I haven't posted on this blog since 2007 and I believe the time is now. I recently did a review of Sidewalk 2011 which appeared on al.com at http://blog.al.com/zoomout/2011/08/through_the_eyes_of_a_filmmake.html I'm going to let my reviews serve as my first post with another to follow, shortly.
The 13th Annual Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival had its share of
great films. The problem with having around 200 films is that, a lot of
times, several things you want to see screen at the same time in
different venues. That being said, here are the top three films I had
the opportunity to see, all of which are narrative features.
Missing Pieces -- #1
Within
the first five minutes of the film, you will be hooked. You may not
quite know what's going on yet, with the story told in a very non-linear
style, but it's certainly intriguing. The aesthetics alone grab you
immediately. Beautifully shot and colored, the film draws you into the
characters from its onset. First-time writer/director Kenton Bartlett
gives you snippets of the overall story and then goes back and explains
later, which I loved. A man, Mark Boone Jr., suffers a mental ailment
after a car wreck and the love of his life, Melora Walters, can't deal
with it. Boone tries to use advice he is given to get her back, but
continues to fall short. He sees his chance to experience connection and
kidnaps two neighboring youths. Overall, the film starts to feel a bit
like "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." If you missed the film,
there are screenings at the Patton Creek Rave September 12-18th. Find out more about Missing Pieces and the director's upcoming project, When It's Cold, at kentonbartlett.com --A+
The Robber - #2
This
film was very good in a different way. It was more commercial than the
previous, but managed to keep that independent feel. The director, Benjamin Heisenberg,
and his crew were able to create amazing chase scenes on a budget much
less than that of a Hollywood blockbuster. I am a big fan of hand-held,
though this film's cinematography went with a more polished, smooth
look. The use of such tools as dollies and Steadicam stabilizers
succeeded in smoothing out the sense of urgency and panic from the chase
scenes. The protagonist, Rettenberger, gets out of prison and
immediately starts to rob banks again. The surreal smoothness allowed
the audience to connect with this need and relate it to things we all
need in our lives. Even though he is a criminal, it was easy to
sympathize when his actions started to catch up with him. To find out
more about The Robber and upcoming showtimes, visit the distributor's website, kinolerber.com. For those near Atlanta, the film will be screening at the Cinefest Film Theatre from Sept. 5-11th. -- A+
Sahkanaga - #3
My third favorite film this year was Sahkanaga. Based on a true story
of incidents occuring in Georgia in 2002, it is a story of a town and
its people.The townspeople suffer an odd tragedy when the owner of the
Tri-Sate Crematory is discovered to be dumping bodies onto his property.
The funeral director's son, Paul, discovers the bodies and is torn
about whether or not to divulge such information. The feature had a
grittiness that only the 16mm film could give. It really feels like you
are in Georgia, ten years ago, and you yourself are a teen having to
make such tough choices. To find out updates on screenings and upcoming
festivals, follow the Sahkanaga filmmakers on Facebook and Twitter. -- A-
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I just put a new REEL up. Let me know what you think.
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