I'm Still Here

New updates and posts coming soon. Life pulls us in many directions and we must follow or have a bad trip. Other projects have distracted from the blog, a true love of mine, but I will be returning for regular entries soon. Thanks to all that continue to follow and I apologize for the outdated status of the blog. So much continues to cycle the spectrum of contemporary cinema and media at a faster pace than ever and I am  ready to return with patient commentary in the tradition of cinephiles of old in juxtaposition to the frenzy. I have been in the middle of the SXSW chaotic beauty of Austin for the last weeks and am looking forward to catching up with local film and beyond. New postings coming soon.

SXSW 2009 World Premiered Film - Severe Clear - gets Theatrical Release

It could be that Severe Clear is yet the most valuable artistic document to arise through the dark clouds wafting over the history of this second Iraqi war.

Severe Clear had it's world premier at SXSW 2009 a year ago and recently was picked up for a limited theatrical release. Follow the link below for release dates in major US cities.

Severe Clear is based on the memoir by First Lieutenant Mike Scotti as well as video footage shot by him and other members of 1st Battalion, 4th Marines on the outset of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Directed by Kristian Fraga (“Anytown, USA”) and featuring a original score by Cliff Martinez (“Traffic”, “Narc”, “Solaris”) the film offers an unflinching look at the uncertainty, disorder and chaos of war from the remarkable perspective of one Marine.

Severe Clear was awarded Special Mention for Cinematic Excellence at the 2009 International Rome Film Festival, the Jury Prize at the Salem Film Fest and the 2009 Barrymore Award. Severe Clear was also featured as part of the 2009 International Documentary Association’s DocuWeeks Showcase and was an official selection at the SXSW, Big Sky, Lone Star, Palm Beach, San Diego and St. Louis Film Festivals.

The film has also been recently featured and reviewed in The New York Times, CNN, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, Newsweek, Men’s Journal, Interview Magazine, Filmmaker Magazine, indieWIRE and more.

http://severeclearthemovie.com/wordpress/

Follow the link for a thorough review, and click here to view the theatrical trailer on Hulu.

This film invites an interesting comparison-study between contemporary warfare/soldier-experience and that of WWII, documented in Staff Sgt. Norman Hatch's film, With the Marines on Tarawa (featured in an earlier post). A comparison in cinematic style, as it relates to documentary filmmaking and the ever-changing domain of media and film production (as accessibility and exhibition outlets increase), would be of interest as well.

SXSW 2010 Music Showcase - NPR Full Coverage

pictured above: The Walkmen

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7729350

Photos, videos, interviews, and previews of the week's music in Austin. NPR is sponsoring a showcase including indie gurus, Spoon and The Walkmen, and this is just the beginning of an endless list of acts showcased at SXSW. Rock on. Wish I was there.

SXSW 2010 Review: Dogtooth (Kynodontas)

by Kate Erbland, March 16

Writers: Giorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou

Director: Giorgos Lanthimos

Cast: Christos Stergioglou, Michelle Valley, Aggeliki Papoulia, Mary Tsoni, Hristos Passalis

Anyone who follows the film blogging world should be well-acquainted with a few names of online critics that could eloquently be referred to as “luminaries” and affectionately known as “big papas.” Two of these guiding daddies of our world played a big part in my viewing of Greece’s DOGTOOTH. James Rocchi recommended DOGTOOTH to Scott Weinberg. Rocchi recommended it to me. Both loved it. These are recommendations you cannot ignore. The film won the Un Certain Regard Award at last year’s Cannes Film Festival (which recognizes emerging and special talent at the festival). That’s another recommendation you can’t ignore. Which is all very appropriate – because DOGTOOTH is a film you cannot ignore.

(For the full review, click the post-title link)

This film screened at Cucalorus Film Festival 2009. I was at the festival but missed the screening due to schedule conflicts (you can never see as many as you would like). Everyone I spoke with, including trusted colleagues and friends, that attended the screening couldn't quite describe what they had experienced, but insisted that it was brilliant. It was the talk of the festival. This is a good sign.

SXSW Film Festival Update: Feature Documentary - American: The Bill Hicks Story

American: The Bill Hicks Story. directed by Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas.

This is one of many intrigues among the accepted films for SXSW Film Festival 2010, which has been in action since March 12 and will wrap up in a few days. SXSW is one of the premier film festivals in the US, and perhaps my personal favorite in regard to independent integrity, though I have yet to attend. There is, of course, the accompanying independent music showcase which alone is well worth the trip to the republic of Texas. The reason that I have yet to comment on the festival, individual screenings, and premiers is based solely on personal bitterness - I had long planned on being in Austin for this years festival and, unfortunately, things did not work out. I have not quite recovered from the disappointment - nothing better than a week of independent film and music to inspire the mind and creative flow.

Check out the links within the text for more info on SXSW Film Festival and Music Showcase. The festival website is thorough and interesting, with full info., stills, and trailers for the films screening.

So many of the screenings, by write-up and trailer, look extraordinary, and in the purest spirit of independent film. Please, explore some of the films further. Festivals, particularly of this caliber, serve as the greatest means of exhibition and our window into the world's most interesting, innovative, and heartfelt cinema.

Note: Bill Hicks is a longtime hero of mine and one of the funniest, most insightful (and raging) social/political comedians of our time. He was a philosopher and a preacher, with comedy as his tool, all too often agitated by sharing wisdom with (what he perceived as) ingrates and simpletons. I will explore the madness and genius of Bill Hicks in future posts.