FilmMonthly » degroot.jerome

Shameless – Showtime’s Newest Gulity Pleasure

degroot.jerome — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 19:32:42 +0000

ShamelessPremieres Sunday, January 9, 2011
Showtime – 10pmET
My Take: One more reason to subscribe to Showtime
Shameless, Showtime’s latest guilty pleasure, is an adaptation of the BAFTA award-winning British drama television from Paul Abbott, with the same name. Producer John Wells (ER, The West Wing, Southland, Third Watch, Far From Heaven and Showtime’s American Crime) chooses Chicago’s West Side Homan Square neighborhood as the perfect backdrop to this twisted dramedy about a highly dysfunctional or functional family – depending on how you look at it – with patriarch Frank Gallagher, played by William H. Macy.
Macy is billed as the star of the show and although he doesn’t spend much time on the screen, his presence is very much felt by the actions and decisions of his five children, ranging from toddler to teens. Emmy Rossum steals the show as Fiona, the oldest of the Gallagher brood. The matriarch of the family is absent and Fiona is left to juggle the head of the household responsibilities, some dead end jobs, her boyfriend Steve and stepping over her boozed-up father on a regular basis. She’s shrewd and appears to be naïve, but perception is not always reality.
Shameless is not for the light of heart as there are some very adult scenarios and struggles thrust into the lives of teens – homosexuality, poverty, drugs and crime. The writing coupled with superb direction is about as raw and intimate as you can get with brilliant twists and turns that will either leave you laughing, gasping or shaking your head.
So, if by the end of the weekend, you’re ready to escape your own family, pull up a front row seat to the Gallaghers…but I promise, you’ll go running back to yours.

Colin Michael Day Brings Light to The Loneliest Road in America

degroot.jerome — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:38:40 +0000

When interviewing Colin Michael Day, lead actor in The Loneliest Road in America, it felt less like work to me and more like talking to an old friend, which I think most people would find when speaking with him. With that being said, our planned thirty minute conversation extended into an hour; and I’m still not even sure we covered it all.
Day made his film debut in the Loneliest Road in America and he also had his hand in developing pieces of it with long time friend, director and writer, Mardana Mayginnes. In the film Day plays the role of Jamie, a twenty-something post graduate college guy who’s a bit disillusioned or maybe just confused and feeling suffocated by women, and takes a road trip to Nevada via Route 50 (also known as “The Loneliest Road in America”) with his good friend Matt (Chris Hayes), who at the onset seems to be the antithesis of him. Later they’re joined by Matt’s friend Ashley (Abby Swaggart) who throws a bit of a monkey wrench into the plot. The film takes some unexpected twists and turns and the audience walks away with intimate insights of these three brought to life by ancillary characters and story lines that develop with every mile of the film.
Day easily adapts to the role of Jamie with natural delivery of his lines and he seamlessly captures the essence of scene purely through his facial expressions and body language, which I later learned was part of the training he participated in when arriving in California.
In the generous sixty minutes we spoke, here’s what I learned about this world traveler’s life and his road to California…
How his time on the road influenced his acting career
Day’s no stranger to the road, which is probably why this was a natural first film for him. Although native to Denver, he’s been traveling internationally since he was about ten years old and it was this that broadened his imagination, lending to his acting abilities. When traveling, he frequently imagined “being in other people’s shoes” and in some instances, this wasn’t just a thought – he actually took the time to experience other kinds of jobs and the daily grind of locals when abroad. Once on a trip to Europe he recalled, “I picked up some shifts in the kitchen doing dishes for a few hours, getting to know some interesting people.”
On meeting his creative partner – it wasn’t bromance at first sight
I asked Day about how he first met and became friends with director and writer Mayginnes and I was surprised to learn it wasn’t a “bromance” kind of thing at first. Day and Mayginnes met at University of Denver their junior year after Day returned from a semester abroad. Mayginnes was a new face and Day didn’t care for him all that much, but this all changed in a moment. One day, Colin overheard some of the guys saying some unfavorable things about him and Mayginnes stepped in and stood up for him. It was this kind of loyalty, from a guy he didn’t even consider a friend, that brought them together and from that moment on, they were like brothers.
Heading West
Day and Mayginnes decided after graduation to head to California together. Day was a native of Colorado and Mayginnes having been born and raised in California didn’t have to travel as far. Although the thrill of moving to Hollywood could prompt any one person to jump right into the adventure with little more preparation than a dream, unabashed enthusiasm and a handful of cash, they carefully laid out their plans. Day’s first priority was to train at the Elizabeth Mestnik Acting Studio and there he focused on the Meisner Technique. This calculated move aligned with his competitive personality in that it was what he called “in your face training and I wasn’t babied there.” The structured and rigid environment was reminiscent of his days when he played tennis competitively and had to deal with a coach who expected the best performance from him.
How was The Loneliest Road born?
Day and Mayginnes knew they wanted to do a feature together, so it really was as simple as the two of them heading to a coffee shop and hashing out the idea. While Day takes no credit in writing the screenplay, he did help Mayginnes in the development of the characters, many of them mirages of people in their lives.
It takes a village to raise a child…and to shoot a movie
After the script was completed, they were ready to shoot the film and it truly was a labor of love from actors; talented DPs they were fortunate to have on board; and family and friends not only contributing financially, but rolling up their sleeves to assist when needed. There was one shot filmed at a hot spring in the middle of the night that required lighting, and for an independent film, the effect was quite impressive, but equally impressive was how they made it happen. Day tells the story of how the generator they were using for the china ball light above the hot spring malfunctioned when sand from the desert clogged the engine. With only a day to spare, friends were called and without missing a beat, they made an eight hour drive with a newly rented generator. Worse off for Day and his co-star was that when they were re-shooting, the temperature hovered around 40 degrees while they completed the scene in their bathing suits. The entire schedule for the film ran about a month and was completed in October 2008.
On becoming Jamie and leaving him behind
Day had to audition like everyone else for his role and he tested well with his co-star Hayes. Day said becoming Jamie was challenging and self admittedly, he wasn’t sure he could pull it off, so it was important for him to make this character his own. He went into what he called, “a dark place” in the three months prior to shooting and during this time he also paired up with Swaggart and Hayes and “felt a bit like an acting director” as they all prepared for their roles together.
After completion of the film, Day needed to take a step back and get back to being himself and in order to accomplish this, he isolated himself at the beach to decompress from things like that it was “his character who was in love with Abby, not him.”
It’s a wrap…
Day’s been busy at work since the completion of The Loneliest Road in America with roles in two original plays – the sold out Love Bites which ran at the Elephant Theater Company and Block Nine which won the Best Production by LA Weekly . He also just completed Pawned, which is in post production.
An avid soccer fan, this ever traveler flew to South Africa to catch some of the 2010 World Cup and as for the future, he’ll continue to collaborate with Mayginnes and will have his choice of projects.
With any luck at all, we’ll see Day light up the big screen again soon.

The Loneliest Road in America
Run Time: 1 hour 37 minutes
Director: Mardana M. Mayginnes
Release date: March 30, 2010
Starring: Colin Michael Day, Chris Hayes, Abby Swaggart

Three’s Not a Crowd on The Loneliest Road in America

degroot.jerome — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 23:44:28 +0000

Run Time: 1 hour 37 minutes
Director: Mardana M. Mayginnes
Release date: March 30, 2010
Starring; Colin Michael Day, Chris Hayes, Abby Swagart
My take: Let’s hope this hits the big screen soon! For now, catch it at a film fest near you.
The Loneliest Road in America is first and foremost, the perfect film for the movie-goer who is looking to connect with characters. It’s also one of those rare independent films done well on so many levels that the audience will watch it and know if it lands in the right hands and hits the big screens, or even some medium size screens, it will assist in advancing the careers of a few, if not all involved.
Shot on not even half of a “shoestring budget” with an “all hands on deck” approach, this indie is a standout from others in its genre because of the collective commitment and team approach under the guidance of first time director Mardana Mayginnes. It’s well written – with conversational, realistic dialogue – well acted, well directed and the director of photography and cinematographer had a knack for capturing some of the amazing skylines and moving scenes in one shot, since limited budgets and time forced the urgency.
Part of the film’s description reads, “On the road trip of his life, Jamie learns how to exploit women as a corporation would a resource” but there is more depth than this. When first introduced to Jamie (Colin Michael Day) and Matt (Chris Hayes) it seemed this might just be another “guy flick” with two-dimensional post graduate guys, who seem to be the antithesis of one another, on a beer guzzling road trip. While there are a few clichés woven into the story line, they’re easily admonished through subtle dialogue and actions hinting that these guys are on more than just a drive on America’s Route 50 dubbed, “The Loneliest Road of America.”
Ashley (Abby Swagart) enters the picture as a female protagonist and at first she may be construed as a distraction and intrusion to the road trip, but she holds her own as her insecurities of her place in “the real world” are peeled off like layers with each mile traveled.
The film’s leads are supported by well thought out characters who don’t spend much time on screen, but through their interactions, insights and in some circumstances their simplistic nature make the road seem much less lonely. These ancillary plots contribute to the credibility of Jamie, Matt and Ashley and lend well to the exploitation of their inner conflicts allowing the audience to better understand who they are and what really makes them tick.
There are some unexpected twists along the way and only a few moments, from a production standpoint, reminding us this is an independent film. These transitions are rare and without a doubt do not overshadow that this is one of those worthwhile independent films deserving of a shot at the big screen. Most importantly, The Loneliest Road in America allows Mayginnes and his solid cast a chance to prove they’re not just not just filmmakers, but they’re in the business of making movies – good movies.

HBO Premier of Jazz Baroness Hits a High Note

degroot.jerome — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:51:32 +0000

Premiers on HBO Wednesday, November 25th at 8pm
My take: Hits a High Note
All of the great mysterious love stories are those that can’t be explained by the mere eye, they’re only understood if felt by the heart. Hannah Rothschild, director of Jazz Baroness, takes us on an intimate journey of her great aunt Pannonica Rothschild (Nica) who had an unlikely passion for jazz and an amazing empathy and support for these musicians.
The centerpiece and inspiration for this documentary is the love story between Nica and jazz great Thelonius Monk. On the outside, these two couldn’t be more different – she a white European Jew born a heiress; and he an African American hailing from the South, an ancestor of slaves. Director Rothschild successfully uncovers some beautiful truths of music, friendship and love including what drove the intangible attraction between the two, while educating the audience of other jazz greats.
Named after a type of moth by her father, but described as a butterfly by Nica, she metaphorically took on this moniker in life, cocooning from her privileged life in Europe; then escaping to America at a time when Jews were being captured and killed; and eventually, spreading her wings, landing in New York City in quest of the jazz community that found sanctuary there as well.
The documentary doesn’t delve too deeply into her life as a wife and a mother, but more so it centers on how she was revered by the jazz community, embracing the culture so much that she would retrieve musicians’ instruments from pawn shops, pay their rents, feed them, go to prison for them and nurse them, as she did with Charlie “Bird” Parker. He eventually died in her Stanhope pad, creating a cloud of controversy in regards to the actual occurrence of his death.
This story is well told by Rothschild who uses interviews with people who ran in Nica’s circles like Sonny Rollins, TS Monk Junior, The Duchess of Devonshire, Quincy Jones, Lord Rothschild, Roy Haynes, Chico Hamilton and others.
Nica was considered by many of the jazz musicians she supported to be a woman ahead of her time, and one who approached her life with fearless abandon and without concern of what others thought of her extraordinary, unordinary lifestyle.
Director Rothschild realized she was related to Nica not long before her death and was determined to unravel some of the mystery of this woman whom she felt so closely connected due to her quest for a more meaningful life than the one that would thrust her into the role of a woman of high society with expected obligations, duties and thoughts. Along the way, she succeeds, unveiling some of her own self-discovery.
Jazz Baroness premiers Wednesday, November 25 at 8pmET on HBO and without a will doubt hit a high note.

Kicking & Screening Scores With New Yorkers

degroot.jerome — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:57:11 +0000

The launch of the all soccer film festival Kicking & Screening scored a victory at last night’s opening. When I walked into the dining room turned screening room at Opia, it appeared to be “standing room only,” but I managed to find one remaining seat that happened to be at the table where co-founder Rachel Markus was seated.
At 8:30pm sharp, Markus’ partner in this venture, Greg Lalas, opened the evening with a few words about the festival and thanked all of those who have supported it with a special thanks to one of the biggest sponsor, The Financial Times.
Just prior to the featured film Les Yeux dans les Bleus, Lalas introduced Lusaka Sunrise, a seven minute short highlighting the charitable beneficiary for the evening, Grassroot Soccer, a non-for-profit that’s uses the “Power of Soccer in the Fight Against HIV and AIDS” in Africa. This piece was produced by Smooth Feather Productions, a company comprised of “filmmakers and artists that create films for those that inspire us at no cost with no strings attached.” This very insightful piece set the tone for the festival and reminded everyone of the powerful and global language of soccer.
Les Yeux dans les Bleus, an extremely up-close and behind the scenes take on France’s journey through the 1998 World Cup was the perfect movie to kick off the festival especially since Markus showed as much perserverance in obtaining the rights for it as France’s quest. Initially when Markus attempted to launch this festival in London she chose Les Yeux dans les Bleus as the festival’s premier after viewing it at the Berlin Festival. She made all the right calls to obtain the rights and when things seemed a bit stalled, she just “happened” to pass through Paris and didn’t leave until there was a copy of it in her hands, which as she described looked like “some bootleg version of the movie.” When London didn’t get off the ground, she knew she’d have to jump through a few more hoops to obtain the U.S. rights and her continued tenacity was rewarded.
Many in the audience had seen the film before, but watching it with fellow soccer fans brought the vibe of the film to a whole new level with some people cheering and clapping as if they were watching the game footage for the first time. The energy level was elevated as well and when it concluded, conversation ensued and carried into the adjoining lounge.
In speaking with both Lalas and Markus after the room finally cleared, they both seemed relieved that they’d made it through the first round and agreed the success of the evening exceeded their expectations. However, like any great event organizers, this was a fleeting emotion and they mentally moved on, hoping the momentum continues through the festival, which I have no doubt it will.
Tonight’s sold out event is being hosted at the TriBeca Grand featuring Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos with an appearance by former Cosmo Shep Messing and I now know to arrive early to guarantee myself a seat!
Tomorrow night’s panel discussion on Beckham’s influence on American soccer followed by an MLS game viewing party is free and tickets for Friday and Saturday evening’s events can be purchased at www.kickingandscreening.com.

Kicking & Screening Rolls Into New York City Tomorrow

degroot.jerome — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:13:48 +0000

If you love soccer and you love film, there’s only one place to be if you’re in New York this week and that’s at the Kicking & Screening film festival. The festival, brainchild of Rachel Markus and Greg Lalas, is dedicated solely to films celebrating the “Beautiful Game,” and is running from July 14 to July 18.
Markus, a financial marketer by day developed a passion for soccer dating back to her childhood when she was the only girl in an all boys soccer league. Along the way she also developed a penchant for movies that eventually led her to film school and with this combination, it was no surprise she conjured up the concept of Kicking & Screening. The idea initially struck her when she lived in England and although she was unable to launch the festival there, she didn’t falter. She returned to the States and in April 2009 she was introduced to Lalas through mutual friends more so for personal reasons, but their budding relationship took a different turn.
Lalas’ love for the game began in his formative years in Greece where he “got into the game.” His family then moved to a suburb of Detroit where he played in soccer leagues, travel teams, college and eventually turned pro. After retiring, he attended grad school for journalism, traveled Europe and today is a color commentator for the New England Revolution, a columnist for Sports Illustrated’s Web site and site director of Goal.com.
The two first met at the Half King, a great little spot in NYC’s Chelsea and during the “getting to know you” part of the conversation she mentioned the idea of the festival. After a few more hours and drinks, the film festival seemed totally feasible – he knew soccer and she knew film. Theirs was a match made in soccer and film heaven and by the end of the evening Lalas was emphatic about making it happen, declaring, “Let’s do it in New York. We’ll do this even if we have to host it in our living rooms.”
The two not only complement one another, but are complimentary of one another. Lalas credits Markus’ spot on instincts for the success of the partnership and said, “She is extremely determined and overworking,” and Markus praises Lalas knowledge and understanding of the game and his knowing the right people to make things happen efficiently in New York City. It’s no surprise to anyone that knows them both that within just a few short months of their first meeting they pooled their resources and Kicking & Screening became a reality.
Kicking & Screening is meant “raise the love of soccer” through film and will also support the non-profit organization Grassroot Soccer, dedicated to AIDS and HIV education through soccer in Africa, as some of the proceeds will be donated to the charity. GRS founder and former pro soccer player, Ethan Zohn was introduced to the project by Lalas. Zohn felt this was a great event for GRS to become involved in because “it’s a win-win combo” and he’s supportive of the idea of “using film to get people excited about soccer.” All attendees of the Festival will learn more about GRS courtesy of Smooth Feather Productions as their seven minute film entitled “Lusaka Sunrise” will be shown prior to most of the screenings.
The festival has gained a considerable amount of traction and there’s already been discussions of taking it on the road this Fall to Washington, D.C.; next Spring to South Africa and Massachusetts; and then back to New York City scheduled just prior to the start of the 2010 World Cup.
But, for this week, these two highly ambitious individuals will watch their dream turn into a reality with the hope to “raise the bar going forward for the types of soccer films being made. For such a beautiful game, it’s only a matter of time, we hope, the quality and magic of soccer films grows.”
The five day festival will feature four films and a panel discussion: “Les Yeux dans les Bleus,” documents the story of the 1998 French team that won the World Cup – Opia, July 14; “Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos” – TriBeCa Grand Hotel, July 15; a panel discussion: “Beckham in America” followed by a Red Bulls vs. Los Angeles Galaxy game viewing party – Slainte, July 16; “FC Barcelona Confidential” an examination of one of the top football teams in the world known as much for its success on the pitch as its influence on pop culture – Spanish Benevolent Society, July 17; and “In the Hands of the Gods,” which tracks five soccer players on a search for Diego Maradona – Central Bar, July 18.
To watch the festival trailer and for more information, please visit www.kickingandscreening.com. Stay tuned for reviews and behind the scenes highlights from Festival right here.

HBO Heats Up Its Programming With Shouting Fire: Stories From The Edge Of Free Speech

degroot.jerome — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:50:34 +0000

My Take: A must see – an eye opening look at The First Amendment in the post 9/11 era
HBO once again proves that its documentaries continue to remain provocative, honest and intelligent with tonight’s premier of Shouting Fire: Stories from the Edge of Free Speech. This film hails from Oscar ® Nominee Liz Garbus, co-founder of Moxie Firecracker Films, Inc., an independent documentary production company, with fellow Brown University graduate and producer on this film, Rory Kennedy. Garbus also collaborates on this project with her father Martin Garbus who, according to Wikipedia has been widely revered by the media as being “America’s most prominent First Amendment lawyer” with an “extraordinarily diverse practice” and “one of the country’s top ten litigators.”
The foundation of this documentary is built on the strength of the words of the First Amendment repeated several times at the opening: “Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances…”
The film then boldly goes on to examine some of the intricacies of “free” speech in the United States in the post 9/11 era through some stories deemed controversial in the media: a New York City-based Arab-American educator who lost her job after explaining a word with controversial overtones; a college professor who wrote a both acclaimed and criticized essay raising questions in regards to America’s involvement in the 9/11 terror attacks; a high school student who broadcasted a biblical message on his T-shirt supporting his right wing views on homosexuality; and the over-restrained public protest at New York City’s Republic National Convention.
Garbus transforms what could have been a dry topic into an intriguing story supported by a captivating cast that includes every day people entrapped in a created media frenzy; lawyers and revered spokespeople; and celeverly selected video footage pulled from pop culture and news mediums over the decades. Directing and editing is no easy feat for any documentarian who has to rely on piecing together an unscripted account of events and Garbus along with editor and co-producer Karen K. H. Sim did this seamlessly. Credit is also due to cinematographer Tom Hurwitz and Miriam Cutler who’s original music lend to the flow of Garbus’ vision.
Shouting Fire will keep you glued to your seat and will leave an indelible question in your mind in regards to the hypocrisy and convenience of the translation of the First Amendment and the media’s responsibility of reporting the news versus making the news, and who is utlimately controlling this. It will also leave you sympathetic to some of these present day issues with the reminder of the impact of the evolution of technology (i.e. surveilance, wire taps, different mediums, etc.) on the First Amendment our founding fathers could not have predicted over two hundred years ago.
Shouting Fire is sure to garner some attention and no doubt instigate a few heated debates at the water cooler tomorrow morning.

Battle of NYC’s Finest…On Stage

degroot.jerome — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:26:23 +0000

Sometimes life gets in the way of our dreams but, when given a chance, dreams really can some true. This happened on Monday evening when Long Walk Entertainment in association with Live Nation gave seven bands with at least one member of the NYPD or PBA a shot at stardom, while raising money for the NYPD Widow’s and Children’s Fund. It’s the second in a series with this one following the Battle of the Bravest held in March, a benefit that pitted NYC Firemen head-to head in a battle of the bands.
The event was the brainchild of Long Walk Entertainment’s founder, Andrew Gerardi. Living in a neighborhood with many friends who are cops and firemen, Gerardi’s no stranger to understanding the psyche of many of them who turn to music as a creative outlet after what really is a “tough day.” His goal was to give back to these guys and provide an opportunity to fulfill a dream that seems so out of reach.
This inaugural event held at the Gramercy Park Theater had just the right mixture of celebrities like hosts Marky Ramone and New York’s 104.3 radio talent Maria Milito; legendary concert promoter (and my former boss from the 90′s) Ron Delesener; execs from the big labels and management; and among the fans, model and actress Paulina Porizkova, whose brother Kym took the stage as lead singer for one of the particpating bands Sweet As Ether.
Old school tactics were used in the selection process for participating bands – promotional flyers were hung in precincts throughout the five boroughs and a selected committee from Live Nation and Long Walk Entertainment narrowed the submissions to the lucky seven: The Bel Airs; Buck Pryor;Clubbin Eddie , Rattlin Hum ; Sweet As Ether; Tiger Uppercut; and Voxhound. Rules for the evening were each band was to play one cover and two originals and the winner decided by in-audience paper ballot, as well as weigh-in from selected judges within the music industry.
All seven bands were more than worthy of being there, but Voxhound was a standout from the first note played. The band’s charisma along with a very marketable package of talent and good looks complemented their Pearl Jam and Velvet Revolver influences evident in original songs, but most impressive was their interpretation of Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer. Bass player and police officer from Manhattan’s 20th Precinct Charlie Grimm said, “For the band, reworking Sledgehammer was more difficult than writing original music.” And, in the fifteen minutes they were on the stage, this band comprised of a cop, a plumber, a teacher and a litigation specialist, raised the bar significantly at this competition.
Overall, the line-up was well rounded and included a wide variety of musical genres from the rock funk sounds of The Bel Airs to the hard rock of Tiger Uppercut and Clubbin Eddie to the Allman-esque sounds of Buck Pryor. Voxhound’s steepest competition was Sweet As Ether. When introducing the band, Maria Molito drew attention to the drummer saying, “Hey, doesn’t he look just like Kevin Bacon?” After a few nods and laughs from the crowd, the lights dimmed and Sweet As Ether jump started their set with an injection of energy into a version of the 80′s pop song hit Strength by the Alarm. The band, together for four years, is comprised of two current cops, one retired cop and a “civilian” with a corporate day job. Thier seamless transitions and comfortable stage presence illuminated off the stage.
At the end of the evening, just after Marky Ramone performed I Wanna Be Sedated, Voxhound was declared the winner, which was well deserved and we should expect to hear and see more of them in the future.
Gerardi has created a real diamond in the rough with this event and hopefully it will snowball, taking on a life of its own in the future, continuing to give our New York City Heroes a shot at making their dreams come true.
For more information on this event or Long Walk Entertainment, please visit http://www.longwalkentertainment.com/

Tribeca 2009: Striking Gold with Shadow Billionaire

degroot.jerome — Sun, 03 May 2009 11:39:45 +0000

As I was putting together my schedule for screenings and Round Table interviews at the Tribeca Film Festival, based on one of the many well written descriptions in the flim guide, I was immediately drawn to Shadow Billionaire. Not only did I have the good fortune of attending the sold out screening, I was able to meet with filmmakers Alexis Manya Spraic and Sasha Alpert, and the story behind the filmmaking is as interesting to me as the documentary.
For now, My Take on Shadow Billionaire and following soon, an exclusive with filmmakers Spraic and Alpert.

Shadow Billionaire
My Take: My Top Take for the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival
Director: Alexis Manya Spraic
Producer: Sasha Alpert
In 1995, DHL founder Larry Hillblom crashed his WWII seaplane in the South Pacific and although his co-passenger and pilot’s bodies were discovered, his never surfaced. At the time of his death, Hillblom’s home was in Saipan, an island 115 miles north of Guam, and he was living what most perceived to be a quiet and low-risk life, except for his penchant for flying refurbished airplanes. What followed after his death was nothing short of what all great mysteries are made of and to quote a writer covering the story at the time it had all the right elements – “The three C’s – Cash, Crime and Cu—s.”
For someone so meticulous in life when it came to his business dealings and his extreme health and germaphobic-type practices, it was surprising that his will wasn’t more detailed and it became very questionable as to why it was written with extreme vagueness as it related to possible heirs and inheritance (the Cash.) With no identified heirs when he died, most of his almost billion dollar fortune was left to medical research (this was as response to the staff that nursed him back to health after a previous plane crash left him with severe head and facial injuries.)
After his death, a small town lawyer from Guam, David Lujan, was hired by a woman insisting Hillblom fathered her son and with this, a Pandora’s box was opened as other women were identified or came out of the woodworks from different parts of the world making the same claim (the Cu—s.) As Lujan dug deeper for the truth, he uncovered some shady business dealings and shocking revelations of Hillblom’s life (the Crime) thrusting him into a “David and Goliath” type battle against corporate giants for a slice of the Hillblom pie.
At the core of any successful documentary, is the ability of the filmmakers to identify a colorful and intelligent cast of characters to tell the story and then edit accordingly to create intrigue, holding the audience’s attention span. In her feature debut, Director Alexis Manic Spraic teamed up with seasoned producer Sasha Alpert and they accomplished just this. Together they found the perfect mix of Hillblom’s friends, colleagues, journalists and lawyers in the South Pacific to unravel this mystery with some surprising twists that left me at times with my mouth wide open in disbelief and others laughing at the straightforward talk and wit of lead character Lujan. My favorite line of his with a synopsis on the case: “It’s not that I was smart, it was that they were dumb.”
Most probaly thought, and happily so, this story was long forgotten. Accoaldes are due to Spraic and Alpert for their ability to gain trust among the locals in Saipan and within the Hillblom circles. In many ways these women are like Lujan, provng that they too can play with the big boys.
Let’s hope this one struck gold at Tribeca and finds its way to a screen near you soon.

Tribeca 2009: Accidents Happen Round Table Rap

degroot.jerome — Fri, 01 May 2009 09:56:28 +0000

The Accidents Happen round Table was held in an intimate (read: small) space at the press office at 11th and University. Although I’m more interested in the one-on-one exclusive interviews, I realize the value of these. First of all, usually there are multiple cast members or those involved in the project on hand for it; and secondly, some other journalist, much more brilliant than me may pose a question on a perspective of the film or processes that maybe I hadn’t thought of yet.
I screened the movie just prior to the Round Table and when doing my research, so that I would sound somewhat intelligent, I’d read that it came from Australian filmmaker Andrew Lancaster. When I was watching the movie, there was a few times I thought I heard an Australian accident slip into a word or two, but the otherwise, the almost one hundred percent Australian cast (Geena Davis was the only American actor) did a phenomenal job with their American accents and many kudos to their dialogue coaches as well.
I was looking forward to the Round Table not only to probe the cast about the movie, but more so elated to hear the Aussie’s speak, taking me back to my days Down Under living in Perth.
The Round Table participants:
Director: Andrew Lancaster
Screenwriter: Brian Carbee
Producer: Anthony Anderson
Actors: Geena Davis, Harrison Gilbertson, Joel Tobeck, Harry Cook, Sebastian Henry
The whole group arrived at the Round Table right on time and along with six or seven journalists, I spent about thirty five minutes with them. The cast was extremely light hearted, funny and just plain nice and it was clear there was real camaraderie amongst them. I’m convinced we’ll be seeing a lot more of the young Australian actors and I can then say, “I met them when…”
Hope these excerpts and insights are as enjoyable for you as they were for me:
Davis on what it was like to film in Australia:
She loved filming there and said emphatically, “If I had to move to move, I’d move to Sydney.”
Lancaster on how/why Davis cast in the lead role:
Lancaster requested a meeting with Davis and thought she’d be accompanied by agents, managers, etc. and was pleasantly surprised when she arrived alone. They had a one-on-one and as it turned out; she loved the script and was “in.” Ironically, she also has a strong resemblance to Carbee’s mother. Maybe it was kismet?
Davis on if she’s been in any traumatic accidents or been witness to any:
The journalist who asked this question baited her a bit, having known Davis met her husband by way of her dog biting him. This incident certainly wasn’t over-the-top traumatic and other than that, fortunately, she hasn’t been involved in any other accidents.
Lancaster on why he chose to make the film in Australia?
Initially he looked at the option of shooting in the Unites States, but Australia for him was a better choice since he had a support system in place and there was more familiarity. He also felt that because it was a period film, it could be shot anywhere.
To that end, someone asked him about how difficult it was to bring in American cars from the 1970’s and 80’s. Surprisingly he said there were plenty of resources and he found many locals who were fascinated with cars from that era and made the process extremely easy for him.
Carbee on if the script inspired by any accidents you experienced or witnessed?
Carbee said there was no one accident in his life, but said after the last film he worked on wrapped, three members of the cast/cvrew had died, each under different circumstances. He believes this may have subconsciously found it way into Accidents Happen.
Incidentally, while he was giving this answer, the cast members at the Round Table, in particular Davis, looked at him stunned. They’d had no idea!
Davis on why she took this role and why we haven’t seen her in Indie roles:
Davis said she likes all mediums; it just depends on the parts and she likened filming Accidents Happen to television because it was shot quickly. She added that Indies roles hadn’t come to her until this point and she did this one because she liked the story with this character that seemed helpless and lost, looking for a shield to hide her emotions.
Davis on her character:
She forced her guilt on her husband and developed a defense mechanism by way of a brash personality.
Lancaster and Carbee with some thoughts about the story and characters in the film:
They wanted the incidence to continue the drama by creating a “world so unstable.”
“They (the family) never landed after the first tragedy. They weren’t in a ‘whole place.’ Once the characters start to deal with consequences, their lives move on and they’re not defined by the tragedy and Billy redeems his childhood.”
And that’s a “wrap” on the Accidents Happen Round Table Rap…
Yes, theFestival’s coming to a close this weekend, but there’s still some reporting to be done…coverage continues…