This year’s Fantastic Fest had some incredible entries. From thrillers to horror films to documentaries, it was pretty much the best time one could have in the dark aside from…well, you know. This was my first time there, and will be an ongoing tradition from this year on. I loved every God damn second of it, and I was heavy-hearted to see it end.
We saw an impressive eleven films in four days, and yet we barely scratched the surface. There were so many films and, sadly, so little time.
The best film of those eleven was inarguably Grand Piano. The film stars Elijah Wood in a career turning performance as a famed pianist being terrorized onstage during the night of his much-anticipated comeback. Frodo no more, this is the role that’s going to put Wood back on the marquee. Thankfully, though, he might be too cool for crappy mega-mainstream films. He was at Fantastic Fest not only looking stylish, but just hanging with fans and drinking beer like he was one of us. Because really, I think he is one of us – a movie lover through and through. he even got tattooed at the closing party! I have a newfound love for this guy.
Read MoreThe New York Times has an interesting piece up on the many iterations book covers go through before they hit the shelves. It’s a concise lineage of the moments that lead to “getting it right.”
Read MoreJack Black was a late 19th-century writer and self-proclaimed hobo and professional burglar who lived in the final days of the Wild West. He was dishonest, conniving, but also a guy with a lot of heart. It’s funny to say, but he had the best intentions when it came down to it, even when he was stealing from people.
Black ultimately gained fame through his friendship with William S. Burroughs. And though he didn’t write any other novels, Black’s influence echos throughout the beats’ writing and serves as a basis for some of their strongest “live-free” philosophies. If you love the beats, his writing is definitely worth checking out.
Read MoreAs I said, Fantastic Fest 2013 was pretty much one of the best events I’ve been to. It wasn’t swank, it wasn’t “exclusive,” and best of all, it catered to film lovers on every level. Held at the infinitely awesome Alamo Drafthouse, it served as a mecca for cult lovers and film buffs alike. There were celebrities there mingling with the crowd like it was no big – and it was awesome.
Among the many world and first premieres was Michel Gondry’s latest opus, Mood Indigo. Hopelessly quirky, fun, colorful, upbeat, and even silly, the film starts off almost as an assault of cuteness. It is an adaptation of Boris Vian‘s 1947 novel Froth on the Daydream and its American edition Foam of the Daze, and perhaps the book is just as over the top. Nonetheless, it took me a moment to acclimate.
Read MoreIf you haven’t heard of Interior. Leather Bar., it’s James Franco and filmmaker Travis Mathews’ re-imagining of the lost 40 minutes of the Al Pacino starring, William Friedkin created film Cruising. The film bleeds the lines between documentary, mockumentary, and cinematic narrative, and is an exploration of sexual and creative boundaries and freedoms put upon the creator and the observer. Needless to say, the film thoughtfully pushes lines far beyond expectation, and to various degrees of success.
Read MoreAs the story goes, author Carrie Rosten went to sleep one night and had a dream. And it must’ve been some dream! When she woke up the next day, she wrote her latest tale, Soma So Strange, in its entirety!
Soma So Strange is a children’s book about a creative girl who discovers herself despite the “Meanies,” a group of peers that misunderstand and mistreat her in every way. Her whole life changes when she puts her imagination, and maybe a little bit of magic, to good use. Empowered with newfound abilities, she finds she can overcome almost anything.
Read MoreEveryone loves a good book. Or at least I hope they do. These five are guaranteed to make you awesome-er in every way. Get ready…
Read MoreHarmony Korine’s Spring Breakers is a bizarre, highly stylized piece of cinema, and a minor masterpiece, of sorts. It stars the media machine known as James Franco, the man who seemingly cranks out more projects than anyone. There’s not a time when he’s not doing SOMETHING – besides driving everyone crazy with that face. This movie is one of his highlights in 2013.
The film is about four college girls who lose their minds on spring break in South Florida (where else?). When they are arrested for partying, they’re bailed out by the mysterious gangster/rapper/crazy man, Alien (Franco). What happens next is raging spree of sex and crime and Britney Spears, and it’s mesmerizing.
Read MoreLadies and gents, Five Awesome Things About Guardians of the Galaxy‘s upcoming movie adaptation:
Read MoreRemember the badass Game of Thrones dragon shadow ad that appeared in the New York Times, on the side of buildings and busses, etc? Well, in a way (a big way) this almost trumps that. While it’s not accessible to everyone (it’s in Dorset, UK) like the NYT ad was, it’s nonetheless impressive.
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