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Keith Miller (Welcome to Pine Hill) | Slamdance 2012 Interview
Sunday, January 29th, 2012The winner of the Grand Jury Sparky Award for Feature Narrative at Slamdance 2012, Welcome to Pine Hill is the most naturally positive portrayal of a black character that I have ever seen dedicated to film — and I am incredibly embarrassed to say that if I knew that a white guy directed Welcome to [...]
OK, Good | Review
Saturday, January 28th, 2012Director: Daniel Martinico Writers: Daniel Martinico, Hugo Armstrong Starring: Hugo Armstrong Paul Kaplan (Hugo Armstrong) is a struggling commercial actor whose lackluster existence is based upon an endless series of auditions and movement classes with a little everyday life thrown in for good measure. As is the nature with auditions — especially for commercials — [...]
Welcome to Pine Hill | Review
Saturday, January 28th, 2012Director: Keith Miller
Writer: Keith Miller
Starring: Shannon Harper, Keith Miller, Ernest Bastien, Brian Ketover, Lily Jayne, B.J. Rubin, Manuel Maya, Mary Meyers, David Williams, Jaiden Kaine, Mark Anthony Hackett, Junior Adolphe, Willie Meyers, Margaret Meyers, Jay Williams, Thom Jude, Mark Read
Keith (Keith Miller) is out walking his pit bull puppy one night. Abu (Shannon Harper) approaches Keith while forcefully stating “That’s my dog!” A long and heated discussion about the rightful ownership of the dog ensues. Fueled by the two men’s most glaring physical (body size and race) and economic differences, the scenario becomes increasingly tense.
I am not sure how Hollywood would have handled such an opening scene — which was initially released as a short film Prince/William — but I can promise that the issues of race would not have been handled as adroitly as they are here. Writer-director Keith Miller adapted this scene from the actual discussion he had with Shannon Harper upon their initial meeting. Both men handled what could have very easily been an explosive situation quite maturely, eventually coming to a point of mutual respect and appreciation for each other. Then Miller met up with Harper the following day and proposed that they shoot a short film together. The rest is cinematic history…
As Welcome to Pine Hill progresses, we learn that Shannon’s character Abu is juggling two jobs — by day he works in an office as an insurance claims adjuster, by night he is a bouncer at a hipster bar. Abu’s heavy workload functions as a desperate attempt to distance himself from his shady, drug-dealing past; which means paying off past debts and separating himself from the negative influences of his friends. Eventually, Abu decides to escape Brooklyn altogether, so he flees deep into the Catskill Mountains to the backwoods town of Pine Hill…
The winner of the Grand Jury Sparky Award for Feature Narrative at Slamdance 2012, Welcome to Pine Hill is the most naturally positive portrayal of a black character that I have ever seen dedicated to film — and I am incredibly embarrassed to say that if I knew that a white guy directed Welcome to Pine Hill, I probably would not have even bothered watching it. But the outsider perspective actually works in Miller’s favor, and it certainly helps matters that he avoids all of Hollywood’s racial stereotypes. Most importantly, Miller does not approach Welcome to Pine Hill as a film about race; though he understands that our world is far from being colorblind and race-related issues are inescapable. (An alternate title for Welcome to Pine Hill could be: The Embarrassing Things That White Guys Say to Black Guys.)
Most impressive, however is Shannon Harper. As I commented to Miller, Harper never once seems like he is acting. Harper (who had never acted before in his life) essentially pulls off something that most seasoned actors have been trying to do for their entire careers. He never allows the camera (technically, three cameras) to compromise his amazing presence, and his resulting performance is one that I will probably never forget.
Rating: 9/10
Albert Nobbs | Review
Friday, January 27th, 2012Director: Rodrigo García
Writers: Glenn Close, John Banville (screenplay), George Moore (novella)
Starring: Glenn Close, Mia Wasikowska, Brendan Gleeson, Aaron Johnson, Pauline Collins, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Johnathan Rhys Meyers
Despite being a fan of Irish culture and literature, I knew nothing about George Moore’s novella, “The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs,” originally published in 1918, until recently. Glenn Close co-wrote the screenplay, produced, and stars in the film adaptation, Albert Nobbs. The story takes place at the turn of the 19th century in Ireland, a tumultuous period for not only Ireland but the rest of the British Isles and Europe. When the story was published, the Easter Rising of 1916 had occurred in Ireland and much of Europe was embroiled in World War I. I find this fascinating, as the story of Albert Nobbs is in some ways about a personal war, a struggle of identity, sexuality, and honesty with one’s self.
Albert Nobbs (Glenn Close) is a waiter at Morrison’s Hotel, run by Mrs. Baker (Pauline Collins). He has a shy yet respectable demeanor and is definitely the type of person who takes his job quite seriously. He’s liked by Dr. Holloran (Brendan Gleeson), who frequents Morrison’s for the food and drink as well as a particular maid. In essence, you get the feeling that Mr. Nobbs (as he’s called throughout the film) has not deviated from his daily life in any way for decades. He thrives on the routine of his duties and retires to his room to miserly count each pence he’s earned and hidden away.
Fourplay: Tampa | Review
Friday, January 27th, 2012Director: Kyle Henry Writer: Carlos Trevino Starring: Jose Villarreal, Carlos Trevino, Paul Soileau, Sammy DeSilva, Christeene, Michael Crockett, Michael Dalmon, Dan Eggleston, Alexander Hilary, Josh Meyer, Michael, Stanley Roy, Bob Smith, Jericho Thorp Kyle Henry’s Fourplay: Tampa – which enjoyed its world premiere at Cannes 2011 (in the Directors’ Fortnight section) and its North American premiere [...]
Hellion | Review
Thursday, January 26th, 2012Director: Kat Candler Writer: Kat Candler Starring: Jonny Mars, Deke Garner, Tommy Hohl, Arthur Dale, Karinne Berstis, Ashley Serrao Kat Candler’s six-minute short film Hellion promises to grow — funding-permitted — into a mayhem-filled feature-length film; but, for now, the short serves as a medias in res introduction to three young brothers (Deke Garner, Arthur [...]
Marriage Material | Review
Thursday, January 26th, 2012Director: Joe Swanberg Writers: Kentucker Audley, Caroline White, Joe Swanberg, Kris Swanberg, Jude Swanberg, Adam Wingard, Amanda Crawford Starring: Kentucker Audley, Caroline White, Joe Swanberg, Kris Swanberg, Jude Swanberg, Adam Wingard, Amanda Crawford Marriage Material begins as a couple (portrayed by Kris Swanberg and Joe Swanberg) prepare to go out together for the first time [...]
Marriage Material | Review
Thursday, January 26th, 2012Director: Joe Swanberg Writers: Kentucker Audley, Caroline White, Joe Swanberg, Kris Swanberg, Jude Swanberg, Adam Wingard, Amanda Crawford Starring: Kentucker Audley, Caroline White, Joe Swanberg, Kris Swanberg, Jude Swanberg, Adam Wingard, Amanda Crawford With Marriage Material (currently available to stream for free via Vimeo), Joe Swanberg lets us think that he has progressed one step further [...]
Other Side of Paradise, The | Review
Wednesday, January 25th, 2012Director: Justin D. Hilliard Writers: Justin D. Hilliard, Arianne Martin, Ryan Hartsell Starring: Arianne Martin, John Elliott, Frank Mosley, Jodie Moore, Susana Gibb, Drew Waters From the moment that Rose (Arianne Martin) picks up Alex (John Elliott) from the airport, Justin D. Hilliard’s The Other Side of Paradise begins to boil with sexual tension. Even [...]
The 84th Academy Award Nominations
Tuesday, January 24th, 2012BEST PICTURE
The Artist
War Horse
The Descendants
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
Midnight in Paris
The Help
Hugo
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
BEST DIRECTOR
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life
BEST ACTOR
Demian Bichir, A Better Life
George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
BEST ACTRESS
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Max von Sydow, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Berenice Bejo
Jessica Chastain
Melissa McCarthy
Janet McTeer
Octavia Spencer
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Margin Call
Midnight in Paris
A Separation
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Descendants
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
A Separation
Footnote
In Darkness
Bullhead
Monsieur Lahzar
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Pina
Hell and Back Again
If A Tree Falls
Paradise Lost 3
Undefeated