 |
| AMC 19th Street |
Tribeca is done.
I'm not sure how many films we saw but it's a lot- my rough count is 142 different titles but I saw a couple of films multiple times.
We reviewed everything we saw with the exception of two films - THE WEDDING ENTERTAINER because the red carpet nonesense, and he other was KILLING CASTRO which was so fake I walked out because I didn't want to end the festival seeing a film I was going to rip to shreads.
What follows are some thoughts I had during the festival in more or less chronological order.
-----
Going into the fest there was a lot of negativity. A number of people who write on film were wondering why I covered so much when the fest was hit or miss. A lot of my real world friends were wondering why I bother because I don't get paid to do this. It had me in a bad mood until I saw some friends and the first great film.
----
I discovered this butter brioche muffin at a place near the AMC 19th street. I tend not to be a muffin person. I was intrigued. I went from this is okay to suddenly going this is wonderful in a couple of seconds
 |
| introducing playing potus from very far away |
-----
Walking around the area before the first screening I was trying to orient myself.
Sadly there had been alot of change with a number of my favorite places to get food or just hang out and shop gone.
----
I met Benedict Wong a couple of times. He was a juror. He was a gentleman and put wup with me being amazed.
----
The worst part of Tribeca this year was Bill Lustig wasn't there or if he was I completely missed him.
Every year, for the past 5 or 6, Bill and I would talk about what was playing, what was good, bad and indifferent. We'd talk about the spectrum of films and gave each other recommendations.
I deeply missed talking movies with my Tribeca traveling companion.
----
I finally had someone come up to me because they recognized the bag.
Heading out to lunch on one of the first days Justine Brown passed me and stopped and and said "Hey I know that bag!"
Justine is a former EW writer and current college professor who has sent me some films for review. We had talked on line but had never met in person.
She rocks.
----
I ran into Monocurry and his family for the first time and ages. We met up when we ended up at the premiere screening of BOB AND DAVE CLIMB MACHU PICHU.
Now the trick is going to meet up when we both can sit down and talk and not try to dance around Tribeca events.
Addendum- we are trying to work out Japan Cuts
----
There was a cranky writer who wandered the theaters in the early days trying to sort out where they wanted to sit in each theater. Once they sorted it out, they always took that seat in every other screening and got pissy when the seat was occupied if they arrived late.
----
I had breakfast with Liz Whittmore, and the world was okay for a morning
 |
| Bob Odenkirk and Amy Sedaris |
----
This was the first festival where I was getting hate emails and tweets in real time. People took offense to what I said about some films.
It is nice to know that people are reading my stuff even if they are throwing brick bats.
----
There were a couple of films during the fest where there was some music with explicit lyric and some films that wanted to convince the world that all men were evil monsters made me think I was out of touch or too old to be doing this.... until I heard some good music that had explicit lyrics and saw some films that did more than just stand there and scream a position that I realized the problem was the films and not me.
-----
PR people made me crazy.
Numerous ones refused to send me a screener because they wanted the films seen big and loud until they realized I really couldn't see the films on the big screen and then pleaded with me to watch their film during my non-existent free time away from the festival.
I also was not particularly happy with a few PR people pushing for coverage from Tic Tok or social media influencers until they realized that they weren't going to get coverage and they sent emails asking for coverage of things they originally said no to.
No offense I and my fellow writers are known quantities - you know if we say yes, we will get you coverage- why annoy the people who will definitely get word out there.
----
The festival felt less alive this year. Yes, the P&I screenings were better attended, I was never alone, However the excitement at the public screenings I attended wasn't really there this year.
----
I saw a lot of films I realized were good but just not for me.
 |
| Save and Amy and Bob and some guy |
----
There was a weird rumor that flashed for one morning that said the festival was looking to do away with P&I screenings. It was talked about for one morning and then never mentioned again. I never ran down the source only that someone had said they were told they might go to all online coverage for press next year - which would limit coverage because many films were not on-line
---
There was a side discussion about baseball stadiums and someone suggested that if you wanted your kid to love baseball keep them away from Yankee Stadium because its serious and staid and not fun for kids like Citi field. Citi Field was a fun a place for kids (Addendum: when the Mets aren't dying)
----
I saw a lot of films that would have been better with something swapped out, cast or director or music
----
Watching the films it seemed that a growing number of filmmakers don't fully grasp how to edit their stories for maximum effect. They understand the craft of filmmaking but not the storytelling side with poor choices in how things move or in their shot choices.
----
I went into the Harry Potter Store on 22nd Street
I wish Rowling wasn't such a twit because I thought the store was a blast. It is a magical place.
Sadly I just won't do anything to knowingly put cash in her pockets.
----
I heard the Madonna screening at the fest was a nightmare with a mediocre film, a rambling speech and the refusal to allow anyone to take pictures. A couple of people sent to cover it said they couldn't because they made it impossible to do so.
----
I saw Disclosure Day and was mixed. My saying that on social media resulted in attacks that said I didn't understand Spielberg. I liked the engagement but think they should have waited to see the film before saying I got it wrong because several people crucifying me didn't like the film when they saw it.
----
No one seemed to be on the red carpet for the AI feature
----
I loved walking to the city when the Knicks game was on and hearing pockets of cheering as they scored.
----
I don't mind people talking before a film but I didn't need the kid explaining to the audience of TOY STORY 5 the other four films in detail including the deeper meaning (his own) of every scene.
----
I did like the two critics dismantling DISCLOSURE DAY as if it were a doctoral thesis.
I don't think they were right top to bottom but it was facinating.
----
I disliked that the feeling that the festival was one long day.
It was my fault since I was only home to sleep for a few hours, but it messed with my mind and I am still recovering.
----
I hope they get the AMC 19th street under better control next year. In one of the theaters, you could hear construction literally on the other side of the wall. In others the AC was so loud it drown the sound of the films.
----
I walked out of MUMFORD AND SONS HOUSE BAND, the next to last in person film I saw, and felt - that's it I can end here and be content.
At the same time I was seized by the feeling that either I or the festival may not be there next year.
----
Walking out of AMC 19th street that last time I knew it was time to go. I wanted to get pictures of my friends who are volunteers but it didn't happen. They were busy.
The last film there was about choosing to do what you love over what you choose to make money. I just suddenly thought maybe my road to happy is somewhere else.
Leaving I knew it was time to go... and not just Tribeca but also possibly Unseen Films
There was something final about the feeling. I had this sense that I might be wrapping up Unseen.`I say that because as I walked out of the fest I knew I had nothing really slotted past my coverage of the fest. I simply didn't make plans past the end. The was nothing but old film reviews into February and I was completely okay with that.
Things did drop in- you all read the coverage of the last week-and there is coverage for the next week- but I still don't have much beyond that. Right now, I am only doing a couple of films at NYAFF and I have plans to do something with Fantasia but there is nothing cinema related tied to the site beyond that. (well I do have a package for NYFF)
I'm not sure where I stand - and that's okay- I suggest keep reading and see what happens. As I write this a week before it posts I have no clue.
Why am I telling you this?
Because this is a piece on the thoughts I had while at Tribeca and this being the end was one of those thoughts.
----
RANDOM QUOTES:
When you go into the bath you mind must be fresh, clear like lettuce - ZEJTUNE
If you ask for a $100,000 for a car a ban will say yes. If you ask for $100,000 for a tractor they will say no -HARVEST
 |
| I some how managed to escape (and most of these were just okay- they need a new programmer for this section) |
No comments:
Post a Comment