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Reviews
The Hardest Part (2010)
Excellent, excellent film
Oliver Refson might not be a known entity yet. But take note of his name because he will be soon. If the comedy short "The Hardest Part" is an example of what this young director is capable of then it will be exciting to see what he has up his sleeve next. "The Hardest Part" is a brilliant and touching story about an aging actor who thinks his chance to be part of the new wave of cinema has finally arrived in the form of a new Euro-trash action flick (I will not name any English films by name but let's just say it's pretty obvious what and who Refson is spoofing). Famed for his role as the quiet "Victor the butler" on an English TV program many years earlier, the main character seeks to regain some dignity and notoriety for something other than his famed role and prepares enthusiastically for his upcoming audition for the title role of the mob boss. Things, of course, are not what they seem and Victor soon finds himself in an awkward and undignified situation yet again. It's a beautifully told story with a heart and soul. If you can find this film anywhere, it's worth seeing.
Teleglobal Dreamin' (2009)
A filmmaker with real promise!
This film should be a feature. If I knew how to get financing for it, I would help this guy make it into one. It is a superb film. I saw it at SXSW and was blown away to find out it was made by a guy fresh out of film school. The story revolves around a failed Hollywood actor who's either escaped or been reluctantly recruited to the Philippines to work as a telemarketing trainer (the underlying reason is never explained nor does it need to be). But his bravado about having been an "actor in Los Angeles" soon takes a wrong turn leading to a stunning conclusion. What begins as a humorous take on one American's abuse of his own power and the cultural misunderstanding that follows soon takes a serious turn. It would be hard to find a film out there now that tells the story of globalization in a tighter, more intelligent way than "Teleglobal Dreamin'". Watch out for Director Eric Flanagan. If he continues on this path, we can expect great things.
Mongol (2007)
Awesome Film!
This film is, quite simply, one of the best historical action films to come out in decades. A million times better than Braveheart which just got downright cheesy by the end and infinitely better than 300 which was just plain silly all around. "Mongol" has everything we go to the movies for, and more. And to those who think it's not historically accurate, well, is it really a surprise? Has there ever been a biographical film that wasn't challenged by all the same people? Can't remember the famous filmmaker who once said when it comes to the facts versus the legend, go with the legend. Nowhere is that idea used to such great effect than in "Mongol".
Be Kind Rewind (2008)
Gondry is brilliant! Be Kind could be better, though
This is a true film-lovers film! This is what happens when you take a really smart French filmmaker with Euro sensibilities and combine him with a tried-and-true American narrative. The result is "Be Kind Rewind" and, while it misses its mark occasionally, it sets the bar very high for a new crop of DIY filmmakers growing up in a You Tube world. Gondry is a fantastic filmmaker and should make everyone in the industry, who thinks they're creative, think again. "Be Kind Rewind" is a good example. The film follows two screw-ups (Mos Def and Jack Black) who accidentally erase all the VHS tapes in a video store. What happens next is absolutely brilliant even if its execution is sometimes a little tedious and uneven. Black and Def attempt to re-shoot some Hollywood blockbusters (like "Ghostbusters") in an attempt to keep the video store going before it's re-zoned and destroyed by city planners who'd prefer it become a more modern building. The films soon become a hit amongst the regulars and soon, customers are coming in asking for them to "Swede" (Jack Black's made-up term for the process of re-shooting -- because, as he explains, the tapes are made and imported from Sweden) every movie on the shelves. Gondry attempts to take silly humor up a notch by adding a little social critique and postmodernism (there, I said it) while also paying tribute to the can-do spirit that has distinguished so many independent filmmakers in the past 10 years. The process of sweding soon reaches the ears of the Hollywood studios and they send one of their big-time lawyers (Sigourney Weaver) to come and destroy all the tapes -- a not-so-subtle message about Hollywood's destruction of creativity (a steamroller eventually rolls over all the tapes). But the message falls a little flat and, while well-intentioned, will probably go in the "who cares" section of most movie-goers' brains. The film's best when it celebrates rather than preaches and when it sticks to humor rather than politics. Still, well worth it for anyone who loves films!