Screenings
Doxita Tonight in NYC
The lovely Karen Cirillo, formerly with Full Frame and now programming independently, has put together a fabulous fest of short docs, Doxita, that she is currently taking around the country.
Tonight is the NYC premiere of the the show at the IFC Center, 7:45 PM, and it includes some can’t-miss films! Enjoy and report back! The line-up:
Vángelo Monzón (Argentina/Sweden, Andréas Lennartsson, 8 min.) - A visit with Vángelo Monzón who’s been making bricks in Argentina since he was a boy.
Shit and Chicks (The Netherlands, Kees van der Geest, 10 min. ) - A portrait of a traditional method of feeding chickens in Ghana, done with gentle restraint.
El Cerco (Spain, Ricardo Íscar/Nacho Martín, 16 min.) - A breathtaking look at tuna fishing in the Mediterranean sea where the fight is a ritual of blood and death.
Cross your Eyes, Keep them Wide (USA, Ben Wu, 23 min.) - An invitation into the San Francisco “Creativity Explored,” a work space for artists with development disablilities.
The Guarantee (USA, Jesse Epstein, 10 min.) - Through animated drawings, a man tells how he considered plastic surgery for his ballet career.
Martin Thomas (UK/Wales, Dylan Wyn Thomas, 31 min.) - The sometimes painful yet ultimately joyous journey of one man’s quest to stop his stammer.
iW: Arts Engine Celebrates 10 Years
Ten years can either be a blip or an eternity depending on your perspective. The year 1997 saw President Bill Clinton inaugurated for his second term, James Cameron’s “Titantic” was the top movie and a book about a young wizard named Harry Potter first hit shelves. It was before the Internet stock bust and “information superhighway” was still a promise. The world of documentary in the U.S. was one of foundation funding, public television broadcast and educational distribution with precious few docs breaking into any kind of commercial success. It was in that entrenched world that then-new filmmakers Katy Chevigny and Julia Pimsleur felt like they had little opportunity. Read the article & catch screenings of Arts Engine productions at The Paley Center in NYC this weekend>>
Billy the Kid Opens Today in NYC
I hadn’t really planned on posting about the opening of Billy the Kid, though I love the film, I had posted about it a lot. But Karina Longworth over at Spout offers a perceptive overview of the current state of things, and thus my post:
Coming at similar themes from different corners, assaulting New York audiences on the same day, Juno and Billy the Kid uncommonly and uncannily illustrate the industry’s current, massive split between art and commerce. In this climate, a servicable teen sex com like Juno can show up in September and, with corporate marketing budget in hand leapfrog over a years worth of comers to become, in the day before its release, an all-but-certain sure thing at the Oscars and at the box office. Meanwhile, a film like Billy the Kid, which in one fell swoop all but changes the game of real teen representation, works the circuit for nine months collecting accolades, misses out on a much-needed Oscar boost and is now–like any true indie in this market–relying on first weekend gross to shape its distribution future. If you’re in New York and can only see one film over the next days, I promise you–Juno isn’t going anywhere. Billy needs you more.
I’m not sure many people go see films because the film needs them so I’d add that Billy the Kid is a good movie. Believe me, there is no guarantee that just because a film comes out of Hollywood (or in Juno’s case Indiewood - Fox Searchlight Pictures), that it will be good. Why not take a chance on something else? You might like it.
Bound to Lose, Dec. 7 in NYC
A critic who appears in Bound to Lose, opening December 7 at Anthology Film Archives in NYC, notes that The Holy Modal Rounders have never really achieved critical or financial success from playing music, a hobby (?) they have been pursuing for over 40 years - in fits and starts, kind of like an on-again-off-again relationship. So why, one might ask, should I watch a film about them? What I found so intriguing is that we get a kind of longitudinal view of Peter Stampfel’s and Steve Weber’s lives over many years. What is the sum of a life? How does it look when you are many years along and take a look backwards? Have you made the right choices? Do you have regrets?
Like most of us, they are flawed human beings. They have failed relationships, they’ve done a lot of drugs, they’ve tried to make it as musicians, they’ve had day jobs, they’ve known famous people and are known themselves. Life is not only about success but also about failure, and these guys have seen a lot of that but they keep on keepin’ on. They recognize that it doesn’t really matter what others think of you; that you have to do what makes your own heart full even if it doesn’t jive with the expectations of others.
I don’t think I’m giving up too much about this film because each person that watches it will filter the events of the film through their own lens. Filmmakers Paul Lovelace and Sam Wainwright Douglas followed Peter and Steve for quite a while, and speak to many who have known them over the years. This 3-dimensional view of these men through these many vantage points, plus their own appearances, will give you a lot of fodder for thought. The music? Well, you’ll dig or hate it, but in terms of the evolution of folk, psychedelica and punk, their contribution is visible and probably more important than they get credit for.
The New York screenings will be presented with a host of live music and other rare, related short films. It looks like it’s going to be a fantastic way to connect with this scene of old-time New York folks. If you loved A Mighty Wind, you’ll need to be a part of this. Get the full schedule>>
King Corn Opens in NYC Today!
The review in the Movie section of the NY Times is pretty lame, but here is a well-written article in the Dining & Wine section. The film opens today in NYC at Cinema Village, and multiple cities after that, including Austin, Nov. 2. It’s a truly eye-opening look at American food.
I'm really looking forward to this one and was excited to see the trailer posted, but it looks like the ...
Thanks for the feedback Mark, I'll keep that in mind :) 
Wow, that does look great!
More video, Agnes! I love when you post cool stuff like this! 
Right on! I thought the exact same thing when I read the times article. I think its also ...