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Wild Combination

You all should check out this great film, Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell that is opening at IFC this weekend.  It is an alumna of IFP’s Documentary Rough Cut Lab.  Arts Engine leads the lab and I was lucky enough to be this project’s mentor.

Here a blurb about the film from it’s website:

Wild Combination is director Matt Wolf’s visually absorbing portrait of the seminal avant-garde composer, singer-songwriter, cellist, and disco producer Arthur Russell. Before his untimely death from AIDS in 1992, Arthur prolifically created music that spanned both pop and the transcendent possibilities of abstract art. Now, over fifteen years since his passing, Arthur's work is finally finding its audience. Wolf incorporates rare archival footage and commentary from Arthur's family, friends, and closest collaborators—including Philip Glass and Allen Ginsberg—to tell this poignant and important story.

The film is opening theatrically in New York and London on September 26th. We hope to see you at the theaters for Q&As with the filmmakers and cast from the film. Opening weekend attendance is critical to determine the length of the runs.  It is moving, beautifully shot and an all around great flick.  If you are in the New York area, you should check it out.

Cross Posted on Engine Feed

Milk

Check out the trailer for the Harvey Milk biopic directed by Gus Van Sant and and starring Sean Penn. Wow, it looks good!

Trouble the Water

I wrote a longer entry about this film at Engine Feed, my work blog, but it bears repeating. See this film! The trailer is below. (Random side note: In the longer entry I wanted to say that the US government was sexist, classist and racist but I didn't feel like I could that there. So I am doing that here.)

Mamma Mia

This week Mamma Mia because the highest grossing movie musical of all time! It just took the title from Hairspray.

I'm still not seeing it.

The Jane Austen Book Club

I was surprised by how much I lived this movie.  I haven't seen a chick flick in a long time that I related to.  Yes, there are some embarrasingly cheesy moments but I just gave into it. 

So, you should Netflix it or you can watch it on YouTube.  Some person uploaded the whole thing in 12 parts!  Man, people have a lot of time of their hands.  Below is Part One.

(Update: I looked over this post and saw what I thought was a typo. I said "I was surprised by how much I lived this movie." What I meant to write was "I was surprised by how much I loved this movie." But actually I think the first sentance was right. The Maria Bello character has some shades of me. I don't want to give too much away but sometimes, I too make myself a supporting character. I'll just leave it at that. And I might be a little demanding when it comes to dudes. You'll get it when you see the movie. Also, I love Jane Austen and have read all of her novels. Pride and Prejudice is my favorite. I am curious to read some of her novels again to see if, in my old age, another book might speak to me in a new way.)

Elegy

I liked this movie. Forgot to mention it. It's an adaptation of a Philip Roth story. It is about an older man, Ben Kingsley, freaked out by commitment who falls in love with a younger woman, Penelope Cruz. Philip Roth likes to tell this story. The protagonist also reminded me of a writer I like a lot, Hanif Kureishi.

Man On Wire

At work I always say that my perfect documentary is 72 minutes long. I always love films in that range. Anything longer and I am definately squirming in my seat. Most documentaries drag something out. There is always one section where you think, "I get it. I don't need anymore info." So it is true feat if I watch a 90 minute film and at then end wish it were longer. Man on Wire does this.

A little blurb about the film taken from The Tribeca Film Festival site:

On the afternoon of August 6, 1974, an international group of conspirators, disguised as construction workers and armed with fake IDs, snuck into the World Trade Center to perpetrate what would be called "the artistic crime of the century." The following morning, a young Frenchman named Philippe Petit walked on a cable strung between the Twin Towers-not once but eight times over a 45-minute period. After six years of obsessive planning, Petit became an overnight sensation. One of the arresting officers called him "a tightrope dancer-because you couldn't call him a walker." What drove Philippe Petit to risk his life to perform the most jaw-dropping wire walk in history?

This story is a gold mine and every one in the film is really funny and charismatic. This clearly helps. I had so many questions and I liked having questions. Sometimes I am just blown away by what human beings can accomplish. I am blown away by people's ability to dream, to think out the box. Check it out if you can.

W

Oliver Stone is so ballsy.  This movie sort of scares me.  I'm not sure why.  How much of this movie is true?  Where did it come from?  So many questions.

Things To Watch Online ... For Free

I worked on this film, Election Day, and think you should check it out.  A bit about the film:  "Forget the pie charts, color-coded maps and hyperventilating pundits. What's the street-level experience of voters in today's America? In a triumph of documentary storytelling, "Election Day" combines 11 stories — shot simultaneously on November 2, 2004, from dawn until long past midnight — into one. "  I meant to post the broadcast info but it came and went.  But fret not, you can watch it online until the end of July. 

There is also the most recent Media That Matters Film Festival.  OK, I work there but you should check it out because there are some good shorts.

Medicine for Melancholy

I have been strangely obsessed with this film I have never seen.  It is called Medicine for Melancholy.  I go to the website regularly to see how it's doing.  I read reviews.  I am its own personal cheerleader.  The reasons for this are as follows:

1. It features African-American protagonists in a very indie setting.
2. It takes place in a city I like a lot, San Fran.
3. I never see indie films with African-American protagonists (Never is a strong word -- rarely is better.)
4. People I like and respect have said to me.  "When I saw this film, I thought of you.  I thought it was a film you would really like."
5. The two leads spend most of the film walking and talking ala Before Sunset.  (This is something that bores/annoys many people but it is something I never tire of.  Of course, I should say that my liking the film all rides on the quality of the conversation they are engaging in.)
6. The girl in the movie has the cutest haircut.  I've always wanted to cut my hair like that but I'm too wimpy.  (OK, that's not really a reason for my being intrigued by the film but I just felt like mentioning it.)

I was pleased to see that the film was finally given distribution.  Finally, it is coming to a theater near me! Indiewire reports:

IFC Films has acquired the worldwide rights to writer-director Barry Jenkins' "Medicine for Melancholy." The film is in competition at this week's Los Angeles Film Festival, and will be released in theaters by IFC in 2009. "Medicine for Melancholy is one of the great American discoveries of the year," said Jonathan Sehring, President of IFC Entertainment in a statement. "Barry Jenkins has delivered an intelligent, heartfelt and often funny universal love story and introduced two brilliant performers to the feature film world - Wyatt Cenac and Tracey Heggins. The film will not only inspire and ignite great discussions among the African-American community, but is sure to engage audiences across the globe."

2009 feels like a long time for little ole me to wait but wait I will.