10).
|
|
Comments 4 :: Post A Comment! :: :: Permanent Link
|
2006-Jul-5 - "Man Push Cart", Cart Rolls
Last week I took in Man Push Cart at the L.A. Film Fest. Ramin Bahrani's film (he wrote, produced, directed, and edited it- now that's indie filmmaking) is a poignant offering of one man's isolation in the New York metropolis.
The character of Ahmad, played subtly and deftly by Ahmad Razvi, awakes every morning at 3 and takes the train from Brooklyn to Manhattan where he mans a breakfast cart for the city's suits and other assorted morning types. This in itself would be quite a daunting task for most of us. However, Ahmad has also lost his wife only a year before and his mother-in-law blames him for her daughter's death. Because of this, he is prevented from seeing his son but once in a great while. As if all of this weren't enough, he has tasted success as a former Pakistani rock singer, but that life is long behind him.
Right off the bat, Bahrani effects a dizzying, frenetic atmosphere through liberal use of close ups, camera jitters, and quick cuts giving us a feel for the hectic pace of Ahmad's worklife. It is only in a few varied moments throughout the film that things slow down for Ahmad: when he does see his son, when he plays with a stray kitten he has taken in, when he hikes in the woods with his friends.
As his story plays out, it is hard not to root for Ahmad. However, he isn't purely sympathetic. He does make some bad choices, though these choices are caused by his confusion over how to deal with his lot in life.
What I really admired about Man Push Cart was its execution. It has the look of a film with a budget exponentially greater. One wonders how much guerrilla filmmaking took place on the busy Manhattan thoroughfares.
The only critique I'd have of the film is its tendency to be repetitive in depicting Ahmad's routine. But, this of course was Bahrani's purpose.
One image, that's difficult not to be consumed by, is Ahmad's wrestling with his cart. In one scene it seems he is almost in the middle of the street about to be engulfed by garbage trucks and buses.
BEER RATING: Yeti Beer- a delightful Indian brew- I don't know any Pakistani beers (7.5 out of 10).
|
|
Comments 1 :: Post A Comment! :: :: Permanent Link
|
|
About Me
For all of you pencil pushers, cubicle clerks, dock workers, and govt. employees out there, HIT has combined 2 of your favorite things: beer and movies! We will review movies and grade them with beer! Now, some of you may disagree with our ranking system. For example, you might consider Miller Lite to be the best beer. And you may also feel that "Independence Day" is one of the best films ever. Not coincidentally on our scale, "Independence Day" receives a Miller Lite (or 3). So as you see films made in bad taste receive a bad tasting beer for their score. Fun, no?
Links
• Home
• View my profile
• Archives
• Email Me
• My Blog's RSS
• HIT Working Stiffs' Movie Guide: Studio Pics
• KYJoe
|
