REELZINE

The Mason Brothers (film review - 4/12/17)

2017-04-12T15:00:00.001-04:00

The Mason Brothers

Compelling supporting roles, moody photography can’t shake the feeling that this dish is a little undercooked
by Robert P. Young
April 12, 2017

Keith Sutliff, the baby-faced writer-star-director of The Mason Brothers, knows how to make smart moves. Setting his low-budget heist film close to home. Hiring an Oscar-winning cinematographer. Scheduling his shoots to accommodate actors with day jobs.

It still isn’t enough to make his debut feature a great film.

Setting us up for a Christopher Nolan-quality epic with drone shots of Los Angeles in the opening credits, The Mason Brothers lets us down with a claustrophobic, emotionally cold experience.

A bank heist gone wrong, with a beloved team-member killed in a shootout—we’ve seen it before in Reservoir Dogs. But while Dogs convinced us that strangers united by misfortune can forge unbreakable bonds, The Mason Brothers makes us wonder: why do these brothers even work together? They bicker; they differ on when or whether to get out of the “business” (their euphemism for bank robbing); after years of heists they are still cash poor. Allusions in dialogue to a past of shared ups-and-downs are not enough to truly show a family dynamic of brotherly cohesion.

Admittedly, the crime genre is fun, especially if you’re a young man and you want to play with cash and guns. But showing the toll that a life of violence takes the pen of a more seasoned screenwriter.

To be fair, sometimes Sutliff hits it out of the park with casting. Michael Ryan Whelan, whose death sets the story in motion, brings life to a limited role with his background in stand-up comedy. Compared to his somber, overwrought co-leads, Whelan feels like a three-dimensional character whose death we can believe is heavily felt.

Another standout is Julien Cesario’s crime boss, whose shark grin charms while plotting double-cross after double-cross.

Alas, the main leads, including Sutliff himself, a blustery Brandon Sean Pearson, and a hot-and-cold Matthew Webb, are not nearly as interesting or deep as the supporting characters. Sutliff is a problematic choice for the leader of a gang of bank robbers—he looks not that far out of high school and fails to convey the image of a hardened criminal. Pearson and Webb (as well as the entire film) are plagued by repeating dialogue that does not advance the story or add shade to their characters (a healthy trimming of the script in pre-production would have helped a lot).

Not surprising in this genre, women are given short shrift. Pearson’s argument with a superfluous girlfriend has no stakes (well, she is a gun moll), and Italian actress Carlotta Montanari is wasted as a go-between the brothers and her boyfriend Cesario. (She doesn’t even get a decent kiss, due to awkward cinematography.) With the limitations of budget forcing the story to depend on characterization, what a loss that we didn’t have a worthy femme fatale!

Errol Webber as cinematographer sets the tone with noir-ish lighting, although the mood is broken when shooting exteriors and in daylight. Taking cues from famed Japanese director Yasujirô Ozu, Webber’s framings create tension when the camera lingers on a face without a cutaway, or allows the actors to not-quite-leave frame while continuing heated arguments. This is a film devoted to close-ups—in order that we stay enmeshed in the interpersonal drama—but more shots like the beautiful view of nighttime Los Angeles during the opening credits would have given the movie much more production value and scope.

With all this said, the completion of a first-time, low-budget feature film is a monumental achievement. There is definitely talent here. As Sutliff matures as a filmmaker—perhaps even trades the crime genre for something more personal—we’ll get some good cinema.

Guy Maddin's "Keyhole"

2013-09-16T10:34:00.000-04:00

Guy Maddin is a tough filmmaker to recommend. Even among cinephiles, there’s a quality to his work that can be off-putting to some, and enthralling to others. Even those that love his work, like I do, have trouble recommending it outright. Much like the films of Bela Tarr, you can’t just sit down and turn on a Maddin film. You need to be in the mood for it. They are movies best viewed in dark rooms, in silence. Maddin’s films are also hard to come by, just like the films of Bela Tarr, though Tarr is usually harder to find. So, when it comes to telling friends to go out and see a movie, you need to also offer a bit of a warning; you probably won’t find it anywhere, and you really need to have a full attention span. Also? It may be a silent film.

Maddin is a filmmaker whose style is set in the techniques of the 30’s and 40’s; he films mainly using Super 8 and 16mm film, in black and white, and occasionally without sound. The editing, framing, and composition of his movies wouldn’t be out of place in a movie from the 30’s or 40’s, save for the nudity. His last film, My Winnipeg, was somewhere between a documentary, a memoir, and historical fantasy; it was one of the best films of 2008. Still, his films are an acquired taste. Not just anyone will want to sit down and offer up 90 to 120 minutes of their life for something that looks like a relic from the past. And there is a slightly autobiographic aspect to his films that can be blunt, and treads through territory that some might not want to follow.

That is why I was intrigued by the concept of his new film, Keyhole, which has a fun-sounding genre premise, and actors who are somewhat recognizable. On top of that, Maddin has switched to digital film, after shooting all of his previous films in Super 8 and 16mm. Ok, I’ll bite.

Of course, much like the house where all of the action takes place, things are not quite what they seem. Jason Patrick stars as a gangster named Ulysses, who brings his gang, a blind woman, and a kidnapped man back to his house in order to find his wife. Ok…that sounds a little strange, right off the bat. I did mention there were ghosts in the house, yeah? Lots of them. Also, one of them is an old naked man that is chained to a bed. You get a clear view of him, many, many times. Also, it’s pretty clear that most of the gangsters, if not all of them, are ghosts. Also, probably, the entire rest of the cast. Lots of ghosts. Quite a bit of nudity.

The film is more like watching the dream of someone who binged on 1930’s silent films, gangster noire, and old Vincent Price films. If Dr. Mabuse decided to visit the House of Usher with his friend Al Capone, it would be something like this, but with more old man nudity. It is at times feverish and hallucinatory, leaving viewers to wonder what’s going on, and why they should care. It’s only around the midpoint that things start to clear up, as questions start getting answered. Thankfully, when answers come, they seem more like pieces of a puzzle falling into place, rather than odd contrivances. Still, the imagery and tone of the film will leave most viewers wondering what of that imagery, if any, has deeper meaning. It is possible that I’m completely overthinking it, while Maddin sits, somewhere in Canada, smiling.

In the end, though, everything comes back around to one of Maddin’s favorite topics; memory. This is all an exercise is exorcising the past. And while many of the reveals, if they could be called that, are telegraphed from miles away, the ending is still earned. There is a weight to the proceedings that isn’t quite apparent from the onset. Also lots of old man nudity. I may have mentioned that earlier.

But now comes the question: would I recommend this to the uninitiated? Actually, yes. If you can get past some of the more maddening aspects of Maddin - and the old man penis - it works as a good gateway into the filmography of an auteur that can be somewhat esoteric, and a bit eccentric. Still, I wouldn’t recommend this to everyone. It is a movie that requires a decent attention span, and it can seem somewhat impenetrable in the early onset. Also, there is quite a bit of old man dick. Still, if those are not deal breakers, I’d recommend giving it a shot. It is not one of Maddin’s best, but it is a decent gateway into one of the more original filmmakers of our time, even if most of his tricks stem from the 30’s. Oh, and old man penis.

Written by Mark Donovan

Bernhardt and Pahlen pen Uncle Jim

2013-05-01T11:20:00.000-04:00

Arnie Messer of Phoenix Pictures is producing a title called Uncle Jim which Kevin Bernhardt wrote with Kyra Pahlen.

The Logline is: An American teenage girl abandons her studies in the Middle East to live with her boyfriend in a religious cult there. Her helpless parents call in her favorite Uncle, a down-and-out ex-boxer, to appeal to her better senses. But once Uncle Jim arrives, he finds that she has not only been brainwashed but is also unwittingly taking part in a drug running scheme. As such this quickly proves to be the biggest fight of his life.

Recruited by an attractive man near the Wailing Wall, an American teenage girl abandons her studies in the Middle East to live with him in a religious cult. Her helpless parents call in her favorite Uncle, a down-and-out ex-boxer, to bring her back. But once Uncle Jim arrives to the Middle East, he finds that she has not only been brainwashed but is also unwittingly taking part in a drug running scheme - and getting her out quickly proves to be the biggest fight of his life.

ReelFest Roadshow heads to Austin! Stay tuned for details this week!

2013-02-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Reel Fest 4 dates announced!!!

2012-11-03T08:37:00.000-04:00

We have dates for Reel Fest 4!!!
Dec 26th to 30th at The Out of The Blue in Cambridge, MA!!

The Church of Love & Confusion: Cycle 1: Sleep Walk, is the featured feature this year, and will headline for the duration of the festival. (Dec 26th to 30th)

Go to Schedule page for more details.

"Lo" - Film Review by Mark Donovan

2012-07-01T14:50:00.000-04:00

Lo starts with the main character, Justin – or, as he’s called throughout; Dinner – performing a ritual to summon the demon Lo. The scene is framed and scored very seriously, and the entrance of Lo is plenty dramatic. The creature is first seem crawling out of the darkness, slowly revealing its form – an ashen gray, hairy beast that is essentially one large torso with ruined scraps of legs trailing behind, with a small patch of its skull either missing, or it has a slight touch of harlequin ichthyosis. It is a frightening moment that lasts for about a minute, and then, with a cough, all pretense of seriousness is dropped, and the true nature of the film reveals itself.

The friend that recommended Lo to me summarized it thusly, “A guy summons a demon to get back his girlfriend, and then they dance.” He wasn’t being entirely accurate, but he was honestly recommending it. While initially billed as a horror movie, Lo is far more of a quirky comedy. Or, more accurately, it is one part comedy, one part love story, one part musical, and a few parts community theater. That last bit is not a knock against it; while you can see various stage productions similar in theme to Lo, most tend to be lacking in one very important area: the script. The makeup effects also help. Think of it more as Buff the Vampire Slayer: The Play. While Buffy did take itself seriously, to an extent, it was always aware of what it was, and used its premise to make more than a few sly jokes. The same can be said for Lo.

Lo, as played by Jeremiah Birkett, is all dry humor and sarcasm. Birkett is one of those ‘that-guy’ actors that has been acting in bit parts for over two decades - though he is unrecognizable underneath all of the makeup – and his experience is certainly evident in his timing and delivery. He is one of the reasons why the film works as well as it does. By contrast, Ward Roberts is less experienced, and when compared to Birkett, it shows. His delivery isn’t bad, but it lacks polish. He also looks like the love-child of Bruce Campbell and Marc Heap, and has more than a few moments where he seems to be channeling both actors.

The script does occasionally drop into camp - like the various song and dance numbers and a first-hand account of the tortures of hell as delivered by a bickering couple from behind a backlit bed sheet – but those moments are done willfully, usually as the setup for a joke, or just as the joke itself. Lo, in essence, is a one room, one act play and writer/director Travis Betz knows it, and uses that to his advantage. Half of the movie is set on a theater stage – if not all of it - with stagehands visibly smoking in the background, and occasionally reaching out to hand off a prop. The bulk of the action takes place on these various stages, and even the main circle, where protagonist Justin sits for the entire movie, looks like it is in the middle of a stage. Apparently there is an actual stage version in the works, which is surprising in that there isn’t already one. That is also one of the charms of the film; there is no reason for a film where the protagonist does little more than sit on the floor for the entire movie to work this well.

There will undoubtedly be a few people who stumble across this film on Netflix while looking for a horror fix, and those people will be disappointed. But those that don’t mind giving the film a brisk 80 minutes will find that there is quite a bit to recommend. It is no wonder that there seems to be a growing bunch of devoted followers on the film’s IMDB page.

Buddhists in Toy Land

2012-02-21T21:13:00.002-05:00

I am lucky enough to have been enjoying the offerings from Reel Groovy Films and their prolific creator, John Mayer Hartman, for a number of years on the independent/underground film scene. Until now, I had only been exposed to Hartman’s quietly quirky brilliance in short-subject form. I have found these white dwarves of movie magic to be universally entertaining, artistically striking, and technically impressive. For all of this, I’ve been hard-pressed for a single, summative word for what this unique experience is. With my recent viewing of the feature Reel-Illusionary Zone, I have found the word that eluded me, and it is Fearless.

Zone is a powerful, stylistic fusion of classic German minimalist cinema, the New American Independent esthetic, Buddhist philosophy, and vintage stop-motion animation techniques. It approaches deep, introspective themes with both a subtle beauty and a genuinely whimsical sense of itself. In light of how risky being so true to one's art really is, fearless is the only fitting adjective, which is good, since 'Pygmalian Drops Acid' with the 'Vampire in Wonderland' as performed by the Buster Keaton Players is nowhere near as snappy or dramatic sounding.

The film makes the most of a mixed bag of low-budget, high-impact special effects, expertly chosen scoring and nuanced, high-theatrical performances. Bringing together these elements to highlight an otherwise very sparse, mostly black & white, silent production, the mad coven at Reel Groovy films present a truly affecting and enjoyable Odyssey of oddity. Hartman and Co. craft a psychedelic epic beyond the frontiers of the individual mind, through the interwoven fringes of our shared consciousness, across the assumed boundaries of what is ‘real,’ into the very heart of the human experience.

We embark on this journey along with the Toymaker (Hartman) a cursed, dimensionally displaced hermit. His only companions are his lovingly crafted, creepily human toys. When his beloved creations, Groovy Girl and Bean Pole, are lost and stumble into the Reel-Illusionary Zone, the mystical border between the land of toys and the ‘real’ world, the saga begins. First, the Toymaker builds replacement toys, including a disturbing, faceless creature and 2.0 versions of Groovy Girl and Bean Pole. The Toymaker charges these creations with finding their predecessors, and they, too, get lost in the mysterious landscape.

The two sets of toys have a variety of misadventures, my favorite of which involves a beautiful homage to the gold standard of German minimalist film, Nosferatu, complete with gothic European castle and buck-toothed vampire. Eventually, the toys each emerge into the ‘real’ world, attaining humanity as they do so. With all the new knowledge, and needs of humanity, the toys attempt to make their way in our world. Their travels leave them (in succession and ultimately mistaken for each other) at a movie set, where the story has its conclusive epiphany.

The Toymaker, for his part, has gone in search of his ‘children’ himself. Following the advice of a supernatural princess, he retraces the steps of his creations. His path is advanced by super-trippy visions, transcendental trances, saints, and sorcerers. He is challenged with his own fears, misconceptions, and prejudices of perspective. It is only by facing and overcoming these inner limitations, including his attachments to a lost love and his toys, that he is able to navigate the Zone and find his way back to his rightful dimension. When all the players are reunited on the movie set for the climax, the development and depth of the characters is fulfilled.

The Reel-Illusionary Zone is a deep meditation cleverly disguised as whimsical, art-house experimentation. Hartman and, indeed, all the talented creators and performers who bring this delightful fantasy to life can be proud. It’s a visual treat, a true work of art, full of thought and emotion that really shows off excellent mastery of classic minimalist film-making.

Written by Joseph James Bellamy
Editor: Deb Bellamy

Rod Webber nominated "Best Interview" by the 10th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards

2012-02-15T12:15:00.000-05:00

Rod Webber and Reelzine have been nominated for "Best Interview" by the 10th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards for Rod's interview of Jane Asher: "On Masque of Red Death," actress talks about working with Corman and Price. Conducted by Skype in conjunction with Diabolique.

Winner selected by votes. Go to the Rondo website for more...

Or, email taraco@aol.com to cast your vote. But, you must select TWO nominations for your vote to count. In which case, we recommend Paulo Zelati's interview: Barbara Steele: "The Gothic Queen of Italy," DIABOLIQUE #5.

Washington Times post today...

2011-11-11T11:47:00.001-05:00

Washington Times post today for RFDC...

Film festival: ReelFest DC
After four years in Boston, ReelFest is setting up camp in the District with the express mission of creating “a seed-bed for films outside of the mainstream which personify innovation, individuality and daring strokes of bold new cinema.” That’s a tall order, but at least one ReelFest offering appears to fit the bill: “Inventory” is a feature-length look at the inner workings of a New England furniture store. Like the retail-class sagas it echoes, “Inventory” deals principally with the problems of smart people who feel overqualified for jobs they can barely handle.
Through Monday at 1055 Thomas Jefferson St. NW.
Web: www.reelfestdc.com.

See original post here.

Stockbrokers Are People Too, Maybe, by Mark Donovan

2011-11-06T21:07:00.000-05:00

You may want a primer on the behaviors and history that lead to the financial collapse of 2008 before going in to Margin Call, the new financial thriller from writer/director J.C Chandor. There are numerous terms and numbers thrown out at the characters and audience, and it’s hard to make sense of it all. But, then, that’s the point. Margin Call tells the story of a 24 hour period in which a few managers and executives at a Lehman Brothers-like firm try to avert an impending disaster, in which even the very highest executives are not entirely sure what the information means. The one character who seems to have the best grasp on the information is a rocket scientist, and even he doesn’t know exactly what is happening, or how to stop it.

It may seem somewhat masochistic to watch a financial thriller about the 2008 financial collapse while we are still experiencing the effects of it, but Margin Call makes for an effective and entertaining thriller, even while keeping the majority of the action contained to various boardrooms and offices. The boardroom scenes are tense, without devolving into shouting matches between veteran actors. And none of the actors come across as outright villains, they are all just people put into the overwhelming situation of trying to avert impending disaster, though Jeremy Irons does come off slightly vampiric. It is a bold move- especially in these times, where stockbrokers are perceived as enemy #1.

The ensemble cast includes Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Demi Moore, Zachary Quinto, Simon Baker, Irons, and Penn Badgley. Stanley Tucci also shows up in scenes that bookend the film, as the risk management director whose work exposes the impending collapse, and whose role also seems to be the guy that just spouts numbers. It’s a role similar to Liam Neeson’s in Gangs of New York, in that he is mentioned constantly throughout the film while only appearing in it for a few minutes, not in the spouting numbers way. As one of the least recognizable names in the ensemble, Quinto does a fine job as Tucci’s rocket scientist protégé, who takes over his work after he is fired early on.

Kevin Spacey and Paul Bettany also deliver fine performances. This is perhaps one of Kevin Spacey’s best performances since Moon (where he played the voice of the robot GERTY), and it’s always good to see Bettany doing more than just glowering while killing CGI monsters. Penn Badgley is passable as a young, cocky stockbroker, though I kept thinking he was Adam Brody. Are we sure they’re not related? It was somewhat sad to hear his character admit that all he ever wanted to do was be a stockbroker. He must have had very little imagination as a kid.

Simon Baker and Demi Moore fare less well, though they aren’t given much to work with. They mostly just stay in the background as Spacey, Bettany, and Irons do the heavy lifting. And the one scene with the two of them sandwiching a cleaning woman in an elevator is a little too on the nose in terms of imagery. Aasif Mandvi can also be glimpsed taking a short break from The Daily Show, though he is given even less to do than Moore.

Margin Call occasionally evokes another one-location thriller, Deterence, though I would say that Margin Call is much more sure-footed and effective. Both deal with people making impossible choices in the face of catastrophe, but Margin Call has the benefit of being a fictional account of real events, and the ensemble is much better. While it may seem strange to find entertainment and excitement in a film about an event from which we are still feeling the fallout, Margin Call is nevertheless a well made, tense thriller, which manages to also be entertaining.

Written by Mark Donovan
Editor: Rod Webber

Hoping Bernie Madoff Finds New Career In Art

2011-11-05T19:45:00.003-04:00

Chuck Close

Recently, my friend Edgar Stephen Curo posted an interesting story from the New York Times called "Artist Files Suit, Seeking Royalties." As it turns out, I had a thought or two about it. The following is the rant posted to Edgar's Facebook:

"They [sellers, museums and galleries] contend that the law’s main beneficiaries are artists who need it the least: those, like Mr. Close [Chuck Close] or Mr. Stella, whose work is famous enough to sell again and again."

Wow... "The artists need it the least"? I will admit, that most of my art in recent years has been in the form of films or music, but I remember The Rhode Island School of design costing tens of thousands of dollars... It was a big part of why I dropped out. Sure, there are the lucky few artists who this quote may apply toward, but for the vast majority of artists out there, they're not making a dime on their work.

The "Sellers" make the argument that this is not like copyright in film/music/literary works, because "the realization of a work of art is in exhibition, not in duplication.” What this whore fails to understand is that films are also paid for by their exhibition: It's called a movie screen, or a TV screen. Musicians are paid for their exhibitions. They're called concerts, CDs, mp3s, radio. Literature has Kindle, and paper. The New York Times charges you to read on the web. These are their galleries.

Jerry Garcia

Don't get me wrong, I understand their cut-throat logic: If I were to sell the physical master tape a Jerry Garcia song was recorded on (to use their example), I would expect to get a hefty sum. It is, of course, the original. (See John Lennon's tooth for sale.)

Unfortunately, the reality of the situation is, that if a painting does get popular enough that people care about it, it is proliferated through libraries, magazines and now the web, and the artist never sees a dime for it. I suppose that we can't all have the resources to stage a marketing coup like Mr. Brainwash, but I think it's about time visual artists got treated at least with the same degree of respect that the rest of the arts get-- which is of course still pretty abysmal.

Mr. Brainwash

That being said, we starving artists knew what we signed on for, and I don't think a piece of legislation will have significant change on our artistic output... except perhaps to diminish it. After all, the struggle is often as much of the process as it is the art itself. I wouldn't expect the US to join with the European Union on this issue, but it seems to me that Sotheby's and Christie's and other such should at least have the decency to acknowledge that the artist themselves are of value.

But what else is new? Art-dealers, stock-traders, plantation owners, they're "the job creators." Right? Thanks Rockerfeller. Bernie Madoff says he's happier than he's ever been in prison. I wonder if he'll take up painting? I wonder how much his chicken scratches will sell for at Christie's? After all, it's not how well Jerry or Bernie paint... It's about the size of your auction block. Now, paint Bernie, paint!

Written by Rod Webber

Jane Asher - Masque of the Red Death Interview (part 1)

2011-10-28T06:00:00.000-04:00

In honor of Halloween, (and Vincent Price's 100th birthday,) we've teamed up with Diabolique Magazine to bring you a four-part interview with Jane Asher about her experiences starring alongside gothic horror legend Vincent Price in The Masque of the Red Death, directed by Roger Corman.

Jane has starred in films and theater, and even has her own line of cakes, and we're honored that she took the time to sit down with us.

Here is part one. Enjoy!

New Amateur Hour Trailer!

2011-10-15T15:41:00.000-04:00

Amateur Hour Trailer #3 from Austere films on Vimeo.

Check out the new trailer for Amateur Hour! Amateur Hour will be premiering at Reel Fest DC - November 10-14, 2011.

www.facebook.com/amateurhourfilm

www.austerefilms.com

New MY AMERICA poster!

2011-10-14T10:12:00.002-04:00

My America is coming to Reel Fest DC!!!

It's taking place this fall at CDIA, 1055 Thomas Jefferson St., N.W., Washington, DC, 20007

Reel Zine & Inventory on Kevin Smith's Smodcast!

2011-10-14T09:39:00.000-04:00

Check out this clip of Kevin Smith plugging Reel Zine on Smodcast!

Northern Comfort @ Reel Fest DC!

2011-10-08T06:00:00.002-04:00

NORTHERN COMFORT
Somewhere between home and where the heart is, is the place that we’re all going. When confronted with our humanity and our mortality we are confronted with the questions: Who do I want to be, and where do I want to go? Join two lost souls as they take the journey in search of hope, in search of answers, in search of… Northern Comfort.

Northern Comfort
Directed by Rod Webber
Written by Rod Webber, Greta Gerwig, Joseph James Bellamy, Irina Peligrad, David T. Grophear.

Cast
Rod Webber            ...       Horace
Greta Gerwig            ...     Cassandra
Joseph James Bellamy ... Owen
Irina Peligrad            ...     Denise
Markus Nechay                Lived Alone In The Woods
Matthew D. Ferrel           Believed in Legislation
Jose Ramos                Played A Good Game Of Chess
Robert Koch              Tried To Catch The Big Fish

Crew
Directed by Rod Webber
Written by Rod Webber. Additional dialogue by Greta Gerwig, Joseph James Bellamy, Irina Peligrad, Markus Nechay, David T. Grophear
Camera: David T. Grophear, Tim Brenner
Sound: Mike Kovalko
Co-Producers: David T. Grophear, Ali Bell
Associate Producers: Joseph Poleman, Sam Moussavi

Northern Comfort, starring Rod Webber and Greta Gerwig, (who is now very well known for films such as Greenberg, No Strings Attached and the Russell Brand remake of Arthur) is the second of Webber’s experimental films shot primarily in three days. Webber's guide to shooting is based upon what frequent collaborator Joseph James Bellamy refers to as The Perpetual Motion Manifesto. The film is perhaps best described as an existentialist character-study, in which Webber and Gerwig encounter a slice of snowy, northern Americana as they walk, talk, and drive their way to Canada for employment and free health-care, respectively.

Synopsis: Guided only by a set of books-on-tape by Greek philosopher Socrates, Horace and Cassandra are a mismatched duo who must learn to work together or meander aimlessly throughout the frozen wilderness. The two strike up a friendship, but after a night of drinking and spitting-up blood in a hotel bathroom, Cassandra has second thoughts about the pairing, and leaves the next morning. Horace and Cassandra cross paths again, but after her car breaks down, they are forced to find shelter in the woods. They come across a cabin inhabited by a crazy old hermit (Markus Nechay) who let’s them get out from the cold, and spends the night telling stories and playing his violin while Cassandra tries to get some shut-eye.

When Cassandra is confronted with the reality that her sickness is worsening, she must decide whether to stick it out with Horace, or find her own way, knowing that her time is running out.

Northern Comfort premiered May 25th, 2010 and has upcoming screenings October 9th 2011, at Southern New England Indie Film Fest, and November 11th at ReelFest DC.

Note*: The website is somewhat in transition-- But a more detailed synopsis is to come, when we get some of our other web-related issues squared away. In the meantime, please check out the trailers!

Northern Comfort Trailer 1:

Northern Comfort Trailer 2:

Schedule: Nov 10th to 14th

2011-10-07T06:00:00.011-04:00

Thursday, November 10, 2011
OPENING NIGHT BLOCK:
ONE PRICE GETS YOU IN ALL NIGHT!!
TWO FEATURES, PLUS TONS OF SHORTS!!
Buy Tickets!

7 PM – My America (80min) preceded by shorts

Opening statements by Joseph Polema
Bag Tax by J.W. Crump (5min), Slanted by The Mataresse Brothers (5 min)
OJ in Bishop Gardens by Otessa Ghadar (8min), Q & A with filmmakers
My America Webpage
Buy Tickets!

9 PM Amateur Hour by Sam Moussavi (94 min)
Preceded by shorts:
Planet Diva Trailer (Shot on Super-8 Film) by John Hartman
Q & A with filmmakers
Amateur Hour Webpage
Buy Tickets!

***Preceding opening night there will be FREE screening of Northern Comfort (at 5PM) (78 min)
Preceded by: Nobody is Somebody by Aaron Mullins/ Q & A
5PM BLOCK is a FREE Matinee warm-up event.
Northern Comfort Webpage

Friday, November 11, 2011
3 PM BLOCK – Northern Comfort (starring Greta Gerwig) (78 min)

Preceded by: selected shorts

Northern Comfort Webpage
Buy Tickets!

5 PM BLOCK – My America

Preceded by: Jane Asher on the 100th Birthday of Vincent Price
Q & A session with filmmakers.

My America Webpage
Buy Tickets!

7 PM BLOCK – Inventory by Justin Fielding (90 min

Preceded by shorts:
A short film by Joseph Poleman
Q & A session with filmmakers.
Inventory Webpage
Buy Tickets!

9 PM BLOCK - Amateur Hour by Sam Moussavi
Preceded by shorts:
Bag Tax by J.W. Crump, Slanted by the Mataresse Brothers
Counting Sand by Robert Early (3 min), Q & A session with filmmakers.
Amateur Hour Webpage
Buy Tickets!

Saturday, November 12, 2011
11 AM BLOCK – Northern Comfort (starring Greta Gerwig) (78 min)
Preceded by: selected shorts

Northern Comfort Webpage
Buy Tickets!

1 PM BLOCK - Babylon Central by Eric Hilton (90 min)

Preceded by: selected shorts

Babylon Central Webpage
Buy Tickets!

3 PM BLOCK - From the Back of the Room by Amy Oden (75 min)

Preceded by: selected shorts
Take Off One Ear! by Sabine I. Golz (22 min)
Q & A session with filmmakers.
From The Back Room Webpage
Buy Tickets!

5 PM BLOCK – Feature Film TBA

Preceded by: selected shorts

7 PM BLOCK - Amateur Hour by Sam Moussavi
Preceded by:
The spoken word of Joseph James Bellamy of My America
Counting Sand by Robert Early, Bag Tax by J.W. Crump
Slanted by The Mataresse Brothers, Q & A session with filmmakers.
Amateur Hour Webpage
Buy Tickets!

9 PM BLOCK – My America
Preceded by shorts:
The Lake by Tara Garwood (12 min), Boys & Girls by Chris Tipton King (5 min)
OJ in Bishop Gardens by Otessa Ghadar, Q & A session with filmmakers.
My America Webpage
Buy Tickets!

Sunday, November 13, 2011
11 AM BLOCK – Northern Comfort (starring Greta Gerwig) (78 min
Preceded by: selected shorts
Northern Comfort Webpage
Buy Tickets!

1 PM BLOCK - I Help You Kill Yourself by Kian Amani (57 min)

Preceded by shorts :Loneliness by Farzan Farmazi (5 min), Metta by Kirthi Nath (10 min) Something Like Life by Ardavan Roozbeh (40 min)
Q & A session with filmmakers.
I Help You Kill Yourself Webpage
Buy Tickets!

3 PM BLOCK - Return to El Salvador by Jaime Moffett (67 min

Preceded by shorts :
Hidden Books by Sam Hampton (12 min)
Q & A session with filmmakers.
Return to El Salvador Webpage
Buy Tickets!

5 PM BLOCK - Amateur Hour by Sam Moussavi
Preceded by: selected shorts
Out for Good by Nico Colombant (21 min)
Q & A session with filmmakers.
Amateur Hour Webpage
Buy Tickets!

7 PM BLOCK - My America
Preceded by shorts:
Take Off One Ear! by Sabine I. Golz, Q & A session with filmmakers
Closing announcements
My America Webpage
Buy Tickets!

Monday, November 14, 2011
12 PM BLOCK – Northern Comfort (starring Greta Gerwig) (78 min
Preceded by shorts:
A short film by Joseph Poleman
Northern Comfort Webpage
Buy Tickets!

2 PM BLOCK - Amateur Hour by Sam Moussavi
Preceded by: selected shorts: OJ in Bishop Gardens by Otessa Ghadar
Slanted by The Mataresse Brothers, Bag Tax by J.W. Crump , Q&A
Amateur Hour Webpage
Buy Tickets!

4 PM BLOCK - My America
Preceded by: selected shorts
My America Webpage
Buy Tickets!

VIEW SCHEDULES FROM REEL FESTS PAST

Tony Randall as Salvador Dali

2011-09-27T16:29:00.002-04:00

I'm The Mountain - (Chords/ Lyrics)

2011-09-20T03:55:00.002-04:00

I’m The Mountain
(Written August 26th 2011, 7AM)
Chords: E blues Riff throughout

I’m the mountain up on high.
I’m the valley, down down low.
I’m the fire burning brightly.
I’m the ice so bitter cold.
I’m the good of warm embrace.
I’m so bad ain’t got no face.
I’m the earth I‘ll swallow you
I’m the sky so bright and blue

High. Low. She’s up so high, but down we go.
High. Low. She’s up so high, but down we go.

I’m the stream of broken dreams
I’m the guide down the river Styx
I’m the fates, I call the wild
I’m the doors to all there is
I’m the wind, step on my back
I am the light in the deepest black
I am you, and you are me
I am all that you’ll never see

High. Low. She’s up so high, but down we go.
High. Low. She’s up so high, but down we go.

I’m the cloud that hovers over
When I want I make it rain
I’m the slime primordial
I evolved to bring you pain
I’m the ancient Aztec Gods
I’m a caveman making fire
I’m a speck of space rock dust
I am what you never trust

High. Low. She’s up so high, but down we go.
High. Low. She’s up so high, but down we go.

I am dead, I am immortal
I'm the sword lunged through your chest
You may claw, and you may struggle
I am all and you've met your best
Look my eyes call out my name
I will cast you where you came
I'll still stand when man is long dead
I'm the mountain, say my name

High. Low. She’s up so high, but down we go.
High. Low. She’s up so high, but down we go.

"I'm The Mountain" - (Video)

2011-09-19T03:10:00.001-04:00

I’m the cloud that hovers over
When I want, I make it rain
I’m the slime primordial
I evolved to bring you pain

3000 Sing - (Chords/ Lyrics)

2011-09-10T03:08:00.002-04:00

Doubtlessly, this song will fail to capture all that transpired at The World Trade Center in New York City, 10 years ago, but it is not meant to. Those who know my songwriting, know that I speak in fleeting glimpses and impressions grabbed from the stream of consciousness. Doubtlessly, for those who even listen or read my thoughts on the topic, their will be some who misinterpret of what is meant. I assure you that I mean no disrespect. My heart goes out to everyone who was effected by that day.

Requiem For 3000
Written Sept 6, 2011.
(To Watch Video, Go to Next Blog Post)

Chords: Capo on 5th fret.

E minor to Asus2 throughout (except where noted)

I’ll be a caped crusader for you. I will climb the highest mountain and pick the most beautifullest flower in the world. When we go, we will wish Mrs. McDay the fondest wishes. I will wash all her dishes. And there is your mother in the driveway. America got older. Story. /// Mama’s here. She’s coming to dinner. We will put pasta and potatoes and barrels of fruit on the table if we are able.

And the restaurant shooter has been identified. Clearly, he has sabotaged his retirement. It’s a domino effect /// A mess that can’t be cleaned// It was fate the train was running late. I was sitting in class getting read to a room full of first-graders-- or was it kindergarteners? Can’t remember-- It doesn’t matter….

No, it really doesn’t matter if you’re a beggar or a king-- On that day everything turned to rubble, and a sad choir of 3000 began to sing.

Where is your baby bump? Who will be his father now? In the ruins of your former life, who will you be/// when you lost your wife?

Crushed in the rubble neath the falling sky// life squeezed out from her. Crushed forever. ///The world turned to smoke and fire-- Diabolical laughter an ocean away-- in a cave or a crummy mansion in cadet city.

Absolute truth gives way to absolute force. Total annihilation. Pulverization. Jump out of the plane so we can kick the dog. Step out of the car, so we can kick the dog. Step out of yourself, so we can kick the dog. Let’s kick the dog. Come on everybody, let’s kick the dog.

Going to crush your bones. Going to pulverize. Mother’s waiting. Mother's waiting. Kindergarten’s been a real tough year. Wake up in the decade that America got a little bit lost along the way.

No, it really doesn’t matter if you’re a beggar or a king-- On that day everything turned to rubble, and a sad choir of 3000 began to sing.

It’s rainy and it’s falling bricks/// The screams and the metal will drive you sick. /// The death and destruction on the road to redemption/// The bankrupt nation bloats with waste/// The mighty eagle rests it’s wings… There’s no more nothing for us now. /// Wing commander, Texas fire.//

She’s a mental patient with a hair-helmet.//

It was a stroke he said. Gotta spend more time with the bees in the hive. There is honey to be made. /// Sleep when you’re dead. But Texas oil comes first. //// Then God, then family, and “I don’t have much to say about the rest /// Because the rest are communists, come to sell us hippy flowers and out-of-state checks, and a bunch of minds getting vexed, by their Godless heathen’s ways. // A state of confusion. But even heathens needed God on that day. /// And even communists were people on that day.” Well, even Bible-thumpers turned their heads to look away on that day… If only for a while.

No, it really doesn’t matter if you’re a beggar or a king-- On that day everything turned to rubble, and a sad choir of 3000 began to sing.

And hidden deep below the second in command’s double vaulted lair, the mole-men dug their way toward the sun. /// Beneath the sky on that day as they first breathed human air. ///// The sky turned to rubble and all was pulverized. In a blaze of fire, in a blaze of fire. /// rest your heads, children of men. And we will never forget that day.

The writers and the poets will make sure to it that that is true. As we all go down and the thunder shakes the ground, I think back to a time that my father’s father knew.

[Asus] There was nothing we coulda done.

[E-] There was nothing we coulda done.

We were [G] lucky to just get out alive.

No, it really doesn’t matter if you’re a beggar or a king-- On that day everything turned to rubble, and a sad choir of 3000 began to sing.

Requiem For 3000 - (Video)

2011-09-09T03:07:00.000-04:00

No, it really doesn’t matter if you’re a beggar or a king-- On that day everything turned to rubble, and a sad choir of 3000 began to sing.

Somewhere To Bleed (Chords/ Lyrics)

2011-09-08T03:06:00.001-04:00

Labor Day Shootings in NYC, Sept 6th, 2011

Somewhere To Bleed

VERSE - (capo 5th fret: Dsus2 shape)
What do you do when you're all done with screaming? All done with dreaming… All done with the hope that a riot doesn’t just break out in your front yard? Raijiv Pandey called in a bomb-threat because the power was out at his grandmother’s house. He wanted to get it back on. I called in a love threat, and threatened to strangle him with affection, crush the bomb-threat insurrection, put a scare into the eyes of those who’d bully us with their lies, deception, deceit and mistrust. Hate is the soul-killer. Only hate can bring you down. Only hate can bring you down. It will sink you so hard.

CHORUS (capo 5th fret: C, G, Dsus2)
Run for your life, these bullets have got crazy speed, And they’re looking hard for somewhere to bleed. Call the police, shield your daughter, but it’s too late, when bullets speed, and they’re found somewhere to bleed.

VERSE - (capo 5th fret: Dsus2 shape)
Welcome to the West Indian parade. It weren’t the West Indians…. It was just the hate. Eighties Madonna hates flowers. But The Madonna-Madonna is mother to Jesus our Savior. There are riots in the streets. There are saviors at our feet, but none can hear us.There are riots in the streets. There is smell of gun-smoke in the air, and people dying.
So we must die, we must die, we must die. Stabbed in the back, stray bullet through Denise Gay, she’s dead at the scene. Leroy Webster was his name, shot Eusi Johnson just the same. And dead is dead, as dead can be, dead at the scene. Crown Heights is full of bullets today.

CHORUS (capo 5th fret: C, G, Dsus2)
Run for your life, these bullets have got crazy speed, And they’re looking hard for somewhere to bleed. Call the police, shield your daughter, but it’s too late, when bullets speed, and they’re found somewhere to bleed.

VERSE - (capo 5th fret: Dsus2 shape)
Two cops, Dicken and Medina shot up too.
Another one dead during J’Ouvert, four shot while making dessert, and more shooting as the parade got underway. Said William Long, they were knocking over barricades, for a dozen blocks of the parade, then one more shot in the leg.
At 6pm a man was stabbed in the back- when across town one shot in the arm.
A 15 year old boy shot at Kingsborough.
A 17 year old in the leg up in the Bronx.
A 33 year old man in Harlem.
A woman in the back in Jamaica Queens
A 44 year old man at Empire and McKeever.
A man shot in Flatbush in critical condition
Two men at the Marcy Houses in Bed Stuy- one dead, but one survived.
One shot in the chest at 2nd Ave
A man shot at Whitman Houses
One in the head at Brownsville -- dead at the scene.

CHORUS (capo 5th fret: C, G, Dsus2)
Run for your life, these bullets have got crazy speed,
And they’re looking hard for somewhere to bleed.
Call the police, shield your daughter, but it’s too late, when bullets speed, and they’re found somewhere to bleed.

VERSE - (capo 5th fret: Dsus2 shape)
I know I’m screaming in my head-- screaming “come make me dead.” Shadows in the dirt, a cold fast, rain surge through my veins, falls to the ground as my feet pound, to free my mind. And in my tracks as a run the path, the flashing lights shine in my eyes. I’m going blind this time, but I don’t know if you even know that you see me. I’m a ghost as you shine the lights. I’m not seen as I make my way through the night. I’m a ghost, and I fight for love- glad you see that you can’t see me. Because hate kills the mind, hate kills the soul. I give love, to try to fill the hole. Gun smoke in the air, and the sky is bleeding. Bleed on me a cold red rain, wash the hate right down the drain, so when Evil comes and he stands on trial he won’t be smiling.

CHORUS (capo 5th fret: C, G, Dsus2)
Run for your life, these bullets have got crazy speed,
And they’re looking hard for somewhere to bleed.
Call the police, shield your daughter, but it’s too late,
when bullets speed, and they’re found somewhere to bleed.

Shootings in NYC... "Somewhere To Bleed"

2011-09-07T03:05:00.001-04:00

Shootings in NYC...

Joseph James Bellamy performing "Heirs to Fire"

2011-09-04T20:16:00.000-04:00

More of Mr. Joseph James Bellamy at Reel Fest 3.