midlothia Tagged Articles at Cinematical
AFI Dallas Dispatch #2: More Docs, Edward Furlong and Awesome Anime
Filed under: Independent », Theatrical Reviews », Festival Reports », HBO Films », Cinematical Indie », AFI Dallas »
Lots has been happening here in Dallas since the last dispatch I wrote up. I've seen several docs here: Where the Sun Rises, Darius Goes West, and Rape of Europa, and today I saw The Proper Care and Feeding of an American Messiah, Paprika, and Living and Dying. Let's talk about the docs first, because docs are one of my favorite genres. There aren't quite as many playing at this fest as I'd like, and most of the doc screenings have been a bit lightly attended. I've talked to a few locals about this, and what I keep hearing is that Dallas folks haven't really been exposed much to the idea of documentaries as entertainment, as opposed to something you're forced to watch for a class or catch on PBS because nothing else is on and you have insomnia.So I want to plug some docs I've really enjoyed here so far. Where the Sun Rises, helmed by Grace Phan, is about Xanana Gusmao, former guerrilla leader and current president of East Timor, the world's youngest independent nation. Where the Sun Rises isn't about war and politics, though, it's about the healing power of forgiveness, and Gusmao's journey from hate to love and genuine forgiveness.
AFI Dallas Review: Midlothia
Filed under: Drama », Independent », Theatrical Reviews », Festival Reports », Cinematical Indie », AFI Dallas »
Midlothia, competing here at AFI Dallas in both the Texas and audience favorite competitions, played last night to a packed theater. The structure of the film is simple: four twenty-somethings, living in the small town of Midlothia, find their lifelong friendship rapidly imploding in the midst of the decision of one of them to leave town. The structure is so pure and dialogue-based, in fact, that about a third of the way through the film I found myself thinking, "This would make a really great play." Surprise, surprise, in the Q&A I found out that the screenplay was, in fact, adapted from the stage play Pluck the Day by Stephen Walters.
Writer/director Bill Sebastian also plays Fred, a troubled young man with an ex-fiancee, a serious drinking problem, some anger management issues -- and a deep desire to atone for the past and be a better person in this future. Fred's mother is dead, his dad is in prison, and he hates his brother, Ted (Randall Scot). Fred, who is about to leave town for good, lives with Bill (Eric Reeves), who is clearly way too smart to be living in this small Texas town. Their friend Duck (James Thomas Gilbert) has his own house, complete with wife Darcy and two little kids, but he's a lost soul, spending most of his time at Fred and Bill's, drinking his way through the day. The final member of the quartet is April (Jessica McClendon -- and I'd like to see more of her especially, so indie directors, take note of her performance), Fred's ex-fiancee; when we first meet April she is baking a cake and crying.
Jeremy Renner Wants To Be An Avenger
Directors We Love: Jim Jarmusch
Indie Roundup: 'Sweetgrass,' 'Clarkworld,' 'Broken Embraces'
Shelf Life: Fight Club_thumbnail.jpg)
Watch: Famous 'Matrix' Scene Re-Created with LEGOs
_thumbnail.jpg)
