Hey folks Harry here, with the soft skulled kid with the dent in his head giving us his warped view of film. Actuallly it isn't a dent, but more like a coathanger tear in the forehead... UGH bad taste. Sorry folks, I've been watching TROMA films here at Geek HQ to bone up for my 'Conversation with Lloyd Kaufman' panel I'm doing today. He created one hell of an artistic universe, we just wish we lived in it. Here's Quint..
Ahoy, squirts. Thaaattt's right, duuuuddeee. It's everyone's favorite crusty seaman, Quint, here with my coverage of the flicks I've seen in the first 3 days of the South By Southwest Film Festival. Some of these have already been reviewed on the site, so I'll be as brief as I can be to avoid boring repetition.
THE CAT'S MEOW
This one has already been touched upon already by Annette Kellerman and Master Knowles, so I won't go into too much depth. You should know the story by now... Bogdanovich filming the now almost mythological tale of love, murder and mystery involving William Randolph Hearst, Marion Davies, Charlie Chaplin and bunch of other Hollywood folk ranging from a studio pioneer, a gossip columnist and a world-wise novelist.
Bogdanovich is in top form with this film, which ranks up there with his best in my opinion. The camera work and production design capture the period remarkably, but not in an abundance that would distract from the story. The golden hues are almost poetically captured, giving this film a very warm feeling.
Everyone in this film shine, giving career best performances in most cases. Particularly Kirsten Dunst as Marion Davies and Eddie Izzard as Chaplin. Harry's review has a bit about these two and their performance which I agree with 100%. The subtle glances, winks, flirts and body language that Izzard delivers are remarkable. While not completely looking like Mr. Chaplin, Izzard without a doubt captured his spirit. Dunst is just gorgeous in the film, a muse to two extremely different men and who could blame them? Bewitching is an apt term for her performance.
If I go into Cary Elwes and Edward Herrmann and Jennifer Tilly and their respective characters, this review could likely go on for many thousands of words, which I'm sure you don't want to read, so I'll spare you. Just know that they were each amazing, with Herrmann giving the most complex and human performance of them all.
I urge every one of you to see this film if it pops up in your neighborhood, which is likely as Lion's Gate has it and would be fools not to give this great film at least average art house distribution. I can't guarantee everyone's undying love for the film, but I can definitely state my own affection. I love this movie... and I think many of you will, too
CITIZEN TOXIE
OK, to completely shift gears, I go briefly into Citizen Toxie. I know this film has already been reviewed a helluva lot, but goddamnit if I'm not gonna join in the voices screaming praises for its vileness, grossness and hilarious, unflinching satire. Citizen Toxie is the definition of TROMA ENTERTAINMENT. There's enough tits, cocks, gore, feces, decapitations, godly midgets, heroic retards and fat slobs, disfigured monster penis' with sharp teeth and fetus boxing to ensure any true Troma fan a cum-spewing good time.
If you don't like that kinda stuff... Why the fuck haven't you skipped down to the next review yet? Honestly?
CQ
Roman Coppola's first feature film is a triumph, to make use of an overly used critical phrase. The man got a great cast, including Jeremy "No, I'm not that kid from ET, goddamnit!" Davies, Gerard Depardieu, Giancarlo "Entrails" Giannini, Rushmore's Jason Schwartzman, Dean "Al" Stockwell and Billy "Fucking" Zane.
On the surface, it's a movie about the making of movies, which we've seen many, many times before. What sets this film apart is it's about making a late '60s sexploitation/sci-fi spy flick called Codename Dragonfly. What I was most impressed with in the film was the portrayal of all the film within the film stuff. I can't even begin to guess how Coppola nailed the feel, the look and the sound of such flicks as Barbarella and the early Connery Bonds and even a Matt Helm flick or two. Austin Powers tries, but still feels too glossy and modern. Congratulations are in order for the filmmakers. Not too many people can pull off a recreation of that particular genre.
Anyway, the story is about an editor played by Davies, who is working on the above film, which is in big trouble. The director has been fired, a new, young artsy filmmaker (Schwartzman) has been brought on board to fix the mess and the whole time Davies is falling out of love with his girlfriend and in love with the star of the picture.
It's a rollercoaster ride of a movie, always shifting between comedy and drama or the nameless hybrid genre that rests comfortably between the two. That's not a fault of the picture. On the contrary, it keeps the momentum of the flick up and the surprises coming. I'm sure this one'll be coming to a theater near you. Give it a looksee if it sounds like your bag.
ZIGZAG
David Goyer (screenwriter of Dark City, Blade and Blade 2) breaks form with his script of this film, ZIGZAG, which he also chose as his directorial debut. The film follows a mildly autistic black teenager named Louis (nicknamed ZigZag, "Two big Z's, two little G's") who is living in a bit of hell with is abusive father, played terrifically against type by Wesley Snipes. He is being mentored and nurtured by his Big Brother (as in Big Brothers/Big Sisters), really the only person who gives a shit about him and is working as a dishwasher at a restaurant run by an ethnic slurring monster of man.
I know that sounds like a boring TV movie of the week, but I can assure you it is not. You have John Leguizamo as ZigZag's kind, yet smartass Big Brother, Oliver Platt as Toad, ZigZag's cigar-chomping, tough-as-nails boss and throw in Natasha Lyonne as the caring whore and you already have amazing character actors playing great characters to inhabit this kid's world.
The drama comes when Snipes insists (with his fists) that ZigZag get $200 for him for rent. ZigZag sees his way out of another beating when Platt is opening up the work safe at the restaurant. Needless to say, he steals the money (which ends up being over $9,000) and has it all stolen from him by his father. Cops show up to the workplace, there's an investigation and things start to spin out of control. Through all of this, though, is the heart of the film, the relationship between ZigZag and John Leguizamo.
The autism is handled very subtly. I didn't even realize ZigZag was autistic until about 5 minutes into the film. Maybe I'm not very observant... or maybe it's a testament to how well they play it. I also have to give a lot of credit to Sam Jones III, who plays ZigZag. It's quite an extraordinary performance, especially considering how easy it is to fall into stereotype with this kind of role and the fact that he's holding his own with such charismatic guys as Leguizamo and Platt.
Platt is a marvel in this film. You hate him one minute, he's alright the next, then he's back to being an asshole, then kinda pathetic... But he's always funny. Sweet Jesus am I fan of Oliver Platt! He can play ugly funny (the racist slurs), he can play pathetic funny and he can be just fuckin' funny. His exclamation of "Shazam!" had me doubled up... I know you don't understand now, but you'll see.
Leguizamo shows amazing heart and talent in this performance. Sure, he's hilarious, too, but we already knew without a shadow of a doubt he was a funny guy. He's a tormented guy in this flick, moreso than you might imagine. Overall great performance.
This is one of my favorite films of the fest so far, so if you see it playing near you go watch it. It's a trip. Terrifically dramatic, yet very funny. Great combination. It has my highest recommendation.
MASTER OF THE GAME
This is an indie that was just completed and shown at SXSW for the first time ever. The basic rundown is this: It's the end of WW2 and the Nazi regime is starting to fall apart. Four Jews escape during a transfer to Auschwitz and get caught in a huge, raging thunderstorm. They stumble upon a cabin and have no choice but to enter. They find a small Nazi outfit holed up there and are quickly recaptured.
Shortly thereafter only one Jew remains. He is used for entertainment as they are all still stranded in this cabin and need the escape. He ends up suggesting a game of wits, knowing it's his only way out of there...
Aw, hell. I just checked in on the site and that rat bastard Knowles beat me to the punch. Go read his review. He does a better job describing the film than I. Come back afterwards and I'll tell ya' what I thought.
Back? Already? That was fast. Harry's got it right on. The ambition and talent involved in this film, both in front of and behind the camera, is only hindered by the budget. The pacing is quick and involving as is the script. It's actually a bit of a wonder that this film was written as well as it was. I mean, the concept reeks of pretension! Jews Vs. Nazis. Set in one room. But miraculously, pretension is avoided! Hallelujah!
Although it requires you to suspend your disbelief a little bit it is a solid movie and I can't imagine anyone not getting pulled into the game itself. If you see this film at a fest near you or are a booker looking for some flicks, give this one a chance. It's a cut above the rest. You can contact the filmmakers at Click here.
That's all from me, squirts. Sorry if the above reviews read like shit. I didn‚t even read it over again as I'm tired and I wanna go to bed. If it sucked, I apologize and I promise I‚ll do better next time. I'll be back with more SXSW goodies as well as some cool interviews and even a set visit or two very soon. 'Til then, I bid you all farewell and adieu.
-Quint
