i like a good short film as much as i like a good short story so i went to a screening of celebrity shorts at the worldwide short film festival. this particular showcase featured films that were directed by or starred celebrities.
john malcovich did a quickie which featured a spanish actor who dubs male lead voices in american films being dubbed by john malcovich. it was cute and made its point and ended, just like a film or sketch with a singular idea should!
jennifer aniston did a forgettable piece starring robin wright penn and kris kristofferson. it's not that the direction was bad it was that the story was nothing particularly novel (a nurse re evaluates her own marriage when dealing with a man whose wife is dying). there was a mocumentary which followed a personal assistant (rain *** from the hilarious series "the office") as he did a stint shadowing lance armstrong. it was like a good SNL sketch, great casting, great set design, and got out when gag had run its course.
the standout piece of all of the films featured maggie gyllenhaal and peter sarsgaard. like the moron i am, i've forgotten the exact title (but it had the word hill in it!). it was a weekend in the life of a couple who are drifting apart from one another somewhat and the male lead's best friend. the tension between the characters is incredible,as is their chemistry. the dialogue is at once familiar and fluid. the setting is gorgeous, the interior of the house is modern but inviting and the fire pit scene made me crave a marshmallow! like the dogme films that were popular a little while ago, it was not decorated with slick quickshots or ornamental musical underscoring. the focus was purely on the characters, just like i like it.
also rented an indie film called "puffy chair". it is fantastic! it was made by the duplass brothers. they are a hilarious team that make simple, realistic films with a simple narrative structure and improvisational performances from excellent actors. the premise for the film was hilarious and the fights between the couple are among the most realistic moments i have seen on screen. (be sure to go to the special features on the dvd and watch the short film squabble, a play on the word scrabble, which documents a couple's argument over a scrabble game). the actor who plays rhett is fantastic and despite his nasty beastlike beard i found myself crushing on him something serious.
love it when i come away from a movie going experience and find myself feeling as though i just went to a really good house party. love it when humour comes from tension and circumstance rather than kitsch.
be sure to send me your diamonds in the rough. am always on the lookout for a great new director or interesting point of view.
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