When I was in line waiting to get into the screening of Skeletons, I was trying to explain to one of the SXSW volunteers what the film was about and her response was along the lines of, “Is it gross? Like a horror film?” and after laughing a little, I realized that, although I knew what the film was about, I had a hard time simply outlining the film to anyone. If I couldn’t simply lay out the plot to someone without having to refer to the press synopsis, what kind of film was I in for?

Skeletons was by far one of the most original films I have ever seen and the cleverly-cut trailer does nothing to help you decipher or prepare yourself for the experience; it’s amazingly unique. Going into the film I knew it would be a mix of what I would call “British humor” and maybe some dark themes associated with some sort of couples’ counseling. I had no idea that I was about to step into a film that combined dry Scottish humor, the feeling of loss, depression, protection of the ones you love, and magic! Yes, you read that right, magic.

The film’s premise is basically that there are two exorcists (Bennett played by Andrew Buckley and Marcus played by Paul Dallison) who literally remove the skeletons from the closets of people’s homes. By some way of old fashioned, tricked-up devices, they “venture” into people’s closets (read: memories) and expose what’s hidden. Along the way, some fairly embarrassing secrets are revealed to their clients in hopes of reconciling them before some serious relational commitment is made. The exorcists make their exit as soon as the news is delivered and head on to their next case.

I literally can’t tell you any more about it. I can remember the feeling I had mid-way through the film and I think that will explain the ambiguity of my description: “What the heck kind of film did I just walk into? I don’t know whether to laugh, which I have, pity the characters, which I have, marvel at the “sci-fi”, which I have, or cringe at the dark themes, which I have.” It was a movie that played on all levels. It didn’t just set out to make you laugh with dry and dead pan characters, nor did it frighten you with how dark some of the memories were, the film was an emotional experience that made you laugh and think twice about secret skeletons and the effects they can have on our lives.

I give this film a 7 out of 10.

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In case you didn’t realize it yesterday, or actually this morning at 2am, was Daylight Savings Time and it TOTALLY SCREWED ME! Due to the late night and the unexpected added hour on the clock, I slept through my alarm that wasn’t set right and missed the Hyperbole In Film Criticism panel and The Myth of the American Sleepover screening that I had so looked forward to. Nonetheless, I was able to see AND EVERYTHING IS GOING FINE by Steven Soderbergh and redeem the day by playing a round of Austin disc golf and actually winning. Enjoy the video.

Update: I know I am a day late on this one but as you can see by the size of the video, I am still learning the whole video process. It takes a while to upload and convert different formats to playable formats for the web, etc. blah, blah, blah….so, here’s day 3 recap on day 4.

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I am a big fan of films that try to capture, the best they can, the unique relationship that exists between a husband and a wife. I’ve been married for almost 6 years and ever since I got married have been aching to see a director emulate and paint a realistic portrayal of marriage. With most films only having about 90 minutes to completely tell their story, I realize the arduous task ahead of them. But that doesn’t negate their responsibility in presenting an authentic view of relationships, since that’s what a marriage is; one of the most unique and special and complex relationships you’ll ever see. And here we have, Helena From The Wedding. On the surface she looks like a film about marriage and infidelity and how couples stay together through the “hard times” and what happens to them when a single, blonde, young, hot, model is thrown into the mix…

When the film opens we join Alex (played marvelously by Lee Tergesen) and Alice (played by the most underrated actress out there now Melanie Lynskey), a newly married couple (about 6 months) driving through the snow to Alex’s parents’ cabin in the woods for New Year’s. They will soon be joined by friends Don and Lynn (Dominic Fumusa & Jessica Hecht), who we surmise have been married for a while with a couple of kids, Eve and Steven (Dagmara Dominiczyk & Corey Stoll) who are married and are pregnant, Nick (Paul Fitzgerald), the recently separated childhood friend of Alex, and Helena (Gillian Jacobs), the young, blonde, twentysomething that attended Eve and Steven’s wedding. Right from the start we can see that Alex and Alice are slated as the “newlywed” couple who are enjoying their “honeymoon” phase while the other couple’s are seasoned veterans who are cynical of their “cutesy love.”

The premise of the film isn’t really anything we haven’t seen already, Dan in Real Life comes to mind, as well as a little mix of Rachel Getting Married and maybe Margot at the Wedding, which only really means that it involves marriage and dysfunction. Which one could easily describe as life in general: relationships and dysfunction and how we manage the two. What sets HFTW (Helena From The Wedding’s abbreviation that will be used from here on out) apart from those films and other “marriage” films is that a lot is left up to the audience for interpretation.

Helena From The Wedding was one of those tense and awkward and beautiful and understated films that said more about relationships and identity in its silence than it did with its words. Director Joseph Infantolino with his first feature directorial debut said to me in an interview afterwards that he didn’t necessarily want to go after explaining every feeling and emotion that was going on in the film through dialogue, but to let the nuances and the subtle looks tell the story. I loved the interplay between the couple’s and how Joseph chose to concentrate a good number of shots on the face and emphasize the expressions. I think if the film had maybe 30 more minutes of that kind of “dialogue” it may have seemed too empty of a film, but Infantolino did a wonderful job of balancing spoken dialogue and in-between-the-lines emotion. And every emotion was extremely heightened because of the closeness of the characters in the cabin; there was no where they could run and hide and internalize everything.

There’s something very tense yet powerful about a film that utilizes minimal sets and minimal locations and shoots the entire film within the confines of one structure. It’s an almost claustrophobic way of filming, but I think it brings out the best in the actors and allows them to organically feed and play off of each other. Joseph’s choice of shooting the entire film within the walls of the cabin and outside really amped up the emotion and the connections between the actors. Through researching before the film I found out that a majority of the actors have played Broadway before and currently, and the cool thing is that I thought the film was, of course on a much grander scale, kind of like a Broadway play, but with more subtle motion and acting.

There aren’t many films that can grasp the reality of marriage. Either directors make it too fairy tale or they present it as some “tradition” that is “meant to be broken” by divorce and that all couple’s will end up there. For some reason, they can’t write a realistic marriage. Although Infantolino didn’t set out to make the most realistic marriage film he could, I do applaud his efforts in maintaining authenticity in the awkwardness. I think awkwardness is hard to do in relationships. You can do extremely joyful, or extremely depressing, but showing the subtleties of tension and a slight feeling of distrust is difficult: and HFTW excelled at that!

I won’t give the film away but it plays a lot on identity and how it changes with marriage. When we get married, we tend to change the way we think about ourselves. As Infantolino put it, “Failures are big failures and successes are really big successes.” There’s also some really great interactions with the husbands and the young Helena and how each of them reacts differently to attention and affection from her, albeit directly or indirectly. What happens to married men when a young single girl starts to show attention towards them, especially when there’s trouble with their marriage…

In the end, HFTW, I thought, was about relationships and whether or not they are worth the fight. Whatever your answer is, one thing is for sure: Helena From The Wedding was worth it.

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After a long day of walking and panels and screenings and lines, I decided to make today’s recap a video recap. Pardon my hair and my disinterested look, I am still trying to figure out sleep at SXSW 2010. I think you’re not supposed to get any, so…enjoy! (Also, Neil Miller and Chase Whale get some much deserved shout outs!)

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The Traveling Adventure
Arriving in Austin was an experience in and of itself. Apparently the Austin police department is initiating an “aggressive driving” campaign where they are venturing to “crack down” on aggressive drivers during Spring Break. The one time that I forget to signal as I change lanes to get out of the way of the SPEEDING truck behind me, a cop decides to start his “aggressive driving” campaign on me. 10 embarrassing minutes later, I have a nice and shiny Austin citation for not signaling when changing lanes. Let the adventure begin…

The Driving Adventure
I consider myself a pretty good driver and someone who is very directionally intelligent, BUT, in Austin, it’s like I’ve never driven before, EVER! And apparently, I wasn’t the only one who had never driven before either! The street names from Google Maps were completely different from the ones that actually existed. Highway 69 on Google is ACTUALLY 2222, and then Barton Springs road that you can exit off onto, doesn’t actually feed off the highway, etc., and the list could go on and on. Nevertheless, I made it safe and sound and only a little later than I wanted.

The Checking In Adventure
Let’s just be honest with each other: the Austin Convention Center is an overwhelming place to try and wade through, ESPECIALLY when you are a first-timer. I think there needs to be a place for the first-timers. When you register/apply/sign up or whatever, there needs to be a place where you can indicate that you are a first-timer so that the SXSW staff can hold a little “SXSW First Timer Orientation” for us. Let’s face it: the last thing you want to do at a big time film festival, especially if you are an accredited member of the press, is actually ASK someone for help. Boy, how “amateur” does that make you look?? Regardless, the SXSW staff were SUPREMELY patient and VERY helpful in leading the massive pack towards the right line. I think the question of the day, and probably the entire festival, will be “Is this the line for ______?” I love the trust and the genuine helpful community that surrounds SXSW. We’re all in this together so let’s help each other out…especially the short guy with glasses with the really “indie” laptop bag with the sparrow on it.

The First Panel Adventure
My first ever SXSW Panel was “How To Rawk SXSW Film” with Kevin Kelly of Cinematical/Joystiq fame, Agnes Varnum of the Austin Film Society, Ingrid Kopp of Shooting People, and Rodney Gibbs of Foundation 9. It was a great panel for anyone who, like me, was overwhelmed by it all and wanted to know how to take full advantage of this amazing festival. I mainly went to hear Kevin Kelly as I think he is a great writer/blogger and I love how his passion came out when talking about blogging full-time and how to make money off of it. He just simply said, “First off, you just need to write. Write, write, write. That’s the most important thing.” Agnus added some great tips on how to get around the screenings and the panels and it really simplified the entire festival into something more manageable. I think the keyword for me this trip is going to be: flexibility. I made a schedule, I have screenings/panels/interviews planned, but in order to get the most out of the whole experience, I am going to have to be flexible. That should be next year’s tagline: SXSW 2011-Flexibility.

The Press Adventure
So, not only am I experiencing this gargantuan film festival for the first time, I am doing it as an accredited member of the press corps. You know me, I like to do everything all at once. The online press world is a funny world. I’m not going to get into the whole exhaustively over-done topic of the “traditional press vs. the modern press” as you can just type that into Google and find as much as you want, but I will say this: being a member of ANY press is pretty darn cool, especially in Texas. Some of my most favorite movie bloggers in the whole wide world are Neil Miller of Film School Rejects, Chase Whale of Gordon and the Whale, and Vic Holtreman of Screenrant. (Vic isn’t at SXSW so he’s not really crucial in this story but I just wanted to make sure you knew where my allegiances lie) After the panel I went into the SXSW Press Suite to plug in my computer and check email/Twitter/website and who do I see sitting at the table right in front of me? That’s right, both Neil and Chase! And here’s the weird thing: did I go up to them and say what’s up? No. Why? Because I, a 30yr. old husband and father of 1, got nervous. What would my wife and my little boy think of me now? Like I said, the online press world is a funny world. We all love movies and love to write about them…and that’s an amazing gift.

The Screening Adventure
I had planned on seeing Kick-Ass tonight, but something Kevin Kelly said at the panel made me change my mind. When talking about the screenings and how to plan your schedule, he explained his strategy of making time to see the films that he wouldn’t necessarily ever get to see again. The smaller films, the indie films, the films that might never get picked up and distributed, the little hidden gems that make SXSW what it is. With that in mind, I skipped the over-crowded screening and opted to see Tim Blake Nelson’s “Leaves of Grass” starring the great Edward Norton. I arrived at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar theater about 2 hours prior to the screening and it was a good thing too. The line had already began to form and would soon reach lengths that drifted into blurriness. Now, here’s the coolest part about the SXSW Film Festival: you will wait in a LOT of lines for an extended period of time. You’re probably thinking to yourself that doesn’t sound cool, but wait. While standing in those lines, you get to have some of the most interesting conversations with the coolest people you would never meet on your own initiative. While in line, I had a lengthy and very sweet conversation with Patti Willingham, the wife of Noble Willingham, the actor who portrayed C.D. Walker in Walker, Texas Ranger. I also met Dani from Garland, and Mandy who works for KTSW 89.9 FM and we all had a great conversation about our favorite movies, directors, and what we thought about the Oscars. It’s great to meet people who love movies just as much as you do. That’s truly the “hidden gem” of SXSW: the line people. (Oh yeah, after the film, both Edward Norton and Tim Blake Nelson stayed for a quick Q & A and it was cool. Also, Jonah Hill showed up.) (Look for my review of Leaves Of Grass tomorrow)

All in all, my first day at SXSW was awesome. Today was the lightest day of my 5 days here so I expect my exhaustion to be tripled by this time tomorrow. Stay tuned in to Truth On Cinema as we continue to bring you all of the happenings at SXSW 2010 here in Austin, TX.

I am constantly Tweeting about everything so if you want real time reactions and updates, be sure to follow @TruthOnCinema and tell all of your friends!

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Anytime Edward Norton is involved in a film, I am immediately on board. I think he brings so much class and intrigue and just all around greatness to any film he does. Whether it’s fooling you into believing magic, turning a greenish hue when he’s angry, or beating the crap out of Brad Pitt and himself, Norton brings a level of excellence to his films that rivals the greats…but what happens when he’s cast opposite HIMSELF?!

Another great film that I am really looking forward to seeing this year at SXSW is Leaves of Grass, directed by the highly underrated Tim Blake Nelson. (you would remember him from O’ Brother, Where Art Thou as “Delmar”) In this film, Norton plays “an Ivy League professor who is lured back to his Oklahoma hometown, where his twin brother, a small-time pot grower, has concocted a scheme to take down a local drug lord.” Now that sounds kind of cool and maybe doesn’t really grab your attention…but just wait until you see the trailer and check out some of the stills, you’re going to love!

Do you think Norton will end up beating himself up again?

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Ever since SXSW released their very wide selection of films debuting, I’ve been plowing through tons of synopsis’, trailers, movie stills, press releases, etc., to try and plan what films I want to see and cover. When I started this process a few weeks ago, I ran across a peculiar film called Barry Munday. The title grabbed my attention and so I read the synopsis and literally laughed outloud, but eventually resigned to skip it because I had to make a choice between it and another film I was more interested in…

Today I received an email from the fine folks handling the publicity with the first OFFICIAL trailer for the film. After viewing, I can 100% say that I am SUPER EXCITED about changing my schedule around and sitting down to watch Barry Munday. Just so you can laugh along with me, here’s the official synopsis and the trailer:

“Barry Munday, a suburban wanna-be ladies man, wakes up in the hospital after being attacked in a movie theater, only to realize that he is missing one of his most prized possessions… his testicles. To make matters worse, Barry learns he’s facing a paternity lawsuit filed by a woman he can’t remember having sex with. With this being Barry last chance to ever be a father, Barry reaches out and embraces the journey of parenthood and the onslaught of bumps that face him along the way. Filled with an ensemble of unusual characters, “Barry Munday” is the surprisingly heart-warming tale of a guy who finds it took losing his manhood to be a better man.”

What do you think about Barry Munday?

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Counting down to SXSW 2010, we have less than two weeks to go and until that time, Truth On Cinema will be previewing some fantastic films that I plan on seeing. You will see all sorts of films previewed here, from documentaries, to feature-length films, all the way to less-than-10-minute shorts. I won’t be previewing every film I plan on seeing, but I will do my best to wet your cinematical appetite before the big festival.

The first one I want to preview here is a film called The People vs. George Lucas. It’s a very unique documentary directed by Alexandre O. Philippe and the official synopsis via the press kit says:

THE PEOPLE vs. GEORGE LUCAS explores the titanic struggle between a Godlike filmmaker and his legions of fans over the most popular franchise in movie history. “At its core, PvsG is the examination of a high profile, dysfunctional love story”, says Philippe. “George created this humongous and intricate sandbox for us to play in; but is he the sole owner of it, or does it now belong to the ages? And what happens to your role as a creator when your audience claims it owns your art?! We basically looked at the conflicted dynamic between George and his fans from a cultural perspective, and asked ourselves those questions.”

I love the Star Wars franchise and consider myself a true fan. I am not as intense as a lot of the other fans out there, but I can sympathize with the intensity that the Lucas-haters express over their dislike of the franchise. Check out the trailer and let me know what you think.

Trailer:

How excited are you about the first SXSW 2010 preview?

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Yes, that’s right, your little friends at Truth On Cinema will be heading south to the great city of Austin, TX to officially cover the Music/Film/Interactive Extravaganza that is known as South By Southwest (SXSW for short). I, of course, will be covering the film portion of the festival and am so excited! This will be my first festival to ever attend and it’s even more exciting that I will be attending as a member of the PRESS.

What Is This Festival All About?
If you are unfamiliar with SXSW and what it’s all about, here’s a synopsis taken directly from their site:

The South by Southwest (SXSW) Conferences & Festivals offer the unique convergence of original music, independent films, and emerging technologies. Fostering creative and professional growth alike, SXSW is the premier destination for discovery.

There are so many great films that are made that may never get to see the light of day, and the great thing about SXSW is that they are then given a voice. Most of the time you hear about a movie because either you saw it advertised on a commercial in the middle of your favorite TV show, or someone at the water cooler at work mentions that he thinks there’s going to be a 2nd Iron Man. There are some amazing filmmakers creating some extraordinary films that, with SXSW, are given the chance to shine and find an audience.

Alright, But Why Are You Going And Why Do I Care?

First of all: I have always wanted to be a part of a big film festival and engage in community with people like myself: fans who absolutely love film! With being a Dad, a husband, and having a full-time job, I don’t have the opportunity to travel to big festivals like Sundance, Cannes, Comic-Con, Toronto Film Festival, Telluride, etc., so when the “circus” comes through my home state of Texas, I’m doing everything I can to be there. Second of all: This is my chance to bring to you, the loyal friends and family of Truth On Cinema, coverage of some amazing films that you may have never heard about, but must see!

What Can I Expect From Your Coverage?
While I am there all week, here’s what you can expect:

• Daily Video Blogs – These video blogs will be a summary of what went on that day, movies I saw, stuff I ate, people I ran into or got the chance to meet, etc. Everyday there will be a new video blog so be sure you are a follower and don’t miss any of the action.
• Movie Reviews – I will be posting movie reviews of every movie I see and I will try my best to post them in order that I saw them. In addition to the print reviews that will be posted here, I might also be posting some Video Reviews which will just be me on camera giving my quick take on a film I just saw.
• Interviews – Along with trying to see as many movies as I can, being a member of the press corps, I will also be trying to get some interviews with the cast and crew and the filmmakers of the many films at SXSW.
• The SXSW Experience – I hope to bring you as much of the experience as I can. I want to document and detail all of my surroundings, the smells, the food, the people, the atmosphere of SXSW, so that you can be there and feel it with me.

Leading up to the Film Festival, I will be previewing different films that I think are interesting and that I will try to see. I am going to create an entire category specifically for all of my SXSW coverage so you can conveniently stay on top of all of the latest news and findings.

Do I Hear A Big Announcement Coming?
For the last time (at least until I am wanting a new one) in a while, Truth On Cinema is going to be getting a face lift. I have settled on and found a look and feel that I think will suit Truth On Cinema for the long run. Debuting on the first day of SXSW, March 12th, will be the brand new look of Truth On Cinema. Along the while, for the next couple of weeks, I will reveal little bits of what it’s going to look like and what you can look forward to. Mark your calendars! 3/12/10 will bring you a totally revamped Truth On Cinema!

Be sure to follow along and I look forward to experiencing SXSW together with you.

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