No sooner had the announcement been made, that the Filmstock Film Festival would be held quarterly, than a new announcement was made proclaiming that now the festival would be held only once a year. Monthly, quarterly and now annually. My old reliable was withering away. July came and went without a Filmstock. I sat in the park, feeding the pigeons, sadly realizing that Prescott Film Festival wasn’t until November, Desperado LGBT Film Festival wasn’t until January 2012, and the Arizona Avant Garde and Surrealist Film Festival didn’t even exist because I just made it up.
While backing up my thumb drive, I discovered the review I had written but neglected to publish for the last Filmstock held on April 9th 2011. Swept with nostalgia and faith restored, here are the films I saw, in the order they were screened.
Holding Lost – Rory Pierce/Robin Cote
Will Leon is asleep at the wheel in this plotless, pointless offering from Scorpio Squared. Leon impassively delivers internal monologue ala ADR, as he sits outside his son’s elementary school sadly remembering all he has lost. Nappy time’s over. Whew! Don’t worry, it was only a dream, and everything is A-OK.
Final Take – Holding back.
Past Betrayal– Marty Payne
I’m picturing it now…”Attention cast of ‘Past Betrayal,’ we will NOT be making a zombie movie tomorrow. Instead, it will be an action-thriller. Please arrive prepared to play living people.” Apparently…nobody got the memo. Great locations and some talented camera work do little to keep this dinghy from floundering.
Final Take – Barely living in the past.
Russell– James A Lee
After giving every assurance that the shoebox was indeed empty, Lee discovers this forgotten fable deep in the recesses of the Buster Browns. Edward Crow (Jack Guasta) whines to his shrink about his girl troubles. It seems he’s attracted to the worlds shallowest women, who all run screaming in terror when they learn he has to care for his intellectually challenged brother. Instead of duct taping Russell to the fridge like all big brothers do, Edward ditches Russell for 1 hour, in order to make time with a sour young thang. Russell rolls after Edward and is he mad! I don’t know, is he? Very well shot at some great locations (the Village of Antioch), but Scott Sumerack’s performance as Russell goes way over the top, forcing me to call 1-800-shenanigans.
Final Take – I only call 1-976-shenanigans when there’s nudity.
Mid-Life Crisis– Lara Houston
Houston delivers yet another frolic from the magical happy land of infidelity. Children playfully scamper about as their tragically naïve mother contracts a life threatening venereal disease from her philandering husband. She gets revenge by inviting three hunky boy toys of her own to move in and slather her with sun tan lotion. The low point for this bottom feeder: when hubby embarks on a threesome and proclaims, “Let’s show Brittany what Scottsdale’s all about!” This contrived comedy plays out like a sinister suburban manifesto, angrily scrawled on sandpaper in purple crayon and sealed with a curse.
Final Take – Low-life cruxes.
Hustle on Devils Boulevard– Triple G Productions
There are a lot of red flags in indie films; the most obvious one is a fake MPAA rating at the beginning of the film. And so it begins…People in black chase other people in black through the park. There’s a typical ‘addict inhaling coke’ scene (covered in powdered sugar) and a drug dealer from Trinidad. Thanks for the subtitles; I would have hated to miss anything. More like an extra credit assignment for civics class than a short film.
Final Take – Scuttle on Satan Street.
The Broken Heart of the Gnocchi Bolagnese– Katherine Vondy
By far the most professional, stylized and entertaining film of the evening, ‘bolagnese’ is the USC graduate thesis film of director Vondy. An outstanding original score by Andrew Barkan is the enticing topping for this visual feast. Vondy explores color and choreography in a rich palette of tastes and textures. As Gnoochi Bolagnese (Johanna Parker) approaches her 25th birthday, she makes two stunning discoveries; 1) she is 25 and unloved, 2) she was named after the special at a local restaurant. Shot in super 16mm around L.A. and San Pedro, ‘bolagnese’ swept Filmstock, garnering 4 awards including Audience Choice and Best of Fest.
Final Take – Tastefull tantalizing treat that leaves you wanting more.
Sustisimo Nivel – Todd Mathus
‘Ring-U’ knock off pits beer swilling zeros against the forces of evil in a Scottsdale Stucco. Dude: “Hey Babe.” Dudes girlfriend: “What babe?” and so on. Before our bro-skis arrive with the brew-skis, let’s kill some time with this neat-o video game! Sound and photography aren’t half bad in this supernatural sci-fi potboiler, but the answer is, yes; it’s just another “friends playing video games” flick. This one has a twist though. Wait, no it doesn’t.
Final Take – A nivel idea.
A Distant Memory– Jay Looby
Looby presents a very well written and competently acted short that focuses on the last moments of a defeated and drug addicted Vietnam vet, and an Ill fated intervention facilitated by his suffering wife and a war buddy. Actor Dan Tucker illuminates as he futilely pleads with his friend to get clean and get it together. Dialog is deep but crammed into a tiny space, demanding more time to unfold and more room to breathe.
Final Take – Still memorable.
The Return– Harrison Bahe
An A3F recycle, Bahe’s film tells the sad story of the consequences of inattention, combined with speed, compounded by weather and then punctuated by fate. Dialog is minimal as a young man (Bogdan Korishev) seeks forgiveness for a terrible wrong. Child actor Eric McGuire deservedly took home the acting grand prix from both the A3F and Filmstock for his superb, nearly wordless performance.
Final Take – Worth a second look.
Don’t miss the next Filmstock Film Festival, scheduled for October 8, 2011 at Picture Show Entertainment in the Paradise Valley mall.
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