Three Imaginary Girls - movies

The Innkeepers

Imaginary Rich — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:00:46 +0000

{The Innkeepers opens at the Grand Illusion Cinema on Friday, February 3rd. It is also available through video on demand}

The Innkeepers is likely to be seen as a breath of fresh air by fans of scary ghost stories. Benefiting from a throwback vibe and deeper character construction than one has been trained to expect from a horror flick, it's a hard to turn away from package. I cared about what happened to the characters as the cranking suspense gave me a serious case of the creeps. It's a fun ride, even if the final wrap up was a bit under whelming. Though that probably says a lot more about how strong the first half was than anything else.

If the ending had fully delivered on my early-stage tension, I might not be in a condition to commit my thoughts to page. Director Ti West pulls strong performances out of his three main characters, Sara Paxton and Pat Healy as the innkeepers in question - and the hotel it takes place in. The Yankee Pedlar Inn plays itself, albeit I expect more evil, variation (sort of like NPH in the Harold and Kumar movies), with more brides who took their life on their wedding night and now haunt the space for eternity.

It's the closing weekend of the inn. Claire and Luke are manning the front desk at the near empty facility. He's always tapping away at his computer and suckering Claire into watching scary youtube clips with occasional breaks for them to discuss the night's ghost hunting plans. They're hoping to capture the resident poltergeist via some sort of audio or video record before their final shift is up. West uses their sort of half-assed search for proof of an afterlife to ratchet up the tension in old-school slow-burn fashion. As well as Claire's extreme ambivalence about everything to make you question what's "real" and what's an artifact of an imagination that's finally been engaged. The few guests in the mix are a not super happy mom, an aging TV star turned spiritualist, and a mystery guest that arrives around the beginning of the third act. Not surprisingly: you never, ever want to go down in the basement...

For a ghost movie it's pretty talky. With the two slacker innkeepers doing most of the conversing. The pair is what made the film work for me. Not necessarily because I liked them, but because I was interested in them as people. I think something somewhat unusual within the horror genre. The inn itself is a major contributor to the intense ambiance of the film. Judging from the pictures on the lodging's website and a casual conversation I had with some Innkeepers crew members on a SXSW shuttle last year the place really is that creepy. It's a perfect location for the story and West's camera work uses the facility to full advantage.

The ghost story itself isn't frightfully original. Though it certainly gave a wimp like me more than a few starts. While the climax didn't make me stand up and say "wow!", the setup was strong enough on its own to overcome the mild disappointment I felt based on first half expectations. For fans of the suspense horror persuasion (who don't mind a bit of humor in the mix) The Innkeepers is worth a trip to the theater. When you're heading out don't forget The Grand Illusion is thoughtfully providing an opportunity for a Ti West double feature with his earlier picture The House of the Devil in a late-night slot this weekend. In for a penny, in for a pound - you'll probably want to just see 'em both.

{The Innkeepers opens at the Grand Illusion Cinema on Friday, February 3rd. It is also available through video on demand}

Imaginary Watch This: Eagles are Turning People Into Horses! (what)

Imaginary Amie — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:25:59 +0000

I don't even know what to say about this short film, except I liked it -- and apparently so did Slamdance and SXSW. Maybe you will too?

"Hannah, hit the button on the seismic reactor, which is definitely a real thing"

Movie Crushes: My Top 5 Imaginary Boyfriends

Imaginary Amie — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:35:09 +0000

So here's the thing; my crush list is kind of EPIC. By that I mean, there are a lot of celebs that I find myself dreaming about, and my dreams aren't limited to just the actors, they extend to specific characters they've played on screen. I felt compelled to share them with y'all* just in case you need some ideas for silly romantic comedies with men that will make you swoon.

Dylan McDermott as Leo Fish in Home for the Holidays
It’s probably hard for everyone to erase the image of McDermott crying while masturbating in American Horror Story—but if anything can get it out of your mind, it’s his sweet, ruggedly handsome Leo Fish in one of my favorite holiday movies of all time. Leo pursues a sullen Holly Hunter with respect, romance, and just enough smoldering sexiness. There’s a bit in a coffee shop where he explains to the young clerk why he needs him to stay open long enough to buy this girl a cup of coffee that’s so endearing it’s insane, and when she rebuffs his romantic advances, I guarantee you’ll scream at her—as if she can hear you. I don’t want to ruin anything for those that haven’t seen it, but the ending. MYGODTHEENDING.

Cabin Fever + Rider Strong = a splatteriffic good time at the EMP {2/3}

Imaginary Amie — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:09:34 +0000

It's ALL HAPPENING!

To complement their Can't Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film exhibit, the EMP has put together a special event of splatterrific proportions - a screening of my favorite Eli Roth film, Cabin Fever, complete with a Q&A involving the lead, Rider Strong (I guess some of y'all worshipped the guy with teen idol fanaticism when he was on Boy Meets World - a show which I actually never watched, but I admit: he is kinda dreamy!) on Friday, February 3.

Anyway! Cabin Fever is full of awesome icky goodness involving a bunch of college friends who hole up in a woodsy cabin, run into a dying guy who's bleeding out of every orifice, and end up contracting a vicious flesh-eating disease. EWWWWWW. The amount of blood, guts, and gore is extremely impressive, and I heart the crap out of the humor in this thing. Tickets are only $10 ($7 for EMP members), and it probably goes without saying, but this R film is not for the kiddos!

Buy your tix now!!! The JBL Theater is an excellent venue for ~~drooling over~~ appreciating guest speakers up close and personal.

Cabin Fever Screening and Q&A with Rider Strong
EMP JBL Theater, 325 5th Ave N
Friday, February 3, doors @7:30pm, film @8pm
Tickets: $10 ($7 EMP Members)

Imaginary Linkage: Stuff We Spied Online This Week {1/21-1/27}

Imaginary Amie — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:39:22 +0000

We sure do love the internets! And we also love the millions and millions of things we see everyday while we're surfing around, trying to kill time or relieve stress, or just plain distract ourselves. Because we also love YOU, we wanted to share the following things that made us happy.

Social Media Madness: TIG jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon! It's fun (and time-consuming).

Awwwwww! We <3 this really sincere reaction to being nominated for an Academy Award.

Hipster heaven: create your own animated gifs with stenographs from the NYC Public Library.

Film nerd heaven: Watch short films from Sundance - for Free!

Seattle real estate porn: the revamped Sanctuary is back on sale (yet still too expensive for normal people) condo market. It sure is beautiful, though.

Seth Rogen speaks the truth at the Golden Globes. (hee!)

What'd you see on the 'net this week? Please share your imaginary awesomeness in the comments!

Imaginary Watch This: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On Two

Imaginary Amie — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:47:45 +0000

I can't really explain why I think Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is so damn funny, but it just is. In this second installment, I really love the "oh god, I can smell his face" part - and the explanation of where he sleeps when in a hotel. (part 1 here)

My Favorite Films of 2011 That Might As Well Be Imaginary

Imaginary Rich — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:11:43 +0000

Last year I did a post about my ten favorite films of the past year that sadly hadn't seen a theatrical release in Seattle (nor a DVD release to my knowledge). While some might view that as just mean, I got enough positive feedback that I'm reprising the effort.

What follows are pictures I saw during festival travels (including all the way to Seattle) that are some of my favorite watches of the year. If you just can't get enough of these lists you're welcome to review my overall top films for 2011, or my most memorable 2011 film related moments not related watching a film.

The latter of which I'm especially pleased with - if I do say so myself. The list below isn't in any particular order. And I reserve the right to declare new favorites on a whim. Feel free to read something into the placement if you like...

A Lonely Place to Die

Imaginary Rich — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 17:53:01 +0000

{A Lonely Place to Die screens at the Grand Illusion Cinema at 11pm on Jan 20 & 21, 26 & 27}

If you were starting to think that mountain climbing might be for safe enough for you, along comes A Lonely Place to Die to convince you otherwise. What starts out feeling like a tense (if familiar) man against the mountain flick becomes so much more more. This film, which I was exposed to at Fantastic Fest back in September makes its way to the Grand Illusion Cinema as their Fri/Sat late night screening this week and next. It's a heck of a thrill ride that had me hooked from the first moments. Even in a weekend of lots of appealing action choices, this is not a film you want to let slip by.

The picture starts with three climbers ascending a terrifyingly sheer cliff -- at least to a wimp such as myself. I'm not entirely sure how the climbing scenes were filmed, but the dynamic and zooming camera work gives an intensely dramatic sense of scale to the events, making nature just as much a character as the people involved throughout the course of the film. The opening sequence pounds in that the land is not to be trifled with, as a momentary lapse of judgment almost kills two-thirds of the party. Setting the tone that danger is around every corner.

The three ascend to a rental cottage where they meet up with another couple who've left their child in the care of grandparents to join the outing. After a night of socializing, they awake to set out for the day's climb. Hiking towards their day's destination the group makes a horrible discovery: a young girl trapped in an underground cell. She doesn't speak English and she's been there a while. Seeking to find help as quickly as possible, but constrained by the girl's pace, the group decides to take alternate paths for help. But of course someone put her in that box...and it wasn't the mountain. Meaning everyone is suddenly facing a far more dangerous vacation than they signed up for.

I'm going to stop there to avoid giving away any more away. This is a really well put together effort that keeps the tension high throughout the film. Not to mention delivering a storyline that while horrific makes a good amount of logical sense. The picture kept me wondering to the end what the outcome would be. Acting is solid, the dialog realistic, and the characters well drawn enough to care. Development of the team isn't super deep but enough for the choices and sacrifices they make for each other to feel right. And there's more than enough to emotionally bond with to enjoy one of the more satisfying shoves in my recent cinematic memory. It's worth saying once more that the outdoor photography really was breathtaking. In short, worth the time. And the adrenaline crash afterward.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;sd&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

{A Lonely Place to Die screens at the Grand Illusion Cinema at 11pm on Jan 20 & 21, 26 & 27}

In Dreams: A David Lynch Retrospective at SIFF Cinema at the Uptown {1/13-1/19}

Imaginary Amie — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:41:12 +0000

I'm letting my inner fangirl out to tell y'all about something TOTALLY AWESOME coming to SIFF Cinema at the Uptown, starting this Friday, January 13!!! In Dreams: The Films of David Lynch is going to screen from 1/13-1/19, which means everyone gets a chance to see a retrospective of Lynch's work on the big screen, including my two faves: Mulholland Drive and Wild at Heart.

Ticket prices = $10 | $5 SIFF Members | $9 Youth (20 & under) and Seniors (65+) | Matinees: $7 | $5 SIFF Members

Here's a quick guide to what's playing (in case you want some imaginary tips from a longtime Lynch fan):

Tomboy

Imaginary Amie — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 02:04:49 +0000

{Tomboy opens in Seattle on Friday, January 6 and screens at SIFF Cinema at the Uptown through January 12}

Coming-of-age stories are hard to pull off without resorting to oft-used cliches, which is why I think Tomboy kind of blows most of them out of the water. Focusing on adolescent identity and exploration, this film pulls you close with astonishing performances and intimate camerawork.

Director Celine Sciamma searched for unknowns for the kids' roles because she wanted the movie to feel as genuine as possible -- and it does. Each one delivers such naturalness to the screen that it almost feels like you're spying on something private.

10-year-old Laure (Zoe Heran) sports a short haircut and prefers to wear boy's shirts and tees, rather than girly dresses and lacy skirts. New to the neighborhood, when Laure meets the local group of kids and they think she's boy -- she just kinda rolls with it.

Introducing herself as "Mikael", Laure finds power in hiding her true self, becoming a trusted friend and love interest to Lisa (Jeanne Disson), protector to her little sister Jeanne (the adorable Malonn Levana), and respected by the group as a whole. But of course, lies can't last forever, and as Summer comes to an end and Lisa starts to get closer to the truth, Laure must find new ways to hide.

The end result is one of the most depressing, yet honest, coming-of-age films I've ever seen. I kept waiting for some HUGE tragedy to happen, but it didn't - and it wasn't needed. There's tragedy enough in knowing that Laure will eventually have to end her fantasy life and come clean, most likely branded as an outcast for the foreseeable future.

Tomboy is not without moments of hope, but I definitely found myself crying more than smiling. Still, I'm glad I saw it and am now determined to watch Sciamma's Water Lilies (another coming-of-age drama about teen girls) - currently on streaming Netflix) and see if I like it as much as this one.

{Tomboy opens in Seattle on Friday, January 6 and screens at SIFF Cinema at the Uptown through January 12}

A Very Imaginary "Best of" 2011 Movie List

Imaginary Amie — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:48:57 +0000

As usual, even though I've seen quite a few films this year, picking out 5-10 that really stood out was an exercise in head-desk banging insanity. BUT - I think I finally figured it out, by breaking the films into categories of films that touched me in specific ways, that made me laugh and cry, and that are examples of why I love film so damn much -- instead of trying to just list the best films made this year.

In no particular order, my favorite films that I saw in 2011 (please note that some may technically be 2010!) are:

Best Movie that Lifted My Spirits and made me long for childhood: The Muppets
I was one of those kids that perched myself in front of the TV a full 10 minutes before The Muppet Show came on, so that I wouldn't miss any second of Kermit, Miss Piggy, Rolph, Fozzie, and Scooter wrangling special guests and being ridiculously entertaining. So news of a Muppet reboot of course made me nervous, but I gotta hand it to Jason Segal and James Bobin - they totally NAILED it. This film paid tribute to all the awesome characteres we loved as kids, while also renewing them for a much younger audience. Plus, they got Chris Cooper to RAP. I mean, seriously, you guys. I left the theater smiling and haven't really stopped since. Bonus: 80s robot is like my favorite thing, ever.

Best Drama(s): Another Year, Higher Ground, and Melancholia
Another Year nailed the craziness of family, friends, relationships, and love, Higher Ground's thoughtful storytelling left me anxiously awaiting Vera Farmiga's next movie, and Melancholia was exquisitely painful and beautiful (you know, like most Von Trier films).

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Imaginary Rich — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:42:38 +0000

{The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo opens in Seattle area theaters on December 21st - with some theaters hosting post 7pm screenings on the 20th}

A crusading journalist and an antisocial master-hacker with a photographic memory whose approach to justice is refreshingly direct return to the big screen in David Fincher's adaptation of Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Fincher has fashioned a good looking and relatively tight presentation of an enjoyable book that's a bit of a kitchen sink sort of mess. The film even manages to poke at the source material with good natured humor. Most memorably when Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer) explains his family tree to Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) who mutters he's never going to keep everyone straight. That's OK we want to assure him. Most readers couldn't either. But maybe I'm getting ahead of myself - what with assuming folks already know the story. If you haven't read the book, so let me back up...

The picture opens with a man unwrapping a framed pressed flower on his birthday. He's Henrik Vanger, the patriarch of a large, wealthy Swedish family. Such a gift is an annual tradition going on forty years. Beautiful as the flowers are they're not a welcome arrival. His niece Harriet had given him the original versions in his collection. But after her disappearance and presumed death they continued - a mocking reminder from her killer. Henrik has spent considerable time and wealth attempting to unravel the truth of what had happened to Harriet so many years ago. His latest approach is to recruit Mikael Bloomkvist, the coolest middle aged liberal leaning crusading journalist of all time to try and crack the case. Normally Blomkvist wouldn't take such work, but he's just gotten himself in a mess of trouble over a libelous story against another industry tycoon. With the promise of dirt on the industrialist who burned him and a fat payday Bloomkvist agrees to take on the forty year old mystery. He doesn't really expect anything to come of it but he dives into the investigation with gusto. It's a closed box mystery - Harriet disappeared on a family owned island whose exit was blocked by an accident. So the most reasonable belief is that one of the family members killed her and got away with hiding the body. It's a pretty dysfunctional family. Even if you think yours is bad - odds are the Vangers are worse. Or at least likely beat you in a 'how many Nazi's are in your family?' contest. Hence there are many suspects to choose from.

Sleeping Beauty

Imaginary Amie — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:09:29 +0000

It's a good thing she's asleep, because this guy tells the most boring stories, EVER.

Sleeping Beauty opens in Seattle on Friday, 12/9, and is screening at SIFF Cinema at the Film Center.

I was SO excited for the release of Sleeping Beauty, not because I was confused and thought it was a live-action version of my favorite Disney adaptation, but because I am utterly, truly in love with Emily Browning. And I'm not gonna lie, any time you label a movie with Emily Browning in it as "erotic", I'm gonna be first in line to see it. Plus, I'm always excited about female writers and directors, so I was looking forward to seeing what Julia Leigh had in store.

Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my expectations. The film starts by showing its main character, Lucy (Browning) in a clinical setting, forcing a long tube down her throat until she gags -- this is NOT foreshadowing, as you might expect. Lucy appears to be a struggling University student who lives with a couple, one of which is verbally abusive to her and constantly demanding money (brother? other roommate's boyfriend? who may or may not be her sister? - it's not really explained).

Lucy moves languidly from her unfulfilling office job to taking care of her tragic alcoholic friend (dude puts vodka on his Cheerios) to eventually getting hooked up with a high-priced call girl service that's obviously owned by David Lynch, specializing in lingerie dinner parties and women who are seen and not heard.

She's quickly recruited by the sleek madam for a new desire: to become an inanimate plaything for rich old men. Lucy is drugged and then the men each strip down (there's not just female nudity in this, my friends - I mean, it's not exactly stimulating, but it's definitely NAKED!) and treat her in various ways, from gentle cuddling to humiliating abuse, to a show of strength in which she's thrown around like a rag doll. No big, though, as Lucy is out during the whole shebang and has no idea what's happened to her.

It's never really clear what Lucy's motives are, as she burns some of the money she's paid, then purchases a ridiculously overpriced apartment, fitting in various one-night-stands with strangers when she's not serving platers of food in "lipstick that matches her labia" or slipping in-between silk sheets and passing out for a couple of hours. As her alcoholic friend starts to descend further into his darkness, Lucy's toughness starts to crumble, but good-god it takes an awful lot to break that icy exterior. Seriously, an AWFUL LOT.

While Beauty is prettily composed and the acting was just fine, the overall effect left me feeling pretty empty. I realize that maybe that's the point Leigh was trying to make, but it just didn't work for me. I can't really recommend this to anyone, which is a shame - because I still think Browning is fantastic, and does her best with what's she given.

Here's hoping Leigh's next film is a bit stronger.

It's a good thing she's asleep, because this guy tells the most boring stories, EVER.

Sleeping Beauty opens in Seattle on Friday, 12/9, and is screening at SIFF Cinema at the Film Center.

Imaginary Gift Guide: Books for Movie & Music Fans

Imaginary Amie — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:14:40 +0000

In the spirit of the holidays, I wanted to put together a list of some things I've been reading (and coveting) lately - as well as things on my own wish list - that would make great literary gifts for friends and family this year.

I heartily recommend you head to the local book store near you (may I suggest Queen Anne Books, Elliot Bay, or the UW Book store? Cinema Books on Roosevelt is also an excellent store for movie books - and a "dig through the stacks and explore" kind of place) to pick up a few of these:

MOVIES!

Destroy All Movies!!! The Complete Guide to Punks on Film by Zack Carlson and Bryan Connolly
Our own Chris Estey wrote about how awesome this is earlier this year, and omfg. It IS. Every single movie with any appearance by a punk rocker is detailed within. This book is one of my greatest treasures…and I haven't even gotten past the first 20 pages. Its completeness is amazing, and the reviews/descriptions of the movies are hilarious. I LOVE IT. And I have some half-assed notion of renting all the movies in it that I haven't seen - who wants to dare me?

Deep Focus Books - Heathers, They Live, and Lethal Weapon
When Soft Skull press announced Deep Focus last year I was SO EXCITED. These books are like the movie version of the 33 and 1/3 series. I currently have They Live and Heathers in my collection, and am excited to add more. In addition to the ones listed above, they also have The Sting, Death Wish, and The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training (WHAT) available.

El Bulli: Cooking in Progress

Imaginary Rich — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:19:08 +0000

{El Bulli: Cooking in Progress opens in Seattle on Friday, December 2nd, and is screening at the Landmark Varsity Theater}

El Bulli: Cooking in Progress is a documentary that follows the modern day equivalent of Willy Wonka through a year long cycle of their world famous restaurant. It's shot in a way that some people some people may dislike, possibly intensely. Absent are the talking heads viewers have been accustomed to, narrating what they're doing (or did) and why. Instead, El Bulli provides a fly on the wall perspective -- where no one speaks to or even acknowledges the camera. But for those patient enough to immerse themselves in it, what emerges is a beautiful meditation on food, art, and the creative process. The last in a way that I believe will be familiar to those schooled in any research like endeavor, scientific or artistic. Meaning - it's not just a film for foodies.

Actually for many of them, the process of El Bulli may seem like a foreign discipline. When I started realizing it was about more than preparing unusual food is when I got seriously hooked. It's definitely not one of those simple "listen to folks talk about how great a chef/musician/actor/whatever is" creations. As such not everyone will love it, but for the right amount of patience it can be a very rewarding experience.

For those not familiar, El Bulli is a restaurant of legendary reputation. Home of head chef Ferran Adrià, it's a Mecca of the molecular gastronomy movement. Otherwise known as one of those places that serves foam. A meal at this establishment is not a quick thing you do before a film or the theater. Outside of Barcelona, the beautiful environment on the bluffs overlooking the sea complement the meal...which is roughly 35 courses and three hours long. I won't attempt to retread all the fancy tech Adrià and his compatriots have established to do what they do to food. There are enough articles to be read on that topic on one's own. And the movie thankfully doesn't fetishize the tech. Instead, by providing a purely show vs tell observational perspective, it if anything fetishizes the creative process. Which is something I can get behind.

El Bulli opens on a dark screen upon which we watch a man enjoying a lollipop. For all we know there may be gum in the center. What is apparent is this sucker glows in the dark. The style of the film is established as the viewer eavesdrops on the conversation surrounding the evaluation of the fluorescent lolly. That'll just be one inquiry into the unusual made by the core crew of El Bulli's kitchen. It's also just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the magical things we'll see.

Each year El Bulli shuts down for six months, wherein the creative principals retreat and tinker like mad scientists with the audience observing things every step of the painstaking way. There are moments where it's honestly a bit boring as the experiments continue and continue. Eventually though, the brain matches the cadence of the film. At which point clarity emerges as you realize their greatness comes from repetition and experimentation. The runtime of the film spans one full season. Meaning they retreat to develop techniques, return to the restaurant to build those into recipe, then complete tweaking them throughout the serving portion of the year. Culminating with a photo shoot of the new dishes. The film encourages a lot of extracurricular reading. I spent most of the film wondering what the hell does a dejuicer or vacuumizing do. A set of personal research I'm still behind on.

Watching the different personalities and roles is enjoyable. The goal of Adrià varies by each stage of the processes. In the beginning the focus is on invention "Now we don't worry what it tastes like. This is research. We are looking for something magical.". Then as the dining season approaches the tact shifts toward using that magic to make something people want to eat. While ensuring the staff is up to the task of serving a 35 course meal on schedule "Creativity and production are two different things". The film isn't just about Adrià - in fact an equal amount of screen time is given to his creative co-workers. The fact that there's not just one voice in such a creative process isn't surprising, and it's interesting to watch the dynamics at work over the year.

Ultimately this film was a fascinating ride. First because watching greatness in invention and engineering a solution is always impressive. As I believe chef Oriol Castro says most accurately, "You never know from where ideas will come." It's fantastic to see a treatment of creative process that does due justice to inevitable false starts. But ultimately the most amazing moments for me of the film where the last five minutes. As each of the courses is shown as a still photograph. At which point the viewer sees the realization of El Bulli's process come to life in beautiful relief.

{El Bulli: Cooking in Progress opens in Seattle on Friday, December 2nd, and is screening at the Landmark Varsity Theater}

Holiday Goodness: Gary Oldman (!!!) at SIFF on 12/11 for Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Imaginary Amie — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:27:44 +0000

Note: SIFF has announced that they SOLD OUT of the initial tix in a few hours, but they have released a small number of additional seats. VIP tickets to the dinner, however, are still available.

I, along with several friends, are VERY excited about the release of spy-thriller Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy - and now SIFF has given us one more reason to get excited: GARY FREAKING OLDMAN IS COMING TO SEATTLE!!!

On Sunday, 12/11, Mr. Oldman will take the stage for a Q&A session after the film. And if that weren't enough - there's a special bonus for people who are feelin' fancypants (and/or rabid Oldman fans. *hand up!*). For a mere $200, you (or me, if anyone wants to buy me a ticket! HINT HINT) can dine with Gary in Volterra's Drawing Room on a sumptious feast prepared by their award-winning Chef, Don Curtiss. That ticket also gets you the VIP treatment, with reserved seating for the film and Q&A.

An Evening with Gary Oldman
Sunday, December 11 @5:30pm
SIFF Cinema at the Uptown
Tickets: $25 each, $20 for SIFF Members

Growing Up Absurd: Paul Goodman Changed My Life

Chris Estey — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:57:11 +0000

{Paul Goodman Changed My Life shows December 2-8 at Siff Cinema at the Film Center. Get tix online here.}

Poet-protester-psychologist Paul Goodman's sociological memoir-manifesto Growing Up Absurd was one of those items you'd find in an early American punk's apartment, as you would a black leather motorcycle jacket, maybe a stack of vintage Marvel comics, perhaps on top of orange crates filled with imported punk and remaindered 60s garage rock LPs, a hash pipe laying next to a butterfly knife bought at a pawn store, silly-dangerous stuff like that. It was a whip-smart book for rebellious boys, a seeding of early 60s counter-cultural impulses that was still being passed down the pike, as Catcher In The Rye or Pink Floyd's The Wall or looking like James Dean never quite fell out of fashion with the perennial non-comfortists. And yet, recently, it kind of disappeared in such digs as they come and go in micro-generations.

Paul Goodman Changed My Life is an excellent introduction into the robust and rousing writing of a supreme cultural critic who was publicly taking on the 50s mind control of Pentagon America as confidently as possible. His public speeches from this time period still sting with descriptions and accusations of shadow forces trying to entrap the U.S. in bloody, absolutely useless global conflict. His anti-authoritarianism came first, then a friend told him he was an anarchist and it just seemed to fit. That a staunch pacifist and anti-capitalist crusader could be so popular and persuasive in the pre-Vietnam war era, translating the images of restless energy of juvenile delinquents on movie screens into forceful calls for national protest, is astonishing and lberating today. And every few minutes in Jonathan Lee's film you'll get to hear him recite his hypnotic poetry about the love for his family, his eros-driven visions, and his life on the brink of chaos contemplated both fiercely and delicately as well.

On the other hand, he was quite a bit of a pervert, scamming on young men incessantly even though he always liked to appear (and maybe even felt he was) settled down with a wife, taking care of those kids he scribed dearly about -- and treated pretty horribly. "Beneath the greatest love there is a hurricane of hate," Phil Ochs once sang, and the contempt most of the women show in talking about his transgressions can be taken in alongside gracious accolades of gay comrades and fellow, fawning writers. It's terrible to see how careless Goodman could be with people, inevitably, even as his creativity and cultural insights inspire.

Goodman shifted mid-stream after Growing Up Absurd into a co-creator of controversial Gestalt therapy, which he helped invent as he burned out working alongside the left as it found strange successes and cultural failures of persuading America to pull out of an unwinnable war. This experimental form of counseling encouraged insidious conflict with its patients, as a means to challange them to wake up from false values and hidden problems. It is here we begin to see Goodman's polymath exposing his good intentions/inimical treatment of others in an institutional way, not unlike watching the Marquis de Sade run an asylum in Peter Weiss's Marat/Sade, only more socially acceptable (and with less lashings and torture).

Goodman still wrote like a dream though, even when he journeyed beyond that field and back into cultural theory, just to find all these rude hippies running things uppity and depressing. No surprise, considering the daddy issues he must have had and shared. Maybe like the public images of Woody Allen or Robert Crumb, you'll find yourself loving his work, and startled and astonished by his inspirations and viewpoints below the surface. But by no means miss this resurrection of a personality that provokes many mileus forward to this day.

{Paul Goodman Changed My Life shows December 2-8 at Siff Cinema at the Film Center. Get tix online here.}

Paul Goodman Changed My Life is an excellent introduction into the robust and rousing writing of a supreme cultural critic who was publicly taking on the 50s mind control of Pentagon America as confidently as possible. His public speeches from this time period still sting with descriptions and accusations of shadow forces trying to entrap the U.S. in bloody, absolutely useless global conflict. His anti-authoritarianism came first, then a friend told him he was an anarchist and it just seemed to fit. That a staunch pacifist and anti-capitalist crusader could be so popular and persuasive in the pre-Vietnam war era, translating the images of restless energy of juvenile delinquents on movie screens into forceful calls for national protest, is astonishing and liberating today. And every few minutes in Jonathan Lee's film you'll get to hear him recite his hypnotic poetry about the love for his family, his eros-driven visions, and his life on the brink of chaos contemplated both fiercely and delicately as well.

London Boulevard

Imaginary Amie — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:06:45 +0000

{London Boulevard opens in Seatte on Wednesday, 11/23 and is screening at SIFF Cinema at the Uptown through 12/1. Showtimes & tickets here.}

I'm not sure I ever would of thought of pairing Keira Knightly and Colin Farrell in a gritty British crime drama, but for whatever reason it totally works in London Boulevard.

Fresh out of prison, Mitchel (Farrell) gets recruited by friend Billy (an oily Ben Chaplin) to do some "jobs" with him around town - the only problem is that after doing time, Mitchel has lost the stomach for mob work. Offered a legitimate handyman/bodyguard job taking care of semi-crazy actress Charlotte (Knightley), Mitchel finds himself changing even more as he falls for her fragile gentleness.

But this isn't exactly a love story…kingpin Gant (a grizzled Ray Winstone) tries to recruit Mitchel as one of his soldiers, and becomes increasingly frustrated at his refusal to join in. Eventually the tension ramps up to a full-on war - one where it's hard to tell which of these badasses will win. To quote Farrell's character at the funeral of a friend, "We're all fucked."

In addition to Knightly & Farrell doing a better job than I thought possible, the supporting casting is brilliant. I particularly enjoyed strong performances from David Thewlis as Charlotte's quirky caretaker Jordan, and Pushing Daisies' Anna Friel acting the hell out of her role as Mitchel's train wreck of a sister, Briony.

While there's nothing too deep going on in the script, it's a fairly entertaining ride - and one that manages to throw a few surprising punches. Thoroughly enjoyable, and well worth the ticket price.

{London Boulevard opens in Seatte on Wednesday, 11/23 and is screening at SIFF Cinema at the Uptown through 12/1. Showtimes & tickets here.}

I'm not sure I ever would of thought of pairing Keira Knightly and Colin Farrell in a gritty British crime drama, but for whatever reason it totally works in London Boulevard.

Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone

Imaginary Rich — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:28:22 +0000

{Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone opens at the Grand Illusion on Friday November 18th. The Filmakers will be attendance for Q&A this Saturday and Sunday.}

One of the films I most regretted missing at STIFF this year was the documentary Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone. So I was pretty happy to see it was going to be coming to the Grand Illusion theater for a week starting on Friday. The film embraces the fact that there are a subset of bands whose live show is so strong that it will forever diminish the feel of their recorded sessions.

Personally, the top of that list of bands will always be The Ramones. Much as I enjoy their albums, it always feels like a weak memory of their performances. More germane to this discussion is the manic but tightly orchestrated harmonic chaos of Fishbone playing live. We're taken on a ride through their origin story, the band's rise and fall, and into the present day as the diehard members deal with frayed but enduring friendships and compulsive need to keep playing for audiences.

Everyday Sunshine starts with the thesis that Fishbone is a band apart - due to their broad mix of styles, influence on others, and of course the strength of their live performances. It also provides a more in-depth view of how a band can fall apart over the years. Something we hear about all the time - though few films deconstruct as well how it happens.

The film begins with a series of talking heads espousing the skill and importance of Fishbone. It's hard to imagine a more diverse set of supporters on display. Ranging from front-men of the Circle Jerks and the Minutemen and Ice-T, straight through to Branford Marsalis. For a band that can be lazily categorized into a punk-ska bucket the influences of Fishbone pretty diverse. One admirer describes it as "I've seen them do every style...in the same song." Or in the more direct words of Ice-T, "It wasn't rock, it wasn't metal, it wasn't hip hop, it wasn't funk, it was just some different shit."

Everyday Sunshine visually mimics that polyglot of techniques telling the story of Fishbone through a blend including talking heads, cartoon animation, moving photo recreations, voiceover and several other styles I've likely forgotten. It's a well matched approach and fills on gaps that may exist in archival video materials. There's not a lot to dislike with the exception of Laurence Fishburne's voice over. That just felt incredibly stilted. If you don't like music documentaries Everyday Sunshine may not entirely change your mind - it's deeper than many but will feel familiar in many ways. It's not my favorite genre truth be told. But Everyday Sunshine held my attention. My only lasting complaint is that for the life of me I can't get their song Party at Ground Zero out of my head now.

This is a warts and all look at the history of the band. The story of Fishbone is a story of junior high friendships. Forged within the racial politics of the early 80's in Los Angeles and the nascent local punk scene. The group met as friends in a junior high they were bussed to and practiced their music together constantly. What emerged was a sound that didn't quite fit in anywhere. An issue spoken to by their record company producer who shares tales of Columbia's confusion as to whether they were a "black act" or not. From a music industry perspective the tale of Fishbone isn't entirely unfamiliar. Pioneers before their time they came right up to the cusp of breakout stardom and then fell short. This took its toll on the band who because of its all are equals nature was perhaps less able to commit to a specific musical theme than some might have wanted. To quote their early manager - "Had Fishbone been less of a democracy they might have been a more successful band. But had they been less of a democracy they wouldn't have been Fishbone." Over time members fall out leaving just original members Norwood Fisher and Angelo Moore playing gigs into the present day, writing new music and touring as much as possible. Maybe they truly believe there's a big break coming. Or maybe they just have to play for the love of the music. The film doesn't tell you how to view it. But just lets the story of these childhood to adult relationships unfold. It's sometimes painful to watch but it certainly feels real.

There's ample concert footage that give a sense of their incredibly complex improvised feeling but tight live gigs. And multiple demonstrations of the energy they brought to it. Including one of their first gigs described by a a fan whose mind it rattled who summarized it as;

"There's no real lead singer. It barely looked like they were paying attention to their instruments. Jumping around like crazy to the point that all the mike stands were knocked over in the first two songs. It was amazing. And then it was all over in 22 minutes..."

I loved seeing footage of them (literally) climbing the walls of what I'm pretty sure was The Ritz in NYC. If memory serves I saw them there a year or two earlier than the included footage. But watching them stage dive off the balcony seemed super familiar and thrust me back in time like it was yesterday.

If you've ever wondered how a band with great chemistry can disintegrate then this film will help make it clearer. Via watching the actual members of Fishbone and listening to some surprisingly insightful reflections from their fans (especially Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers). While its not altogether a happy experience one comes away feeling you've gotten more insight into these original guys than in many rock docs. And the strength of their friendships over a 25 year span is impressive and often touching. Bottom line - the title of Everyday Sunshine promises to tell to tell the story of Fishbone. And that's what it did. If you're a fan I can't see why you'd want to skip. If you've never heard of them then you can treat it as a history lesson into a band that influenced many, many acts that achieved more fame than they did. If you can't stand punkish ska sounds and hate music documentaries this probably isn't for you. But then again if that's how you feel sort of doubt you'd have read this far.

{Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone opens at the Grand Illusion on Friday November 18th. The Filmakers will be attendance for Q&A this Saturday and Sunday.}

The Other F Word

Imaginary Rich — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:37:26 +0000

{The Other F Word opened in Seattle on Friday, 11/18, and is screening at the Landmark Varsity theatre}

What is the other F word you ask? Turns out it's "fatherhood." What happens when the ultimate spreaders of an anti-authority message are forced to be voice of that authority as a parent? That's the question posed by this documentary that dives into the parenting challenges faced by aging punk rock frontmen. Having been a big fan of punk (though not hugely of all the bands portrayed) and of a similar age as the subjects, I've been interested in seeing the film since it played at SXSW 2011.

Since I missed it there, I practically jumped at the opportunity to check it out ahead of it rolling into town at the Landmark Varsity theater. Overall it's an entertaining film to watch. Some funny moments, great access, and interesting subjects -- though mildly disappointing. Not because the film is bad, but because it left unexplored some the best parts of the premise.

The basics are none too earth shattering. For the men onscreen, having children changes everything. Trying to make a living in a business that requires you to tour 200+ days a year causes real pain in being away from your kids. Several of the guys mention having not-so-present fathers and are working hard to be there for their children. So far so good, although it's nothing you haven't heard before. But… the film misses the opportunity to really get into the juxtaposition between having a fuck-off attitude and whether they seek to either instill it in their children or fear passing it along.

Or, for example: how does a punk rock father deal with a kid that tells him he's got no authority over them? Their time on tour away from their kids isn't what makes the subject matter unique. People who have to travel to put food on the table and their conflicts aren't that hard to imagine. It's the rebellion as identity and how they reinterpret the punk rock ethos as they age that's the draw to the film. At least it was for me.

There are a collection of interviews with musicians, a really good look behind the scenes of what touring as a guy in your late 30's is like in one of these bands, and footage of everyone's family. The film's main subject is Jim Lindberg of Pennywise who has been touring for something like 20 years now. He is a compelling subject, so that works well. But most of his feedback is about how tough it is to be away from his kids. And the pressure from his bandmates to keep touring (it's suggested that he has more career options away from the band than they do). Interestingly enough I learned after seeing the film that Lindberg wrote a book about this subject a few years ago. I just picked up Punk Rock Dad with the hope that it will delve more into the details I'm most curious about.

Fundamentally, The Other F Word misses the opportunity to go deep into how they deal with being the authority figure when they've spent all the time saying fuck you to the man. But now they are the man. If they would have just followed up more on some of the best anecdotes it would have been a much more engaging film. Such as the dad who describes accidentally showing up for a school meeting with a "Fuck the Police" t-shirt. Or the observation by Fat Mike of NOFX that some parenting issues may be different when there's a dominatrix sporting a ball-gag tattooed the length of your arm.

Bottom line -- interesting for the peek into their private lives. There are seriously cute moments like Flea recounting embarrassing his daughter and seriously touching/painful ones with Art Alexakis of Everclear describing his own childhood. So it's worth watching if you're interested in the the music or musicians. I just exited disappointed it didn't deliver more insight into the questions the film's premise (and marketing) so clearly point to.

A full list of the dads along with brief bios can be found on the film's website.

{The Other F Word opened in Seattle on Friday, 11/18, and is screening at the Landmark Varsity theatre}