I love Asian films, but not the action adventure, sword fighting kind.. the slow moving cultural films.
puujee is a documentary set in Mongolia. It follows a Japanese photographer who traveled around the world and found this 8 year old girl named puujee that he recognized as a very strong and amazing little girl. puujee and her family are nomadic sheep hearders and they live a very rough life. I understood this element having been in Bhutan and hearing stories of the nomads and meeting some. Life is very difficult. This film was just filled with tragedy. They didn't start out making a doc, but after a final tragedy decided to tell the story. I knew going in it was going to have to end that way, but I hoped it wouldn't. I'm tired of crying in documentaries. Can't more stories be happy or uplifting or have some damn comedy to them?
I'm sorry I'm not giving you more details about the movies, but I don't want to spoil them in case you get a chance to see them.
January 21, 2008
Monday feels like Friday...and taking stars photos
Got up to see 'Be Kind Rewind' as I've mentioned a few times. Just not a good movie. I like the message - film is community and community is film. I loved Mos Def. He just keeps getting better and better as an actor. I really dig him alot. Jack Black was the usual over the top Jack Black. He cannot act. It's just the same guy in every movie and I'm pretty over it.
They did some really creative things in the movie, but it was so overshadowed by poor writing, substandard plot devices and formulaic storytelling that I was just left wondering why I got out of bed.
BTW - does is look cold. It's 9 degrees.
I also spoke to Matthew Perry from friends fame. I was walking in front of him up Main and literally, 20 photographers asked him "Hey Matt, how do you like the festival so far?", and finally I turned around and said "Hey Matt, how do you like answering the same stupid question over and over again?" He laughed and smiled and I went back to my business.
Do I have photos? No. Here's the thing. I'm not star stuck. Personally, I think our fascination with movie stars is sick and that they should be allowed to walk down the street or have a bite to eat without people taking pictures or bothering them. I know - the price of fame. Whatever. I think it's just rude, so that's why I have a hard time taking photos of stars for you. Sorry. I did try to get a photo of Dan Rather, but he vanished into thin air after I spotted him.
They did some really creative things in the movie, but it was so overshadowed by poor writing, substandard plot devices and formulaic storytelling that I was just left wondering why I got out of bed.
BTW - does is look cold. It's 9 degrees.
I also spoke to Matthew Perry from friends fame. I was walking in front of him up Main and literally, 20 photographers asked him "Hey Matt, how do you like the festival so far?", and finally I turned around and said "Hey Matt, how do you like answering the same stupid question over and over again?" He laughed and smiled and I went back to my business.
Do I have photos? No. Here's the thing. I'm not star stuck. Personally, I think our fascination with movie stars is sick and that they should be allowed to walk down the street or have a bite to eat without people taking pictures or bothering them. I know - the price of fame. Whatever. I think it's just rude, so that's why I have a hard time taking photos of stars for you. Sorry. I did try to get a photo of Dan Rather, but he vanished into thin air after I spotted him.
Sunday, Sunday, Sunday
Sunday, I slept in. I haven't been sleeping well or sleeping much long before I came to Sundance. My waking ours are spent with scenes from my doc floating through my head...quotes, comments, scenes, how they fit together, constantly playing tentris, so I when I woke up and felt like death warmed over, I went back to sleep.
I got up and JD & I went to a locals bar and watched the NFL playoffs.
Met two guys who joined us for the games. We had a blast. The bar was packed with football fans and the games were great. The Packers game was insane. I drank ketel one lemon drop shots and ate Mexican, then after the games we went for sake and sushi. Consumption overload for JD. He went to bed.
Somehow I managed to go to another movie- at friggin midnight. Jesus. I am truly delirious.
The Great Buck Howard.
The message was weak and I saw it coming a mile away, but I really like the performances. John Malkovich was brilliant as usual and Colin Hanks did an excellent job. Of course Tom Hanks had a throwaway role, but I have to admit I enjoyed the film. It was funny, but another example of a Sundance film this year that just didn't blow me away. Docs have been strong, but narratives have just been - OK.
Got home and went to bed at 2:30am, back up this morning at 7:15am for a movie. This is why I'm sleepy, sleepy.
I got up and JD & I went to a locals bar and watched the NFL playoffs.
Met two guys who joined us for the games. We had a blast. The bar was packed with football fans and the games were great. The Packers game was insane. I drank ketel one lemon drop shots and ate Mexican, then after the games we went for sake and sushi. Consumption overload for JD. He went to bed.
Somehow I managed to go to another movie- at friggin midnight. Jesus. I am truly delirious.
The Great Buck Howard.
The message was weak and I saw it coming a mile away, but I really like the performances. John Malkovich was brilliant as usual and Colin Hanks did an excellent job. Of course Tom Hanks had a throwaway role, but I have to admit I enjoyed the film. It was funny, but another example of a Sundance film this year that just didn't blow me away. Docs have been strong, but narratives have just been - OK.
Got home and went to bed at 2:30am, back up this morning at 7:15am for a movie. This is why I'm sleepy, sleepy.
How far behind on my blogging am I?
Let's see. I'll catch you up on all the little BS first...
Friday night the power went out for 30 minutes or so and the whole town freaked. People yelling in the streets...300 people stuck in a dark club...patrons stuck in their seats in a dark theater...us in bed listening to people screaming outside as we noticed our power went out. Exciting stuff you know.
Saturday as you know I saw Secrecy. Great movie. Ran into the directors brother again today. We both saw 'Be Kind, Rewind' and both disliked it. I also snagged some swag for a few people.
Did I blog about The Linguist? Wow. What an amazing movie. Not in a filmmaking sense, but in the sense that I've been involved with something like their quest. Two linguists are trying to record dying languages around the world before they disappear. The two men are very different and very funny characters. I guess the movie resonated deeply with me because of my work in Bhutan. My best friends brother Joseph Houseal, run a company called Core of Culture (www.coreofculture.org) and is trying to record all the sacred ancient Buddhist monastic dance before it dies off too. Every two weeks another language becomes extinct. Every two weeks. Culture is dying in the name of homogenization. It's sad because with the loss of language, you lose its art, its culture and its history.
Another amazing thing about this movie for me was that it was at 11:30pm and afterward for the Q&A, only about 10 people in 300 left the theater. Usually at these late night screenings, most people bail, but everyone stayed til the end. It was a testament to the story and the longing we all have to know our own stories and pass them on.
Friday night the power went out for 30 minutes or so and the whole town freaked. People yelling in the streets...300 people stuck in a dark club...patrons stuck in their seats in a dark theater...us in bed listening to people screaming outside as we noticed our power went out. Exciting stuff you know.
Saturday as you know I saw Secrecy. Great movie. Ran into the directors brother again today. We both saw 'Be Kind, Rewind' and both disliked it. I also snagged some swag for a few people.
Did I blog about The Linguist? Wow. What an amazing movie. Not in a filmmaking sense, but in the sense that I've been involved with something like their quest. Two linguists are trying to record dying languages around the world before they disappear. The two men are very different and very funny characters. I guess the movie resonated deeply with me because of my work in Bhutan. My best friends brother Joseph Houseal, run a company called Core of Culture (www.coreofculture.org) and is trying to record all the sacred ancient Buddhist monastic dance before it dies off too. Every two weeks another language becomes extinct. Every two weeks. Culture is dying in the name of homogenization. It's sad because with the loss of language, you lose its art, its culture and its history.
Another amazing thing about this movie for me was that it was at 11:30pm and afterward for the Q&A, only about 10 people in 300 left the theater. Usually at these late night screenings, most people bail, but everyone stayed til the end. It was a testament to the story and the longing we all have to know our own stories and pass them on.
Star sighting...
Had a little food, feeling a little better, but still too stupid to talk to people...sleepy, sleepy...
Said 'Hello. It's nice to see you" to George Romero and he said "Hello" and smiled back. I did get a photo of him.
Smiled and said "Hi" to Matthew Broderick, who looked me in the eye and smiled back as we passed in the doorway.
Mark Wynns introduced me to Danny Glover, and I got to shake his hand and say Hello. Told him I like the message and his performance in "Be Kind, Rewind". Thank God he didn't ask me if I liked the film, cause I'm honest to a fault about that. Dodged a bullet for sure on that one.
Went to the doc meet and greet and was mocked by all the festival deadlines passing me by...and my inability to get something to them in time for their programs to be printed. They all agreed that I was better off not sending them a rough cut though, as unless it was "earth-shattering", it would not be considered anyway. They all recommended I just wait and send it to other festivals in the summer and fall. Tell me something I don't know...or perhaps that I want to hear... ;)
Off to get tickets for my Mongolia film, and hopefully pass out and take a nap after that....I'm sure I won't get to sleep though since I keep running into people I know who want to grab a drink with me...
I'm burnt toast and it's only Monday....
Said 'Hello. It's nice to see you" to George Romero and he said "Hello" and smiled back. I did get a photo of him.
Smiled and said "Hi" to Matthew Broderick, who looked me in the eye and smiled back as we passed in the doorway.
Mark Wynns introduced me to Danny Glover, and I got to shake his hand and say Hello. Told him I like the message and his performance in "Be Kind, Rewind". Thank God he didn't ask me if I liked the film, cause I'm honest to a fault about that. Dodged a bullet for sure on that one.
Went to the doc meet and greet and was mocked by all the festival deadlines passing me by...and my inability to get something to them in time for their programs to be printed. They all agreed that I was better off not sending them a rough cut though, as unless it was "earth-shattering", it would not be considered anyway. They all recommended I just wait and send it to other festivals in the summer and fall. Tell me something I don't know...or perhaps that I want to hear... ;)
Off to get tickets for my Mongolia film, and hopefully pass out and take a nap after that....I'm sure I won't get to sleep though since I keep running into people I know who want to grab a drink with me...
I'm burnt toast and it's only Monday....
I'm so tired...
I'm just too tired to blog..it won't make any sense, as I'm about to fall over...
Movies to blog about - Be Kind Rewind by MIchael Gondry - I ask why oh why did he make this movie?
The Great Buck Howard - liked it
The Linguists - loved it
Go Pat, boo Giants
sleepy sleepy sleepy
more later that is actually intelligent I hope...sleepy sleepy
Mark Wynns and I are meeting for lunch at the Utah Film Commission filmmakers brunch...I'm hungry now though...sleepy
No time for naps, naps are for sissies...I'm old though, sleepy sleepy, I want to see another movie...Puujee, a Mongolian film, but I'm sleepy sleepy and I have another movie tonight at midnight....sleepy
I have to go talk to doc distributors and festival programmers, but I'm too sleepy sleepy to hold a conversat slllllllllllleeeeeeeeep
Movies to blog about - Be Kind Rewind by MIchael Gondry - I ask why oh why did he make this movie?
The Great Buck Howard - liked it
The Linguists - loved it
Go Pat, boo Giants
sleepy sleepy sleepy
more later that is actually intelligent I hope...sleepy sleepy
Mark Wynns and I are meeting for lunch at the Utah Film Commission filmmakers brunch...I'm hungry now though...sleepy
No time for naps, naps are for sissies...I'm old though, sleepy sleepy, I want to see another movie...Puujee, a Mongolian film, but I'm sleepy sleepy and I have another movie tonight at midnight....sleepy
I have to go talk to doc distributors and festival programmers, but I'm too sleepy sleepy to hold a conversat slllllllllllleeeeeeeeep
January 20, 2008
I have things to say damn it...
(Our new friend from LA - Brent)
But I'm drunk after watching two amazing football games...and then drinking sake with new friends...so you'll have to wait for tomorrow for comments about last night movie which was an amazing revelation for me, today's football comments, and tonight movie...plus my thought on my own movie.
I actually have some insightful and introspective thoughts to share that might be useful to the masses...but I'm busy. ;)
i love you all long time... ;)
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