The Homemade World Review

Film Festival Update

2008-02-17T08:36:00.000-08:00

Yesterday my brother and I attended the Third Annual Indiana Festival of Independent Film and Video in Bloomington, Indiana, put on by Cinephile Film Arts at the historic Buskirk-Chumley Theater.

But first we had to go have Burmese food (I had a great pork curry) and hit two of my favorite B-town shops, Vintage Phoenix and Boxcar Books, where I loaded up on zines and comics.

The opening speaker was Hoosiers scribe Angelo Pizzo, who talked about the new moviemaking incentives coming to Indiana (over the governor's veto, interestingly) but was asked, strangely enough, mostly about YouTube. I thought it was good that he answered, wisely, that YouTube and downloads and all that are all well and good, but dramatic three act structure has been around a couple thousand years and isn't going anywhere right away. He left before I got to wax nostalgic with him about my time as an extra on Hoosiers many years ago.

The first short was First They Came For by Kate Chaplin, basically a nice little adaptation of the Martin Niemoller poem, set in a near-future Orwellian setting.

Next was the darkly absurdist comedy short Human Resources by Brenan Campbell, aKafka-esque short speculating about who is on the other side of those "time and temperature" phone calls.

Zach Kahl then served up In Chicago: A Jazz Documentary about the long-lived scene in the Windy City. The short doc was a bit ragged around the edge production-wise, sometime leaving me unsure about whether Kahl was making style choices or technical mistakes, but the content was engaging.

Foxy Madonna vs. the Black Death was a Grindhouse-style short long on style and laughs (and longtime readers may recall I predicted this trend was coming, much as we ended up with a million Pulp Fiction-style projects a decade ago). Again I wondered whether Jakob Bilinski's rough-hewn style was entirely intentional, but he earns points for creativity. I especially liked mute, poker-faced minion "Chalkboard" who writes dire threats on a scrap of schoolhouse waste.

Next, Ben Williams' The Gingerbread Slums was a cute-ish 120 seconds of animation where a gingerbread man fights a couple of criminals. More an exercise than a real short but interesting to look at.

My pal Peter O'Keefe, who I taught a workshop with at Microcinema Fest a few years ago, logged in Infidel, where a hitman waiting to finish a contract strikes up a conversation with a street preacher at a diner, a meeting that holds dire portents for both. Very nicely shot, with good performances, and serious religious and social themes. When I added this to the other shorts I've seen of Peter's, I realized he still has a lot of Catholic guilt to work through, and I wish him well.

Little Sister Manipulator from 19th State Productions was a breezy slacker comedy where a twenty-something brother and sister pass a lazy afternoon in age-old rivalries. I thought this short had a nice energy in its production and presentation.

I thought Ben Williams' LesPsych was a little less sure-footed, set up as a "behind the scenes" documentary about the making of a z-grade horror movie, and how the lead actress begins to slowly unravel during the process. The horror movie scenes I'm sure were intentionally funny, but I was unclear whether the other aspects were intended to be, or whether the short was trying to find a higher plane. Uneven, and self-referential, but certainly interesting.

Mikel J. Wisler's Cellar Door was a lyrically shot, but thematically muddled, story about a young woman who begins to fray around the edges after the death of her father, and how she tries to put the pieces back together by visiting the family's remote cabin. The nonlinear storytelling is interesting but I thought the storytelling was a little soft in spots. However, Rachel Cottom basically carries the whole piece herself and shows a nice range as the troubled lead. Overall, nice solid work.

Brenan Campbell's The King of Pop was a raunchy sketch about the death of a popcorn magnate named Orville, and the wayward brother who is brought in to save the company. One of those "throw everything at the screen and see what sticks" comedies with a lot of smart-ass style and enough laughs for its short running time.

Semantics from Kathryn Gardner was a nice character sketch, with some stylish production riffs, about a socially stunted professor who is confronted by a friend about her actions. The twist at the end takes a moment to sink in and left me wondering what was going to happen next. Nicely done but left me wanted to see the short expanded, to see more of these characters.

Pearlessence from Rob Dietz and Phyllis Chen was a dreamy exercise in animation which surprised me by having a live score, performed by Chen silent movie-style. Chen's performance was excellent and the animation interesting. Probably the most curious work in the festival.

I enjoyed my day in Bloomington and will be seeking out Cinephile's next festival.

The Stink of Flesh

2008-01-06T17:22:00.000-08:00

Matool (Kurly Tlapoyawa) is navigating a zombie wasteland as best he can, with a big hammer and some long nails always at his side. Soon he falls in with a couple who are using the abrupt advent of lawlessness to stretch the boundaries of their own relationship, with dangerous results. Scott Phillip’s debut feature, The Stink of Flesh, plops this love triangle (of sorts) into the middle of a high-octane zombie fest, mixing b-movie splatter with indie relationship drama and leavening it with a dash of offbeat humor.

Kurly Tlapoyawa is a real find, a burly brew of machismo and ironic detachment, a deft thespian as well as stunt brawler; a megawatt talent on a 40-watt budget. Really, though, it’s a nice ensemble overall, with Diva as the psychologically manipulative wife, Ross Kelly as her conflicted husband, and Kristen Hansen as her emotionally stunted sister with a gruesome birth defect called “Dorothy.”

Nice shooting, and a unique screenplay, help bring the project to another level. The only real letdown was the ending, which concludes on a bit of a whimper; or, more accurately, in a trail of dust as a few characters abruptly scamper away, the end credits nipping at their heels.

Although viewers are likely to compare The Stink of Flesh to Romero’s zombie trilogy, I felt Phillips’ feature—with its casual attitude towards sex and death as well as its rockabilly backbeat—owes a lot more to L.Q. Jones’ cult film A Boy And His Dog. A Boy And His Dog also features a breakout performance, this one by a young fresh-face named Don Johnson, as well as a dynamic directing debut for Jones (one unfortunately unrealized). One could easily see The Stink of Flesh having the same cult status, several decades hence.

This review first appeared at Microcinema Scene.

Chavez Ravine: A Los Angeles Story

2008-01-05T17:19:00.000-08:00

A close-knit but poor community disappears virtually overnight, paving the way for Dodgers Stadium. How this happens is at the crux of Jordan Mechner’s heartfelt short documentary Chavez Ravine: A Los Angeles Story.

Mechner paints a fully-realized picture of the poverty-stricken but seemingly idyllic life of the largely Mexican-American population in this area on the outskirts of L.A. He finds former residents, some fifty years later, and interviews them about their lives at that time; as well as their reactions to what happened, which range from philosophical to furious. Intertwined in this oral history are excellent photos and other historic footage of that era, casting the event in the light of other contemporary issues, including the “Red Scare” and America’s Pastime, baseball.

The short is well-shot and sharply edited, and Mechner manages to keep a light touch throughout; surprising, considering that parallels could fairly easily be drawn between the disappearance of homes in Chavez Ravine in the 50s and Jewish villages in Eastern Europe in the 40s. But it’s Mechner’s sense of people and place, more than moral outrage, that makes his work compelling.

Chavez Ravine: A Los Angeles Story is a worthy documentary about a little-known event in U.S. history.

Paradise Valley Comics

2007-11-30T14:13:00.000-08:00

I have been a fan of Hoosier cartoonist Pam Bliss for a long time, and she has been creating her own comics even longer. Bliss is a natural storyteller, and has a loose, easygoing style that I have always found attractive. She writes family-friendly stories in that her comics and minicomics can be enjoyed on a variety of levels.

I think a good cross-section of her work can be found in her B-36 anthology comics. They feature a nice mix of stories, with one of my favorites being the ongoing adventures of Radiation Man, a hero featured in a variety of rather mundane situations; a gentle poke at superhero shenanigans.

Bliss' minicomics often seem modest at first glance, showcasing dogs and kids and rural life, but her thoughts play out on a larger stage. In real life, Bliss always champions the independents and remains very approachable at shows and conventions.

More of Pam Bliss and her ongoing work can be found at her Paradise Comics website.

You Don't Get There From Here

2007-11-29T20:49:00.000-08:00

Carrie McNinch's autobiographical comic zine You Don't Get There From Here is strong work; her struggles with alcohol, relationships and depression, as well as her nuanced observations on daily life in LA, is enhanced by the clean lines of her art. To me her work is most reminiscent of John Porcellino's landmark minicomic King Cat Comics, with its bold, simple artwork and often painful storytelling.

But McNinch's work stands on its own, and her body of work, going back some years, is almost as impressive. McNinch previously produced The Assassin and the Whiner along the same lines. That was my first exposure to her work, but I think I like You Don't Get There From Here even better; I think McNinch's storytelling grows more assured, and I like the more episodic format of her newer issues. McNinch has been producing issues at a steady clip lately, after a bit of a layoff, and has a number to choose from at a variety of zine distros.

I find Carrie McNinch's work to be some of the strongest I have found in minicomics, and I have enjoyed watching her work evolve.

Hardcore Poisoned Eyes

2007-11-05T17:11:00.000-08:00

Long creeping its way along the cult video circuit, Sal Ciavarello's Hardcore Poisoned Eyes is determined to get under your skin.

Three young women with different backgrounds and agendas spend a weekend at a remote cabin that was the scene of one of the women's grandfather's death a few years before under mysterious circumstances. One ill-conceived drunken phone call later and the women are in for a long night of soul-searching, mixed with stone cold terror, as they end up getting some local cultists a little peeved. One of the girls ends up having to kiss a goat’s foot! Ewww.

More psychologically chilling than gory, Hardcore Poisoned Eyes has gotten a lot of buzz over the years, and rightfully so. Its hearty heapin' of Catholic guilt, along with very good performances and production values, add up to a solid package worth looking for.

Fans have long awaited this freshman director's sophomore effort, and its a shame, as Hardcore Poisoned Eyes is probably in my top ten list of all-time great microcinema efforts.

Idea

2007-11-04T17:00:00.000-08:00

Children in an isolated village outside of Havana find their creativity sparked by the arrival of documentary filmmakers in Cuban director Miguel Coyula’s documentary short Idea.

Coyula coaches the youngsters philosophically in storytelling and technically in filmmaking, and suddenly a font of inspiration wells up, centering around a dark cave near the edge of town. The youngster’s exploration of the cave, and their running commentaries of what they extrapolate might have or could possibly happen there, are the core of the work.

Shot in a straightforward fashion, but edited in a more dramatic style, what is engaging about this short is how it shows the transformative power of ideas on those with very limited resources to share them. Idea also offers a rare glimpse into the lives of rural Cubans; most interestingly, an enterprising woman who runs a quasi-cable system/movie theater with one VCR and a lot of coaxial cable, strung throughout an entire apartment building.

Those who doubt the importance of the arts, and their impact on people from all walks of life, should take a look at Idea. Viewers are sure to feel inspired by the simple, yet lyrical narrative and the slice of life afforded by Coyula’s work.

This review first appeared, in a slightly different form, at Microcinema Scene.

The Myth of 8-Opus

2007-10-27T23:23:00.000-07:00

I first met Tom Scioli in the "Artist's Alley" area of the big Wizard World con in Chicago a few years back, where he was showcasing his self-published work The Myth of 8-Opus. Though he has gone on to do some mainstream work, including Godland with Joe Casey, this early project became seared into my brain.

In The Myth of 8-Opus Scioli offers up a stone-faced, laser-precise homage to comics legend Jack Kirby, from the sacred to the profane; the grandiose, hallucinogenic plots, the stilted dialogue, the highly stylized framing and shading, and so on.

How the reader feels about Scioli's work depends largely, as one might suspect, on how the reader feels about Jack Kirby. But as I enjoy both tremendously I found this series to be a lot of fun throughout. Even a generous reader, however, might wonder at Scioli's intent with this work, and at what point the abyss stares back.

Project: Valkyrie

2007-10-20T11:17:00.000-07:00

In the 40s, a band of super-scientests and adventurers called "The Electric Club" cook up a sword-wielding martial-arts robot to defeat the Third Reich. Half a century or so later, a descendant from the dwindling end of the Electric Club's gene pool resurrects the robot, just in time to defeat a resurging Nazi menace. Funky, funny, gory hijinks ensue.

A high-energy, engaging, creative script really rockets Project: Valkyrie into the stratosphere, helping the feature overcome the usual microbudget setbacks in talent and production value. Also of note is the breakout job by actor (and writer) Jeff Foland, who has the lumpy charisma of a Jim Belushi and the deadpan wit of a Bill Murray, as the new owner of the powerful robot. The scene where Foland idly tries to teach the Valkyrie robot a childhood playground game is especially memorable in a very likeable performance.

Also helping the proceedings is a raw indi-rock score with a number of surprising cover songs that percolate through the often-audacious events.

The only real quibble I have with Project: Valkyrie is that it is just a little too rough around the edges. There is some voice dubbing and other audio problems, a number of abrupt music cues, and a few oddly-shot scenes. The feature has the energy of an "underground" style film, but I couldn't decide whether the mistakes were inexperience, carelessness, or an attempt at some kind of rawboned street cred. At any rate, another post-production polish would really straighten out a few kinks.

I found Project: Valkyrie to be a dynamic, enjoyable feature, embracing some retro filmmaking ideas with a contemporary vibe of its own. I would like to see how Jeff Waltrowski and Steve Foland channel their creative energies next.

This review first appeared at Microcinema Scene.

Shockheaded

2007-10-19T23:10:00.000-07:00

Unsettling horror outing features a man driven to try and find the former occupant of his hotel room by several parties, including two noir-looking maybe-cops and a pale, unnamed man with a hidden agenda.

His only lead is her appearances on a pirate TV station showcasing disturbing sexual images. Soon our reluctant protagonist is involved with a trio of leather-clad, weapon-toting, odd-mannered characters who draw him into their web of depravity and sadism. An explosive, sword-wielding and whip-cracking martial-arts finale in a graveyard caps a real stomach-dropping roller coaster ride, and a cryptic ending will leave viewers dwelling on the closing moments for some time to come.

Shockheaded is a heady mix, lifting heavily from 70s Martin Scorsese and Shaw Brothers, as well as 90s David Lynch, then stirring in odd 80s production values and coating it all with a sheen of 21st-Century ironic detachment. There are a handful of pointed homages in the feature (or a less generous reviewer might call them rip-offs), but Thornett is able to put his own skewed spin on the proceedings.

Shockheaded did seem overly mannered at times, sometimes straining for weirdness, but some grounded performances—especially from Debbie Rochon as the woman whose abrupt descent into the underworld is chillingly depicted—help somewhat. I also liked Thornett’s edgy turn in front of the camera as a tic-fueled, motor-mouthed villain with a penchant for sharp objects.

Eric Thornett’s Shockheaded is an unnerving shocker with some at-times unpalatable plot developments, but is mesmerizing in its execution for discerning viewers.

This review first appeared, in a slightly different form, at Microcinema Scene.

Big Bang Comics Presents

2007-10-13T13:54:00.000-07:00

I have followed Big Bang Comics in its many incarnations over the years, as it has moved from Calibre Comics to Image to finally self-publishing under the title Big Bang Comics Presents.

The Big Bang universe springs from the fertile mind of Gary Carlson, who has created a vast and complex comic book universe--encompassing both a "Golden" and "Silver" age--with characters like Knight Watchman, Ultiman, Atomic Sub, and one of my favorites, Mr. U.S..

Big Bang Comics strikes just the right cord; it can be witty and self-referential without falling into parody, and though the characters and situations often echo other more familiar comics this book remains reverent rather than cynical. Carlson has been accompanied by a bevy of pitch-perfect artists over the years who have been able to find the right footing in the various comic book eras depicted.

This includes a mind-boggling "History of Comics" presented from the Big Bang perspective, as Carlson does riffs on every comic genre as well as television and movies (personal favorite: the 70s Ultiman movie with Nick Nolte). This is an admirable bit of writing (accompanied by clever art) which pays homage to days gone by, rather than trying to tear it down.

Another memorable run, during the Image years, featured Erik Larsen's Savage Dragon facing off with the Round Table of America in a time-spanning, mind-bending adventure called "The Criss-Cross Crisis."

And check out Knight Watchman #4 for this author's first published letter to a comic book; a witty and incisive missive, to be sure.

I am glad to see Gary Carlson back at it with this latest incarnation. This comic series really needs to be on more fan's radar.

Lunchbreak Comics

2007-10-07T18:21:00.000-07:00

I first tumbled to Pat Lewis when a friend gave me Thankless Job, a hilarious, spot-on look at a cubicle drone who finds himself working for a super-villain despot. Lewis displays a sharp wit and an energetic cartooning style to couple with his unique storytelling abilities.

Lewis has carried his skill over to other pointedly funny works, including the crackling monster comic Abominable and One Horse Town, an amiable outing where a horse becomes a sheriff.

I enjoy the justaposition of Lewis' jumbled creative mind with the clean lines of his drawing; a one-two punch that should help elevate Lewis to the next level.

I got to meet Pat Lewis at the Small Press and Comics Expo in Columbus, Ohio this year and continue to seek out his work. To see more from Pat Lewis, including some great superhero sketches that I just loved, go to his website here.

Papercutter

2007-10-06T10:33:00.000-07:00

Papercutter is a comic book anthology featuring alternative comics artists often telling unique, challenging stories.

Tugboat Press likes to bill its anthology as focusing on "young, underexposed, and emerging" talent, though some of them, like John Porcellino of King Cat fame, may not necessarily be all three. However, many are, and are worth a look.

Certainly there is a lot of good work on display here in a lot of different genres, some edgy, some moving, some funny, some bitter. The art is sound throughout, in a number of styles. Tugboat Press has also done a nice job on printing this anthology, their flagship title.

The best part of an anthology like this is that it makes you seek out new people--like Sarah Oleksyk--whose slice of life story featured in Papercutter #4 was one of my favorites to date.

Find out more about Tugboat Press and their offerings at their site.

Oranges: Revenge of the Eggplant

2007-10-02T22:30:00.000-07:00

After leading a daring raid into Bananastan, the aged Dr. Sunkyst decides to retire from adventuring and take up the professorial life at Orange U. Unfortunately, a diabolical foe is sprung from prison, intent on exacting a terrible revenge. Sunkyst teams up with a female student with a dark secret, a dumb frat dude with a good heart, and a disgruntled “Apple-American” to do battle.

Oranges: Revenge of the Eggplant is an ambitious, audacious comedy feature, with intricately detailed sets, inventive props and effects, and main characters all played by members of the food pyramid. Director Mike Stoklasa and company put an incredible amount of work into this project, especially in two amazing set pieces that bookend the project; the Army invasion of “Bananastan,” and the Eggplant’s revenge plot that spools out from the college’s Science Fair to the center of the football stadium during the big game. A mind-boggling amount of work had to go into every inch of tape shot for this project, and that alone makes it worthwhile.

But thankfully Stoklasa also has a pretty solid script, chockablock with humor, with quirky witticisms and clunky groaners coming in equal doses at a rapid-fire pace throughout. Although the feature sags a bit in the middle with some exposition-heavy side treks, the rousing open and close make up for lost time. Surprisingly, I came to care about the characters as well, an achievement considering that all of them came from the bottom shelf of the fridge. Overall, it is involving enough that, from time to time, you forget all of the work that had to have gone into every single second.

I really admired Oranges: Revenge of the Eggplant, not only for the uniquely askance vision brought to the execution of this one-of-a-kind project, but that the creators were also able to infuse the feature with a surprising amount of heart and soul.

This review first appeared at Microcinema Scene.

Indulgence

2007-10-01T19:17:00.000-07:00

Melf, a down-on-his-luck schlub (Garret Gilchrist), has been a straight arrow all his life, despite the fact that his dad runs a successful porn site. But when he meets a pretty, free-thinking nurse (Lauren Burke), he decides to dramatically change his life by undertaking an odyssey of drink, drugs, and debauchery.

Jay Bauman’s Indulgence is a loopy absurdist comedy with an engaging cast and winning performances, following Melf on his long crazy night as he brushes up against a variety of unusual characters and takes some dark twists and turns. Indulgence surprises, though, with an upbeat ending where Melf realizes you have to be yourself, and be true to your dreams. Also, not eat paint.

Bauman shows a sure hand with production elements and keeps the humor fast and loose throughout. I liked Bauman’s sardonic script, which has its own unique voice—to say the least. Mileage may vary on Bauman’s sense of humor, though, which can veer from borderline saccharine to borderline tasteless in an eyeblink. Nice shooting, editing, and music help throughout.

Breezy, but veined with dark comedy, Jay Bauman’s Indulgence is a funny feature with good performances. You can check out Bauman's other worthwhile work at http://www.blancscreencinema.com/.

This review first appeared, in slightly different form, at Microcinema Scene.

King Cat Comics

2007-09-02T17:55:00.000-07:00

John Porcellino is one of the great success stories of minicomics, having steadily self-published his landmark King Cat Comics since the late 80s. Longetivity alone is notable in the constantly churning sea of one-offs in the zine and minicomics world, but Porcellino earns his stripes with a steadily maturing vision and a clean-lined art style.

Several collections of Porcellino's work have come out from various publishers, including Perfect Summer and Diary of a Mosquito Abatement Man, but the core of Porcellino's work remains his little photocopied comic. I like his honest stories of his struggles, his wry observations, and the peaceful little moments in the world that he has sought out.

I am somewhat late to Porcellino's work, and I understand that his earlier minicomic work reflects a different, youth-driven style; but where he is at in his life is comparable to where I am in mine, so I find King Cat quite rewarding.

Readers can find out more about John Porcellino and his work at his website.

NOLA Zines

2007-08-29T20:02:00.000-07:00

On this, the second anniversary of the Hurricane Katrina disaster that devastated New Orleans, I thought I would post a bit about the ongoing NOLA zine scene.

Because of my interest in Stories Care Forgot (reviewed last month) I have actively sought out more zines from this vibrant scene. Recent issues of many of them either include memories of the old New Orleans that may never be again or talk about all the funny and scary,
life-threatening and life-affirming events that have happened in the Big Easy since the near-apocalyptic storm.

I would recommend seeking out Hope Amico's Keep Loving, Keep Fighting #6 for some really interesting ground-level writing about Katrina and its aftermath. Both Shelley Jackson's Chainbreaker and John Gerken's I Hate This Part of Texas are good reads and the authors have written at length about life both pre- and post-Katrina in recent issues.

Gerken and Amico have also recently put out a split zine with issue #7 of both of their respective zines in a dual format. Keep Loving, Keep Fighting #7/I Hate This Part of Texas #7 is a great entry point for both of these zinester's work.

I am glad to know that this zine scene remains afloat, so to speak, with strong work from diverse voices.

Eddie Presley

2007-08-24T22:40:00.000-07:00

Eddie is a troubled, but charismatic, man with the consuming drive to become a premiere Elvis impersonator. Eddie is living in a van, stuck in a mind-numbing job, and at odds with his waitress girlfriend, when a chance to return to the stage presents itself. What happens in the days leading up to this comeback performance (of sorts) at a local dive club is at the crux of Eddie Presley, a poignant, sharply-etched character study from director Jeff Burr.

Duane Whitaker (who adapted the screenplay from his stage version) is the heart and soul of Eddie Presley, with a shaded, sophisticated, finely-tuned performance. Whitaker’s Eddie is a man who has become estranged from his family and disenfranchised from a large portion of society, but still hangs on to his fragile hopes and dreams while dwelling at the fringes of the entertainment industry. His strong supporting cast is an eclectic group of familiar faces (including Joe Estevez, Roscoe Lee Brown, Ted Raimi, Clu Galager, and more) as well as star-turn cameos (Quentin Tarantino, Bruce Campbell). The film really sports good performances at every level.

Generally I don’t like features about Hollywood and L.A., because making movies about the entertainment industry seems so insular, and of primary interest to those who live in that world; but Eddie Presley manages to transcend those issues by creating fully-realized characterizations and embracing larger themes of loneliness and alienation. Realistic human interaction, compelling dialogue, and resonant characters really carry the feature.

Tempe Video has put out a worthy two-DVD Special Edition, brimming with many extras and interesting tidbits, including an extended cut, scenes from the original stage play, behind the scenes footage, outtakes, and more.

Eddie Presley is sometimes darkly comic, but more often heart-wrenching, with a memorable performance by Duane Whitaker and clear-eyed direction from frequent genre director Jeff Burr.

This review first appeared at Microcinema Scene.

24 Hour Comics Day Highlights (2005 ed.)

2007-08-22T22:35:00.000-07:00

24 Hour Comics Day is one of those "nerd extreme sports," like a marathon D&D session or camping for Star Wars tickets. Leaving few stones in this arena unturned, I have tried my hand at 24 Hour Comics twice, finishing both times. Though I have never made the annual anthologies, a lot of interesting people have.

24 Hour Comics are the brainchild of Scott McCloud, a cartoonist who has used books like the highly-regarded Understanding Comics to expand the boundaries of the traditional comic book and comic strip forms. But it took Nat Gertler (whose comic book The Factor I wrote about earlier) to formulate the idea into an event and a subsequent anthology.

The anthologies are a real mixed bag, with some done by professional artists on a lark all the way to people doing stick figures on lined paper. Depending on the readers' interests, mileage may vary. For my tastes, I think there are a bit too many pages spent on showing the wide variety of projects that were done rather than focusing on the best work. That being said, even the projects shown for novelty's sake have a certain charm, and some of the work are real knockouts. There are also short articles and some photos showing what was going on at venues around the world, a fun sideline that adds value.

I have enjoyed the 24 Hour Comics Day Highlights anthologies and hope to continue sharing in the adventure.

Addicted to Murder

2007-08-19T13:23:00.000-07:00

A troubled youth's only friend is a sexy vampire, who bails him out of some tight spots as a kid; but expects him to pay her back when he's a teenager, as a boyfriend--of sorts, if by boyfriend you mean a guy who attacks you with a chainsaw. When they finally break it off, he hooks up with another vampire who brings fresh meaning to the term "co-dependent relationship."

Kevin Lindenmuth's Addicted to Murder is a grim, ambitious microcinema outing that is generally credited--along with Mark and John Polonia's Feeders--as one of the first SOV features to crack the modern-day direct-to-video market. And several years down the road, it still holds up well, with creative production design, nuanced acting, and an emotionally complex script.

I think what sets the better microcinema features (such as Hall of Mirrors and Shatter Dead) apart from the vast quantities of chaff is that the director's vision is not limited by their often threadbare surroundings. And Lindenmuth's movie has vision in spades, in a story that ranges from a small town in Michigan to the bright lights of New York City, with stops in between, and spans over a decade in time. A big, talented cast, and lots of locations shooting outside of the typical backyard, give this feature an impressive scope.

A double-barreled pair of knockout performances from vampire girlfriends Laura McLauchlin and Sasha Graham really carry the day, especially when Mick McCleery, playing the emotionally crippled lead, gets a little sluggish. But this is really the ladies' show from start to finish. Several other women in the feature, including Bernadette Pauley and Candice Meade, also add some spark to the proceedings.

Kevin Lindenmuth's Addicted to Murder sets a benchmark for microcinema that, unfortunately, is rarely met or surpassed years later.

This review first appeared, in a slightly different form, at Microcinema Scene.

Head Hunter

2007-08-18T13:15:00.000-07:00

Come and show me another city with lifted head singing so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning.--Carl Sandburg, Chicago

TJ (Derek Hoffman) is a slacker pothead stuck in a dead-end, blue-collar, third-shift job as a warehouse night watchman. Of course, as is often painfully seen in real life, he has an upwardly mobile, good-looking, could-be-doing-better girlfriend (Maria Stevens), who has a power meeting with the mayor in the morning but still drives through a snowstorm in her underwear to give her man some office lovin’. Unfortunately, a brutal serial killer known as the Head Hunter also happens to bust out of the slammer on the same fateful night. How these two plotlines intersect make for an alternating fun and suspenseful ride, and makes Head Hunter one of my favorite microcinema offerings.

At the outset, Head Hunter has a great sense of place, not only in the creepy warehouse that is the main set piece for the feature; but in its feel for Chicago, from the snow-choked streets to the "City of the Big Shoulders" supporting cast. Especially potent in a co-starring role is Wesley Walker as a lantern-jawed, seemingly thick-skulled Windy City cop.

Overall the talent is solid, especially the beleaguered TJ, who wants to spend another night getting high and shooting hoops at a makeshift basket, but instead is chucked headlong into a series of mind-bending, teeth-rattling shocks. The script deftly weaves the clever plot with realistic dialogue and characterizations, from the guy-talk sports banter to the ham-handed office politics of the marginalized, going-nowhere denizens of the night-side working world.

Solid production values showcase the professionalism on the other side of the lens, with good shooting, crisp editing, and smooth post elements finishing out the package.

I would place Head Hunter in the upper tier of microcinema offerings, along with the likes of Red Cockroaches, Hall of Mirrors and Hardcore Poisoned Eyes, as features that break out of their poverty-row restrictions with solid writing and talent, making themselves accessible to a wider audience.

This review first appeared, in a slightly different form, at Microcinema Scene.

American Indian Graffiti

2007-08-04T22:20:00.000-07:00

A recovering alcoholic, his estranged daughter, her best friend, and her best friend’s sometimes-boyfriend make up the knotty center of American Indian Graffiti, Steven Judd and Tvli Jacob’s emotionally powerful and deftly-woven tale of friendship, family, and loss.

Terri Poahway and Randi LaClair play best friends who seem to gravitate to each other because tragedy has shaped their lives; one girl’s mother had died abruptly at her birth, whereas the other girl’s mother and brother died as the result of her father’s drunk driving. He remains a haunted presence in the community, teetering on the edge of ending his life himself. Richard Ray Whitman is riveting throughout, giving a harrowing performance as the father. And circling at the perimeter is Judd, a blocked artist with a messy personal life.

What happens to these characters represents, to me, the most powerful storytelling in microcinema to date (and puts a fair amount of mainstream Hollywood fare to shame as well). Realistic, emotionally raw, fully-realized characters and situations are the lynchpin of the piece.

Unfortunately the down side of American Indian Graffiti is some equally raw production values. The camerawork is serviceable, but the lighting is adequate at best, and the sound mix is very rough and uneven. A light kit and some better sound recording would have helped the feature tremendously.

And that is a real shame, as American Indian Graffiti grabbed my heart with its storytelling, and I had tears in my eyes at its close. It almost, but not quite, made me forget the technical inadequacies that hamper the project throughout. If directors Judd and Jacob can marshal the technical resources, then the sky is the limit for these admirable filmmakers.

This review first appeared at Microcinema Scene.

Nothing So Strange

2007-08-03T22:02:00.000-07:00

In the alternate history provided in director Brian Flemming’s Nothing So Strange, Bill Gates appears to get gunned down by Alex Hidell, a sniper on a hotel roof, who is then in turn shot by L.A. police. Was it the first volley in a class/race war? A police cover-up? A far-reaching conspiracy? This mock documentary follows an eclectic group known as “Citizens for Truth,” who try to hold their disparate band together long enough to find out what really happened.

Nothing So Strange plays like a Discovery Channel/History Channel/PBS-flavored documentary, but instead of examining the broader issues (which should include, in this tech-nerd’s view, what OS the world would be on without Bill Gates) focuses more on the interpersonal relationships in the group, particularly between a highly-organized earth-mother type (Laurie Pike) and a charismatic but volatile unemployed man (David James). This is where Flemming’s quasi-doc draws blood, as the group splinters and fractures, crippled by petty politics and internal strife. Spot-on characters and situations really bring this story to life, with nuanced performances all around.

Even more interesting in Nothing So Strange is how Flemming put the project together; starting with having the “script” being a lengthy Warren Commission-styled document that the actors used to improv from, on to gate-crashing L.A. police hearings and the Democratic National Convention to guerilla-shoot there—what Flemming calls “reality hacking.” Flemming takes the Haskell Wexler idea one step beyond, capturing some compelling footage. Realistic hand-held field shooting, documentary-type graphics, and an in-character DVD commentary track make the feature a complete package.

My only real criticism of Nothing So Strange is that after a lengthy buildup the feature spirals to a rather abrupt conclusion; surprising, considering the amount of improv footage Flemming reportedly shot, and the number of directions this mock documentary could have spun out towards. I left wanting to know more about the assassination, but even more so the fates of the various characters.

Why I think Nothing So Strange is such a great example of microcinema is not just because of the feature itself, but because of the completely developed cross-media platform Flemming created; this includes a handful of mock web sites about the assassination of Bill Gates and a “virtual 2nd DVD” on-line featuring additional commentary, footage, and the like, fueled by BitPass “micropayment” technology. Flemming also embraces the “Open Source” footage idea, making some of the raw shots from Nothing So Strange available for anyone to use in their own projects.

To me, this makes Brian Flemming one the first directors I’ve come across to completely embrace and explore the microcinema ideal, and push its boundaries the farthest to date.
But regardless of all the additional trappings, Nothing So Strange is a unique idea and a compelling narrative, refreshingly done.

This review first appeared, in a slightly different form, at Microcinema Scene.

Ms. Films DIY Guide to Film and Video (3rd Edition)

2007-07-28T21:14:00.000-07:00

This reader-friendly, newbie-focused potluck of how-to articles, essays, production journals, and more aims to generate interest in women becoming more involved with the filmmaking process, but really is accessible to anyone with an interest.

The articles are eclectic to say the least, including everything from a tutorial on how to make a "camera-less film" by scratching directly on film stock to how to make a zoetrope to how to create your own DIY drive-in. A glossary of terms, a bibliography and filmography, and a list of other resources fall into the more meat and potatoes camp and are worthwhile.

There is a little bit of something for everyone within, and although a few of the pieces I skimmed others I found myself revisiting again. Overall the guide is attractively packaged and very readable.

Ms. Films is a not-for-profit whose interest exceed the boundaries of this guide, and more about them can be learned at http://www.msfilms.org/.

Stories Care Forgot: An Anthology of New Orleans Zines

2007-07-23T21:54:00.000-07:00

Stories Care Forgot: An Anthology of New Orleans Zines is an excellent, re-readable anthology of largely post-Katrina writings from an eclectic band of NOLA zinesters, edited by Ethan Clark. The anthology is admirable because of its goal to split proceeds amongst grassroots groups in the area, and also in preserving some of what appears to have been a thriving zine scene that was destroyed in the disaster.

But aside from that, the anthology is just a really good read. There is a mix of stories and artwork pre-and post-Katrina, both serious and humorous, featuring diverse writing styles. What was great was that it launched me into looking for some of the writers' individual work, leading me to zines like Chihuahua and Pitbull, Chainbreaker, and I Hate This Part of Texas.

I have visited New Orleans and enjoyed the city, and think this anthology captures its special vibe. Although some readers might find that the anthology skews heavily towards bicycle culture, I was interested enough in the topic to keep reading.

What is especially notable about Stories Care Forgot is that it is the kind of collection, along with Stolen Sharpie Revolution and a few others, you could give to someone who hasn't read a lot of zines and they would still find a lot of good reading to enjoy.