<![CDATA[Lens Flared - Blog]]>Wed, 10 Apr 2024 18:29:57 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[Go for Gold: A personal Redemption of the Biopic]]>Thu, 14 May 2020 04:00:00 GMThttp://www.lensflared.com/blog/go-for-gold-a-personal-redemption-of-the-biopicBy Mary Thornton
Picture
I, Tonya / 2017 / Craig Gillespie
Have you ever had a film experience that made you realize something about your own tastes that you hadn't understood before?
As a writer and even as a movie fan, I've tried to be fair when it comes to movie genres. Even while I understand some types of movies aren't my first (or even second), choice for entertainment, I like to think that I can at least recognize the standouts and give them their fair dues.

The one exception I've found to this personal rule? The biopic.​

Beat for beat, almost every biographical movie I've seen follows the same structure as the one that came before it. Leaving out films about "important" figures - I would define those as more historical than biographical - this applies to any film that attempts to """accurately""" present the life and/or tribulations of an entertainment person. 
​
Musical biopics such as Motley Crue's The Dirt (2019), are particularly egregious; often being so involved with showing the real-life people they depict as "protagonists" that they ignore or romanticize the terrible things that person did. Its all okay however, because this is in the name of "art".
This impression was so ingrained in me that despite hearing nothing but positive reviews, it took me over two years to finally watch 2017's I, Tonya. Once I did, I realized that the problem I had with these movies was not one of genre, but of prejudice. 

"The haters always say 'Tonya, tell the truth'. There's no such thing as truth. Everyone has their own truth"
​
Picture
​
Following the highly-publicized 1994 incident where Tonya Harding was implicated in the physical assault of fellow-skater / competition Nancy Kerrigan, I, Tonya plays with the validity of it's protagonists' statements. Margot Robbie (Harding), not only performs the major events of Harding's life - accent and all - but acts in a confessional of sorts as an older Harding relaying the events directly to the camera. Everything the audience sees is taken directly from her point of view, and we know this.

It was take on a major female figure that may or may not feel familiar to the popular biopics. In The Dirt, the band member subjects ride a high of rock music, drugs, and fame that involves reckless sexual behavior, degrading treatment of women, and a complete lack of self awareness. If it sounds petty to compare an award-winning, widely-released film to a Netflix-only release (that was partially produced by the band itself, no less)....well, so be it. Keep in mind that online streaming has been steadily expanding in budget, impact, and subject matter for the last few years, and its role in modern entertainment has only increased during the recent events of the 2020 quarantine.

To clarify, I am not writing this to say that I, Tonya is a great movie that holds up a lens to a oft overlooked or even mocked aspect of female socialization and pressure - even though it does. I'm writing this because seeing a movie in the same genre, with similar story beats, following a female protagonist made me realize WHY I was so bothered by the common narrative. 

Men were making it, and they were making it poorly.

While it would be easy to respond to this need by adding female characters into narratives and featuring them prominently in your storytelling - something that Disney has opted to do recently with middling success - we cannot forget about the second half of this statement. Movies, stories, entertainment featuring men is prominent regardless of its quality. Meanwhile, a woman-based movie has to be outstanding in order to stay relevant. 

I want to see so many more movies like I, Tonya. I want to see movies like this do well, become talked about, and cause an impact in the genres they are a part of. At the same time, this will never happen without women's contributions to film being as widely varied in subject, grunginess, budget, and even quality as men's expression is allowed to be. In any case, I hope that whatever influence I have with my writing is supportive of this effort. 

Every expression of skill or artistry carries with it an expression of humanity - be it violence or beauty. Women are not an exception to this.
​
]]><![CDATA[Our Favorite Holiday Movies]]>Sun, 18 Dec 2016 05:00:00 GMThttp://www.lensflared.com/blog/our-favorite-holiday-moviesBy The Writers of Lens Flared
Picture
The Muppet Christmas Carol / 1992 / Brian Henson
This winter, the contributors of Lens Flared put together a list of our favorite movies for the coldest time of year. Whether you're looking for a post-Christmas dinner movie recommendation or just want to know how we like to celebrate the holidays, click the link to find out more!
Holiday Movie List Planes Trains and Automobiles
Planes Trains And Automobiles / 1987 / John Hughes

Planes Trains And
Automobiles

Amber Broyles

Technically while it is a Thanksgiving film, the holiday it centers around is not as important as the overall feelings you walk away with. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is so much about family and goodwill that it hurts. There are excellent performances from both John Candy and Steve Martin. Steve Martin is the perfect mix of frantic holiday traveler and frazzled family man to be relatable and likable. John Candy is just the right amount of annoying and sweet to a fault to be endearing. The film kicks around between unfortunate circumstances and outlandish situations that are played with enough humor and believability to be entertaining and well worth a second… third … fourth viewing. This film has it all; heart, humor, and all the good and bad of the holiday season.
Holiday Movie List Krampus
Krampus / 2015 / Michael Dougherty

Krampus

Mary Thornton

Picture
Its not Christmas until the thought of spending the holidays with your family fills you with literal horror. At least, that ends up being the case when this family is forced to come together and defend themselves from a series of nightmarish and festive assailants. I've always been a fan of seasonal horror films - whether they're genuinly good or hilariously campy - and I find this one does a good job at balancing the qualities of both. A cast of talented and funny people including Toni Collete, Adam Scott, and David Koechner bring some necessary levity to this tale of a Christmas wish gone horribly wrong, and with practical effects and puppets courtesy of the Weta Workshop, both the comedy and the horror elements come through in all their glory. Special mention must be made of the design of the eponymous Christmas demon himself, which is enough to scare anyone - young and old - into being on their best behavior this year.
Picture
Holiday Movies List Trading Places Eddie Murphy
Trading Places / 1983 / John Landis

Trading Places

Amber Broyles

Trading Places is anything but a traditional or conventional holiday film but frankly that’s what makes it stand out. It stars eighties comedy legends Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy with a splash of Jamie Lee Curtis for good measure. It's over the top but never boring. It’s crude and raunchy but not anymore so than the lowbrow comedies nowadays. It seems almost tame in comparison. Still, despite the choice of subject matter and questionable ethics of the characters it still dulls out the themes of the season in full force; goodwill towards your fellow man, appreciation of what you have, and spreading of wealth be it through money, joy, or mutual respect. Fortunately, it’s a wild ride from start to finish and not yet another cheesy feel good holiday flick.
Holiday Movie List Joyeux Noel World War 1
Joyeux Noel / 2005 / Christian Carion

Joyeax Noel

Mary Thornton

Movies based around Christmas like to take us to the best and brightest times to warm our hearts. However, I am of the opinion that you can't understand the real meaning of the holiday without knowing the impact it can make in the darkest of situations. Joyeux Noel tells the (mostly) true story of the 1914 Christmas truce. Soldiers from Scotland, France, and German who had been waging ceaseless war on each other for weeks come to an arrangment; for one day and night in honor of the holiday, the fighting would stop and the three armies would celebrate together in peace. There are few time periods as bitter and dark for humanity as World War 1, and the way the soldiers learn to connect across political, social, and linguistic lines as well as the drama of what happens when they're ordered to fire on the same people they shared a meal with the day before makes this an emotional - and in my view, necessary - reminder of what's important, both in times of peace and in times of world-shattering conflict.
Holiday Movie List A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol / 1951 / Brian Desmond-Hurst

A Christmas Carol

Amber Broyles

It’s a bit of a cop-out but basically any adaptation of A Christmas Carol from Scrooged to The Muppet Christmas Carol. It's a classic Charles Dickens story that works in any era. It’s a tale that speaks of greed and charity without being too ham-fisted. Regardless of the vision, it’s an emotional journey watching an old cold hearted man open himself back up to love. However, if I was to speak to a specific adaptation I would praise The Muppet Christmas Carol. Yes, it may seem like a strange choice with all the adaptations out there. Still, The Muppet Christmas Carol has the most unique art style for each ghost and frankly a still very unsettling Ghost of Christmas Future. It has catchy songs that are appropriate for each section, as well as, the best balance of atmospheres. You can’t go wrong with this timeless Christmas tale no matter the version you choose.

Picture
Scrooged / 1988 / Richard Donner
Picture
The Muppet Christmas Carol / 1992 / Brian Henson
]]><![CDATA[Breath-Taking Horror: Don't Breathe delivers clever scares]]>Fri, 28 Oct 2016 22:22:29 GMThttp://www.lensflared.com/blog/breath-taking-horror-dont-breathe-delivers-clever-scaresBy amber BroYles
Don't Breathe Fede Alvarez Horror Film House
Don't Breathe / 2016 / Fede Alvarez
I miss the days when thrillers actually said something, tapped into some deep-seated social issue. I miss the days when social commentary could be subtle yet provocative, a la Dawn of the Dead or The Crazies. There's a real elevation in story when a filmmaker can sneak those ideas in. Having said that, I'd like to point your attention to a little(ish) film that came out this year, Don't Breathe. Not only does it employ wonderful filmmaking techniques but it also uses current social issues as a backdrop for a grindhouse-esque thriller.
Don't Breathe Fede Alvarez Independent Horror Rocky
Fede Alvarez’s Don't Breathe follows a group of three Detroit burglars as they attempt to rob an old blind veteran out of his supposed six-figure settlement. What kind of settlement might you ask? The kind a person gets when a rich girl accidentally kills said person’s daughter. The group breaks in but things go horribly, horribly wrong. You should never underestimate a veteran despite his distinctive lack of vision. The criminals learn firsthand that once a person is trained as a soldier they’re always a soldier.
First off, the film is absolutely gorgeous. The framing is almost poetic and takes full advantage of object placement and empty space. Cool filters and light are used to give it a classic grindhouse feel. The shadows and deep contrast are used to emphasize any bit of color.  While breaking into the house, the scene is devoid of color. The main characters are present and center. Above them a security light douses their faces in a sickly green. All this lends to a very surreal eerie atmosphere. It feels like some sick twisted dream or fairy tale. It’s all very Greek in a way; a group of adventures climb into the lair of some mythical beast for a boon.
The sound design is brilliant. Alvarez knew exactly when to use music and sounds to amplify the tension. On the flip side, he knew exactly when to use silence to the same effect. There’s a nice mixture of ambient drones, quiet subtle music, and silence that allowed the characters’ breathing and suppressed screams to take center stage.
Don't Breathe Fede Alvarez Independent Horror Rocky
Plot-wise, the story is a trip. It lulls you into a false sense of security. It distracts you with transparent foreshadowing. Then bam, the truth of the situation is revealed though it was there all along hidden behind clever framing and lighting. It’s refreshing to see a filmmaker that uses the camera to their advantage. The clues are there all along you simply have to look past the obvious. These layers make the reveal all the more enticing and, frankly, horrifying.
On top of that, Alvarez didn’t shy away from America's national crisis; the desperation that is modern life and the decay of the American dream. In this film, there are no family units. The parental figures are either absent or destroyed beyond recognition. There are no jobs thus no money. There is no security emotional, financial, or otherwise. The world is literally crumbling around the characters in the form of run-down buildings, empty neighborhoods and roads, and rusty old vehicles. They have nothing to look forward to except more decay.
Don't Breathe Fede Alvarez Independent Horror Rocky Alex Money
The most important element of the theme lies in the foil characters. Rocky hopes this big score will allow her to escape her alcoholic deadbeat mother and run away with her kid sister to California. The Blind Man has lost everything, his sight, his daughter, and his belief in God. He's a lonely, broken man desperate to get back at least one thing he lost, a child. So we have Rocky, desperate to preserve what she has and the Blind Man desperate to get back what he lost.
Don't Breathe Fede Alvarez Independent Horror Break In Rocky
Unfortunate for him, this break-in doesn't just throw a wrench into his plans but destroys the whole machine. There’s a reason he doesn't move out of his dead neighborhood. There's a reason he keeps half a million dollars in his house. There's a reason the basement is locked up like Fort Knox. There's a reason he really, really, really doesn't want anyone down there. Trust me, it's not what you're thinking. It's a million times worse. Also, unfortunate for him, we have a young woman just as desperate to escape her terrible life as he is to start a new one.
Truly, despite its technical triumphs, where Don't Breathe really shines is in its ability to tap into something deeper. Still, I can appreciate that the themes aren’t so in your face. Like I stated above, this film seems very simple but if you look beyond there’s something greater. That understated quality makes it so Alvarez isn’t boasting. He’s not pretentious about it. He’s not drawing attention to the deeper meaning. It's a good old violent thriller with a dash of social commentary. That’s the best thing a thriller could be and, personally, the only thing a thriller should be.
Don't Breathe Fede Alvarez Independent Horror Blind Man
]]><![CDATA[Borrowed Time: An interview With Director Lou Hamou-Lhadj]]>Fri, 21 Oct 2016 04:00:00 GMThttp://www.lensflared.com/blog/borrowed-time-an-interview-with-director-lou-hamou-lhadjBy Mary Thornton
Picture
Borrowed Time / 2015 / Lou Hamou-Lhadj & Andrew Coats
In an effort to break away from the traditional confines of computer animation, college friends and Pixar artists Andrew Coats and Lou Hamou-Lhadj deliver a western-inspired drama in less than ten minutes.
Coming off of a series of film festival showings and awards, Hamou-Lhadj and Coats' dark tale hit Vimeo this week to a very positive reception. Considering the two long-time friends both have Pixar experience, it'd be difficult to expect any less. Still, Borrowed Time is certainly reaching for a different audience than most Disney fare, and it accomplishes this with as sharp and as emotionally-charged visuals as you'd see in any great feature.
 A little while before its release to the public, I had a chance to see Borrowed Time at the Brooklyn Film Festival - where it took home the audience award in the animation category - and later had a chance to interview one of the directors while he was in the city. He explains what it was like working on a close collaborative work over a number of years, and the process of finding a story of forgiveness in a dark place.
Picture
 In the five year process to make the short, the two directors drew on an education at NYU's school of animation. "...we met in college, Andrew and I. Two, three years in? So kinda an unlikely friendship that we formed...I noticed the work he was doing and I thought it was really good and we both realized we had the ambition to work in feature film." Both Coats and Hamou-Lhadj were trained in traditional "2D" animation before transitioning to the computer-generated style that has taken over a lot of mainstream features in recent years. "Right around the time I was graduating Disney shut down its 2D department and...From a student standpoint, you’d been preparing to try to enter that market and to see something like that is a little unnerving and jarring. So I scrambled a bit, like 'Okay I gotta learn how to be valuable in the changing medium!'"
Even with a quality education and experience, the pair dealt with their fair share of obstacles in making the film happen. "We might have extreme deadlines on a film that demand a lot of our time and we want to be equally invested as co-directors. There would easily be times where one of us would go 'I’m too busy I can’t do this' and the film would go on hold and possibly [would] never get finished. The two of us though would always pick up the slack whenever we could, and that was huge in getting over every obstacle from story to production."
Picture
"Even if the story doesn’t necessarily come from a personal experience, the fact is that you are crafting something," Lou explains.  "That’s still very personal, and if you’re too guarded with your collaborator you’re never going to get anywhere with it. As trying as it was at times, the co-directorship was never bad. It was always a really awesome, collaborative effort. I think we both consider ourselves extremely lucky in that."
Picture
The story itself came a long ways from its original story. While the plan for a dramatic reveal and the theme of forgiveness for an old tragedy were present from the beginning, but the finished product - which you can view on Vimeo below - manages to deliver its message more succinctly than an earlier version. "We were now nine minutes into a ten minute film where our character finds the information and we realized that if we did that it would have to be a twenty minute film...We built all of this information up to a reel where you get that information and go 'oh my god, how could this have happened?!' There was a whole other plot and a whole other character and a whole other relationship that we ultimately cut from the film. We decided to make the story about this person who is reliving something traumatic. [Ultimately I believe] this works a lot better."
Picture
When asked about what his greatest takeaway was from the film's completion, the director and animator had this to say: "We wanted to learn the hard way and not have too many people’s input on it. We wanted to learn what was wrong with it on our own, and find those people that we trust."
The finished film has been online for just under a week and already has seven million views, with many comments praising the unexpected twist and the risky dark tone for taking them on a "feels trip." This is, I believe, the internets' way of letting Lou Hamou-Lhadj know that he accomplished his goal of taking a medium usually considered child-friendly to new places.
You can watch Borrowed Time and judge for yourself below. Slight trigger warning for animated violence. 
]]><![CDATA[Ghostbusters 2016: A Paranormal Adventure with A Good Combination of Ghosts and Laughs]]>Thu, 21 Jul 2016 20:43:59 GMThttp://www.lensflared.com/blog/ghostbusters-2016-a-paranormal-adventure-with-a-good-combination-of-ghosts-and-laughsBy Amber Broyles
Ghostbusters 2016 ghost logo
Ghostbusters / 2016 / Paul Feig
The paranormal has been an intricate part of my life for as long as I can remember. I guess I'm a little ashamed to admit it, but the study of paranormal phenomena and its sciences have always fascinated me. So, when 9-year-old me discovered Ghostbusters I couldn't have been more thrilled. A cast of seemingly-average people catching ghosts with science? Sign me up. Nothing excited me more than the idea that an average person like me could catch and study ghosts. You may need a PhD to create the technology, however, you don't need one to operate it. That's the real draw of Ghostbusters.
This new film doesn't fail to deliver that same thrill and excitement. I can imagine little girls and boys in their seats in the theater staring up at the screen wide-eyed and hopeful. Unlike other reboots of the past few years, this film gets it. It may not hit the mark every time but at least the filmmakers understand what made the original so great without flat-out copying it. The humor is still dry and sarcastic, for the most part. The bureaucratic jabs are still present, even amped up, I dare say. The comedy comes from the characters themselves.
Ghostbusters 2016 ghost Kristen Wiig
In name, design, desires, and personality, these characters are nothing like their predecessors. The roles they play in the plot and against each other are inspired by the original. Still, this inspiration is only a vague foundation for the rest of who they are. They don't feel like male characters that were shoehorned into a gender-reversal. They are unique women through and through. However, they don't rely on their gender to flesh out their personalities; they are people that just happen to be of the female variety. As it should be.
The plot...it stumbles. I wouldn't say it drags on, because at no point was I bored, but it does meander a bit. It’s evident in a few scenes Feig didn't know where they were going. Still, the feeling only lingers momentarily before a new scene or a bit of dialogue picks up the atmosphere. A couple sequences felt out of place but were still fun and kept with the tone. Thus, they weren't frustrating. The characters also suffer from a lack of motivation and vague goals. Still, it’s not enough of a distraction to dampen the mood.
Thank god the paranormal elements are interesting. To be honest, that was the component I was most worried about. The ghosts are just cartoony enough to still be fun. They look nothing like the ones in the original but that’s a good thing. I don’t think anyone could pull off that look nowadays. It’s uniquely 80’s and if used now would feel campy. Not to mention, would be accused of copying the original. The main conflict is based on real science that plays into paranormal theories. Without a problem that’s both a mix of science and the supernatural, it just wouldn’t be Ghostbusters.
Ghostbusters 2016 action finale ghosts
Ghostbusters (2016) is its own thing, which is the only thing that it logically could be. You cannot and should not remake the Ghostbusters. The original was a one-in-a-million chance that it would work the way it did. You can't recreate that kind of magic. However, if you can understand its magic, you can take that knowledge, throw in a few new fun elements, and make a decent love-letter to a film that's admired by so many. It's not trying to be Ghostbusters-circa-1984. It's trying to be Ghostbusters 2016. It's certainly refreshing to see a reboot try and modernize a classic without completely ignoring the heart of the original.
]]><![CDATA[Off Track Betty: An Interview With Short Film Director Clayton Smith]]>Thu, 07 Jul 2016 22:38:00 GMThttp://www.lensflared.com/blog/off-track-betty-an-interview-with-short-film-director-clayton-smithBy Mary THornton
Off Track Betty New York City East Village Cinematography
Off Track Betty / 2015 / Clayton Dean Smith
When a young man with a camera appears, a woman faces the dramatic changes of her East Village neighborhood. Director and writer Clayton Smith talks to us about the inspiration and experience of making his first short film.
Directors come from all areas and backgrounds, and while there are more obscure places to come from than an acting career, Clayton Dean Smith brings a powerful perspective as an East Village native himself and as an accomplished actor. That definitely comes through in his portrait of both a woman and a neighborhood that are dealing with change.
Off Track Betty New York City Details Cinematography
"There's often...an itch that actors get, I think, to take the reins and do their own storytelling. Many actors write or direct themselves," Smith explains. "Sometimes its to generate projects that they can act in...but I had kind of a different impulse with this, which was to create a story about this specific internal struggle we have living in New York City."
"The real impetus for this project was a modest apartment building on Delancey Street, with the 'Off Track Betting' sign painted on the brick, that was in my field of vision on my walk to the F train every day. Over time, the image of that building just planted itself in my consciousness. I'd lived on the Lower East Side or the East Village my whole time in New York, and the image of that building came to [represent] a lot of the emotion under the surface that had been building for years as my favorite businesses closed, friends moved away, people got evicted. The shape of the neighborhood completely changed."
Off Track Betty Diane Ciesla Actress
Diane Ciesla stars as the eponymous Betty, whose own personal history is tied in to that of the neighborhood.
The cinematic focus and the deliberate choice to use 16mm film definitely give the movie the feeling of walking through someones memories of the past. Lingering shots of buildings in various states of disrepair, of a closed business, and of a tree growing over a chain-link fence speak to a real intimacy with New York City, both in its present state and as its remembered by those who have been there the longest. "[1970's cinema] was definitely an inspiration for the look of the movie...Giacamo [Belletti - cinematographer] and I spent a lot of time discussing specific angles and framing we wanted to use...The decision to use film came when it was just so obvious that it was the perfect way to do justice to the vision we were developing."
Similarly, the casting process really seemed to come together thanks to Smith's own experience in the audition room. "Diane Ciesla, who played Betty, some someone that Liz [Ortiz-Mackes - casting director] knew and had suggested early on...We saw so many incredible people. I enjoyed the casting process immensely and I knew how to run a room since I've been in so many of them on the other side of the table! I really loved that part and enjoyed working with actors in the room so much." This enthusiasm also comes through in the scenes themselves, which brought a great natural feeling to our main character' interactions.
Off Track Betty Corwin Tuggles Actor
Corwin Tuggles as Jason
While the initial idea and story came from his own head, Smith credits a lot of the way it comes together to his crew. "Finding the right person to play Jason was one of my biggest concerns, because I had such a clear idea of the sensibility I thought the character had. Corwin Tuggles was just a dream to work with. I am so grateful that Liz gave this project so much love and attention because it really shows in our beautiful cast."
There is a lot to be said for how this movie came together. From acting connections and personal life (the costumes were done by Smiths very talented husband Jeffrey Monteiro and the editor Brooks Larsen was a "close friend of a close friend"), the contributions to the movie came through phenomenally. Because its a short (nineteen minutes long), its difficult to get into specifics without taking away from the experience of watching it. I would recommend anyone curious about it check out the trailer below and watch the Off Track Betty website for information on when it is available. Well-deserving of its Audience Award in the "short film" category, this is a film - and a director - worth watching out for in the future.
]]><![CDATA[The Marvel Cinematic Universe Part 1: The Water Cooler Contract]]>Thu, 23 Jun 2016 20:44:05 GMThttp://www.lensflared.com/blog/the-marvel-cinematic-universe-part-1-the-water-cooler-contractBy Casey Patterson
Captain America: Civil War Steve Rogers Chris Evans
Captain America: Civil War / 2016 / Anthony Russo & Joe Russo
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is not improperly named. It really is galactic in size, both in the breadth of the settings and the endless chore that has becoming keeping track of all the canon. It’s so huge I’m going to have to publish this in multiple parts, meaning this will be a multi-part article criticizing the practice of multi-part storytelling. Thanks for making me look like a hypocrite, Marvel.
Back in 2001, Chicago announced that everyone in the city should read To Kill a Mockingbird. The idea was to give strangers something to talk about: a complex, shared media experience that could be used as an icebreaker. Fast forward just 15 years and the whole idea has become completely unnecessary. We’re moving away from niche, clique-y ideas like “this is only for nerds/kids/women/artists” and have begun to embrace modern media as a unified community of entertainment consumers. Adults loved watching Zootopia with their kids, and men laughed until they cried at Bridesmaids.
My own little property management office, consisting of every demographic Hollywood can box people into, had a 100% viewing rate for Captain America: Civil War. We all gathered around the literal water cooler and talked about our favorite parts, from Steve’s glorious bicep curl of a helicopter, to our varied opinions on Black Widow’s motives. Even our 61 year-old accountant with no interest in action movies at all, let alone a comic book movie in a series she hasn't seen, was too sick of feeling out-of-the-loop to skip this installment of the MCU. She described it as “alright.”
This reaction was expected from her, but that sentiment echoed across the majority of my social media feed. And yet, when I went to see it, half the friends who happily volunteered to go with me were already on their second viewing, meaning they paid twice for “alright.” The chatter as the audience left the theater involved the normal quotes, laughs and discussion, but what also accompanied it where tired questions. “Hey, did I miss anything by not seeing Ant Man? I still haven't gotten around to seeing that.” “Which movie was Steve's love interest in again? I already forgot her name.” “Where is Thor? Is there something in his last movie that explains why he's not there? Wait has he had a movie since the last Avengers one?”
At this point, a full understanding of what's going on in one movie costs hundreds of dollars and hours of “research” to obtain; a workload which borders on becoming a part-time job. There are complex relationship trees growing bigger and bigger by the movie, and it's not just the ensemble films that feature huge casts. For being classified as a Captain America movie, Steve sure has to share the screen with a lot of people in Civil War. And if following a dozen people fighting at once wasn't hard enough, early information on Infinity Wars boasts sixty-seven named characters. Sixty-seven. I've taken college finals less complicated.
Captain America: Civil War Fight Scene
This leaves me, any many other fans, beginning to wonder when this stops being fun and starts being homework. I personally don't like the Thor movies. I think Jane is a frustratingly written waste of what could be a great female character, and the plots are always unfocused. But do I watch them? Of course. Loki was the villain in The Avengers, and Age of Ultron was confusing enough without having zero context for Thor as a character. I still haven't seen Ant Man though (Jan is my favorite from the comics and her treatment in the MCU upsets me), and Doctor Strange looks like a dull, static mess. Is my stubborn refusal to subject myself to these movies going to be worth going into Infinity War unprepared? I'm not sure yet. I mean, movies that I’m not too invested in have a place in my life as background noise. At least that’s the excuse I make because I don’t want to be out of “the loop.”
But should we be treating our entertainment like ripping off a Bandaid? Should we be forcing ourselves to “get this movie over with already”? It it worth regularly attending MCU “classes” just to be able to discuss it around the literal and figurative water coolers the next day?
Thor: The Dark World Jane Natalie Portman
Thor: The Dark World / 2013 / Alan Taylor
We'll see. Marvel has announced years worth of upcoming films, and fans still scream for more. They've been clamoring for a Black Widow movie for years now, and many viewers were surprised to find themselves enamored with yet another baby-faced Peter Parker. And it’s not just the movies. Agents of SHIELD is going strong and Agent Carter had a decent run before its cancellation. There are over a dozen MCU-related cartoons on Netflix now and some fans are even inspired to delve into the comics. Godspeed on that one, kids. 
Even with all my criticisms of the series, don't think I don't adore some aspects of the MCU. Captain America: The First Avenger, Iron Man 3, and The Avengers are all great in my opinion, and you cannot even begin to fathom how hype I am for Black Panther.
“Wait!” I can hear you all thinking. “Is she really not gonna mention Winter Soldier?” I didn't because Winter Soldier is in a class of its own. Some argue that Deadpool is as well, but I would argue that's due to there being no bridging characters or plot lines. Captain America: The Winter Soldier stands apart as a surprisingly artful marriage of modern action with a kind of magical realism hero moves either ignore or over-indulge in. A stellar film, Winter Soldier is so good  it might just be the first nail in the coffin of this franchise. How is being “too good” a bad thing? We'll talk about that in my next article in this series.

]]><![CDATA[Brooklyn Film Festival Inspires With A Variety Of Stories And Resources]]>Wed, 22 Jun 2016 01:11:03 GMThttp://www.lensflared.com/blog/brooklyn-film-festival-inspires-with-a-variety-of-stories-and-resourcesBy Mary Thornton
Brooklyn Film Festival Experimental Film Ambrosia Qin Yuke
Ambrosia / 2016 / Qin Yuke
For the 19th year, the Brooklyn Film Festival boasts selections from all over the world. With 107 films from 31 countries, there was no shortage of impressive films both feature-length and short.  With an overall theme for the festival of "Experiment," there was no better place to be to be exposed to the up and coming people and trends in film.
Spanning from the first Friday in June with an opening party and screening to the following weekend through the award ceremony on Sunday evening, the festival presented its short films in groupings by genre. Even in a block of documentary or animated shorts, there was very little overlap in themes and stories. However, what really grabbed me about the shorts presented - especially in the experimental group - was the variety in visuals.
Brooklyn Film Festival Experimental Film Solo Finale Ingo Putze
Solo Finale / 2015 / Ingo Putze
I'm of the opinion that any story that can be told can be told best with gripping visuals, and thats exactly/entirely what I got from the experimental films at BFF. Some of the highlights included a 3 minute dance through Canal Street, a Netherlands film about a one-of-a-kind tourist attraction, and a stage performer stumbling through a dream. I've always been someone who enjoys my entertainment a little on the twisted side, and there was definitely content there for me. I especially liked one animated short with a clear nod to David Lynch's Eraserhead.
Brooklyn Film Festival Experimental Cosmic Kid Just Landed Jason Evans
Cosmic Kid, Just Landed / 2016 / Jason Evans
Another great thing to witness at an event like this was what was happening in the world of sound design. Although not as easily noticed (or as easily shared in an article format), as visuals, I was interested in the way that Foley and music could come together to create a world. This was especially key in the shorts because of how vital it is to keep up a consistent atmosphere for anywhere from 3 to 20 minutes. One that I thought was a great example of this was the German short Solo Finale. The creaking and the echoes of an ancient organ in an empty, upside-down world works with the music and the conflict between the two characters.
Since each showing was followed by a question and answer session with the filmmakers present, it was always worth planning to stay longer. It was great to listen to filmmakers from different parts of the world answer the same question whether it was about their casting process or their original inspiration. One artist from Hong Kong was inspired to create his first ever film after a struggle with depression, and the unique sand art animation in his short Red Egg was a big part of his recovery.
Brooklyn Film Festival Experimental Animated Film Last Door South Sacha Feiner
Last Door South / 2015 / Sacha Feiner
Brooklyn Film Festival Experimental #Meat Marc vsn den Broek
#Meat / 2015 / Marc van den Broek
Brooklyn Film Festival Independent Feature Crooked And Narrow Neal Dhand
Crooked And Narrow / 2015 / Neal Dhand
Among the narrative features of the festival, there was a couple running themes I noticed. Themes of family, crime, and families involved in crime came up in more than a couple of the feature films. What interested me most of all was the way different filmmakers approached scenes and stories of violence and managed to accomplish very unique and often profound experiences with their movies in approximately ninety minutes. One such movie was Neal Dhand's Crooked and Narrow.
With a story and characters reminiscent of a 1970's crime movie but the colors and writing of a modern day thriller, Crooked and Narrow managed to keep the audience's tension level high. I think the best evidence for this is how, even in expected scenes of conflict and violence, from my spot far back in the screening room I could see a number of audience members jump at every sudden punch or gunshot. It also speaks to how well the sound in the film was mixed. As I mentioned before, this is a time where many filmmakers and editors in particular have realized the important part that sound design can play. While I won't say any titles in particular, there were examples of films even at this festival that fell short even to the point of having key dialogue be inaudible. This, however, was not one of them. The sound and editing in general contributed so much to each scene that the film actually took home an award for best editing, which I felt was very well deserved.
Brooklyn Film Festival Independent Feature Crooked And Narrow Lindsay Goranson
Lead actress Lindsay Goranson brings a quiet, ferocious intensity to the character of Amy Walsh.
One of the things that made the festival exciting for anyone in the area is that, since it spanned a full week, each film was shown twice. This is, however, where commuting for the weekends of the festival made it difficult to get the full scope of everything the event had to offer. While I wasn't able to see every movie, I did attempt to see at least something from every category. While reading the descriptions of the films, I immediately had to stop at Lapachhapi. This turned out to be a very good decision.
I may have mentioned that I am a fan of horror, but I will fully acknowledge that its not a genre typically associated with profound social issues. However, when I attended what turned out to be the world premiere of this scary movie from India I knew this was a movie that deserves to be talked about. Actually, a lot of the movie from the premise to the vintage jump scares and shrieking soundtrack brought me back to classic slasher films but as the director Vishal Furia and his team explained after the showing, this movie was inspired by something other than a serial babysitter murderer. I don't think there's anything I can explain about the message of the movie that wouldn't be better served by watching it with the informative text at the end, but it deserves to be noted for its bravery in taking a serious and grim modern-day horror and giving it front-and-center treatment in what is still an entertaining film for horror fans like myself. I'm glad to say the Brooklyn Film Festival judges apparently agreed with me, and the filmmakers brought a BFF Spirit Award home with them to India. I shall be keeping an eye out for this movie to get a U.S. release after the festival run and I hope anyone reading this does as well. It is definitely worth watching, either for the foreign take on horror storytelling or for its relevant social commentary.
Brooklyn Film Festival Independent Feature Indian Film Foreign Lapachhapi Vishal Furia
Lapachhapi / 2016 / Vishal Furia
Overall, the festival that took place over several locations in the Greenpoint and Williamsburg neighborhoods certainly delivered on its theme. Between the exposure to and opportunities for international and local filmmakers and panels and networking opportunities for attendees, witnessing an event like this is truly a reminder that however intimidating the glut of films out there currently being made may be, there is always room for original and powerful storytelling. I actually had the chance to sit down with some of the filmmakers not mentioned in this article. I for one am excited by the trends in movies I saw from just about everything I watched, but I feel the three directors I spoke to are going to be particularly interesting to watch in years to come.
]]><![CDATA[GREEN ROOM VS BLUE RUIN:A LOOK AT THE CREATIVE WORK OF JEREMY SAULNIER]]>Fri, 10 Jun 2016 12:05:55 GMThttp://www.lensflared.com/blog/green-room-vs-blue-ruina-look-at-the-creative-work-of-jeremy-saulnierBy Amber Broyles
Picture
Green Room / 2016 / Jeremy Saulnier
Today, the film market is so over saturated that it’s nearly impossible to wade through and find something you can truly enjoy. Now, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Diversity is always good and in the end it makes finding a new creator you connect with all the sweeter. It’s even more of a win when you watch something unassuming on a whim and it becomes one of the films that later shapes how you see the industry. Blue Ruin did just that for me. For a film from a relatively unseasoned writer director it struck a huge chord, thus, I had to add Saulnier to my very, very short list of filmmakers I’m loyal to. So, naturally Green Room had me more excited about a film then I had been in a long time. I’ll admit it might’ve fallen short of my expectations. Still, it made me re-evaluate why Blue Ruin originally meant so much to me and why I respect Saulnier as a creator.

What Saulnier does best is evident in Blue Ruin. Not only is it beautifully composed and shot but the plot is tight with just enough down-time to hype up the tension. It’s a stunning deconstruction of the classic revenge movie. It follows the story of loner Dwight (Macon Blair), a 30-something-year-old man seeking revenge for the death of his parents a decade or so ago. A few quick scenes in and we know Dwight isn’t against breaking into people’s homes, stealing clothes, dumpster diving for food, or living in a rundown car. He lives outside of society, so, it isn’t hard for him to take the leap into murder. There’s a whole heap of silence. Between the long, isolating shots and Dwight’s eyes the movie tells us of the last ten years without so much as a word. He’s broken and not even revenge can fix him. However, he doesn’t want to be fixed because Dwight isn’t the average hero. He feels real. He has emotional issues and is caught up in the past. He’s weak as most people are. Thus, giving the audience a sense he’s an everyman. He snaps back to life once his parents’ killer is released. Inside, the call for revenge hastily gnaws at him, despite the consequence. All these elements are not lazily explained through wordy dialogue but quick immaculately executed visuals.
Picture
Blue Ruin's Macon Blair returns as a supporting cast member in Green Room.
All the violence in the beginning is personal. There are tight close-ups and claustrophobic set pieces. You’re right there in Dwight’s face as he struggles to take that final step. We see everything he’s thinking. We tense up as he tenses up, his parent’s killer only inches away from him. The shots never pull away to reveal the violence as a whole. We get glimpses, pieces of the chaos. It only takes a few moments to take a life. Then the rest of the movie pulls out, pulls away to fully reveal the consequences of Dwight’s actions.
The action is no longer personal. It’s a response for survival. There is no passion or hate anymore just cold calculating murder. It may be a slow burn after the initial murder, but it’s a good slow burn. It doesn’t meander. The pacing is deliberately slow. It’s meant to keep you on edge. It’s meant to make the final hoorah more intense. There is no filler. Each scene, each shot, each sigh, has a purpose.
Picture
On the flipside, we have Green Room. It follows a band (pun intended) of young punks into the backwater hills for a one last-ditch effort gig at a neo-Nazi dive bar. Unfortunately, they witness the aftermath of a murder and are forced to fight for survival against a barrage of devout skinheads. It’s wholeheartedly a siege movie, falling into the same vein as an Assault on Precinct 13 or Panic Room.  Exposition is told through conversations instead of visuals. It drags on while each character speaks their clichéd lines. We have the hot head, the token girl band member, the weird quiet one, the Holden Caulfield-esque leader, and a neo-Nazi drug addict who’s morphed into the misunderstood punk girl. They follow their archetype almost to a T. They never subvert it or extend past it. We know by the time the catalyst comes around exactly who’s going to live and die. The lack of character development and red shirt syndrome make it hard to care about any of the characters. They aren’t people. They’re tropes.
n top of all that, the first two acts come off more as filler than a slow, steady lead-up to the climax. The band runs in and out of the green room multiple times with no plan or even vague idea of how they’re going to get out. They don’t use their surrounds to their advantage and thus, one by one, they’re senselessly picked off in an extremely violent fashion. It’s impossible to build tension when the plot feels like it’s constantly stopping and starting. This tactic is employed to pad the story, and no one intentionally wants the audience to feel this off kilter. It’s exhausting.
The pacing problem continues up until the third act, where we finally see a shift. The characters grow a brain and utilize smoke and mirror tactics. Story cues are presented visually instead of verbally and time is make use of efficiently. This sudden shift in tone and execution is jarring to say the least. It gives the sense that maybe Saulnier had the ending in mind but no first act or second act to speak of. It left me in a state of confusion and frustration. The third act is what I expected from Saulnier. The first two acts are not.

The only element these two films have in common is the way in which violence is presented. We have the same ideas. In the beginning the violence is very personal. They use makeshift weapons that cause close proximity between the killer and murder victim. The camera is right up in it. There’s no shying away from the reality of it. You stab someone in the neck there will be blood. You slice a person open and you will see their insides. In these moments the violence is repulsing, as it should be. By the end, the characters are seasoned killers. They use guns. So, they’re farther away and not so involved in their own violence. The shots are wide and detached. The violence is now observed from a distance. It’s not personal anymore. It’s survival.  

Picture
Writer directors have a unique task that doesn’t befall directors or writers on their own. If you know you’re going to direct your script you write it in a different way. You have the opportunity to decide what shots will be during the writing process. Therefore, as a writer director writing and visuals go hand in hand to tell the story. If you’re writing a script for someone else to director they decide the shots so there’s no need to point out certain visuals. You can but writing straightforward action is preferred. That way the director has raw material to work with.

I greatly attribute Saulnier’s impeccable sense of visual storytelling to his writing. It’s evident when comparing and contrasting these two films. Green Room is a pseudo-complex plot padded with poor character development. Blue Ruin is an unabashedly simple plot with complex characters. He is a master of character when he has more time to focus on only a few. He is a craftsman when it comes to simple plots because he has more time to plan his visual execution of ideas. Green Room is an experiment. It’s not seamless but it’s certainly a learning experience. Hopefully, he can look at it objectively, see the flaws, and apply this new found knowledge to his next film.
]]><![CDATA[My Life In Purple: Prince's Biopic Is An Accurate And Uniquely-80's Experience]]>Fri, 06 May 2016 02:26:32 GMThttp://www.lensflared.com/blog/my-life-in-purple-princes-biopic-is-an-accurate-and-uniquely-80s-experienceBy Mary Thornton
Musical "biopics" are a popular draw both now and back in the 1980's, but few capture the essence of a performer like the (very), fictional musical Purple Rain. While not offering much in the way of biographical information, the musical performances and story of the film serve as a perfect time capsule for someone who's fashion and style imprinted him on the memory of a generation. Neither the movie or the artist once and always called Prince or the movie Purple Rain will be forgotten any time soon.
Prince,
Purple Rain / 1984 / Albert Magnoli
This past weekend, the historic Avon Theatre in downtown Stamford, Connecticut played multiple showings of the 1984 Prince classic, Purple Rain. Myself and a crowd of older, slightly-inebriated Connecticut natives listened to a talk before the movie started on the influence Prince had on music and the industry in general.

I don't consider myself very knowledgeable about music in general, but everything about his impressive discography was familiar to me. I also grew up with an older brother who would regularly play the Purple Rain album, and actually watching the movie as a kid with my brother was my first and only time seeing it before this night.
Prince, Apollonia,
Like many movies that seek to bring attention to an already popular artist, the movie relies heavily on both the musical aspect of his life and work (including appearances by Prince proteges Apollonia Kotero and Morris Day), as well as some heavy-handed drama that was largely embellished or made up in the transition from Prince's story to the big screen.

All things considered, once you sit back and accept that this is less of a factual account of a musicians life and more of a wild ride through a influential and uniquely-80's album, everything else starts to feel a whole lot more natural. Often when discussing the relative quality of artistic biographies, the conversation becomes weighed down by a fact-checking competition. Usually any film that achieves a completely accurate (or close enough), representation falls into the same heavy and predictable tone. Last year's Get On Up comes to mind as a biopic of a musician that had great performances and musical segments only to fall flat in telling a story with the style of the musician it represents, and from the reviews it seems like this year's Nina is another one that falls into the same trap.
In comparison, there is absolutely no mistaking Purple Rain as a Prince production. Absolutely everything from the musical performances to the romance to the costumes (see left), are 100% inspired by and created to be a part of this story and film. And sure, there might be groan inducing moments that go along with it and there is absolutely no mistaking this for a totally factual account of the musicians life, but from the reception in a theater of Prince fans, these points were secondary.
For an audience of people who knew Prince and his music the way only a true fan could, watching a play-by-play of the artists entire life would not have had the same effect. While I'm sure there are many fans who will be spending the next month playing through the entirety of his massive discography, its nice to know that if you want a solid hour and a half of pure Prince style and songs come to life, Purple Rain isn't going away any time soon.
]]>