Surf Siberian review

this is the first time anything of mine has been reviewed. i'm pretty excited about it. check out the kind words Ian of Cactus-Mouth had to say about it.

very well put

"One of the corollaries of all this is that by the very act of being born into a human body, it is inevitable that we undergo a kind of amnesia– an amnesia that typically embraces not only our nine months in the womb, our baby years, and almost one-third of each day (sleeping), but more important any memory of our origin or our destiny. We wander on Earth as an amnesia victim. To seek after Faith, therefore, is to seek to climb back out of that amnesia. Religion or Faith is the hard reclaiming of knowledge we once knew as certainty." - Richard N. Bolles, What Color is Your Parachute?

Sundance - Final Thoughts

Sundance 2011 was awesome. I absolutely loved it. The films, the team, our hosts... everything just went beautifully. I wish I could stay in Utah.

I am sitting in the airport and considering how blessed I am to be able to have had this experience. I realize that it is quite possible that this is the only time I will ever get to have this opportunity and I am unspeakably thankful for it. This is possibly the highlight of my college experience. Well, this and my semester in L.A.

Here are some final pictures:

this is possibly the greatest vending machine I've ever seen.

Sundance Day 6 - Bittersweet Ends

SATURDAY

This was the earliest wake-up day. I seriously felt like I was just floating in a fake world for the first few hours I was up. But, here's a sweet-ass picture of the sunrise.

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MOVIE REVIEW #15 - Kinyarwanda

Kinyarwanda is a Crash-esque narrative about the Rwandan genocide. This is by far the best movie I've seen about Rwanda and one of the best of the festival. There's not really too much to say about it other than the fact that it's phenomenal and I honestly hope that everyone can hear this story. This movie needs to be seen.

My rating for Kinyarwanda - 5/5

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After Kinyarwanda I met up with some friends of the family for lunch. It was a good time. I also just had some time to walk around, listen to street performers, and read a bit.

I also snagged another pic of that Banksy piece just for variety's sake.

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MOVIE REVIEW #16 - Magic Trip

I thought this was just going to be a documentary about LSD, but it actual turned out to be a movie about Ken Kesey and his life during 1964 (which does involve copious amounts of LSD). I found Ken Kesey to be an extremely interesting person, but this documentary lacked focus. It was just far too broad. If they would have just focused on who Ken was more I would have loved it.

My rating for Magic Trip - 3/5

SHORT FILM REVIEW #3 - God Of Love

This film was just nominated for an academy award for Short Film (Live Action), and there's good reason for that. This is the most cleverly written and executed short film I have ever seen. It actually didn't screen at Sundance, it was a winner at the Angelus Film Festival and we watched it at the Windrider forum. We were fortunate enough to have the director there to talk to us about the film and answer questions. Super rad dude. I hope that I get to see him walking across the stage of the Kodak to receive an Oscar in a month.

My rating for God Of Love - 5/5

MOVIE REVIEW #17 - Like Crazy
I had really been wanting to see this movie, so I was stoked when it won the dramatic grand prize just so I actually had the chance to see it. First off, I love Anton Yelchin. Charlie Bartlett, Alpha Dog, Star Trek.... I just think he's super solid. Like Crazy is without a doubt his best performance to date. I think I can safely say that for both he and Felicity Jones this is the best movie of their careers so far. I loved this movie. Sure the main characters were immature and made some terrible choices, but the sheer humanity and relate-ability of their situation really hit home for me.

As far as the story goes, I'm a bit unsure that is deserved to win the Dramatic Grand Prize, but when I look at the performances by Yelchin and Jones there is simply no way this couldn't have won. So solid. What a great way to end the festival.

My rating for Like Crazy - 4.8/5

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I took this picture of Drake Doremus (director - Like Crazy, Douchebag) at the Q&A. He's in pink.
Since the movie I've just done some snackin' and hot tub chillin'. perfect.

Sundance Day 5 - Free time? Yes please.

FRIDAY

I was supposed to go to 3 movies today, but I really didn't care to see 2 of them. I gave those tickets away and then waitlisted the movie The Lie. I'm pretty happy with that decision, it gave me some much needed free time to just take it easy. The past two days of only seeing like one hour of sunlight all day kinda wore me out.

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MOVIE REVIEW #13 - Being Elmo

Most definitely the best documentary I've seen at Sundance and one of the best I've ever seen in my life. I went in to this kinda thinking about how much I hate those goddamn tickle me Elmo toys and how this might be kind of annoying, but I had also heard a lot of good things about the film. The doc got me hooked right away and was amazingly interesting throughout. Kevin Clash's story is so inspiring and your heart grows just watching him on screen.

If this movie doesn't win either the Audience Choice or the Official Selection then there is something seriously wrong with this world. I laughed my ass off, I almost cried, and I was completely immersed in the story the entire time. Perfect pacing.

My rating for Being Elmo - 5/5

SHORT FILM REVIEW #2 - Excuse Me

This was so vulgar, but absolutely hilarious. This short showed me that you could spend a few hundred dollars and shoot the whole short in one room. The writing was really great even if the subject matter was crass. Clever concept and well executed.

My rating for Excuse Me - 4/5

MOVIE REVIEW #14 - The Lie

This was a really fun movie. There was a lot of comedy, but it also dealt with very human issues. What do you do when you're buried up to your neck in a lie? It was pretty innocent at first, but then it just grows until it's almost impossible to admit what you did in the first place. This film captured that so well and helped you connect with the characters.

This movie probably would have gotten a lower rating from me, but the Q&A with Director/Lead Actor Joshua Leonard (Higher Ground, Blair Witch Project) really helped me process the film and understand some of the decisions made by the characters.

My rating for The Lie - 4/5

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Today was a good day. Since I only had 2 movies, I got a lot of time to relax and hang out with Jake. I also ate 3 full meals. That's a first for the week. Another thing that ruled was the fact that both the movies put me in a good mood. Feel-good movies are hard to come by at Sundance.

Sundance Day 4 - Tired+Subtitles=Exhaustion

THURSDAY

Woke up to another beautiful day in Park City. We couldn't have asked for better weather this week. Someone should buy me a house here.

Today was a day of 4 movies back to back to back to back. Almost no gap in between.... and all of them were subtitled. I usually have no problem with subtitles, but 4 feature-length movies in a row of subtitles is so draining. that's enough complaining. on to the reviews.

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MOVIE REVIEW #9 - The Redemption Of General Butt Naked

The title of this documentary is confusing. It's not comedic in any way. General Butt Naked (Joshua) was a war general during the Liberian civil war and was responsible for claiming the lives of over 20,000 Liberians. This doc was about how he came to find Christ and how he is now a pastor and an advocate for peace. It explores the question of whether it is possible for a person who was so incredibly evil could actually be changed, or whether he was using the name of God for his own selfish gains. He makes money as a pastor and some people are forgiving him, so is this real or does he just need something as an excuse to have some sort of life now that the war is over?

The movie is incredibly challenging. I personally think that he did find the love of Christ, but there are still many things in his life that need reconciling. I also don't think that anyone is beyond God's grace, and you see the grace that God has extended toward Joshua. As one person says in the film, "I don't think anyone is 100% good. I would say Joshua is about 75% good and 25% evil." That sounds ridiculous, but there is definitely some truth to that.

My rating for The Redemption Of General Butt Naked - 4.2/5

MOVIE REVIEW #10 - Position Among The Stars (Stand van de Sterren)

This was a documentary about globalization in Indonesia. Well... kinda. There were some good scenes and cool cinematography, but it totally lacked focus. I thought it was about globalization, then about a family trying to get a kid into college, then about the tension between a husband and wife in lower-middle class Indonesia. It was pretty interesting, but nothing I would suggest or ever watch again.

My rating for Position Among The Stars - 2/5

MOVIE REVIEW #11 - AbraxasI call this movie "Punk Rock Monk". It's a narrative about a monk who used to play noise punk, but has been removed from that style of music every since he joined the temple. There was definitely some pacing issues with this movie, but overall I really liked it. I'm fascinated by Buddhism and the final concert is definitely kick-ass. The movie was serious and slightly comical. I enjoyed it.

My rating for Abraxas - 3.5/5

MOVIE REVIEW #12 - The Bengali Detective

Bengali Detective is documentary about a private detective in India who has a deep commitment to his work and his family, but also likes to spend free time doing some therapeutic boy-band style dancing. The doc has some hilarious parts in it, but it also has deeply serious stuff too. There are times you're crying from laughing and wanting to cry for real.

This documentary is shot like no other doc I have ever seen. The cinematography is impecable and done with only a 3-person crew! holy shit. that's unbelievable. There were a couple pacing issues I had with the movie, but I think this an amazingly unique story and style. I enjoyed it a lot.

My rating for The Bengali Detective - 4/5

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What a ridiculous day. So much to process with no time to process it. Here's a crappy picture of me in front of one of those cool backdrop things.

and here's how I feel:

Sundance - tired

I'm definitely feeling the 5-6 hours of sleep a night and 4 movies a day. it adds up pretty fast. I saw another 4 movies today and I'm not really in a state of mind to write about all of them right now, so I am apologizing to anyone who happens to be keeping up on this that my reviews of todays films will be delayed.

Sundance Day 3 - Feeling high

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.

Sundance Day 2 - Bigfoot and Homework

TUESDAY

I think this is an accurate description of how the day started:

After our morning class where we watched a really great short called "Between The Shadows," we set off to Main Street to do a little sightseeing before our first film at 3pm. We ate lunch at Main St. Deli and then I went and got a picture of the iconic Egyptian Theater:

Still with nothing to do, a couple of other people and I walked all the way to the bottom of hill where I proceeded to take this picture:

I think that one is a really good representation of what Main Street Park City is like. One big hill with a lot of cool places.

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MOVIE REVIEW #3 - Homework

I read a review from Sundance that said this movie was kind of a bore after seeing "Like Crazy." Well y'know what? I didn't see Like Crazy, and I thought Homework kicked all sorts of ass. I'll admit that I'm a sucker for teen angst romantic comedies, and Homework was exactly that. Freddie Highmore did a great job playing a fatalistic high-schooler, and the rest of the movie kind of just fell in place around him. He was it. He was the reason I kept watching and the movie never lost its focus.

Homework was bought by Fox Searchlight. I really hope that it gets major distribution and shows up in a theater in Indiana so I can go see it again. Also, the soundtrack was phenomenal. Flaming Lips and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah are just a few I can remember off the top of my head.

My rating for Homework: 4.5/5

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After Homework was over I booked it out of the theater as fast I could to go see Guster play at the ASCAP Music Cafe. I got there just as they were starting the fourth song of their set and I got to see them play about 6 more. They played incredibly well and the venue was really intimate. I don't think I would have ever normally gotten the chance to see them in that small of a room. Probably the highlight of my day.

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MOVIE REVIEW #4 - Letters From The Big Man
This was definitely a WTF? movie. I seriously have no idea.... but then again I think I have too much of an idea. I thought that this was going to be a kinda crazy, kinda goofy, kinda dramatic movie about a lady who meets Sasquatch. Well, a lady does meet Sasquatch, but other than that I'm pretty sure that absolutely nothing else happens in this movie. It's just not very good. They have great locations and kick-ass Sasquatch costume, but other than that it's just boring and unmoving.

I commented above that I had too much of an idea what was going on; what I meant by that was that I feel that all the themes in the movie are just rattled off. People just outright say them. I kept waiting and waiting for the movie to take some kind of a turn and get really cool, but it just never happened. Definitely a disappointment, but at the same time I'm still glad I saw it because that Sasquatch was pretty cool lookin'.

My rating for Letters From The Big Man - 1.5/5

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After I got out of the bigfoot movie I found some Banksy art in an alley. I was giddy.

Sundance Day 1 - "What if there were two?"

MONDAY

I woke up this morning, took a shower, called my mom, and then went up to grab some breakfast. After eating a muffin, drinking some coffee, and updating my iCal with all the Sundance movies, the group left the house to head into Park City. I put up that picture of the house at night, but here's one from this morning:

We got to Park City and drove around for a bit so we could get a feel for the town. Not gunna lie, it's kinda confusing. Luckily there are people standing at pretty much every corner who can tell you where to go. We ended up at the Eccles theater for our first movie: Another Earth. here's us a picture of line.... or maybe it's more of a picture of the mountains.

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MOVIE REVIEW #! - Another Earth

The movie reviews I do on here are not going to be that in-depth. I don't really feel like I have the time to do in-depth reviews. anyway, with that said, Another Earth was possibly the best movie we could have started with. It was a unique and exciting story with great acting performances and possible one of the best endings I have ever seen in a movie. Seriously mind-blowing.

The tagline of the movie is, "What if there were two?" and the plot pretty much consists of the fact that there are two Earths and everything about them is the exact same. Each of us exists on this other Earth. We were born at the same time and have done all the same things. What would you do if you met you? It's a really strange thing to think about and could have gone horribly wrong, but director Mike Cahill handled it perfectly. He made the movie intriguing instead of hokey.

My rating for Another Earth: 4.5/5

MOVIE REVIEW #2 - Take Shelter

Phenomenal acting. All the characters are so believable even though the story itself wanes in and out of reality.

The movie is about a guy who starts to have these semi-apocolyptic dreams about storms. He starts to build a big storm-shelter in his back yard. He becomes obsessed with it. His obsessions cause him to lose almost everything. That's a pretty cut and dry description. The movie itself has tons of character depth and complex psychological issues.

Take Shelter was bought by Sony Picture Classics before the movie even showed at this world premier, so you might be seeing it in theaters in the next year or so.

My rating of Take Shelter: 4/5

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Celebrity spottings of the day:

- Anton Yelchin outside of the Eccles Theater.

- William Mapother answering Q&A after Another Earth

After the movies we went to the first session of the Windrider Forum. Windrider is a program that meets in a church here in Park City and hosts students from Fuller Seminary, Biola, Tayloru, BYU, and one other that I can't remember. They fed us and then we watched the short film The Butterfly Circus. Afterwards we had a Q&A with the director of said film and also heard from Heartland Film Festival founder Jeff Sparks. It was a good time. I'm looking forward to everything else that Windrider has going on for us this week.

I'm still having a hard time believing that I got to see two world premiers of movies today.