Hi, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab...
Another regional fest, and another reader takes the time to write in!
Ryan's Denver Film Festival Adventures (thus far).
It's early Sunday morning (after midnight) as I write this. I am staying in Aurora tonight to join my Dad, Brother, and others for NFL Football on Sunday.
I have just gotten back from DAY 3 Of the Denver Film Festival.
Here is a short re-cap.
Day One: Team America 11:30pm sold out audience I loved it! Solid "A" from me.
Day Two: Imaginary Heroes (opens nationwide Feb. of 2005) Sigourney Weaver, Jeff Daniels The co-writer of X-MEN 2 directed and wrote this film. It was decent. Made for only $4.5 million, it looked pretty damn good for such a low budget. Familiar territory and script, but decent enough. I'd give it a C+.
I also saw GREEN HAT, the movie from China. This one was good in unexpected ways. Starts off as a heist film, only to slide into kooky territory of infidelity and suicide. Mostly captivating pic with good moments from a first time director. It starts strong, takes a break, and picks up again at the end. I'd go with a solid "B"
Day 3 (the one just completed) attended a 3pm sold out screening of THE WOODSMAN starring Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Mos Def, and Benjamin Bratt. KEVIN BACON and KYRA were IN PERSON at this showing. The film itself is pretty good, a little dry, but Bacon shines in a dark role as a pedophile 12 years fresh out of prison. Pacing could have been better, but the strong performance of Bacon is the "meat" (shitty pun?) here. I'd give it a solid "B" as well. The Q and A lasted 30 minutes.
It seemed everyone was afraid to ask Kevin or Kyra the First question. So, I said, "Fuck it, I'll ask him something to get things going." I said something along the lines of "Great performances by you and Kyra (audience applauded). I then asked, "Out of your body of work, what are two films that come to mind that you are proud of."
Bacon responded with MYSTIC RIVER and MURDER IN THE FIRST.
Then.............
8pm AN EVENING WITH KEVIN BACON
This was a one hour clips show of all his films (oddly, THE AIR UP THERE, QUICKSILVER, and HE SAID, SHE SAID were absent) Then, a 45 minute Q and A between ex-NY Times Critic Elvis Mitchell and Bacon. Bacon had funny moments, talking about ANIMAL HOUSE, masturbating in JFK, and how he wanted just about every role except the role he got in DINER. Cool evening, decently insightful.
3 days of the festival now and............4 movies and AN EVENING WITH........
I'm going to bed. Hope you liked this.
The Mile High Misfit...............OVER AND OUT
Let us know how the rest of the fest is!
"Moriarty" out.
