Jenn Brown's blog

SXSW 2012, Day Eight: Docs and Shorts

Jenn Brown — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 14:00:47 +0000

Despite the fact that buses were not my friends today, I managed to make it into my first screening on time through the grace of an introduction. The director and subject of Scarlet Road were there to introduce their film and do a Q&A afterwards before dashing off to the airport to go back to Australia.

Scarlet Road is an enlightening documentary about a sex worker who campaigns not just for the right to practice her trade, but on behalf of another marginalized demographic: the disabled. Rachel Wotton defies stereotypes; she's ebullient, well educated, and as passionate about her right to work in her chosen profession as she about advocating for her clients. Wotton, who is legally allowed to practice her trade in Australia, still encounters restrictions to her trade, including one that does not allow her to share working space with another sex worker, even if it's to train them on how to better serve the needs of clients with major barriers to communication.

Movies This Week: Casa Jeff Street

Jenn Brown — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:00:28 +0000

It's a great weekend for free films with your kids. The Family Movies series at the Southeast Austin Community Branch of Austin Public Library is showing Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules at 1 pm Saturday. Alamo Kids Camp at the Slaughter Lane location has free screenings on Satruday and Sunday of the classic Wizard of Oz and my favorite 2010 animated film, How to Train Your Dragon. What better reason to take your kids to the movies?

Alamo Drafthouse also has a special run of the 2000 film Battle Royale at Lake Creek and Slaughter. In addition, remember that Village and Slaughter are satellite venues for SXSW through Saturday night, and nearly all screenings have had room if you want to buy tickets. No excuse to miss checking out the new Slaughter venue.

Movies We've Seen:

21 Jump Street -- The trailers for the reboot of the popular TV series look terrible, but I've heard they're nothing like the movie. "Channing Tatum is easily the most fantastic part of the film," J.C. says in his review, which will run this weekend. (wide)

Casa De Mi Padre (pictured at top) -- Not so much a Will Ferrell helmer as a send-up of pulp Mexican cinema. Many recognizable faces including Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna and Efren Ramirez. Debbie says in her review that it's "mildly amusing, but not entertaining enough to recommend that you rush out to see it at theaters." (wide)

SXSW 2012, Day Seven: Chihuahuas Everywhere

Jenn Brown — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:00:36 +0000

This is the hardest part of SXSW to me: My schedule completely falls apart, and my resilience to deal with the crowds downtown is non-existent. I've been keeping a pedometer with me and I've been averaging about 3,400 paces a day, which isn't much (the day before SXSW started I more than doubled that), but it's still cumulatively exhausting, especially with all the standing in line and sitting in theaters.

Because I've seen so many films already, it's increasingly difficult to stick to one venue to see the movies on my "really want to see" list. So I often end up seeing more films I hadn't planned on making. None of the films I ended up seeing were on my original schedule (nothing personal to the filmmakers, it's a logistic impossibility to see everything I could possibly want to see).

I managed to make it to four films today, starting with the documentary Last Call at the Oasis. This provocative doc is often heavy handed, but it doesn't dilute the message; water is a squandered resource and the crisis isn't all that far away. Not surprising considering how we've altered so much land for farming, although it didn't even touch on the impact to monoculture farming so popular in the U.S., and how (and if) that plays a part in the water crisis. Ultimately I felt Last Call at the Oasis didn't make its point for anyone who wasn't already converted.

SXSW Review: Girl Model

Jenn Brown — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 19:00:58 +0000

At the beginning of Girl Model, dozens of girls are shown standing in bikinis and heels in a room of mirrors; the metaphor is obvious but succinct. It's hardly news that young women are exploited in the meat market of modeling. But Girl Model explores that on a deeper psycho-emotional level. Motivations are obscured and rationalized, making it impossible for an adult to navigate, let alone pubescent girls.

Filmmakers David Redmon and Ashley Sabin have a well earned reputation with a strong body of work, including Intimidad (SXSW 2008), Kamp Katrina (SXSW 2007), and Mardi Gras: Made in China. Their latest documentary Girl Model attempts to illuminate the illusive reality of young girls in the international modeling industry through a new model and the scout who found her.

SXSW 2012: Day Five, 'Trash Dance' and Awards

Jenn Brown — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:00:44 +0000

Find your second wind yet? I haven't, but I did manage to make it to three SXSW events on Tuesday. First up, I finally saw Trash Dance, which earned two standing ovations: first for director Andrew Garrison and choreographer Allison Orr, and then for two of the participants in the Trash Project, Tony and Orange, who had just finished their shift at work and had the audience in stitches. All the men and women who participated in the Trash Project will make you think differently about the people who help keep our cities clean. It may have been Bernie that won the Louis Black Lone Star Award this year at SXSW, but Trash Dance earned a Special Jury Recognition nod last night as well.

Even though we're halfway through the festival, the film conference is over, so most of the film awards were given out last night. Not all, as not all the audience awards have been tallied (more announcements on the 17th and the 19th). It was the first time I've made it the awards ceremony and it was fun ... and unlike the Oscars, there was no way SXSW Film Festival Producer Janet Pierson was going to let it go over the scheduled timeslot. Of course it helps that several filmmakers weren't there to accept their awards in person. Check out the list of awards and see how the new screening timeslots fit into your schedule.

SXSW Review: The Imposter

Jenn Brown — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:30:11 +0000

Truth is often stranger than fiction. And sometimes true stories are filled with outrageous lies. The Imposter is a convoluted documentary so outrageous it will leave you asking questions that no one involved in the story seems able to conceive. But don't try to learn more about The Imposter before viewing -- see the film cold, you'll appreciate both its flaws and its strengths better.

The premise is simple enough. The family of a missing Texas boy has waited years for news of his fate. It comes from the most unexpected place: Spain, where he's been found alive. But what happens next is more astounding; despite the fact his accent has changed and he looks different, the family -- and others -- accept him and bring him home. What then unfolds is a mind-boggling cocktail of hubris, ego and delusion worthy of a Coen brothers script in a blend of confessional-type dialogue and re-enactments.

SXSW 2012, Day Four: Busing and Birding

Jenn Brown — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:30:01 +0000

Another full day, starting with Compliance, inspired by a series of particularly vicious pranks in past years. It's not a bad film, but it's hard to believe people are really that complacent, even knowing it's based on actual events. Of course, it might be that I was less receptive due to things like all the cell phones being checked during the screening, someone with a light in their badge (?!) during the movie, and after having discovered that Capital Metro eliminated all but two stops on Brazos for the #3 bus, which I hadn't taken since Brazos construction (finally) finished, so I ended up walking much farther than expected.

I was not late for Gayby, which is good, because like every screening I've been in, it was sold out. Gayby is funny, snarky, and can't avoid comparison to the recently released Friends with Kids. It's what I wish the latter was like. If the comedy of gay/straight sex for the sake of producing a child isn't funny enough, it has one of the best, funniest sex scenes ever, not to mention having more cameos than you can count. It was also great to see so many people with local connections up on the stage, including Clay Liford (Wuss, Earthling), not to mention how the number of filmmakers in the audience. Liford is pictured above with director/writer Jonathan Lisecki, who mentioned they just finished filming in August.

SXSW Review: Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines

Jenn Brown — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:30:54 +0000

Those of us who are geeks of the female variety have often lamented about the scarcity of admirable leading female characters, and that's certainly true in comics. What makes Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines stand out is that it explores the history of superheroines, particularly the iconic titular character.

Wonder Women! begins explaining not just the genesis of the character but the evolution of superheroines over nearly a quarter of a century. The interviews include experts from scholars, writers, actresses and even fans, from Gloria Steinem to Jane Espenson and Lynda Carter (pictured at top). It may be surprising to learn that the original character was written by a man who believed there would be a social shift towards matriarchy -- perhaps despite the titillating appearance of a chesty woman in a bustier.

SXSW 2012, Day Two: Sinister Fog

Jenn Brown — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 08:22:58 +0000

Day two of SXSW, and I'm already exhausted. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels like the rain has sapped a lot of their energy. And the spring ahead to Daylight Savings Time certainly doesn't help.

Despite all that, I made it to five movies on Saturday. I didn't think I'd make it to Eating Alabama, but it seems every screening I went to was about a half-hour late starting. This very personal approach to the locavore phenomenon was an interesting meditation on the lost art of farming, even in a rural state. The documentary would make a great companion piece to King Korn.

Next up was the provocative and disturbing film Girl Model, but I have to disagree with co-director Dave Redmon, who said in the intro that the documentary wasn't an expose. I think it is, in the sense of holding back the curtain on something of which we're already aware: young girls are exploited in the model industry. But what Redmon and co-director Ashley Sabin do is make it personal, focusing on a young Siberian and her struggling family, and on the model scout (and former model) who discovers her. Girl Model is powerful stuff.

SXSW 2012, Day One: Winter Arrives In Austin

Jenn Brown — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 15:00:47 +0000

Remember how I mentioned in the Insider's Guide for SXSW to plan for all sorts of weather? Betcha you're glad you listened. Or peeved that you didn't. Bit nippy out there, huh? No worries, it will be balmy in a few days. I'm glad I picked up my badge Thursday afternoon; on Friday, the lines were hours long at one point. On early Thursday afternoon, I spent more time walking the labyrinth in the registration room than I spent waiting for my badge.

I stopped by the Beginners Guide to SXSW Film panel, which had some great classic tips (Network! Plan but be flexible! Ride the #3 bus! -- the last from yours truly in the peanut gallery). After a quick dinner, it was off to Thale.

I should point out that I rarely go to official opening-night movies at any festival. I usually find a gem playing opposite, and it's a great way to support filmmakers who might not have a full theater because of the siren call of Big Names. Not dissing Joss Whedon or Cabin in the Woods, but one of the bet things about SXSW is seeing the films you might not see elsewhere, and you know Cabin in the Woods will play at a theater near you in another month or so. That wasn't the case for Thale, which sold out despite the rain and the cold -- the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar lines are all outdoors -- and an inexplicable delay in seating. Perhaps it was because Matthew Lillard was there for the Fat Kid Rules the World red carpet (pictured at top)?