Jean-Claude Van Damme, arguably the toughest action movie star of the last 20 years (Just consider Bloodsport of 1988) now stands in my estimation as the reigning champion of male vulnerability. I knew a little bit about the autobiographical nature of the film “JCVD“. But when I finally got around to watching it this year on DVD, I was not prepared for the 7 minute soliloquy of this brave and broken man.

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  JCVD
  Director: Mabrouk El Mechri

It’s something totally other than the sneering and vulgar posturing of repressed male aggression I experienced in “Fight Club”, this is just one man finally being honest with himself and his audience. He is about 20 years my senior, but at 32 I can still identify with that lost feeling of realizing that you have been given far too many answers before you were able to ask the right questions. Mistakes made, time lost, people unappreciated, meaning slipping away…

I am not sure how much of this monologue came straight from Jean-Claude or how many takes it took to get it right or if these life anecdotes and reflections are fabricated or not; but I still get it, and I want to learn from it.

Transcribed from the subtitles…

This movie is for me

There we are, you and me.

Why did you do that?

Or why did I do that?

You made my dream come true.

I asked you for it.

I promised you something in return and I haven’t delivered yet.

You win, I lose.

Show me more… »

Categories: Manhood, Confessions, Movies
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I like movies again. I can say that after watching this film. It’s been a while since I have experienced the uncomfortable power of cinematic story telling that grabs me, makes me squirm under a transcendent weight, and then allows me to relish in the revelation of knowing that only a film can bring.

As a hopeful and aspiring independent film maker, I have spent a lot of time watching films from across a wide gamut of film making prowess and intent. I used to watch films simply because I enjoyed them, but now it is hard to enter into that naive bliss without the learning and critique engine running to see what others have done and how they have done it.

When a film comes along and punches you in the gut hard enough to forget about the craft and just soak in the story, it is truly a beautiful moment. I believe “Blindness” is one of those films. Not that “Blindness” is shot in a mediocre fashion, to the contrary its story is wrapped in a steady stream of well crafted and beautiful shot composition, but calling it entertaining feels like a slur. It does that impossible work of forcing you to survey from end to end the scope of human depravity and sanctity through the lens of a single question…

What would happen if there was a sudden epidemic of human blindness?

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  Blindness
  Director: Fernando Meirelles

Often times the movies that I appreciate most, come with a certain sadness that makes them meaningful and powerful, I believe “Blindness” is just such a movie. I am reminded of the scene from Schindler’s List where Oskar realizes the life saving project he had been caught up in and that human lives were somehow connected to his meager sacrifice of money and things as he hugs the fender of his car and contemplates the number of lives it represents. Somehow his humanity and bravery are only complete in this sad moment of knowing the worst of mankind and each individual’s struggle against flippancy, capriciousness, and apathy in order to be truly human.

In an odd sort of way this film seems to be the redemption of everything that is missing from the obsession with modern zombie films. I will refrain from a full lamenting of this genre only to say that it is almost always built upon the removal of whatever sentient faculties make us human and then forcing those “uninfected” humans to destroy the leftover physical flesh of this new inhuman species with an almost gleeful vengeance. As a Christian still trying to work out my theology in practice, this joy of killing the flesh has the allure of a worthy metaphor… but in the end it always seems to engender a gnostic hatred for humanity. I believe that “Blindness” presents the same “zombie” like depths of human depravity, but I also believe it is more honest in keeping the horror rooted in the wickedness of selfishness and demonstrated in the violent control brought about by fear and pain.

From this place I had to identify the worst that I am capable of as being on par with the atrocities I witnessed being trespassed in “Blindness”. In a horrific moment of rape and violence the person committed to walking the most painful path of love and sacrifice stands out as the only hope for mankind. That is a vision and a story that all of my theology ultimately rests upon in the theophany of Christ. “Blindness” presents many layers of allegorical consideration and commentary on the human condition and if the book is near as good as the movie I do believe its garnering of the Nobel Prize was very apt.

• http://www.blindness-themovie.com/
• http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0861689/

I am also looking forward to reading the original novel by Jose Saramago which won him the Nobel Prize for literature in 1998, every great film still starts with a great story right?

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Saramago

• 
  Blindness (Movie Tie-In)
  Author: Jose Saramago

Categories: Humanity, Ethics, Books, Movies
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I love big robots and I love computer animation. So why, was “Transformers; Revenge of the Fallen” one of my worst movie watching experiences of all time. I think it is worth the effort to elaborate on this horrible piece of cinema, because it should become a landmark of failure in most every realm of film making, decency, and ultimately imagination.

For now, Roger Ebert’s analysis captures the majority of my sentiments…

“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” is a horrible experience of unbearable length, briefly punctuated by three or four amusing moments. One of these involves a dog-like robot humping the leg of the heroine. Such are the meager joys. If you want to save yourself the ticket price, go into the kitchen, cue up a male choir singing the music of hell, and get a kid to start banging pots and pans together. Then close your eyes and use your imagination.

The plot is incomprehensible. The dialog of the Autobots®, Decepticons® and Otherbots® is meaningless word flap. Their accents are Brooklyese, British and hip-hop, as befits a race from the distant stars. Their appearance looks like junkyard throw-up. They are dumb as a rock. They share the film with human characters who are much more interesting, and that is very faint praise indeed.

~Roger Ebert, The Sun Times

Roger Ebert’s Kind Review

Categories: Reviews, Film Making, Movies, Criticisms
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For all of us seemingly caught in-between life; wondering what the heck is going on, what went wrong, how did I end up here, where am I going next, and what am I doing with myself… I believe this little movie offers some real encouragement, and if not answers… perhaps some reminders that are even better.

Kabluey caught a hold of me while I was on the down side of smobing about something, well perhaps nothing, but I was doing my darnedest to feel sorry for myself anyway… In the first moments of the film I met a family in comedic disarray due to a father on military duty in Iraq. Then I met a wife who misses her husband, two little boys looking for their father, and all the typical issues of life thrown on top with financial insecurity for good measure. My woes could not compare to this fictional yet realistic predicament, and I was forced to let them go in exchange for a little bit of empathy.

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Whenever a film helps me do that, and step outside of my would be film maker critique, I pay attention. I gave in to the story and went along for the ride. Salman, the unassuming brother in law black sheep, arrives on the scene purely of his availability. A haphazard job search ends him in the role of corporate mascot donning a pathetic blue costume. It’s a ridiculous job, and I am sure many can relate to the strange disconnect between work exhaustion and any sense of cogent meaning or significance.

Salman, however, has something special that makes him a hero, he’s selfless. When trite truths are done proper justice, they always get new life.

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The cast is graced with a few names, but the overall production feels like the best of indipendent film. I am sure I am giving this film much more credit than it deserves in terms of pacing, editing style, and performances… but it delivers the message, and it ends strong. I am beginning to realize just how difficult it is to end a film well, and I think this one does. Commitment, pursuit, thoughtfulness, and a reunion come like a whirlwind as the film wraps up… and its a beautiful thing.

I think it is a mysterious gift when a completed film somehow becomes better than the sum of its technical achievement, plot ingenuity, and even acting performance would merit. Its inspiring to encounter that from time to time and be shown the good that is within the grasp of aspiring independent film makers…

• http://www.kabluey.com
• http://www.astateof.com
• http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0816545/

• 
  Kabluey
  Director: Sony Pictures

Categories: Encouragement, Family, Movies
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Poetry is words empowered, subjective truth with an objective reality because someone has realized it.

~from “No direction home: Bob Dylan”

Categories: Quotes, Art, Music, Movies
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I just sat down at a friends house for a casual Christmas hang out moment, and ended up revisiting this classic. Its super cheesy in so many ways… but for a 9 year old boy with an inborn appreciation for jet fighters and doing things that are cool, this movie has it all. It’s like the Karate Kid, but with missiles. Thinking back, this is certainly one of the movies that has shaped all of my life long ambitions, I still want to learn how to fly and someday “Run the Snake” on a dare… not to mention fly a covert mission into Iraq and rescue my dad while blowing up their oil refineries to the tune of Queen’s “One Vision”.

Want to feel really cool… dig up your Sony Walkman from 1985, strap it to your leg, and drive around with this mix tape blowing you through the stratosphere…

1. One Vision - Queen
2. Iron Eagle (Never Say Die) - Hooker, Jake
3. These Are the Good Times - Hunter, Myles
4. Maniac House - Rew, Kimberley
5. Intense - Clinton, George [1]
6. Hide in the Rainbow - Dio, Ronnie James
7. It’s Too Late - Dexter, John R.
8. Road of the Gypsy - Adrenalin
9. Love Can Make You Cry - Kehr, M.
10. The This Raging Fire - Halligan, Bob Jr.

• 
  Iron Eagle
  Director: Sidney J. Furie

Categories: Dreams, Movies
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Special thanks to all the volunteers who made the first annual DWIFF Challenge a reality

• Scott Dunham
• Suzanne Janik
• Sarah Mark
• Nicole LaDouceur
• Denver Rochon
• Billy Whitehouse
• Mike from CCS
• 23 Willing teams of Detroit film makers…

Categories: Competition, Film Making, Detroit, SuperHouse, Movies, Art, Compliments
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Over the past 4 years I have competed in a national competition, known as the National Film Challenge. It has been one of the best experiences of my budding film career. In one weekend, all excuses go to the wayside, and you just make a movie… its a short… but its a finished short. I am very proud to be able to bring this experience to the local Detroit indie film community through the Detroit Windsor International Film Festival.

This is our chance to put everything we have come to love in the national competition into our own and bake in some home grown Detroit flavor and community.

• DWIFF Challenge Website www.dwiff.org/challenge
• DWIFF Website www.dwiff.org

Categories: Competition, Film Making, Detroit, SuperHouse, Art, Movies
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• He was in that one movie as a dull teacher who kept repeating “Bueler”…
• He was the casual genius on that one kooky game show in the 90s…
• He’s the right wings answer to Michael Moore!

Just watched Ben’s movie “Expelled, No Intelligence Allowed” last night. It was a lot more fun than I was anticipating… which means it has been a while since I appreciated just what a fun guy Mr. Ben Stein is. I really enjoyed the movie, in much the same way I have enjoyed Michael Moore’s movies… just without the downer hangover afterwards. Ben is just really cool. He opens up a lot of cans in this little movie… I will think through some of it and return…

You only have to read a little bit of Ben’s wit to appreciate him…

• Ben on Snopes
• Ben’s Website

Categories: Movies, Theology
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I am an independent film producer. Independent in the sense that I have just myself and a few friends to team up with on a project. The budgets are determined by us, how much do we want to spend on our movie. These days “independent” movies are popular, mostly because there are a lot of good indie films done through spin off mini studios from the big boys. They receive huge budgets and resources compared to anyone like myself. They also have actual experience… unlike myself… I am a few notches below experienced when it comes to “making movies for real”. Most people that create films with my level of experience end up with something that no one really wants to watch… I have made a few of those. So when you find a truly indie film that is actually watchable… even compelling… its note worthy. These guys are my heroes…

• Primer The Movie
• IMDB For Primer
• Shane Carruth

Categories: Movies, Compliments
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Its exciting stuff. Thanks to everyone who has been working to bring this opportunity to Michigan, I hope we are ready…

• Michigan Film Office

Categories: Movies
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