list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Half Nelson on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Half_Nelson/274146/default.aspx Title: Half Nelson
Year: 2006
Director: Ryan Fleck
Plot: An inner-city teacher struggling with addiction forms an unlikely bond with a young student who catches him in a compromising position in director Ryan Fleck's feature-length adaptation of his own award-winning short film Gowanus, Brooklyn. Despite his dedication to the junior-high students who fill his classroom, idealistic teacher Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) leads a secret life that the majority of his students will never know. When Dunne's drug-soaked nightlife begins to bleed over into his daytime hours and troubled student Drey (Shareeka Epps) makes a startling discovery, the tenuous bond that forms between the pair soon leads to a warm friendship that could either lead them down a dangerous path or provide the human companionship needed to see things from a fresh perspective and start life anew. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 28
Number of Lists: 24
Number of blog posts: 12
Number of discussion threads: 3
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Tue, 21 Apr 2009 03:27:35 GMTHalf Nelson2006Ryan FleckAn inner-city teacher struggling with addiction forms an unlikely bond with a young student who catches him in a compromising position in director Ryan Fleck's feature-length adaptation of his own award-winning short film Gowanus, Brooklyn. Despite his dedication to the junior-high students who fill his classroom, idealistic teacher Dan Dunne (<a href="/players/P___279096/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Ryan Gosling</a>) leads a secret life that the majority of his students will never know. When Dunne's drug-soaked nightlife begins to bleed over into his daytime hours and troubled student Drey (<a href="/players/P___455429/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Shareeka Epps</a>) makes a startling discovery, the tenuous bond that forms between the pair soon leads to a warm friendship that could either lead them down a dangerous path or provide the human companionship needed to see things from a fresh perspective and start life anew. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide28Tag Target (>10)241233http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t91298y1u5f.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Half_Nelson/274146/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/3/20/41149.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 3/20/2009 4:01:19 PM
Body: In honor of the 75th anniversary of the New York Film Critics Circle, this year’s New Directors/New Films festival will devote a week of matinees to previous NYFCC Best Director winners, selected and presented by current members of the critics group. The can’t-miss of the lineup looks to be the infamously contrarian Armond White’s presentation of Whit Stillman’s Metropolitan, which takes place on April 1. The other critics are David Fear, Marshall Fine, Lisa Schwarzbaum and Peter Travers; the other films are Half Nelson, Big Night, Frozen River and In the Company of Men. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 20 Mar 2009 20:01:19 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com3/20/2009 4:01:19 PMIn honor of the 75th anniversary of the New York Film Critics Circle, this year’s New Directors/New Films festival will devote a week of matinees to previous NYFCC Best Director winners, selected and presented by current members of the critics group. The can’t-miss of the lineup looks to be the infamously contrarian Armond White’s presentation of Whit Stillman’s Metropolitan, which takes place on April 1. The other critics are David Fear, Marshall Fine, Lisa Schwarzbaum and Peter Travers; the other films are Half Nelson, Big Night, Frozen River and In the Company of Men. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/karina/archive/2009/3/20/41148.aspx Post By: Karina
Post To: Karina on SpoutBlog
Post Date: 3/20/2009 3:01:03 PM
Body: In honor of the 75th anniversary of the New York Film Critics Circle, this year’s New Directors/New Films festival will devote a week of matinees to previous NYFCC Best Director winners, selected and presented by current members of the critics group. The can’t-miss of the lineup looks to be the infamously contrarian Armond White’s presentation of Whit Stillman’s Metropolitan, which takes place on April 1. The other critics are David Fear, Marshall Fine, Lisa Schwarzbaum and Peter Travers; the other films are Half Nelson, Big Night, Frozen River and In the Company of Men. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » Karina Longworth
]]>Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:01:03 GMTKarinaKarina on SpoutBlog3/20/2009 3:01:03 PMIn honor of the 75th anniversary of the New York Film Critics Circle, this year’s New Directors/New Films festival will devote a week of matinees to previous NYFCC Best Director winners, selected and presented by current members of the critics group. The can’t-miss of the lineup looks to be the infamously contrarian Armond White’s presentation of Whit Stillman’s Metropolitan, which takes place on April 1. The other critics are David Fear, Marshall Fine, Lisa Schwarzbaum and Peter Travers; the other films are Half Nelson, Big Night, Frozen River and In the Company of Men. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » Karina Longworth http://www.spout.com/blogs/theworkingdead/archive/2008/10/12/36238.aspx Post By: TheWorkingDead
Post To: TheWorkingDead Blog
Post Date: 10/12/2008 11:24:42 PM
Body: It's going to be almost impossible for me to really, fairly review Gowanus, Brooklyn. As a short film, a visual short story with beginning, middle and end, it's a horrible failure. And yet it's also a complete success, as a compelling piece of drama, a showcase for some good acting on the half of some previously unknown talent, and as a glimpse into the abilities of a talented young filmmaker trying to show the world what he can do. I'm sorry, that last bit might seem hyperbolic, but it's also true, and it needs to be noted because of the success he has with his attempts. Director Ryan Fleck intended this film as the feature-length it would eventually become, 'Half Nelson', and filmed a 25 minute short film/segment to drum up interest and financing. That he eventually succeeded, to critical acclaim, needs to be considered before judging the merits of this film alone.Stranded at school when her brother fails to pick her up, Drey heads back inside to use the gym's restroom facilities, where she finds one of her teachers, Mr. Dunne, getting high in one of the stalls. She immediately asks him for a ride home. There are brief glimpses of a relationship that may build between the two, wary friendship or outright dependence, but that isn't the focus of this short. Drey seems well adjusted, but sullen, quiet, and lonely, and is obviously disconnected from all aspects of her life. Her mother seems loving, but absent most of the time due to work. Her brother, likewise, seems close to her, but he's older and part of a different world. She has friends at school, but while they chatter and laugh, she seems more interested in clusters of older children hanging out on the street corner. That probably explains why she grasps onto Mr. Dunne; she has something on him, proof of the fallibility of adults, and it brings him down closer to her level. Their both out of place in their own lives, and hiding something from the world. We don't see much of Mr. Dunne, but his misery is clear enough. It's there in his drug problem(always the cinematic sign of misery), and the extended pause he takes after getting into his car before he drives away.We get a flurry of possible conflicts in this short film, and none of them are anywhere near resolution. Drey's mother has her own sadness and seems to be preoccupied with some horrible thoughts, Drey's brother is apparently involved in some not-quite-legal activities, and of course there's Mr. Dunne and his drug problem, and Drey herself and her alienation. Most of these conflicts aren't directly addressed, but are conveyed by lingering camera takes, and some meaningful glances.A word should be said about the acting. I actually really like low-budget films and their non-actors. There's something appealing and even emotionally affecting about the sometimes stilted or borderline flat delivery. I like it's rhythm, and it's awkwardness. Not to say that any of that appears here. With the possible exception of the important Mr. Dunne, every single person appearing on screen seems to not even be acting, but to be living these events out. Every one of them is utterly convincing. I don't mean to say that Mr. Dunne, played by Matt Kerr, is a bad actor, but he doesn't seem a perfect fit for a role that should be much more magnetic and, yes, charismatic.So there, a quick overview of a fantastic short film that should really only serve as a companion piece to a larger work. I find it very encouraging that Ryan Fleck was able to get his feature film made from this short, and look forward to seeing how everything plays out. There are many predictable ways in which this story could go, which we can call the 'after school special' approach, but judging from the work on display here, I don't have much fear about that.Final Analysis: Would I pay money for a feature film directed by Ryan Fleck(and co-written by Anna Boden, can't forget her)? If it weren't already obvious, I plan on doing so later this week.
]]>Mon, 13 Oct 2008 03:24:42 GMTTheWorkingDeadTheWorkingDead Blog10/12/2008 11:24:42 PMIt's going to be almost impossible for me to really, fairly review Gowanus, Brooklyn. As a short film, a visual short story with beginning, middle and end, it's a horrible failure. And yet it's also a complete success, as a compelling piece of drama, a showcase for some good acting on the half of some previously unknown talent, and as a glimpse into the abilities of a talented young filmmaker trying to show the world what he can do. I'm sorry, that last bit might seem hyperbolic, but it's also true, and it needs to be noted because of the success he has with his attempts. Director Ryan Fleck intended this film as the feature-length it would eventually become, 'Half Nelson', and filmed a 25 minute short film/segment to drum up interest and financing. That he eventually succeeded, to critical acclaim, needs to be considered before judging the merits of this film alone.Stranded at school when her brother fails to pick her up, Drey heads back inside to use the gym's restroom facilities, where she finds one of her teachers, Mr. Dunne, getting high in one of the stalls. She immediately asks him for a ride home. There are brief glimpses of a relationship that may build between the two, wary friendship or outright dependence, but that isn't the focus of this short. Drey seems well adjusted, but sullen, quiet, and lonely, and is obviously disconnected from all aspects of her life. Her mother seems loving, but absent most of the time due to work. Her brother, likewise, seems close to her, but he's older and part of a different world. She has friends at school, but while they chatter and laugh, she seems more interested in clusters of older children hanging out on the street corner. That probably explains why she grasps onto Mr. Dunne; she has something on him, proof of the fallibility of adults, and it brings him down closer to her level. Their both out of place in their own lives, and hiding something from the world. We don't see much of Mr. Dunne, but his misery is clear enough. It's there in his drug problem(always the cinematic sign of misery), and the extended pause he takes after getting into his car before he drives away.We get a flurry of possible conflicts in this short film, and none of them are anywhere near resolution. Drey's mother has her own sadness and seems to be preoccupied with some horrible thoughts, Drey's brother is apparently involved in some not-quite-legal activities, and of course there's Mr. Dunne and his drug problem, and Drey herself and her alienation. Most of these conflicts aren't directly addressed, but are conveyed by lingering camera takes, and some meaningful glances.A word should be said about the acting. I actually really like low-budget films and their non-actors. There's something appealing and even emotionally affecting about the sometimes stilted or borderline flat delivery. I like it's rhythm, and it's awkwardness. Not to say that any of that appears here. With the possible exception of the important Mr. Dunne, every single person appearing on screen seems to not even be acting, but to be living these events out. Every one of them is utterly convincing. I don't mean to say that Mr. Dunne, played by Matt Kerr, is a bad actor, but he doesn't seem a perfect fit for a role that should be much more magnetic and, yes, charismatic.So there, a quick overview of a fantastic short film that should really only serve as a companion piece to a larger work. I find it very encouraging that Ryan Fleck was able to get his feature film made from this short, and look forward to seeing how everything plays out. There are many predictable ways in which this story could go, which we can call the 'after school special' approach, but judging from the work on display here, I don't have much fear about that.Final Analysis: Would I pay money for a feature film directed by Ryan Fleck(and co-written by Anna Boden, can't forget her)? If it weren't already obvious, I plan on doing so later this week. http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_September_29_Gimme_Some_Drugs/625/35774/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: pippin06
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 10/1/2008 3:20:08 PM
Body: [quote user="pippin06"] I just watched Half Nelson, which was very serious, but featured lots of cocaine use. Though most of the films listed so far in this convo have been sort of those psychidelic movies that attempt to visualize the drug-induced experience, there are some notable movies just about doing drugs - Trainspotting comes readily to mind. Just say no to heroin, kids. And Gor, I've read the LOTR books lotsa times - I think you *might* just be reading into the whole pipe weed thing. Just a smidge. After all, hobbits clearly have addictive personalities, so a little tobacco probably goes a long way... :-) [/quote] Oh wait - Trainspotting was mentioned in the first post. Oh well. Also read your discussion threads more carefully, kids.
]]>Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:20:08 GMTpippin06Weekly Theme10/1/2008 3:20:08 PM[quote user="pippin06"] I just watched Half Nelson, which was very serious, but featured lots of cocaine use. Though most of the films listed so far in this convo have been sort of those psychidelic movies that attempt to visualize the drug-induced experience, there are some notable movies just about doing drugs - Trainspotting comes readily to mind. Just say no to heroin, kids. And Gor, I've read the LOTR books lotsa times - I think you *might* just be reading into the whole pipe weed thing. Just a smidge. After all, hobbits clearly have addictive personalities, so a little tobacco probably goes a long way... :-) [/quote] Oh wait - Trainspotting was mentioned in the first post. Oh well. Also read your discussion threads more carefully, kids. http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_September_29_Gimme_Some_Drugs/625/35773/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: pippin06
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 10/1/2008 3:19:02 PM
Body: I just watched Half Nelson, which was very serious, but featured lots of cocaine use. Though most of the films listed so far in this convo have been sort of those psychidelic movies that attempt to visualize the drug-induced experience, there are some notable movies just about doing drugs - Trainspotting comes readily to mind. Just say no to heroin, kids. And Gor, I've read the LOTR books lotsa times - I think you *might* just be reading into the whole pipe weed thing. Just a smidge. After all, hobbits clearly have addictive personalities, so a little tobacco probably goes a long way... :-)
]]>Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:19:02 GMTpippin06Weekly Theme10/1/2008 3:19:02 PMI just watched Half Nelson, which was very serious, but featured lots of cocaine use. Though most of the films listed so far in this convo have been sort of those psychidelic movies that attempt to visualize the drug-induced experience, there are some notable movies just about doing drugs - Trainspotting comes readily to mind. Just say no to heroin, kids. And Gor, I've read the LOTR books lotsa times - I think you *might* just be reading into the whole pipe weed thing. Just a smidge. After all, hobbits clearly have addictive personalities, so a little tobacco probably goes a long way... :-) http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2008/10/1/35756.aspx Post By: pippin06
Post To: Reel Thoughts
Post Date: 10/1/2008 9:40:54 AM
Body: Now that the fall TV season (and the fall theatrical season) is underway, my film consumption is probably going to decrease dramatically for a while...at least until reruns and down times. I've officially been a Netflix member for a year, though, and love it to pieces and so my weekly movie should still be in tact. The AFI Project might slow to a crawl, but that's ok. I need to catch up on more recent films, especially since Oscar season is right around the corner (woo hoo!). Of course, I'm still catching up on Oscar seasons past. Hence my Netflix movie of the week: Half Nelson. This film only came under my radar because Ryan Gosling was nominated for Best Actor for his role in this film. He didn't win, but no matter - I like to watch these films, where a performance or two may have been nominated even if the film itself was not, to see if I can see what the Academy saw at the time. Gosling's performance was good - even great. Unfortunately, the film he put so much heart and soul into was not. Half Nelson tells the story of teacher Dan Dunne (Gosling), who nurtures a neo-hippie idealism in his history courses peopled by middle school students and a cool dorkyness while coaching the girls' basketball team. The trouble is that he's nursing a steady cocaine addiction. When his night life begins to overtake his day job, and he's discovered using by one of his students, Drey (Shareeka Epps), the two form an awkward friendship. This friendship becomes one of mutual reliance, as Drey comes from a single-parent (mom) inner city household where her older brother has been jailed for drug dealing and her brother's friend and handler, Frank (Anthony Mackie), has set his sights on Drey to carry on the "family" business. He gives Drey money, candy, and occasional companionship, though this may arise more from a guilt obligation in lieu of her brother than anything. What is certain is that Dan and Drey need each other while together they navigate roads of self-destruction and eventual redemption. As I said, Gosling gave a great performance. It was natural, believable, and felt oddly effortless watching him fill the shoes of what can only be described as a tortured soul: a good boy who made bad choices and seems beholden to the vicious cycle of beating himself up and then making the same choices to self-medicate. Wasn't he a former Mouseketeer - if so, this is a long way from the Mickey Mouse Club. His journey - or the snapshot of it captured by this film - is as poignant as it is because Gosling seemed to surrender himself to the role, just as an addict does to his/her addiction. He deserved his nomination. Shareeka Epps also gave a very good performance. Whether intentional or not, her Drey balanced innocence and maturity in ways that other child actors have not managed, and she was also very natural. Once the viewer moves past the awkward bonding phase of these two people, their friendship was all the more touching because of how the two actors played their roles. The problems with this film were kind of huge in my eyes and centered on three main points: story, resonance, and pacing. I watched this movie in two parts because it took me an hour before I remotely got into it. The story begins by offering us glimpses into Dan's life without offering any background, substantitve or otherwise. Hints and insinuations about Dan's pre-addiction self are scattered throughout the film and are offered by supporting characters that flit in and out of frame with only vague references to the past and momentary glimpses and guesses into what informed Dan's addiction. That's why it took me so long to be engaged: it took an hour to paint the portrait of the addict and his budding friendship without giving me a reason why I should care. The conversation with his ex-girlfriend, the dinner with his family, all of those scenes might better have served the story if the scenes were presented in the first half hour or so of the film. Whether it's editing, screenwriting, or both to attribute to this, I am not sure. Drey's character was better developed; her story was told in a more linear fashion, possibly as a way to demarcate the fact that she was a child and an innocent on the brink of puberty and adulthood compared to Dan's addiction-addled state of mind. Yet, even if the film was meant only to be a snapshot of a man and young girl in trouble, looking for solace, there should be some emotional resonance that engages the viewer and suspends disbelief. This film had moments - there was a particularly fine moment when the Dan and Drey characters were at their lowest and meet in an awkward location at an awkward time - but, for the most part, this film felt flat, and even that significant moment was subdued by the two-dimensional quality of everything that came before it. The supporting performances were unconvincing, and the emotional resonance of the situation between the two characters was clouded by the lack of connection with the viewer through what parts of their stories were filmed. In addition, and others have said it, there is a distinct flavor of the "white savior of the lost inner-city black child;" even if that cliche was tweaked and turned upside down by the drug addiction, the Frank character calls attention to it in the back half of the movie, and the viewer, or at least this one, couldn't shake the notion for the rest of the film. Even if this film cannot distinctly be called offensive because of how the formula was altered, it lost impact when one of the characters in the film explicitly made a statement about how Dan is coming off as "white is right," signifying that this is just another genre film a la Dangerous Minds or something with better acting, less obvious viewer manipulation, and a slight twist. Also, the random clips of incidents and struggles throughout the civil rights movement felt so out of place and only fuel my critique here. Still, all of that wouldn't be so bad if the film was not so slow and protracted. Perhaps, the deliberately sluggish pace served the story that this particular director and screenwriter wanted to tell, but it also served to alienate me from the film on top of the fact that I had no reason to care about Dan or even Drey until much later into the film, which for me, was the second viewing occasion. This all sounds rather scathing. It's not meant to be. I think Ryan Gosling alone is the reason to see this film, though, and it's better to have the lowest expectations possible going on. I didn't have any, but I'm just saying. I felt the movie was incomplete, which is why I'm inclined to rate it 5.5 for being between utterly mediocre and cute. I feel it is a mediocre movie, but the two performances give it something it would not otherwise have had, and I credit the actors in their roles. As for tests, this is clearly a fail. I'm not sure I ever get into these types of films to the point of wanting to actually own them, especially when they are so formulaic and contrived. Still, if Gosling had been in a better film, he might have an Oscar to his name. Maybe that's only speculation, and there's still time, I guess.
]]>Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:40:54 GMTpippin06Reel Thoughts10/1/2008 9:40:54 AMNow that the fall TV season (and the fall theatrical season) is underway, my film consumption is probably going to decrease dramatically for a while...at least until reruns and down times. I've officially been a Netflix member for a year, though, and love it to pieces and so my weekly movie should still be in tact. The AFI Project might slow to a crawl, but that's ok. I need to catch up on more recent films, especially since Oscar season is right around the corner (woo hoo!). Of course, I'm still catching up on Oscar seasons past. Hence my Netflix movie of the week: Half Nelson. This film only came under my radar because Ryan Gosling was nominated for Best Actor for his role in this film. He didn't win, but no matter - I like to watch these films, where a performance or two may have been nominated even if the film itself was not, to see if I can see what the Academy saw at the time. Gosling's performance was good - even great. Unfortunately, the film he put so much heart and soul into was not. Half Nelson tells the story of teacher Dan Dunne (Gosling), who nurtures a neo-hippie idealism in his history courses peopled by middle school students and a cool dorkyness while coaching the girls' basketball team. The trouble is that he's nursing a steady cocaine addiction. When his night life begins to overtake his day job, and he's discovered using by one of his students, Drey (Shareeka Epps), the two form an awkward friendship. This friendship becomes one of mutual reliance, as Drey comes from a single-parent (mom) inner city household where her older brother has been jailed for drug dealing and her brother's friend and handler, Frank (Anthony Mackie), has set his sights on Drey to carry on the "family" business. He gives Drey money, candy, and occasional companionship, though this may arise more from a guilt obligation in lieu of her brother than anything. What is certain is that Dan and Drey need each other while together they navigate roads of self-destruction and eventual redemption. As I said, Gosling gave a great performance. It was natural, believable, and felt oddly effortless watching him fill the shoes of what can only be described as a tortured soul: a good boy who made bad choices and seems beholden to the vicious cycle of beating himself up and then making the same choices to self-medicate. Wasn't he a former Mouseketeer - if so, this is a long way from the Mickey Mouse Club. His journey - or the snapshot of it captured by this film - is as poignant as it is because Gosling seemed to surrender himself to the role, just as an addict does to his/her addiction. He deserved his nomination. Shareeka Epps also gave a very good performance. Whether intentional or not, her Drey balanced innocence and maturity in ways that other child actors have not managed, and she was also very natural. Once the viewer moves past the awkward bonding phase of these two people, their friendship was all the more touching because of how the two actors played their roles. The problems with this film were kind of huge in my eyes and centered on three main points: story, resonance, and pacing. I watched this movie in two parts because it took me an hour before I remotely got into it. The story begins by offering us glimpses into Dan's life without offering any background, substantitve or otherwise. Hints and insinuations about Dan's pre-addiction self are scattered throughout the film and are offered by supporting characters that flit in and out of frame with only vague references to the past and momentary glimpses and guesses into what informed Dan's addiction. That's why it took me so long to be engaged: it took an hour to paint the portrait of the addict and his budding friendship without giving me a reason why I should care. The conversation with his ex-girlfriend, the dinner with his family, all of those scenes might better have served the story if the scenes were presented in the first half hour or so of the film. Whether it's editing, screenwriting, or both to attribute to this, I am not sure. Drey's character was better developed; her story was told in a more linear fashion, possibly as a way to demarcate the fact that she was a child and an innocent on the brink of puberty and adulthood compared to Dan's addiction-addled state of mind. Yet, even if the film was meant only to be a snapshot of a man and young girl in trouble, looking for solace, there should be some emotional resonance that engages the viewer and suspends disbelief. This film had moments - there was a particularly fine moment when the Dan and Drey characters were at their lowest and meet in an awkward location at an awkward time - but, for the most part, this film felt flat, and even that significant moment was subdued by the two-dimensional quality of everything that came before it. The supporting performances were unconvincing, and the emotional resonance of the situation between the two characters was clouded by the lack of connection with the viewer through what parts of their stories were filmed. In addition, and others have said it, there is a distinct flavor of the "white savior of the lost inner-city black child;" even if that cliche was tweaked and turned upside down by the drug addiction, the Frank character calls attention to it in the back half of the movie, and the viewer, or at least this one, couldn't shake the notion for the rest of the film. Even if this film cannot distinctly be called offensive because of how the formula was altered, it lost impact when one of the characters in the film explicitly made a statement about how Dan is coming off as "white is right," signifying that this is just another genre film a la Dangerous Minds or something with better acting, less obvious viewer manipulation, and a slight twist. Also, the random clips of incidents and struggles throughout the civil rights movement felt so out of place and only fuel my critique here. Still, all of that wouldn't be so bad if the film was not so slow and protracted. Perhaps, the deliberately sluggish pace served the story that this particular director and screenwriter wanted to tell, but it also served to alienate me from the film on top of the fact that I had no reason to care about Dan or even Drey until much later into the film, which for me, was the second viewing occasion. This all sounds rather scathing. It's not meant to be. I think Ryan Gosling alone is the reason to see this film, though, and it's better to have the lowest expectations possible going on. I didn't have any, but I'm just saying. I felt the movie was incomplete, which is why I'm inclined to rate it 5.5 for being between utterly mediocre and cute. I feel it is a mediocre movie, but the two performances give it something it would not otherwise have had, and I credit the actors in their roles. As for tests, this is clearly a fail. I'm not sure I ever get into these types of films to the point of wanting to actually own them, especially when they are so formulaic and contrived. Still, if Gosling had been in a better film, he might have an Oscar to his name. Maybe that's only speculation, and there's still time, I guess. http://www.spout.com/blogs/rik_tod/archive/2008/8/22/34251.aspx Post By: rik_tod
Post To: The Cinema 4 Pylon: SpOutpost
Post Date: 8/22/2008 12:46:45 AM
Body: Director: Ryan Fleck0:19, colorCinema 4 Rating: 7Half Nelson? What is that? A documentary about only one of Ricky Nelson’s offspring in a particularly ridiculous hair band from the ‘80s showing up for a gig?Ah, I know what Half Nelson is… I just haven’t seen it yet. Even Oscar-nominated for Ryan Gosling’s performance and all that, I haven’t seen it. Even with a crack-smokin’ teacher and all that, I haven’t seen it. Honestly, it just didn’t sound like subject matter in which I would be particularly interested.Then, without ever knowing the connection, I watched Gowanus, Brooklyn, the second of sixteen short films on the Shorts! Volume 3 DVD collection. Apparently, the film basically served as a demo reel for director Ryan Fleck to get a fleshed-out feature version with these characters made, the film we now know as Half Nelson. But I did not know this fact as I watched Gowanus, Brooklyn. I do not like to read the backs of DVDs before I view them; I would much rather be surprised, either happily or otherwise, by the result. All I knew was the title of the film, the name of the director (which I did not recognize, but will from now on) and that Gowanus ran a paunchy 19 minutes compared to most of the films on Shorts! Volume 3.The result is that Half Nelson is now in the top spot of my Netflix queue. I cannot put off seeing it any longer. It isn’t that Gowanus is anything revolutionary as a film, but it is extremely intriguing. Gripping the viewer while understating the methods which caused such magic to be achieved, the film also slips away almost unnoticed. You reach a certain, small but necessary involvement with the two chief characters – a 12-year old practically latchkey girl and a genius schoolteacher caught up in a crippling crack addiction -- and then they are gone. Nineteen minutes has been reached without any awareness of the clock, like one was settling in for a feature... the short ignoring the normal laws of the short. Nothing is wrapped up; questions are raised but never answered. Some would see this as unfulfilling. I see it more in the way that a good short story can expand the reader’s imagination with a handful of perfectly detailed sentences, and does a service to the reader by allowing them to interpret the ending on their own, even letting them invent their own mythos for the characters, rather than forcefeeding them a trite, neatly packaged conclusion. Gowanus, Brooklyn operates as a blessedly unfinished and uniquely delicate miniature. We have a meet and greet with the main characters, we understand their pain and the salvation they possibly hold for each other, and then we are left to muse on what might happen to them. I don’t need to be told there is a happy ending. Likewise, if I wish to see the struggle that lies ahead for them, then so be it. Left on its own, I find Gowanus a most interesting place. I don't really need a feature to flesh it out for me.And yet, I clearly did not get enough of Shareeka Epps’ performance as 12-year old Drey. Her part is mostly composed of discerning glares and stares, the machinery in her mind surmising each situation as it confronts her. But even with a minimum of dialogue, or perhaps due to this, she is mesmerizing. Matt Kerr, whose part would become the more famous and possibly more charismatic Mr. Gosling’s in the very near future, is perhaps not as winning, but Kerr brings a nice, deer-in-the-headlights uncertainty to his involvement with the young Epps, who catches him attempting to get high in the girls’ locker room after he coaches one of their games and they have departed for the evening. With a secret now held over him that could potentially end his teaching career, but sensing his pain and confusion, Drey intuitively allows him a secret of her own (no matter if it is a small, trivial thing compared to his life-threatening one), which allows them to share common ground. And a tentative friendship is born, albeit on extremely wobbly legs. And then the film ends -- questions posed, answers in limbo.So, now the next Netflix film I shall receive this weekend will be Half Nelson. I am intrigued to see how Epps carries on her role in a longer production, and I want to see how Gosling expands and, from accounts as varied as nearly every film critic and festival board around the world, improves upon Kerr’s turn in the Mr. Dunne role. Apparently, Kerr himself even shows up in the feature version as another character, and this, too, has me interested. Mostly, I want to see where director Ryan Fleck intends to take the two characters, and how they will play out with the other characters established in Gowanus – the troublesome brother, the too-busy paramedic mother, the other girls in Drey’s class -- and how they will react to Drey's unlikely bond with a teacher.It’s a form of interest I did not expect to get from just sliding into watching a mere short film on this DVD – how could I expect it, unless I read about it? For a person who loves chance discovery, this is like candy, no matter if I end up liking Half Nelson or not. As I said before, I would much rather be surprised. This surprise -- chancing upon this demo of a feature -- indeed, did turn out happily, if only for me. Most would feel such a bare bones work would leave them unfulfilled, but, were you to ask me, I would say that most can’t operate without being openly lead to solid resolution anyway. My world doesn’t work that way. There is little in the way of true resolution here, this flighty, generally ambiguous and unforgiving world. There are only more questions upon questions, all of which tend to result in answers that remain stubbornly recalcitrant. It doesn't bother me, though -- I don't need answers. I just need to understand how films like Gowanus, Brooklyn affect me. And in my short version of the world, isn’t my opinion the one that counts?Hold on… please don’t answer that. Wait for the feature version instead...
]]>Fri, 22 Aug 2008 04:46:45 GMTrik_todThe Cinema 4 Pylon: SpOutpost8/22/2008 12:46:45 AMDirector: Ryan Fleck0:19, colorCinema 4 Rating: 7Half Nelson? What is that? A documentary about only one of Ricky Nelson&rsquo;s offspring in a particularly ridiculous hair band from the &lsquo;80s showing up for a gig?Ah, I know what Half Nelson is&hellip; I just haven&rsquo;t seen it yet. Even Oscar-nominated for Ryan Gosling&rsquo;s performance and all that, I haven&rsquo;t seen it. Even with a crack-smokin&rsquo; teacher and all that, I haven&rsquo;t seen it. Honestly, it just didn&rsquo;t sound like subject matter in which I would be particularly interested.Then, without ever knowing the connection, I watched Gowanus, Brooklyn, the second of sixteen short films on the Shorts! Volume 3 DVD collection. Apparently, the film basically served as a demo reel for director Ryan Fleck to get a fleshed-out feature version with these characters made, the film we now know as Half Nelson. But I did not know this fact as I watched Gowanus, Brooklyn. I do not like to read the backs of DVDs before I view them; I would much rather be surprised, either happily or otherwise, by the result. All I knew was the title of the film, the name of the director (which I did not recognize, but will from now on) and that Gowanus ran a paunchy 19 minutes compared to most of the films on Shorts! Volume 3.The result is that Half Nelson is now in the top spot of my Netflix queue. I cannot put off seeing it any longer. It isn&rsquo;t that Gowanus is anything revolutionary as a film, but it is extremely intriguing. Gripping the viewer while understating the methods which caused such magic to be achieved, the film also slips away almost unnoticed. You reach a certain, small but necessary involvement with the two chief characters &ndash; a 12-year old practically latchkey girl and a genius schoolteacher caught up in a crippling crack addiction -- and then they are gone. Nineteen minutes has been reached without any awareness of the clock, like one was settling in for a feature... the short ignoring the normal laws of the short. Nothing is wrapped up; questions are raised but never answered. Some would see this as unfulfilling. I see it more in the way that a good short story can expand the reader&rsquo;s imagination with a handful of perfectly detailed sentences, and does a service to the reader by allowing them to interpret the ending on their own, even letting them invent their own mythos for the characters, rather than forcefeeding them a trite, neatly packaged conclusion. Gowanus, Brooklyn operates as a blessedly unfinished and uniquely delicate miniature. We have a meet and greet with the main characters, we understand their pain and the salvation they possibly hold for each other, and then we are left to muse on what might happen to them. I don&rsquo;t need to be told there is a happy ending. Likewise, if I wish to see the struggle that lies ahead for them, then so be it. Left on its own, I find Gowanus a most interesting place. I don't really need a feature to flesh it out for me.And yet, I clearly did not get enough of Shareeka Epps&rsquo; performance as 12-year old Drey. Her part is mostly composed of discerning glares and stares, the machinery in her mind surmising each situation as it confronts her. But even with a minimum of dialogue, or perhaps due to this, she is mesmerizing. Matt Kerr, whose part would become the more famous and possibly more charismatic Mr. Gosling&rsquo;s in the very near future, is perhaps not as winning, but Kerr brings a nice, deer-in-the-headlights uncertainty to his involvement with the young Epps, who catches him attempting to get high in the girls&rsquo; locker room after he coaches one of their games and they have departed for the evening. With a secret now held over him that could potentially end his teaching career, but sensing his pain and confusion, Drey intuitively allows him a secret of her own (no matter if it is a small, trivial thing compared to his life-threatening one), which allows them to share common ground. And a tentative friendship is born, albeit on extremely wobbly legs. And then the film ends -- questions posed, answers in limbo.So, now the next Netflix film I shall receive this weekend will be Half Nelson. I am intrigued to see how Epps carries on her role in a longer production, and I want to see how Gosling expands and, from accounts as varied as nearly every film critic and festival board around the world, improves upon Kerr&rsquo;s turn in the Mr. Dunne role. Apparently, Kerr himself even shows up in the feature version as another character, and this, too, has me interested. Mostly, I want to see where director Ryan Fleck intends to take the two characters, and how they will play out with the other characters established in Gowanus &ndash; the troublesome brother, the too-busy paramedic mother, the other girls in Drey&rsquo;s class -- and how they will react to Drey's unlikely bond with a teacher.It&rsquo;s a form of interest I did not expect to get from just sliding into watching a mere short film on this DVD &ndash; how could I expect it, unless I read about it? For a person who loves chance discovery, this is like candy, no matter if I end up liking Half Nelson or not. As I said before, I would much rather be surprised. This surprise -- chancing upon this demo of a feature -- indeed, did turn out happily, if only for me. Most would feel such a bare bones work would leave them unfulfilled, but, were you to ask me, I would say that most can&rsquo;t operate without being openly lead to solid resolution anyway. My world doesn&rsquo;t work that way. There is little in the way of true resolution here, this flighty, generally ambiguous and unforgiving world. There are only more questions upon questions, all of which tend to result in answers that remain stubbornly recalcitrant. It doesn't bother me, though -- I don't need answers. I just need to understand how films like Gowanus, Brooklyn affect me. And in my short version of the world, isn&rsquo;t my opinion the one that counts?Hold on&hellip; please don&rsquo;t answer that. Wait for the feature version instead... http://www.spout.com/blogs/indieabby88/archive/2008/7/20/32799.aspx Post By: indieabby88
Post To: Bloggish review blog
Post Date: 7/20/2008 2:37:50 PM
Body: Far from the inconsistency and general disappointment of Shorts! Vol. 2, Shorts! Vol. 3 is chock-full of funny, beautiful and fascinating films that, in many cases, made me hungry for more. The standout comedies are a pair of short films by different directors about Ninjas. I knew I was in for a treat with Steven Tsuchida's "A Ninja Pays Half My Rent," (His surreal comedic short "Spam-Ku" is a favorite of mine) and he didn't disappoint. Tsuchida is really great at weird, funny, punchy dialogue; and come on, who doesn't enjoy watching a good ninja smackdown? "The Climactic Death of Dark Ninja" is an even more entertaining thirteen-minute piece about a group of aspiring filmmakers trying for the perfect re-shoot of the key scene of their kung-fu film. Think Wes Anderson meets "Son of Rambow." Anyone who's ever tried shooting an "epic masterpiece" on a home camcorder (or known someone who has) will find "Dark Ninja" hits painfully (and delightfully) close to home. I also loved Eva Saks' "New York Trilogy" which contained the shorts "Confection," "Colorforms" and "Date." The first two are stories about upper-crust little girls rebelling in some small way against their straight-and-narrow parents with poignant and charming results. "Date" is a very different film, about a man and a woman and what I can only assume is a memorial for missing and dead victims of 9-11. It's pretty cryptic, and doesn't seem to fit in with the other two at all, but holds its own. "My Name is Yu Ming" was another favorite that falls more into the drama category than comedy, although it has its funny moments. A young man from China decides on a whim to move to Ireland. Not realizing that most residents of the country speak English, he prepares for the big move by learning Gaelic. The French short "L'Entretien" was a beautiful and thoroughly curious film that made me wish it had been longer. Accurately described as a "Kafkaesque tale," "L'Entretien" tells the story of a man whose new job seems to find him, bringing along with it a series of surreal and deeply creepy events. The look of the film is a blurry black-and-white that makes it seem a lot older than it really is, and adds a lot to the strangeness of the short. Both of the animated offerings, "Clay Pride" and "Seventeen" are pretty solid. "Seventeen" is a beautifully animated and imaginative short from the Netherlands, showing a young man's early experiences working as a roofer. Director Hisko Hulsing provides us with glorious swirling colors and an emotive score that go hand in hand to create a dark yet playful feeling. "Clay Pride" is really pretty silly, but the concept is funny. A very thinly-veiled metaphor for race and homosexuality, "Clay Pride" is a mockumentary on the life of Steve, a clay man in a world of plasticine characters (yes, there is a difference, although I'm not entirely sure what it is). All in all, Shorts! Vol. 3 contains sixteen short films, not one of which is dull to watch. Some, like the musical "Pretty Dead Girl" or "Hyper" are too goofy to be taken seriously, and others, such as "Gowanus, Brooklyn" (the starting point for the acclaimed film Half Nelson) suffer from stylistic issues that make them seem lesser than they should, but for the most part, this is a volume of great short films to enjoy and share around. I know I'm going to be making people watch "Dark Ninja" every chance I get.
]]>Sun, 20 Jul 2008 18:37:50 GMTindieabby88Bloggish review blog7/20/2008 2:37:50 PMFar from the inconsistency and general disappointment of Shorts! Vol. 2, Shorts! Vol. 3 is chock-full of funny, beautiful and fascinating films that, in many cases, made me hungry for more. The standout comedies are a pair of short films by different directors about Ninjas. I knew I was in for a treat with Steven Tsuchida's "A Ninja Pays Half My Rent," (His surreal comedic short "Spam-Ku" is a favorite of mine) and he didn't disappoint. Tsuchida is really great at weird, funny, punchy dialogue; and come on, who doesn't enjoy watching a good ninja smackdown? "The Climactic Death of Dark Ninja" is an even more entertaining thirteen-minute piece about a group of aspiring filmmakers trying for the perfect re-shoot of the key scene of their kung-fu film. Think Wes Anderson meets "Son of Rambow." Anyone who's ever tried shooting an "epic masterpiece" on a home camcorder (or known someone who has) will find "Dark Ninja" hits painfully (and delightfully) close to home. I also loved Eva Saks' "New York Trilogy" which contained the shorts "Confection," "Colorforms" and "Date." The first two are stories about upper-crust little girls rebelling in some small way against their straight-and-narrow parents with poignant and charming results. "Date" is a very different film, about a man and a woman and what I can only assume is a memorial for missing and dead victims of 9-11. It's pretty cryptic, and doesn't seem to fit in with the other two at all, but holds its own. "My Name is Yu Ming" was another favorite that falls more into the drama category than comedy, although it has its funny moments. A young man from China decides on a whim to move to Ireland. Not realizing that most residents of the country speak English, he prepares for the big move by learning Gaelic. The French short "L'Entretien" was a beautiful and thoroughly curious film that made me wish it had been longer. Accurately described as a "Kafkaesque tale," "L'Entretien" tells the story of a man whose new job seems to find him, bringing along with it a series of surreal and deeply creepy events. The look of the film is a blurry black-and-white that makes it seem a lot older than it really is, and adds a lot to the strangeness of the short. Both of the animated offerings, "Clay Pride" and "Seventeen" are pretty solid. "Seventeen" is a beautifully animated and imaginative short from the Netherlands, showing a young man's early experiences working as a roofer. Director Hisko Hulsing provides us with glorious swirling colors and an emotive score that go hand in hand to create a dark yet playful feeling. "Clay Pride" is really pretty silly, but the concept is funny. A very thinly-veiled metaphor for race and homosexuality, "Clay Pride" is a mockumentary on the life of Steve, a clay man in a world of plasticine characters (yes, there is a difference, although I'm not entirely sure what it is). All in all, Shorts! Vol. 3 contains sixteen short films, not one of which is dull to watch. Some, like the musical "Pretty Dead Girl" or "Hyper" are too goofy to be taken seriously, and others, such as "Gowanus, Brooklyn" (the starting point for the acclaimed film Half Nelson) suffer from stylistic issues that make them seem lesser than they should, but for the most part, this is a volume of great short films to enjoy and share around. I know I'm going to be making people watch "Dark Ninja" every chance I get. http://www.spout.com/blogs/chrismorrell/archive/2008/3/19/26405.aspx Post By: chrismorrell
Post To: chrismorrell Blog
Post Date: 3/19/2008 3:40:21 PM
Body: Grabbing a cliche..this is truly heartwarming..shows true friendship/connection,whatever you want to call it...A slice of life,(there's another cliche for you),that takes you to the brink of "the dark side",but pulls back,as we look in on these characters. I found myself hoping,all the way through this that it wouldnt seek a "redemption" for the character,wouldnt try to "close" the story. I found myself relieved,and gladdened that all is unresolved. Not everyones cup of tea,obviously.Not a "big" film,but a signature performance from writer/director and main player. Probably a one-off.
]]>Wed, 19 Mar 2008 19:40:21 GMTchrismorrellchrismorrell Blog3/19/2008 3:40:21 PMGrabbing a cliche..this is truly heartwarming..shows true friendship/connection,whatever you want to call it...A slice of life,(there&#39;s another cliche for you),that takes you to the brink of &quot;the dark side&quot;,but pulls back,as we look in on these characters. I found myself hoping,all the way through this that it wouldnt seek a &quot;redemption&quot; for the character,wouldnt try to &quot;close&quot; the story. I found myself relieved,and gladdened that all is unresolved. Not everyones cup of tea,obviously.Not a &quot;big&quot; film,but a signature performance from writer/director and main player. Probably a one-off. http://www.spout.com/blogs/thefilmpanelnotetaker/archive/2008/3/18/26341.aspx Post By: thefilmpanelnotetaker
Post To: thefilmpanelnotetaker Blog
Post Date: 3/18/2008 10:00:55 AM
Body: On Saturday, Brooklyn, NY-based filmmaker Leah Meyerhoff will be heading to Beantown to present a retrospective of her short films at the Brattle Theatre during the Boston Underground Film Festival. I had the great pleasure to hang out with Leah recently during the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival in Austin, Texas. I first became familiar with Leah’s work at a screening of short films at the Brooklyn Independent Cinema Series last year where I saw the music video she directed, Team Queen. Soon after, I watched her Student Academy-Award nominated short Twitch, which has played in over 200 film festivals around the world and won numerous awards. Last night, I spoke with Leah about her upcoming trip to Boston and what people can expect there, as well as what’s going on with her feature film in development, Unicorns, and other defining moments in her young career. Leah finds a unicorn in the Enchanted Forest in Austin, Texas, at the Bi The Way World Premiere party during SXSW.TFPN: Can you give a little preview of what you’ll be talking about at the Boston Underground Film Festival? Have you been there before?Leah: This will be my third time there. They showed Twitch and Team Queen there before. It’s a fun festival. They’re calling it a retrospective, which is a little strange because I don’t think I’m old enough for a retrospective. Isn’t that what happens after you’re dead? Anyways, I’ll be screening about a dozen of my short films. A lot of films I made in undergrad at Brown University, some experimental films I made when I was in art school in Chicago, and some of my shorts from grad school NYU. Then I have some commercials and music videos I made outside of school. I’ll be talking about my progression as a filmmaker and how I got from being a teenager going off to college to where I am now about to make my first feature film Unicorns. They’re promoting the Q&A to undergrad and high school students in the area. It’s supposed to be somewhat educational, like an artist lecture, and hopefully will inspire aspiring filmmakers to pursue their own path. Since Twitch was so successful on the festival circuit, I also give lectures at various film schools around the country about how to get into film festivals and what to do once you get in. I enjoy educating people on that process, something I didn’t learn in school and had to figure out for myself.TFPN: What made you decide to become a filmmaker?Leah: I originally thought I wanted to be a marine biologist, something totally not in the arts at all. Then I went school at Brown and started taking film classes. I started with film theory, kind of more on an intellectual basis and then began taking film production classes at RISD which was this art school nearby. I continued to make sculpture, painting, photography and other kinds of visual art for years and went to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for a year. It was almost a half-creative and half-practical decision to go into filmmaking, a way of doing something that I love while also having an impact on the world. I enjoy the collaborative aspect of filmmaking rather than being in a tiny studio all day painting by yourself. It also has a potential to reach a wide audience and affect social change on a level that other art forms aren’t capable of. The distribution system can be mind-bogglingly complicated, but it’s also great because if you can tap into that, you have the chance to really change the way people think. That is part of the reason why I’m particularly interested in coming of age stories about teenage girls. That was the age range for me when I was figuring out who I was in the world and what it meant to grow up as a female in this society. I didn’t see myself reflected in the media. To me, all the TV shows and films I saw were not my reality. Now that I’m older, this idea of creating characters that young girls can look up to or can identify with is a powerful idea.TFPN: Who are some filmmakers that have inspired you? In general, I’m inspired by artists who show the world how it is, raw, gritty and real. Kimberly Pierce is a great example. I like Lynne Ramsay, Jonathan Caouette, Catherine Breillat, and Gus Van Sant. I like artistically-minded filmmakers who are making stories about real people. And at the same time, having a creative take on it and making the world a more beautiful place.TFPN: What is Unicorns about? Has it been cast yet and when do you go into production?Leah: Unicorns is a coming-of-age film about an awkward teenage girl named Davina who escapes to a fantasy world involving unicorns when her first romantic relationship becomes abusive. The film starts on her sixteenth birthday and follows her relationship with an older, punk rock boyfriend. It starts off being fun and exciting, that kind of butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling, and then progressively becomes more and more emotionally and physically abusive. At the same time, her best friend Cassidy has a crush on her and her father is marrying a woman she despises. It’s kind of like an updated Welcome to the Dollhouse. Or another good reference is The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys or Heavenly Creatures. It’s a straight-forward narrative drama, but then there are these fantastical animated elements as well. Were hoping to start shooting this summer. Alison Anders, who is executive producing, is a filmmaker I really admire. Her film Gas Food Lodging was instrumental in my teenage years, so I’m excited to have her attached to the project. We’re hoping to start casting next month with Judy Henderson, who also cast L.I.E. and Twelve and Holding and Eyde Belasco, who cast Half Nelson. She also casts the actors for the Sundance Labs, which the Unicorns screenplay was a finalist for, so that’s a great resource as well.TFPN: Do you have anyone in mind who you’d like to cast in the role of Davina?Leah: It’s tough, because I really want the 16-year-old girl to seem like a real 16-year-old girl. There are not a lot of name actors out there who actually look 16. I like Kristen Stewart a lot. I like this girl named Mia Waskilowska who was in a short I saw at Sundance called I Love Sarah Jane. I’m guessing what’s going to happen is the lead girl will be someone we discover who is authentic and real. For the lead boy, it might be more of a name actor, along the lines of Emile Hirsch or Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Really I just want to cast whoever is most right for the part. Whoever feels the most real. I am not interested in making the next Clueless or Mean Girls. It’s more My So Called Life than 90210, you know? There are not a lot of films about teenage girls to begin with. There are a lot of coming-of-age films about boys, but there are not a lot of female stories out there. And of the ones that are, they’re usually so unlike any reality that I experienced. Which is what inspires me to make this film. To dig beneath the glossy surface and scratch at the heart of the matter. The brutal realities of adolescence. This is why I spend so much time on casting. If I can cast someone compelling and authentic, then most of my job as a director is already done.TFPN: What were some of your favorite films you saw and panel discussions you attended at SXSW?Leah: My favorite film was a documentary called Beautiful Losers, which was about street artists like Shepard Fairey and Harmony Korine. It was beautifully shot. I also liked Lynn Shelton’s film My Effortless Brilliance. And it was fun to see Bi the Way in a theater with a lively audience. Honestly, I came away from that festival wishing I had seen more narrative films. At one point, in the middle of a screening, my friend turned to me and said I just really want to see a scripted film. Kimberly Pierce has been giving me advice on my film, so I really wanted to see Stop-Loss but it played the day after I left. I also went to a lot of panels. The writing panel was useful to me, with Amy Dotson and Scott Macaulay. Also the Fact or Fiction one was interesting. I went to part of the one the Four Eyed Monsters kids were on about digital distribution. I’ve spoken on a lot of panels myself so it’s always interesting to be on the other side. In general, festival panels become somewhat redundant, but at SXSW there were so many incredible people smashed together in this small venue that even if you came in part way though you could pick some stuff up and move on to the next. That’s kind of what I did.TFPN: What would you say are some of the best festivals you’ve ever been to with the best panels?Leah: This year, I actually found the panels at Sundance and Slamdance to be really interesting, but SXSW is definitely up there in terms of good panels. They’re well moderated, have interesting guests, and are short and to the point. I tend to judge festivals on more of a filmmaker criterion. I like smaller festivals that take good care of the filmmakers and have really good programming and fun parties. I really like Woodstock, Milan (in Italy), and Avignon (in France). I used to like Brooklyn Underground, which doesn’t exist anymore. I also really like the Sarasota Film Festival as a filmmaker and an audience member. It’s a really well-run festival. And there’s another festival a lot of people haven’t heard of called Cucalorus in North Carolina that I would put on my top 10 list of all time. They make a point to bring all the filmmakers out, no matter where you’re from. You stay with a volunteer and they give you a bicycle to ride around in this tiny little town. The audience is fantastic and the theaters are beautiful and all the films are great. I also like the Newport International Film Festival in Rhode Island. They have parties in mansions with lobsters. It’s fancy but it’s also down to earth at the same time. I was there the year that they were missing the print for the closing night film and a helicopter landed in the middle of town to deliver it, and because of it, they ended up pushing my screening block. To make up for it, they gave us all a free sailboat ride the next day. I don’t like Sundance and Cannes and the larger festivals as much, especially as a short filmmaker because you can get lost in the mix, but Venice is a really great one. Actually I think Venice has the best Q&As I’ve ever seen where it becomes a real community discussion. Plus, it’s in Italy, which is always nice. Originally posted on:The Film Panel Notetaker - Miss a panel discussion? Don't worry! We took notes for you.
]]>Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:00:55 GMTthefilmpanelnotetakerthefilmpanelnotetaker Blog3/18/2008 10:00:55 AMOn Saturday, Brooklyn, NY-based filmmaker Leah Meyerhoff will be heading to Beantown to present a retrospective of her short films at the Brattle Theatre during the Boston Underground Film Festival. I had the great pleasure to hang out with Leah recently during the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival in Austin, Texas. I first became familiar with Leah’s work at a screening of short films at the Brooklyn Independent Cinema Series last year where I saw the music video she directed, Team Queen. Soon after, I watched her Student Academy-Award nominated short Twitch, which has played in over 200 film festivals around the world and won numerous awards. Last night, I spoke with Leah about her upcoming trip to Boston and what people can expect there, as well as what’s going on with her feature film in development, Unicorns, and other defining moments in her young career. Leah finds a unicorn in the Enchanted Forest in Austin, Texas, at the Bi The Way World Premiere party during SXSW.TFPN: Can you give a little preview of what you’ll be talking about at the Boston Underground Film Festival? Have you been there before?Leah: This will be my third time there. They showed Twitch and Team Queen there before. It’s a fun festival. They’re calling it a retrospective, which is a little strange because I don’t think I’m old enough for a retrospective. Isn’t that what happens after you’re dead? Anyways, I’ll be screening about a dozen of my short films. A lot of films I made in undergrad at Brown University, some experimental films I made when I was in art school in Chicago, and some of my shorts from grad school NYU. Then I have some commercials and music videos I made outside of school. I’ll be talking about my progression as a filmmaker and how I got from being a teenager going off to college to where I am now about to make my first feature film Unicorns. They’re promoting the Q&A to undergrad and high school students in the area. It’s supposed to be somewhat educational, like an artist lecture, and hopefully will inspire aspiring filmmakers to pursue their own path. Since Twitch was so successful on the festival circuit, I also give lectures at various film schools around the country about how to get into film festivals and what to do once you get in. I enjoy educating people on that process, something I didn’t learn in school and had to figure out for myself.TFPN: What made you decide to become a filmmaker?Leah: I originally thought I wanted to be a marine biologist, something totally not in the arts at all. Then I went school at Brown and started taking film classes. I started with film theory, kind of more on an intellectual basis and then began taking film production classes at RISD which was this art school nearby. I continued to make sculpture, painting, photography and other kinds of visual art for years and went to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for a year. It was almost a half-creative and half-practical decision to go into filmmaking, a way of doing something that I love while also having an impact on the world. I enjoy the collaborative aspect of filmmaking rather than being in a tiny studio all day painting by yourself. It also has a potential to reach a wide audience and affect social change on a level that other art forms aren’t capable of. The distribution system can be mind-bogglingly complicated, but it’s also great because if you can tap into that, you have the chance to really change the way people think. That is part of the reason why I’m particularly interested in coming of age stories about teenage girls. That was the age range for me when I was figuring out who I was in the world and what it meant to grow up as a female in this society. I didn’t see myself reflected in the media. To me, all the TV shows and films I saw were not my reality. Now that I’m older, this idea of creating characters that young girls can look up to or can identify with is a powerful idea.TFPN: Who are some filmmakers that have inspired you? In general, I’m inspired by artists who show the world how it is, raw, gritty and real. Kimberly Pierce is a great example. I like Lynne Ramsay, Jonathan Caouette, Catherine Breillat, and Gus Van Sant. I like artistically-minded filmmakers who are making stories about real people. And at the same time, having a creative take on it and making the world a more beautiful place.TFPN: What is Unicorns about? Has it been cast yet and when do you go into production?Leah: Unicorns is a coming-of-age film about an awkward teenage girl named Davina who escapes to a fantasy world involving unicorns when her first romantic relationship becomes abusive. The film starts on her sixteenth birthday and follows her relationship with an older, punk rock boyfriend. It starts off being fun and exciting, that kind of butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling, and then progressively becomes more and more emotionally and physically abusive. At the same time, her best friend Cassidy has a crush on her and her father is marrying a woman she despises. It’s kind of like an updated Welcome to the Dollhouse. Or another good reference is The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys or Heavenly Creatures. It’s a straight-forward narrative drama, but then there are these fantastical animated elements as well. Were hoping to start shooting this summer. Alison Anders, who is executive producing, is a filmmaker I really admire. Her film Gas Food Lodging was instrumental in my teenage years, so I’m excited to have her attached to the project. We’re hoping to start casting next month with Judy Henderson, who also cast L.I.E. and Twelve and Holding and Eyde Belasco, who cast Half Nelson. She also casts the actors for the Sundance Labs, which the Unicorns screenplay was a finalist for, so that’s a great resource as well.TFPN: Do you have anyone in mind who you’d like to cast in the role of Davina?Leah: It’s tough, because I really want the 16-year-old girl to seem like a real 16-year-old girl. There are not a lot of name actors out there who actually look 16. I like Kristen Stewart a lot. I like this girl named Mia Waskilowska who was in a short I saw at Sundance called I Love Sarah Jane. I’m guessing what’s going to happen is the lead girl will be someone we discover who is authentic and real. For the lead boy, it might be more of a name actor, along the lines of Emile Hirsch or Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Really I just want to cast whoever is most right for the part. Whoever feels the most real. I am not interested in making the next Clueless or Mean Girls. It’s more My So Called Life than 90210, you know? There are not a lot of films about teenage girls to begin with. There are a lot of coming-of-age films about boys, but there are not a lot of female stories out there. And of the ones that are, they’re usually so unlike any reality that I experienced. Which is what inspires me to make this film. To dig beneath the glossy surface and scratch at the heart of the matter. The brutal realities of adolescence. This is why I spend so much time on casting. If I can cast someone compelling and authentic, then most of my job as a director is already done.TFPN: What were some of your favorite films you saw and panel discussions you attended at SXSW?Leah: My favorite film was a documentary called Beautiful Losers, which was about street artists like Shepard Fairey and Harmony Korine. It was beautifully shot. I also liked Lynn Shelton’s film My Effortless Brilliance. And it was fun to see Bi the Way in a theater with a lively audience. Honestly, I came away from that festival wishing I had seen more narrative films. At one point, in the middle of a screening, my friend turned to me and said I just really want to see a scripted film. Kimberly Pierce has been giving me advice on my film, so I really wanted to see Stop-Loss but it played the day after I left. I also went to a lot of panels. The writing panel was useful to me, with Amy Dotson and Scott Macaulay. Also the Fact or Fiction one was interesting. I went to part of the one the Four Eyed Monsters kids were on about digital distribution. I’ve spoken on a lot of panels myself so it’s always interesting to be on the other side. In general, festival panels become somewhat redundant, but at SXSW there were so many incredible people smashed together in this small venue that even if you came in part way though you could pick some stuff up and move on to the next. That’s kind of what I did.TFPN: What would you say are some of the best festivals you’ve ever been to with the best panels?Leah: This year, I actually found the panels at Sundance and Slamdance to be really interesting, but SXSW is definitely up there in terms of good panels. They’re well moderated, have interesting guests, and are short and to the point. I tend to judge festivals on more of a filmmaker criterion. I like smaller festivals that take good care of the filmmakers and have really good programming and fun parties. I really like Woodstock, Milan (in Italy), and Avignon (in France). I used to like Brooklyn Underground, which doesn’t exist anymore. I also really like the Sarasota Film Festival as a filmmaker and an audience member. It’s a really well-run festival. And there’s another festival a lot of people haven’t heard of called Cucalorus in North Carolina that I would put on my top 10 list of all time. They make a point to bring all the filmmakers out, no matter where you’re from. You stay with a volunteer and they give you a bicycle to ride around in this tiny little town. The audience is fantastic and the theaters are beautiful and all the films are great. I also like the Newport International Film Festival in Rhode Island. They have parties in mansions with lobsters. It’s fancy but it’s also down to earth at the same time. I was there the year that they were missing the print for the closing night film and a helicopter landed in the middle of town to deliver it, and because of it, they ended up pushing my screening block. To make up for it, they gave us all a free sailboat ride the next day. I don’t like Sundance and Cannes and the larger festivals as much, especially as a short filmmaker because you can get lost in the mix, but Venice is a really great one. Actually I think Venice has the best Q&As I’ve ever seen where it becomes a real community discussion. Plus, it’s in Italy, which is always nice. Originally posted on:The Film Panel Notetaker - Miss a panel discussion? Don't worry! We took notes for you. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/friendship/MemberTagFilms.aspxfriendship
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