Indie Incubator Review

Indie Incubator Film Fest #5: The spotlights were once again shining at the Original Mother’s on Division St., home of the IIFF. Matt Kubinski and Charles Klein have done an excellent job of raising the bar with each fest - #5 being no exception! After the lights went down, Big Tree Productions' Haunted House trailer kicked off the IIFF to a thunderous start. A few short films later came what I thought was the gem of the night, Land of the Free from Forge Films - a political, action packed movie that had incredibly high production value and a very intriguing story. Another compelling feature, Street Jesus: The Story of Willie York gave an interesting look at Peoria’s most famous homeless man. Not only was this film humorous, but it also featured awesome music from the band Primal Seed. The funniest, most creative movie of the night was Meat Shake brought to us by Rookie TV. Simple and to the point (3 minute run time), we watch a man try to order a milkshake, but the restaurant he is trying to order from only makes shakes using different types of meat. Adding to the humor and originality of this short film is the method of the dialogue which is done in a “rap/rhyme”. Rookie TV was also behind the animated short: 100 Grand which I found to be hilarious. The rest of the night saw more quality films flicker across the screen - the highlights being Janus from One Tear Productions and some clever short commercials for The Comic Vault. At the end of the night the three judges (Kathy Byrne from the Chicago Film Office, Ed Griffen from WTTW's Image Union, and Matt Sardo from The Chicago Comic Vault) awarded Meat Shake the Best in Show and winner of the first ever Image Union award. WTTW will air Meat Shake on Image Union in the near future. The Incubator has turned into a special event, providing great short films and tasty cocktails all inside an electrifying atmosphere. The next Incubator is April 2008, mark your calendars – you won’t want to miss it!!!

Rythemovieguy's pic for best of: Land of The Free

Incubator Best Of Fest Award: Meat Shake

Gone Baby Gone

Gone Baby Gone: Ben Affleck makes his directorial debut in this well written thriller. Ben abuses his newly acquired “Directorial Powers” right away and casts the lead role with his brother, the soft spoken / barely opens his mouth – Casey Affleck. Also starring in the film are Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris, both of which play excellent roles and are a joy to watch on the screen. The feature takes place in a poor part of Boston. Two local private detectives are hired to help find a missing girl from the neighborhood. Their investigation takes many twists and turns, but finally they discover that a much deeper crime was committed. The path the film takes that leads to the conclusion is perfect in that the viewer will not be sure which way they want to see it end. I am keen on movies with endings that make you choose what you think is best for the characters, with both outcomes being “right” in their own ways. These kinds of films are great conversation pieces after viewing and that is the case with Gone Baby Gone. Looking back at the story as a whole however, I find some of the basic structure not plausible and even a little impractical at times. Another personal gripe is the title of the film – Gone Baby Gone is said in a dramatic way by one of the characters which just sounds ridiculous. That being said I still recommend the movie and have to give Ben Affleck credit on his directorial debut. Hey, if it keeps him behind the camera and off the screen – we are all winners.

* * * or Grade: B -

If this movie had parents they would be: Mystic River & Brick

With a runtime of 114 minutes

This film is rated R

Darjeeling Limited Movie Review

The Darjeeling Limited: Wes Anderson’s 5th feature film takes us on an unusual trip through India by train. We follow the 3 Whitman brothers - Francis (Owen Wilson), Peter (Adrian Brody), and Jack (Jason Schwartzman) as they take a spiritual journey that they hope will bring them closer together. After the death of their father, the brothers drifted apart. Each of them is still dealing with the death in their own unique way. As with Wes Anderson’s other films (The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic), the humor lies in the characters which are so well written. In fact his characters and their characteristics are so defined that his movies take a couple of viewings to be fully appreciated. Intense detail is given to the train the brothers are traveling on and the luggage they carry with them making them central characters in the story. Being a huge fan of Wes Anderson, my expectations are extremely high which leads to my only complaint. The film is funny, clever, and even a little moving, but I did not feel Wes pushed his creativity level high enough. This film is in line with his other works, but does not stand out from them. However, I am saying all of this after one viewing and I know I will enjoy this movie more the next time I visit it. Additionally, I am sure the film will offer even more laughs after I see the short film Hotel Chevalier that is meant to be a prologue to Darjeeling, but was not shown in theaters. This is a welcomed addition to the Wes Anderson filmography, I just wish I could say it was near the top.

* * * or Grade: B

If this movie had parents they would be: The Man Who Would be King & The Life Aquatic

With a running Time of 91 minutes

This film is rated R

Kite Runner Movie Review

The Kite Runner opened the 43rd Chicago International Film Festival – in my opinion, a perfect film to open such a fest

The Kite Runner: How often can you come out of a movie and be emotionally moved, learn something about the country of Afghanistan, and have a hankering to run outside and fly a kite? Such is the case with this beautiful and controversial film. The movie is based on the 2003 novel by Khaled Hosseini published under the same name. The story begins in Afghanistan during the 1970s. We meet 2 young boys, Amir and Hassan. Their friendship endures throughout their youth even though they are not a part of the same social class. A horrific event occurs to one of the boys that neither can deal with nor understand the ramifications of….thus the friendship dissolves. We jump ahead 21 years, the Soviets have invaded Afghanistan and left the country in shambles allowing the Taliban to take control. Amir and Hassan’s lives take two completely different paths during this time, but these paths will cross once again. Marc Forster directs this emotional tale and does an outstanding job with the material. I suspect this was not the easiest book to translate onto the big screen. I loved how the kite flying was filmed and depicted in the movie reminding us of the simple beauties in life. I also felt that the kites symbolized freedom and innocence before one is corrupted with all of the superfluous ideologies of the modern world. This is a multifaceted story that will stay with you for some time. Ahhh, I love the taste of the Fall Movie Season!
* * * and ½ or Grade B +

If this movie had parents they would be: Babel and Fox & The Hound

To Learn more about the controversy click here - "Kite Runner release push back"

With a runtime of 120 minutes
This film is rated R