A stark tale, Winter's Bone has as real a collection of rednecks as you will see on film. Jennifer Lawrence as 17 year old Ree Dolly struggles to keep what is left of her family together, a younger brother and sister, as the law is threatening to take the family property because her father didn't show up for court. Her father makes Crystal Meth and he is the unseen character in the film, casting a long shadow over Ree and her quest to save the family home. Jennifer Lawrence gives a great performance as a young woman who won't rat out the criminal gang that is her extended family as she searches for the truth. John Hawkes gives a brilliant, very real performance as her uncle Tear Drop. He is one scary dude.
Director Debra Granik has some very nice touches in the film in the detail department. The sound of crushed dead leaves underfoot, the Ozark music, the junk gathered in front of the houses, the trampoline, and the new cars amidst the poverty, the rural use of crystal meth, the stoic women who act as gatekeepers
to the various criminally-minded men in their lives. Good performance from some locals who had featured roles in the film.
Jennifer Lawrence who is just 19 now has never taken acting classes and had no formal training, and she shines on film.
The scene between Hawkes, Lawrence and the sheriff played by Garret Dillahunt is brilliant and feels so real. The Sheriff has pulled over the truck driven by Hawkes' Tear Drop and Lawrence is in the passenger seat. What happens is not what you would expect, but it makes perfect sense.
The local musicians glue the production together with their music, as indelibly a part of the atmosphere as are the sparse trees and the dilapidated properties.
This film was made for 2 million dollars and made over 6 million at the box office, as well as garnering numerous awards.
A couple of parting thoughts I had. Ree Dolly in not breaking the code of talking to outsiders manages to grab a victory of sorts with her integrity and her courage but her future is in the hard faces of the women she encounters on her trek through the rural landscape where the women are servants to the men. This is no Disney ending, and speaking of endings, I was disappointed by the solving of the mystery. It seemed anti-climatic, though well-shot, and surrounded by great atmosphere. It all seemed kind of rushed and ambiguous. Tear Drop has a great scene with the banjo near the end. I know what happens next, but I would have liked a stronger bridge to what happens next. The viewer is left to make assumptions.
But certainly, well worth the watching.
Rating ***1/2
Interview with Jennifer Lawrence
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
The Trotsky-Film Review
The Trotsky is a very good film burdened by a very hard sell.
Twenty-nine year old Jay Baruchel plays teen ager; Leon Bronstein, who thinks he is the reincarnation of Leon Trotsky...Who? You know, the guy that started the Russian revolution, the guy who was assassinated in Mexico with an ice pick. You know; the guy. Only in Canada would the creative team try to be smarter than the audience. Up here in Canada, we look down on commercial success as not really being art. Leave that to the Americans.
Myself, I liked the movie. I like the humour. I liked the intelligence. Well shot and well acted. Though I thought the first bit dragged,, when Bronstein organizes the workers at his father's shop. That part could have been cut out for all the difference it made to the movie. They should have started with him going to school and filled in the back story there. But heck, when the Canadian and Quebec governments give you 4.3 million dollars of tax payers money, why not play? Since they had already got their money up front, like most government-funded Canadian films, they had no incentive to turn a profit. Tax credits must have given them another nice chunk of change, and there you go. Thank you Mister and Missus Tax Payer.
You know a comedy about communism is going to die an ugly death at The American Box Office. It did gross 440,000 dollars. So it needs about another 12 million to break even. It will have to do that in dvd sales, downloading and perhaps Walmart, though of course Walmart takes a dim view of unions.
Alliance Films; headquartered in Montreal, distributed the movie.
Saul Rubinek, Michael Murphy and Colm Feore add a lot of depth to this comedy. Old hands at the acting game, they anchor this 'teen comedy'.
Jacob Tierney directs this movie with assurance and style. His last film about 6 or 7 years ago was called 'Twist' a low budget film about Toronto street youth which was shot for only 300,000 dollars that had a ROI of 30,000 at the Box office.
Jacob had submitted other scripts to Telefilm and received funding, but these screenplays were never developed.
Having first written a version of this particular film ten years ago, the wheels were finally put into motion as Jacob's dad Kevin, who was responsible for 'Bad Cop, Bon Cop', received discretionary funding of 3.5 million dollars from Telefilm to do with what he wanted. He and his son decided to make that Trotsky movie.
In Canada, the goal of most film makers is to actually get a movie made. Once that happens is where it breaks down. Though Canadian distribution companies like Lion's Gate and Alliance Films have been successful players in the business, they seem unable or unwilling to help Canadian movies along. Of course, they have their bottom line to look out for. The government is incapable of running a profit making business. With the government controlling the purse strings of most films in Canada, there should not be an improvement any time soon in box office dollars for Canadian films.
Take out The Trotsky in 'The Trotsky' and you would have a very marketable film. It wouldn't be as loaded with jokes about things most people know nothing about, but it would be marketable. And it would be just as good, and the poor Canadian tax payer might even get a return on his investment.
Rating ***
Starring
Jay Baruchel
Michael Murphy
Colm Feore
Saul Rubinek
Genevieve Bujold
Twenty-nine year old Jay Baruchel plays teen ager; Leon Bronstein, who thinks he is the reincarnation of Leon Trotsky...Who? You know, the guy that started the Russian revolution, the guy who was assassinated in Mexico with an ice pick. You know; the guy. Only in Canada would the creative team try to be smarter than the audience. Up here in Canada, we look down on commercial success as not really being art. Leave that to the Americans.
Myself, I liked the movie. I like the humour. I liked the intelligence. Well shot and well acted. Though I thought the first bit dragged,, when Bronstein organizes the workers at his father's shop. That part could have been cut out for all the difference it made to the movie. They should have started with him going to school and filled in the back story there. But heck, when the Canadian and Quebec governments give you 4.3 million dollars of tax payers money, why not play? Since they had already got their money up front, like most government-funded Canadian films, they had no incentive to turn a profit. Tax credits must have given them another nice chunk of change, and there you go. Thank you Mister and Missus Tax Payer.
You know a comedy about communism is going to die an ugly death at The American Box Office. It did gross 440,000 dollars. So it needs about another 12 million to break even. It will have to do that in dvd sales, downloading and perhaps Walmart, though of course Walmart takes a dim view of unions.
Alliance Films; headquartered in Montreal, distributed the movie.
Saul Rubinek, Michael Murphy and Colm Feore add a lot of depth to this comedy. Old hands at the acting game, they anchor this 'teen comedy'.
Jacob Tierney directs this movie with assurance and style. His last film about 6 or 7 years ago was called 'Twist' a low budget film about Toronto street youth which was shot for only 300,000 dollars that had a ROI of 30,000 at the Box office.
Jacob had submitted other scripts to Telefilm and received funding, but these screenplays were never developed.
Having first written a version of this particular film ten years ago, the wheels were finally put into motion as Jacob's dad Kevin, who was responsible for 'Bad Cop, Bon Cop', received discretionary funding of 3.5 million dollars from Telefilm to do with what he wanted. He and his son decided to make that Trotsky movie.
In Canada, the goal of most film makers is to actually get a movie made. Once that happens is where it breaks down. Though Canadian distribution companies like Lion's Gate and Alliance Films have been successful players in the business, they seem unable or unwilling to help Canadian movies along. Of course, they have their bottom line to look out for. The government is incapable of running a profit making business. With the government controlling the purse strings of most films in Canada, there should not be an improvement any time soon in box office dollars for Canadian films.
Take out The Trotsky in 'The Trotsky' and you would have a very marketable film. It wouldn't be as loaded with jokes about things most people know nothing about, but it would be marketable. And it would be just as good, and the poor Canadian tax payer might even get a return on his investment.
Rating ***
Starring
Jay Baruchel
Michael Murphy
Colm Feore
Saul Rubinek
Genevieve Bujold
Friday, December 24, 2010
It's a Wonderful Life
When Jimmy Stewart was a boy, he built model air planes and dreamed of flying. After graduating from high school, he wanted to join the Naval Air Academy but his father shot that idea down and sent him to Princeton instead. His mind still on flying he had written a paper on airport architecture which had persuaded his professors that he should be given a scholarship for graduate studies. But Stewart also had another passion which Princeton provided for. He joined the music and drama clubs. Having mastered the accordion as a child, he also liked to entertain and soon he had joined the University Players Summer Stock company with his good friends Henry Fonda and Margaret Sullavan. After leaving Princeton, he roomed with Fonda in New York, as they looked for work on Broadway. First bit parts and then more substantial work followed. Fonda was the first to get called by Hollywood, but it wasn't long before Stewart made the trip as well, being put under studio contract for seven years at 350 dollars a week.
In Hollywood he hooked up with his good friend Margaret Sullavan who had for a year been Henry Fonda's wife before that union collapsed. She encouraged Stewart to be himself on film. Being himself is what made Jimmie Stewart one of the most popular actors of all time. People paid and paid to see Jimmie Stewart weave his magic on film. He was charming and awkward. There was a lot of acting intelligence behind those eyes. But perhaps that was why he was such a good actor, because he wasn't only an actor. He also played the accordion, and you gotta love someone who plays the accordion.
He made such films as the western 'Destry Rides Again', as a pacifist sherrif with costar Marlene Deitrich, 'The Shop Around The Corner' with his good friend Margaret Sullavan and 'The Philadelphia Story with Katherine Hepburn which garnered him an Oscar as best actor. He beat out his good friend Henry Fonda and his portrayal of Tom Joad in 'Grapes of Wrath'
Stewart also collaborated with Director Frank Capra on two films; 'You Can't Take it With You', and 'Mister Smith Goes to Washington'.
World War Two then put Stewart's acting career on hold but it allowed him to pursue another love; flying
When The Second World War hit, Stewart who had gotten his flying license in 1935, was drafted. He was initially rejected not once but twice, because he was underweight, but he wasn't going to let a little thing like that get in the way of his boyhood dream and he enlisted the help of a Hollywood strong man to bulk up.
The army relented and eventually Stewart, who was a skilled pilot, was put in charge of a bomber group rising to the rank of colonel as he led many sorties into the skies over Germany, including the infamous Black Thursday attack which saw over 60 bombers shot down.
By the time Stewart's flying career ended he had won ten medals.
After the war in 1946, Frank Capra tapped Jimmy Stewart on the shoulder for his new film 'Its a Wonderful Life' based on a novella called 'The Gift' by Philip Van Doren.
The movie cost over 6 million dollars to make and was the story of George Bailey who is trapped in a small town existence. He is a good guy, making sacrifices for other people. never thinking of himself first. His dreams are probably like Jimmy Stewart's dreams of being a pilot. of seeing the world. But instead of George Bailey going to fight it is his brother Harry who becomes a pilot and who wins The Medal of Honour. Of course, what is ironic is that Stewart himself had won medals for his air heroics.
In the movie Bailey faces financial ruin and is about to commit suicide when an angel rescues him, well a second class angel rescues him, well I guess he doesn't actually rescue him, he jumps in the water and forces George to rescue him. In order for an angel to get his wings, he has to save someones life and he has been assigned to George, a perhaps extraordinary man who lives an ordinary life. Clarence the angel shows George what life would have been like had he never been born, and the sacrifices he has made tells a larger story of the lives far from his own that he has affected.
The world without the good heart of George Bailey is a dark nightmarish vision of the town that he has grown up in. Interestingly, Bailey's good deeds include providing low income housing which we now know becomes poverty traps and he also provides low interest loans to the poor so they can buy houses. The sub prime monster just waiting around the corner.
Of course they sounded like good ideas at the time.
Stewart having seen death and destruction all around him infuses the movie with tremendous life and charm. His George Bailey, like Stewart himself and like the United States had wakened from a nightmare and returned to the comfort of family and friends. The ordinary man and woman, and ordinary children with extraordinary names like Zuzu, can sing poignantly about Peace on Earth.
In the movie, a bell rings and an angel gets his wings. Stewart answered that bell and got his wings. Stewart served for 27 years in the air force and reached the rank of Brigadier General. He served the professional stage and screen from 1932 to 1991 and achieved ten lifetime achievement awards and one Oscar.
'Its a Wonderful Life' failed at the box office and Frank Capra's new film company collapsed into bankruptcy and they never worked together again. But while other award winning films and actors fade from memory, 'Its a Wonderful Life' lives on at Christmas time, on television and on dvd. The film had been nominated for five academy awards and received none. Jimmy Stewart was nominated for best actor but didn't win. He was nominated five times and won only once. But his affect on American cinema is certainly reflected on his many lifetime achievement awards and the fact that ten of his films are regarded by the American Film Institute as in the top 100 films of all time.
Christmas is a time to invite friends and family in to your home, exchange gifts, eat too much, and to share another Christmas with Jimmy Stewart and 'Its a Wonderful Life'. As George Bailey gets a second chance at Christmas time, so did Jimmy Stewart, Frank Capra and 'Its a Wonderful Life'
Merry Christmas!
In Hollywood he hooked up with his good friend Margaret Sullavan who had for a year been Henry Fonda's wife before that union collapsed. She encouraged Stewart to be himself on film. Being himself is what made Jimmie Stewart one of the most popular actors of all time. People paid and paid to see Jimmie Stewart weave his magic on film. He was charming and awkward. There was a lot of acting intelligence behind those eyes. But perhaps that was why he was such a good actor, because he wasn't only an actor. He also played the accordion, and you gotta love someone who plays the accordion.
He made such films as the western 'Destry Rides Again', as a pacifist sherrif with costar Marlene Deitrich, 'The Shop Around The Corner' with his good friend Margaret Sullavan and 'The Philadelphia Story with Katherine Hepburn which garnered him an Oscar as best actor. He beat out his good friend Henry Fonda and his portrayal of Tom Joad in 'Grapes of Wrath'
Stewart also collaborated with Director Frank Capra on two films; 'You Can't Take it With You', and 'Mister Smith Goes to Washington'.
World War Two then put Stewart's acting career on hold but it allowed him to pursue another love; flying
When The Second World War hit, Stewart who had gotten his flying license in 1935, was drafted. He was initially rejected not once but twice, because he was underweight, but he wasn't going to let a little thing like that get in the way of his boyhood dream and he enlisted the help of a Hollywood strong man to bulk up.
The army relented and eventually Stewart, who was a skilled pilot, was put in charge of a bomber group rising to the rank of colonel as he led many sorties into the skies over Germany, including the infamous Black Thursday attack which saw over 60 bombers shot down.
By the time Stewart's flying career ended he had won ten medals.
After the war in 1946, Frank Capra tapped Jimmy Stewart on the shoulder for his new film 'Its a Wonderful Life' based on a novella called 'The Gift' by Philip Van Doren.
The movie cost over 6 million dollars to make and was the story of George Bailey who is trapped in a small town existence. He is a good guy, making sacrifices for other people. never thinking of himself first. His dreams are probably like Jimmy Stewart's dreams of being a pilot. of seeing the world. But instead of George Bailey going to fight it is his brother Harry who becomes a pilot and who wins The Medal of Honour. Of course, what is ironic is that Stewart himself had won medals for his air heroics.
In the movie Bailey faces financial ruin and is about to commit suicide when an angel rescues him, well a second class angel rescues him, well I guess he doesn't actually rescue him, he jumps in the water and forces George to rescue him. In order for an angel to get his wings, he has to save someones life and he has been assigned to George, a perhaps extraordinary man who lives an ordinary life. Clarence the angel shows George what life would have been like had he never been born, and the sacrifices he has made tells a larger story of the lives far from his own that he has affected.
The world without the good heart of George Bailey is a dark nightmarish vision of the town that he has grown up in. Interestingly, Bailey's good deeds include providing low income housing which we now know becomes poverty traps and he also provides low interest loans to the poor so they can buy houses. The sub prime monster just waiting around the corner.
Of course they sounded like good ideas at the time.
Stewart having seen death and destruction all around him infuses the movie with tremendous life and charm. His George Bailey, like Stewart himself and like the United States had wakened from a nightmare and returned to the comfort of family and friends. The ordinary man and woman, and ordinary children with extraordinary names like Zuzu, can sing poignantly about Peace on Earth.
In the movie, a bell rings and an angel gets his wings. Stewart answered that bell and got his wings. Stewart served for 27 years in the air force and reached the rank of Brigadier General. He served the professional stage and screen from 1932 to 1991 and achieved ten lifetime achievement awards and one Oscar.
'Its a Wonderful Life' failed at the box office and Frank Capra's new film company collapsed into bankruptcy and they never worked together again. But while other award winning films and actors fade from memory, 'Its a Wonderful Life' lives on at Christmas time, on television and on dvd. The film had been nominated for five academy awards and received none. Jimmy Stewart was nominated for best actor but didn't win. He was nominated five times and won only once. But his affect on American cinema is certainly reflected on his many lifetime achievement awards and the fact that ten of his films are regarded by the American Film Institute as in the top 100 films of all time.
Christmas is a time to invite friends and family in to your home, exchange gifts, eat too much, and to share another Christmas with Jimmy Stewart and 'Its a Wonderful Life'. As George Bailey gets a second chance at Christmas time, so did Jimmy Stewart, Frank Capra and 'Its a Wonderful Life'
Merry Christmas!
Thursday, December 9, 2010
What's On in Kingston for kids?
Tickets are only $10 and can be purchased online at Bottle Tree Productions
Cameron Watson who has played Puck in a Midsummer Night's Dream plays the bumbling servant; Jack. Dana Lynn Farrell lends her great voice to the title role of Sleeping Beauty. Davin Allan (Ralphie in Til the Boys Come Home) and Kira Wieting(Linda in Til the Boys Come Home) are the king and queen. Allyson Foster plays the evil fairy Carabasse, who finding out she was not invited to the new baby princess' christening casts a spell that will put the princess to sleep for a hundred years.
Lots of songs, magic and fun for the whole family.
Written by Charles Robertson with music and lyrics by Michael K Myers.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Getting an agent could be as simple as 1-2-3
The simplest way of getting an agent is to
Let the agent know you exist.
Of course, you need a good head shot, an effective resume, and you need to know which agents to send your information to. But, when it comes down to it, those three steps; putting your head shot and resume into an envelope and mailing that envelope to an agent is the most important thing to do.
You might have never acted in your life and you would have a better chance of landing an agent than those that have all the talent in the world simply because you mailed in that head shot and resume. If you are looking for a job of any kind you need a resume, and in show biz, because agents need to know what you look like, you need a head shot.
You might be the ugliest person in the world and you would stand a better chance of landing an agent than a beautiful person if you send in that photo and resume and they didn't. You never know what sort of look an agent needs to fill out their stable of clients.
You have to research legitimate agencies and in Canada you can do that through the ACTRA site or you can check out our website at Bottle Tree Productions for legitimate Hollywood agents or you can check out the Screen Actors Guild website(SAG) or The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists(AFTRA) website.
Unfortunately in my experience, I find that many very talented actors that I have worked with won't do those three simple steps. Now, one can say that was because they don't really want it, but I am not so sure. I think that many actors don't realize how simple those three steps are. They think it must be way more complicated than that.
While it is true that this method won't guarantee you an agent, if you don't do those three simple steps, I can guarantee you that you won't get one.
For info on head shots, resumes, auditions, acting classes and much more check out Bottle Tree Productions
Remember; getting an agent can be as simple as 1-2-3!
- Put your head shot in an envelope
- Put your resume in the same envelope
- Mail the envelope to an agent.
Let the agent know you exist.
Of course, you need a good head shot, an effective resume, and you need to know which agents to send your information to. But, when it comes down to it, those three steps; putting your head shot and resume into an envelope and mailing that envelope to an agent is the most important thing to do.
You might have never acted in your life and you would have a better chance of landing an agent than those that have all the talent in the world simply because you mailed in that head shot and resume. If you are looking for a job of any kind you need a resume, and in show biz, because agents need to know what you look like, you need a head shot.
You might be the ugliest person in the world and you would stand a better chance of landing an agent than a beautiful person if you send in that photo and resume and they didn't. You never know what sort of look an agent needs to fill out their stable of clients.
You have to research legitimate agencies and in Canada you can do that through the ACTRA site or you can check out our website at Bottle Tree Productions for legitimate Hollywood agents or you can check out the Screen Actors Guild website(SAG) or The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists(AFTRA) website.
Unfortunately in my experience, I find that many very talented actors that I have worked with won't do those three simple steps. Now, one can say that was because they don't really want it, but I am not so sure. I think that many actors don't realize how simple those three steps are. They think it must be way more complicated than that.
While it is true that this method won't guarantee you an agent, if you don't do those three simple steps, I can guarantee you that you won't get one.
For info on head shots, resumes, auditions, acting classes and much more check out Bottle Tree Productions
Remember; getting an agent can be as simple as 1-2-3!
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