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BobMustgrave
Reviews
Happy Birthday, Harris Malden (2008)
Charmed my socks right off.
This is a great little indie film.
Heard about it from a friend on Facebook and decided to buy it on iTunes because the trailer looked funny.
Was very pleasantly surprised. It's wasn't anything like I was expecting; Stella-esquire absurdest humor meets zany group comedy a la Super Troopers, but was actually a lot closer to The Baxter or even Punch Drunk Love.
But much more subtle. Which may or may not be a good thing depending on the viewer. I love those aforementioned films, but they draw a line, where-as this one I could see being much more a crowd pleaser for a wider audience.
It is real quirky, but not for the sake of being quirky (like so many indie comedies are these days), and there's more than enough story to keep even those w/o the right sense of humor engaged.
In fact, I think the biggest surprise for me was that the story and the dependency themes were actually the thrust, rather than the comedy. But it is incredibly funny. Plenty of laugh out loud moments, and a whole lot of smirks and smiles in between.
Last but not least, the film creates it's own world, and that to me is generally the mark of good storytelling meeting good craftsmanship. Yes the lead character has a fake mustache, but it's believable in the world they've created, just like the Jaguar Shark is real in the world Wes Anderson creates in the Life Aquatic, etc.
Between this and On The Road With Judas, I got a real treat streak going on iTunes right now.
Bottle Rocket (1996)
This is my favorite film of all time.
It's such a simple honest comedy, yet so delightfully layered as far as the characters are concerned.
It has all the earmarks that became Wes Anderson's calling, but they're so effortless here.
What can be said that hasn't already been said regarding this film.
Best examination of male Peter Pan syndrome since J.M. Barrie penned it himself.
Subtle, hilarious, intoxicating. This is the kind of movie you watch, and then are surprised that two hours passed by while you were completely enthralled.
If you have a sense of humor that stretches beyond kick-in-the-crotch slapstick, you'll think it's one of the funniest movies you've ever seen.
If you have any sort of imagination or education, you'll find this movie delightful in every way.
Basically, this movie neatly symbolizes everything that went right with '90s film culture.
And it gets better and better the more you watch it.
Swingers (1996)
Everything I love about independent film
Swingers is one of my favorites of all-time, and the first movie I actually purchased on DVD, and I hold it dear to this day.
What "Sex and the City" has done for women as far as expressing the underlying feminine reality of modern day city gals, "Swingers" does the same for men and maybe even exceeds these myths.
It provides a certain truth about what it is that guys do when being guys and what it is that guys think about for that matter when not drooling over a half-naked female in a halter top and leather pants ensemble at some trendy hot-spot on Melrose.
The script is top notch, all of the comedy plays, and as far as acting is concerned; all of the characters in the movie are late 20 something guys looking to become future actors in Hollywood (ironic, eh?), and they are outstanding.
The flick is well written, well acted, well done and clever as can be, but best of all, it is absolutely horrible shot. Probably one of the worst shot films in the history of the medium. And thats it's most charming attribute. 70% of it is out of focus, and the other 30% is mis- framed, yet the editing is so genius, and the characters are so entertaining, that the storytelling overrides all of the formal inadequacies.
And that's what independent film is all about; find a great story, try to tell it in a unique and interesting manner, f*ck it up a bunch along the way, and if it's truly good enough, let it stand on it's own two feet.
I applaud this movie's existence.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
I liked it better the first time I saw it when it was called The Last Broadcast
I loved this movie....until I found out it ripped off The Last Broadcast
From Wikipedia;
The faux-documentary was made on a low budget and received a small initial release. It was only after the success of The Blair Witch Project in 1999 that The Last Broadcast gained much publicity, likely due to some similarities between the two films' plot lines.
The makers of The Blair Witch Project admitted to seeing The Last Broadcast before making their film during a 1999 interview with Diane Sawyer. Avalos and Weiler have said in interviews that they only wish their film to be judged on its own merits.
That's just rotten.
Ballast (2008)
This is what it's all about
A lot of people sidestep traditional methods when it comes to film-making, and even film releasing these days, but it takes a film with quality to truly buck the system and make it a viable option for future filmmakers.
This is that film.
Slacker did it in '91.
Head Trauma made some serious waves in '99
Four Eyed Monsters took a step in the right direction in '06.
But this is the first truly cinematic American Indie to make a serious case for maintaining creative control.
Worthy of the criterion treatment I'd say (heck, George Washington got one).
Great World of Sound (2007)
Simply the best independent film I've seen in a long while
This movie is disarmingly good.
I first saw it at the Atlanta Film Festival (where it won top honors) and got to participate in a Q&A with the director and one of the producers. He said some of the music performers in the movie answered an actual ad promising record label auditions. Some of them are also legitimate talents who knew they were acting in a movie. Also, his father actually was a "song shark" in the 70s for a bogus company like Great World of Sound.
Also, the two leads are amazing. I'm officially watching anything with Pat Healy in it (Just caught In Memory of My Father and loved every minute of it).
I'm unsure as to why this didn't take off like Little Miss Sunshine and Napolean Dynamite. I know it premiered at Sundance and got bought. It even has a strong musical element and I feel like Once was a big sensation that year as well. Very puzzling.
Regardless, this one outlives the hype --- definitely a must see.
In Search of a Midnight Kiss (2007)
Another shining moment for independent film in 2008 (and in general)
I don't necessarily agree with all the Woody Allen hype, but I must say I absolutely loved this movie.
I was interested in seeing it after hearing comparisons to Mutual Appreciation and Kicking and Screaming, and this thing lived up while also having very little in common with those films.
I actually think it had more in common with Swingers than anything else, although that's sort've an unfair assessment as well.
The fact of the mater is, it's wholly original while also being completely relatable, and that's a fine line to walk (especially for an indie film!).
The character were always honest and true, but not in a trite way, and that's what made the difference for me.
And it actually kind've surprised me too as far as the comedy is concerned; it was a lot funnier than I was expecting.
Between this, Box Elder, and Ballast, I'd say the last few months of 2008 were pretty strong for independent film.
Four Eyed Monsters (2005)
Great idea, pretty good film
I liked this film fine, but I think I like their web episodes a lot better than the actual movie.
Maybe that speaks to short form content in the digital age; the movie itself is obviously building towards an ending, a payoff that was sort of a let down, where-as the web content had it's own loose narrative structure that lent itself more to their type of story.
Either way, I think the way they released and marketed it was genius.
I wish more independent films had the guts to go straight to their fans. I live in LA, and there's 100 new movies playing every weekend, yet I can never find a truly independent film unless I order it on Netflix. And that means I have to wait for months after hearing about it. I lose interest, and then when it comes, it sits on my microwave for a week before I get around to watching it.
Filmmakers should premiere at a festival, and then launch DVD, download, and theatrical screenings the following weekend.