Sunday, July 24, 2016

Nightcap 7/24/16- I'm festivaled out, GHOSTBUSTERS needs to be shown to young girls, HOLLYWOOD BEAUTY SALON, TRI and Randi's links



Its been a couple of weeks and then some since the last nightcap, not that most of you probably missed them. The reason its been so long is I've been in full on festival mode with NYAFF, Japan CUTS and Fantasia running one into each other....

And as a result I'm exhausted.

Between the three festivals I've seen over 100 films in the last 4 weeks. Yes, that's normal for me, but normally I get to pick the films- here I just have been taking whatever the next film that is screening. Honesty other than TARZAN I haven't picked a single film that I've seen that wasn't at a festival. Worse most of the films I've been watching on my lap top and not a movie screen-that is not normal for me.

I'm tired. I want to pick my own movies for a bit...and I'm going to. While I have committed to seeing a few more films at Fantasia I'm stepping away. Yes reviews will run until August 5,but once my current set of screeners are done so am I.

Nothing against Fantasia I can't look at my computer screen any more, I want big screens and real people, not being alone in a room watching movie after movie.

Expect the eclectic mix to return August 6
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I saw the new GHOSTBUSTERS.

Other than the opening in the haunted mansion, which is beyond bad, I really liked the film. Its funny, clever and wonderful in a lot of ways.

I want to break the heads of the nimrods who have been poo pooing the film without seeing it. I hate that they are trying to take the film down- more so now that I've seen it. This is a film that young girls need to see. Its a film that  says its okay to be different because you still can do great things.

Honestly when I saw the film from the POV of several women I know who grew up as outsiders my heart broke. I couldn't help but be moved by thinking how the film might have helped them cope with the pain of growing up. Here are a bunch of women who are outsiders who find a future in being themselves. If this was released 30 years ago the world would have been different because we would have had a generation of girls who'd grow up and know they were capable of anything.

If you are a young girl or know one do yourself a favor and see the film.
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I am not sure I've got it in me to do a full review (see above) but I wanted to put HOLLYWOOD BEAUTY SALON on your radar.  It opens in NYC Friday and will be coming your way soon.

The film is the story of a the titled beauty salon which operates as part of a mental health program outside Philadelphia. The film follows the administrators and patients as they put together a Hair Recovery Show (aka beauty pageant.)

Let me cut to the chase- it will move you in all sorts of ways and is highly highly recommended. This is a wonderful film- and I'm not going to write it up until I can do it justice. Until then know that if you are and around NYC next week you must make an effort to see this film.

For details on the film go here.
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Over the past 8 weeks or so I have been inundated with material for a film called TRI. A couple of pieces have come from PR people mostly its come from a theater that did a screening a couple week back. They must have passed my personal email because I've gotten notice about other screenings for the film in other places around the country.

With all this publicity I became curious and needing a break from the films at Fantasia I took a look at a screener I was given.

TRI is the story of a an ultra-sound tech who tries a triathlon at the insistence of one of her patients. The film follows the course of her training and her running in the actual event.

A good but unremarkable film TRI suffers from explaining way too much. The film is a virtual how to with characters stopping to have things explained to them-and thus the audience. It makes it all a kind of commercial for the sport. The explanation takes time away from the drama which is handled in a manner that makes everything seem much too much like a TV movie. I get the feeling tht the filmmakers are tri-athletes first and filmmakers second

The one thing that took away my feelings for the film was the fact that once the race is running the actresses look like they have just bounded into frame from a trailer. They don't show the exhaustion that real athletes have during a race-they have enough spunk to shout encouraging things to each other and ponder great thoughts in an inspirational way. I laughed instead of being moved.

Is the film worth seeing? If the subject interests you it is. Also if you run across it streaming I'd say give it ago. I wouldn't go out of my way to see it even with its unconventional roll out of one off screenings.
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And now Randi's links

Some genes turn on after death
The BBC on LABYRINTH (though why no mention of Terry Jones?)
Never released HERCULES footage
Kitchen Table Gran Prix
Uncensored history of Trek
Horror Posters
Heaven's Gate
Cassius Clay on What's My Line
I've got a secret
Christmas gifs
Roadsides Statues 
The Force Awakens in emojis
Ken Loach at Lattitude

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