WEDNESDAY
Once again I went to bed too late and got up early. Coffee is an incredible thing. The Fulton family with whom we are staying are also incredible. I woke up to the coffee already made and cinnamon rolls and eggs to boot. Super groovy.
Class was pretty good, but a bit slow. We went through a good amount of the movies that have screened so far and people who had seen each one got up and said some words about them. I liked hearing what everyone had to say, but it dragged on for a really long time. I think we're watching some short films tomorrow in class. That'll be rad.
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MOVIE REVIEW #5 - Martha Marcy May Marlene
Well, this movie was intense. The main actress is Elizabeth Olsen who is the younger sister to the Olsen twins. She is an absolutely phenomenal actress. In this movie she escapes from an abusive cult and moves in with her sister and her sister's husband. The movie is a look at the condition of a person after they have been through lots of traumatic experiences and even been brainwashed to some extent. It's a hard movie to watch. There are so many painful and uncomfortable parts, but they brought forward the reality of this girl's pain. I thought the acting in the movie was amazing and that almost every shot looked beautiful, but I don't know if I would ever feel inclined to watch it again. It's a tough piece of drama, but it was very well executed and made me think quite a bit. I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about the ending.
My rating for Martha Marcy May Marlene - 3/5
MOVIE REVIEW #6 - Little Birds
To start off, I will say that Juno Temple is a babe. She also proved that she could be a great actress and not just a piece of eye candy in a terrible big-budget comedy. That said, it still wasn't a great movie. Most of the movie was just one bad choice after another that climaxed with an incredibly dramatic scene that finally knocked some sense in to the protagonist.
I really did appreciate the cinematography, acting, and soundtrack. The story just wasn't compelling enough for me.
My rating for Little Birds - 2.5/5
MOVIE REVIEW #7 - Higher Ground
This is Vera Farmiga's (Up In The Air, Spiderman 2) directing debut, and holy shit, it is an absolute gem. The first 20 to 30 minutes of the movie make it seem like it could just be poking fun at the hippie Christianity movement of the 70s, but the depth of the religious struggle of the protagonist Corinne makes this movie completely real. There is almost nothing this movie doesn't touch on in regard to Christianity. Corinne goes through every phase: religiously brainwashed child, rebellious teen, hippie charismatic Christian, oppressed religious wife, and a doubting but hopeful individual who wants something more than a church and Bible; she's looking for deep feeling and spirituality. I haven't mentioned this yet, but Vera Faminga not only directed the movie, she played the main character of Corinne. That is absolutely huge. The role she plays is so moving and emotional, I can't imagine trying to direct on top of giving a performance like that. I could honestly see her up for an Oscar next year for best actress in a leading role.
This is the best overtly evangelical film I have ever seen. It makes Christianity look dumb at times, and it also portrays the great love of Christ. A perfect balance. Vera Faminga, you are a wonderful filmmaker and I hope you find what you're looking for.
My review of Higher Ground - 4.8/5
SHORT FILM REVIEW #1 - Protoparticles (Protoparticulas)
I really enjoyed this little short. It was quirky but also kinda thought provoking. And I'm always a sucker for a dude in a space suit. It's just so cool lookin'. It's quite possible no one will ever see this movie except for the few hundred at Sundance, but I hope for the filmmaker's sake that someone sees the unique idea and helps him to develop more. My rating for Protoparticles - 4/5
MOVIE REVIEW #8 - All Your Dead Ones (Todos tus muertos)
This is a Colombian movie about a farmer who goes out to do his normal work and finds a pile of about 50 bodies in his cornfield. The premise of this film was genius and some of the shots were stunning and haunting, but the movie itself just wasn't good. It was really slow, and they had all the tools to make one of the best thrillers of the year and ended up making a political commentary instead. It's just an unmoving story, but man, a couple of the shots in that movie were super rad. Too bad they didn't use this concept in a better way.My rating for All Your Dead Ones - 2/5
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Celebrity spottings of the day:
- Juno Tower at the Little Birds Q&A
- Vera Farmiga at the Higher Ground Q&A
I went to All Your Dead One at midnight. was that a bad idea? probably. do I regret it? no way. I'm running on very little sleep, but I'm having a blast.
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