JoshuaLeonard Tagged Articles at Cinematical

I can't hold my tongue any longer. Humpday is no more a bromance than writer/director Lynn Shelton is "the female Apatow." The term bromance is lazy shorthand for the loveably dorky and confused guys populating the Apatow et al movies, and while Ben (Mark Duplass) and Andrew (Joshua Leonard) could be described as such, the writing of Shelton elevates what could be a one-trick pony -- two straight dudes might have sex or might not for "art" -- into a real discussion of identity, both of Ben and Andrew and of those around them. It becomes a discussion of sexuality -- what's straight, what's not, what threatens Andrew and what interests and confuses Ben -- and identity and how we want to perceive ourselves.

In an Apatow-ish film, if a protagonist was about to have a threesome with two women (one of which is played by Shelton) and suddenly gets cold feet when one pulls out sex toys, it would be played for laughs -- add in a fart joke or dildo joke and everyone breathes a sigh of relief. Whew, wouldn't that have been crazy! Instead, there's a supremely awkward and human moment when Andrew weighs the pros and cons of the situation, extricates himself, puts on his clothes, and leaves. The women turn to each other laughing, shutting him out from their intimacy as much as he's shut himself off by flitting across the world as an artist.

(By Erik Davis - reprinted from the Sundance Film Festival, 1/17/09)

We're only a couple weeks into 2009, but clearly this year will be all about the term 'bromance' -- which describes, in case you haven't heard, a close, non-sexual bond between two straight men. Bromance is now a cheesy show on MTV; the flick I Love You, Man (in theaters this Spring) is carrying some advanced bromantic-comedy-of-the-year buzz; and now here's this quiet, unassuming festival film called Humpday -- which takes the Hollywood out of the bromance by bringing it down to a level practically everyone can relate to. And while Humpday lacks the sparkle, the set pieces, the A-listers and the foul-mouthed fart gags, its well-written script remains grounded with the type of real-people humor we've grown to adore over the years.

Ben (Mark Duplass) and Andrew (Joshua Leonard) are friends; good friends -- some would say great friends -- except that was way back when and, now, Ben has a cushy marriage, a new house, a nice office job and all the time in the world to love his wife and make her a new baby. Andrew, on the other hand, doesn't know how to settle or how to stay put -- he's an intense adventurer who's always looking for the next great "experience". And while it's been some time since Ben and Andrew last saw each other, that all changes when the latter shows up on his old pal's doorstep at two-in-the-morning looking for a place to crash and play catch-up. But Andrew's arrival sparks more than just a few fun memories ...

We're only a couple weeks into 2009, but clearly this year will be all about the term 'bromance' -- which describes, in case you haven't heard, a close, non-sexual bond between two straight men. Bromance is now a cheesy show on MTV; the flick I Love You, Man (in theaters this Spring) is carrying some advanced bromantic-comedy-of-the-year buzz; and now here's this quiet, unassuming festival film called Humpday -- which takes the Hollywood out of the bromance by bringing it down to a level practically everyone can relate to. And while Humpday lacks the sparkle, the set pieces, the A-listers and the foul-mouthed fart gags, its well-written script remains grounded with the type of real-people humor we've grown to adore over the years.

Ben (Mark Duplass) and Andrew (Joshua Leonard) are friends; good friends -- some would say great friends -- except that was way back when and, now, Ben has a cushy marriage, a new house, a nice office job and all the time in the world to love his wife and make her a new baby. Andrew, on the other hand, doesn't know how to settle or how to stay put -- he's an intense adventurer who's always looking for the next great "experience". And while it's been some time since Ben and Andrew last saw each other, that all changes when the latter shows up on his old pal's doorstep at two-in-the-morning looking for a place to crash and play catch-up. But Andrew's arrival sparks more than just a few fun memories ...

Beautiful Losers film trailer from beautifullosersfilm on Vimeo.

The documentary Beautiful Losers has been building buzz ever since it premiered at this year's SXSW Film Festival. It nabbed the Documentary Jury Award at Cinevegas earlier this summer and we now have a trailer (above, as well as news on a unique distribution partnership with Nike Sportswear. Oh yes, you heard that right -- Nike has partnered with Sidetrack Films and will help release the film in five markets, while also providing prints and advertising support (according to this indieWIRE story).

Directed by Aaron Rose and Joshua Leonard, Beautiful Losers features such celebrated artists as Harmony Korine, Mike Mills, Todd James, Ed Templeton, Tobin Yelland, Geoff McFetridge and more, and, through their own unique voices, we share with them memories of how each discovered their art and subsequently created an entire movement in the early '90s. From the synopsis on the film's official website: "Beautiful Losers focuses on the telling of personal stories. It speaks to themes of what happens when the outside becomes "in" as it explores the creative ethos connecting these artists and today's youth."

Beautiful Losers opens at New York's IFC Center this Friday before expanding to other cities. Check it out.