I sadly missed the Sunday night Cinematexas screening of Frownland, so I can’t offer my own thoughts. But Chale Nafus, director of programming here at the Austin Film Society, offers a strong and intriguing response.

I didn’t stay for the Q&A. I was so full of rage at having all these negative feelings toward a cinematic character dredged up from inside me that had I stayed, all I could have told the director was, “I have just one comment. GODDAMN YOU!” He couldn’t have possibly understood that this was the highest compliment I could pay him for making a film that made me feel so much, even if nothing but horrifying rage. Instead, I left the Alamo Ritz and rushed out to 6th Street, intent on smashing the first stranger’s face I saw as a ridiculous attempt at catharsis. I am not normally violent, but FROWNLAND turned me into a dangerous beast. If a movie could “adopt” a movie, then FIGHT CLUB would use FROWNLAND as a recruitment film, after which I would have signed up instantly. Read the rest>>