10 Years
Director: Jamie Linden
Starring: Channing Tatum, Justin Long, Rosario Dawson,
Chris Pratt, Jenna Dewan-Tatum
10 Years is a small independent movie about the a group of high school friends getting back together for their high school reunion. It is that one nigh to look back on old memories and also realize if you are still the person you where back in high school or if you have really grown up.
The film acquired such a huge cast of recognizable faces that it can be hard to name everyone without getting into a long boring list but I will highlight as many as I can with some of the major subplots. The story seems to revolve loosely around Channing Tatum's character Jake who has come back with his girlfriend, played by his real life wife Jenna Dewan-Tatum, to see old friends. The one shock to his system is to see his high school sweetheart Mary, portrayed by Rosario Dawson. Chris Pratt is plays a former jock and bully who decides to apologize to people at the reunion while in drunken stupor, much to the chagrin of his wife. Justin Long and Max Minghella are the class clowns that have risen above their former status. Finally there is Oscar Isaac who went off and back a well known musician and returns to this reunion only to see his friends as well as reconnect with the loner classmate that many people forgot.
Now that I have spelled out a lot of the movie for you I can tell you what I thought about it. All the actors did really well in their roles. Many of the characters are very low key people which makes them easy to relate to in the situations that they are in. This successful portrayal of human interaction is all thanks to writer/director Jamie Linden. Linden isn't a Hollywood heavy hitter but he worked on the screenplays as well as co-produced the films We Are Marshall and Dear John. With this being his directorial debut he does a nice job. There is room for improvement on future projects that Linden may create, like having a film that has a more condensed.
I even though I like the film there is not much reason to go run out and spend $10 on a ticket in the movie theater, if it is released near you. It is best to wait until the film is on Netflix or in a Red Box near you.
Fun Facts
It appears that this may have been his labor of love project since he put a lot of personal elements into the script. At the screening that I went to last night it was revealed that Linden is a Central Florida native that graduated from Lake Howell High School and went to Florida State University. In the film he named his gave the high school that all the characters went to Lake Howell included the name of local bar that only exists in Orlando but he thought was a chain.
One film that I was able to see that had a great music theme
behind it came from The Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best. The film is about
Alex, a guy that has reached a crossroads in his current life. Alex has lost
everything that filled his life; his girlfriend, job, band and regular gig. With
everything on the downturn, Alex is approached by Jim to join him to create a
music revolution and tour the country. Can Alex and Jim really pull off this
crazy band and tour?
The acting
talent in the film was really fantastic and fun. The lead role of Alex went to
a relative unknown named Ryan O’Nan, he may be best known for the 2010 festival
film The Dryland. O’Nan brought a
great collection of emotions to the main character. He made me want to watch
him play guitar all night. The eccentricity of Jim was given to the fantastic
Michael Weston (State of Play, The Dukes of Hazzard). Weston brought a
great combination of man/boy as well as unlikely wisdom that makes you want to
be his best friend. There is no one else that could have probably played that
role the correct way. Arielle Kebbel (John
Tucker Must Die, CW’s 90120) round out the cast as Cassidy, a music loving
chic who self appoints herself as the band’s manager. Kebbel did a good job as
the girl with a ‘tude who is down for a random road trip and adventure.
The Brooklyn Brothers is the brainchild
of director, writer and star O’Nan. O’Nan, who attended the Florida Film
Festival, found this story from pieces of his life but it isn’t
autobiographical. He is a musician and played in a lot of bands but didn’t really
make it big in the music industry. The idea for the two-piece that he plays in
the film with Weston came from a group he saw open for one of his own bands a
few years back. The band that O’Nan used as a catalyst for his story, which he
befriended, also helped him with the music for the film. Beyond the music O’Nan
used stories from his life and people from his life to define some of the
characters.
One thing that
I am happy to announce is that even though the Florida Film Festival screenings
are over this film has some legs. Oscilloscope grabbed the
distribution rights for the film in February so there is still a chance to
catch Brooklyn Brothers. Also O’Nan and I believe Weston, they actually played
the music in the film, will be coming out with an album soon.
One thing that
I am happy to announce is that even though the Florida Film Festival screenings
are over this film has some legs. Oscilloscope grabbed the
distribution rights for the film in February so there is still a chance to
catch Brooklyn Brothers. Also O’Nan and I believe Weston, they actually played
the music in the film, will be coming out with an album soon. It seems
the best way to follow any progress on the film is to check back with their
imdb page.
Good luck Mr. O’Nan and I look forward to the album.
Ironically I
saw Dead Dad right after I saw Dog Years, another family dynamics dramedy. This
film is about estranged siblings, Alex, Russell and Jane, being brought back
together by the death of their father. With no one knowing what to do with the
ashes of their dad, the trio is forced to spend time together causing bottled
emotions to come out and address how they relate to each other.
Something I found out after the film was
that much of the film was put together by a group of friends. Two of the main
actors Kyle Arrington (Russell) and Jenni Melear (Jane) knew each other because
she was the Producer’s roommate. The stories go on like that for a majority of
the cast and crew except for the casting of the oldest brother Alex, played by
Lukas K. Peterson. But the three had lots of fun family chemistry that rang
across the screen thanks to a few days working out the kinks when they filmed a
bunch of scenes that did not make it into the film.
Besides
the love of a film full of friends working together it had a great storyline.
Yes the idea of a dysfunctional family coming together because of tragedy isn’t
new but the spins that were put into the film were fresh. It was nice to see
that the film was not overly serious, dramatic or screwball comedy. Each note
hit you delicately as pieces of the characters were unraveled for the audience
and even some traits kept a mystery. Even though the ending seems s little too
predictable it is still an enjoyable movie to behold.
Since it has been hard for me to chronologically get reviews up from a day to day basis while I was at the Florida Film Festival I am going to just start posting my blurb thoughts about each films.
Dog Years is a film about two brothers in Tokyo; one
teaching conversational English to young Japanese people and the other working
on a short-term project. While in the oldest, Elliott, seems to be trying to
distance himself from everything around him and in his life, Ben is embracing
what ever comes his way. Can these two be able to bond in this country far away
from their own?
The film was a labor of love for co-directors, co-writers,
as well as stars Warren Sroka and Brent Willis. The film was very fun, funny
and show cased a lot of Tokyo for those that did not have any first hand
experience. Also the ease of the two having worked together for so long came
across on that screen as they played brothers. I recorded part of the Q&A
with the filmmakers after the screening and posted it on youtube. If you would
like to find out more about the progression of the film and were it may be
accepted next check out their facebook page http://www.facebook.com/DogYears.
The Florida Film Festival was their world premier but I see more festivals in
the film’s future.
Below I have attached what I recorded from their Question and Answer sessions post screening.
On the second day I was privy to see Jiro Dreams of Sushi,
Think of Me, and Shorts Program #4: Can I Get A Witness.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a documentary about a world reknown
sushi chef named Jiro Ono who is seen as being at the top of his game in the
industry. Through the documentary we learn a lot about his life, his technique
and the love he has for his craft. If you love beautifully shot films this is
definitely a film worth watching as every shot immerses you into Jiro’s world
and pops off the screen as if you are watching something in Imax. Also another
thing to be warned about the film is that you may be craving sushi after this
and nothing else will seem worthy. Also from what I saw in the trailer, the film was different than I thought it was going to be, it was a good surprise. So if Jiro arrives in your neighborhood it is highly advised that you watch it.
Think of Me is the story of Angela Jerome, a divorced woman trying
to raise her child in Las Vegas. Bryan Wizeman, the director and writer, did a
great job with the writing and choices of this film. It seems very true to life
in the fact that you don’t always love the choices that Angela makes but you
can still hold a candle and root for a better outcome. Even some people in the
audience made outright comments about some of the actions she takes at the end
because they don’t it appalled them a little. Then again that is the beauty of
the audience watching the film, hopefully most of us will not get to that
point. The film stars Lauren Ambrose (HBO’s Six
Feet Under, Wanderlust) as the
lead actress in this modern day film of hardship. She does a fantastic job of
demonstrating how it is to be a young woman that is just hustling to try and
make things work for herself and the person that depends on her. It is no wonder
that she was nominated for the Best Female lead for the 2012 Independent Spirit
Awards. The film may not see like it gives you a lot, it speaks waves with how
people in our country may be working things out today. The last showing at the Florida Film Festival is Today April 20, 2012 at 1:30pm.
Shorts
Program #4: Can I Get A Witness had a combination of funny, heart warming and
nostalgic shorts. Two of the shorts that I really enjoyed was Curfew and First Match. The first film, called Curfew, was about a man that was about
to sever his last tie to the human race when he gets a second chance to reconnect.
This chance is in the form of a desperate plea from his sister to watch her
10-year-old daughter while she takes care of business. Is one night’s romp able
to bring this man back from the brink? The short was 19minutes long but left an
impression on me. Writer, director and star did a great job in the role of the
lead character. One thing that an audience member noted was that he showcased a
particular place in New York, Brooklyn if I am correct. The short looks like it
has been accepted into the Tribeca Film Festival and as well as other
festivals. To learn more check out the facebook page http://www.facebook.com/curfewfilm
Another short that I loved was First Match. The premise is
about a young girl wrestling with the guys at school and her excitement over
her first chance to show her stuff. The emotions from the actors felt very real
and it incredible to find out the is actually not an actor at all but an actual
wrestler that received little notes along the way. With all of this information
I look forward to seeing the feature film that is going to spring forth from
this short.
The Florida Film Festival started off this year in a dram like state with their Opening Night film Renee, a film based on the true life story of a girl dealing with her demons and the movement it inspires. The film itself was shot locally in the Orlando area last spring so, there were a lot of people in the audience that were very enthusiastic to watch the film.
The film stars Kat Dennings (2 Broke Girls, Thor) in the title role of Renee, a girl who life and attitude is thrown into a world wind of drugs after one incident. She did a great portrayal of a girl with not many options and trying to take hold of her life again. Along with Denning the film also starred Chad Michael Murray (One Tree Hill, Cinderella Story) as To Write Love on Her Arms founder Jaime and Rupert Friend as Renee’s new found friend in sobriety and mentor David McKenna. Murray was great as Jaime, the carrying supporter of Renee and Friend did a great job as the music entrepreneur David trying to balance his life and new role as mentor.
The film was beautifully shot, showcasing many areas of Downtown Orlando as well as the dream sequences that occur in the film. The special effects that were created were very beautiful and lent a helping hand to the story rather than detracting from it. This film in its entirety is a good example of a great motion picture and how Orlando is a great place to being a production.
The opening night party was a blast; featuring food from the restaurants of 4Rivers,
Black Bean Deli, Sushi Pop, Eden Bar/The Enzian Theater, White Horse Café, The Hyatt Grand Cypress’s desert department and The Empanada Truck ( a local food truck).
Playing on Enzian’s stage was the group Mud City Flappers, kicking up a great sound that combined blue grass, folk and alternative. Drinks were going around and even the local team of the site Yelp was in attendance. Yelp created their own VIP lounge for attendees to visit everyday during the festival. During the Opening Night the Yelp tent had a sampling of Nawaga energy drinks, Honest Tea and other goodies to take home as well as a photo booth type set up. The director and writer of Renee were interviewed by Indie Cinema Showcase (a local show) and took tons of pictures. The Yelp VIP tent will be up for the rest of the festival so it is advised to continue to check them out since it seems that there are opportunities for massages this week and a give away.
During the first full day of the festival I attended two of the short film programs and three feature films. Short Program #1: It Takes Two and Short Program 2: Ain’t That Peculiar played back to back. Then I took time to see Mamitas, See Girl Run and Turn Me on Damn It preceded by the short The Op Shop.
Short Program #1 was jam packed with superb short films from High Maintenance (a couple’s baby making plans are destroyed by an in-law) to Mouthful ( a couple’s discussion about sensitive subjects). One film that garnered a lot of questions was The Other Side, a film about an Israeli boy that started to become curious about his neighbors on the other side of the wall. The filmmaker Khen Shalem, was on hand during this screening and explained that he made this film to show how similar the people are and how it was a message of togetherness. The other film that I enjoyed a lot was Queen, a film about a cabaret Drag Queen that is trying to film the void in her heart. I love this film and cried a little. The filmmaker will be at Tuesday April 17, 2012 showing, whish is also the last showing of the collections.
Short Program #2 had a little of a varying scheme of things in the films that were put together but they definitely fit the idea of “Ain’t That Peculiar”. One stand out from the collection was Narcocorrido which the director, Ryan Prows, shared with the audience came from an actual style of singing. It is about a police officer that is trying to get lucky with a border drug shakedown but has no idea what is in store for her. The film was beautifully shot, is in English and Spanish (with subtitles) and feels like it can easily expand into a feature length film. The corkiest film in the collection is Glue Man, a mockumentary about a man that creates sound bites for documentaries. It gives you a few laughs but the most surprising thing was that the film has two high profile cameos. Then there is the end film of the collection Nani, a Harold and Maude themed type film set on the backdrop of Graffiti or tagging. It is a heart warmer which also brought a tear to my eye. Next screening/ last screening for Short Program #2 is Thursday, April 19,2012.
Mamitas is the story of a boy that is trying to find is way in life after he is prompted by the introduction of a new friend into his life. Though the story and theme are not completely original it is an entertaining film that is still worth a view. Mamitas can next be seen Thursday, April 19, 2012, which is also its last showing at the festival.
See Girl Run was a film that I was prompted to see due to the actors that were in the film, Robin Tunney (CBS’s The Mentalist) and Adam Scott (Friends with Kids, NBC’s Parks and Recreations). The film is about a married woman (Tunney) that has always had an open what if question in her heart, What if I never moved away from my high school sweetheart? This question is compounded by the fact that her old flame (Scott) has been sending her love letter/drawings for years and is still holding on to hope that she will return. Tunney does an excellent job in this film as a woman considering taking a leap over the marital boundary for a not so lost love. Jeremy Strong (The Romantics and The Happening) co-starred as Tunney’s emotionally unstable brother in the film. He was very multi faceted and a pleasure to watch as he mostly lingered in the very depressed mood in addition to cry at almost anything. There was also a delight in the small role of Grandma played by Marylouise Burke (HBO’s Hung, Must Love Dogs), she also made an appearance in the short film High Maintenance. Though her part was small it was good for a laugh to cut up a little tension. The next/ last showing of the film is Wednesday, April 18, 2012.
Now the one movie that I walked into with only a friend’s recommendation was Turn Me On Dammit. The film had a short attached to it that screened before it called The Op Shop. The Op Shop was about a Thrift store type shop that gets an interesting bunny shaped item that the nice older women of the shop have never seen before. This film is a little laugh riot because the film is about when from the pre-sexual revolution finding something that anyone that has seen Sex and The City would know all about. After this little laugh a minute short the audience is transported into the Turn Me On Dammit, a film about a girl living in a small Norwegian town. With not much else to do in the town she is most often hanging with her friends and trying to stimulate her budding sexuality with her imagination. Unfortunately things take a turn for the worse when she declares to her friends an awkward encounter with a boy. Since she what she says seems so ridiculous she is turned into an outcast and has to find her own way. This film is a hilarious tale of dealing with reality, learning and growing during the awkward teenage years as a girl. Though the film is Norwegian there are English subtitles and it is easy to relate to the characters that come across the screen. If you are looking for an absurdist comedy with a heart during the Florida Film Festival then you need to catch this film during its last screening Wednesday, April 18, 2012.
If you are interested in seeing any of these films, want to buy tickets, or find out about any other films playing go to FloridaFilmFestival.com
Below I have attached The Short Program #1 Question and Answer section that I recorded.
Starring: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Brie Larson
In the fashion of Hollywood running out of fresh ideas, Columbia Pictures takes an old television show and reinvents it for a modern audience. The newly slimmer Johan Hill and Channing Tatum take on the roles of Schmidt and Jenko, two men who were opposite sides of the social list in high school but now police buddies.After one big goof up on the job they are sent to a small undercover unit only known by its location down on 21 Jump St. There they are tasked to infiltrate a high school as students and take down a drug ring based in the school.
The actors put their all into the characters to get the crowd laughing. Hill is great as Schmidt, a nerd that is now popular his second time around. He does well in every element of comedy from delivery of lines to facial expressions and physical comedy. Tatum does a pretty good job as the Jenko, a jock back in the day now living the nerd life when he goes back to high school. Though he still seems stiff, like in many of his films, it kind of works at points for Tatum. Then when Tatum loosens up he gets you laughing since it seems extra funny because he and his character are doing things you would not expect.
The script it’s self is a little over the top at times but that is where the humor lies. Hill and Michael Bacall, who both developed the story with Bacall getting screenplay credit, just decided to through ideas out there and possibly not have a filter. If there was some kind of filter or cap put on some of the ideas that they had for situations, I would be surprised based on some of the raunchy jokes and situations in the film. The craziest stuff did not make it to the television commercials so there still is plenty to be shocked by. Which is a reminder to those that have kids, this is a “R” rated movie and not really good for children.
So if you are looking for any remnants of the original show from the 1980s there are a few in the film but mostly this film could stand on its own. If you are looking for a little outrageously ridiculous film for next weekend grab a ticket for the film. If you don’t catch it in the theaters there is no shame in waiting for it to hit DVD or Blue Ray.
