"We're not critics. We're professional fan-girls." --- This blog is dedicated to movies and the entertainment industry. We use random selection to bring into light the best and worst of streaming films and entertainment news.
Writer: Ella
Lemhagen, Max Lundgren, Fredrik Wikström
Actors: Shanti
Roney, Annika Hallin, Kurt Ravn, Nina Sand, Jimmy Lindström, Kola Krauze, Lotta
Karlge, Mats Blomgren, Svante Ahman, Lukas Holgersson, Pontus Eklof, Olle
Krantz, Mats Andersson, Stella Rauan Norrthon
Stunt Doubles: Carl
Hansson, Rasmus Holmberg, Miranda Karnet, Einar Qvick
Languages
Speech Available:
Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Swedish
Subtitles Available:
German, Italian, Spanish, French, English
Blurb from Netflix:
When I good-natured boy finds a pair of magical pants that produces a
bottomless supply of cash, he soon finds himself being pursued by villains.
Selina’s Point of View:
This has been a phenomenal week for our movies here on Trust
the Dice. All three of our films were family films. All three of them were
magical or sci-fi in some way. All three of them were awesome.
Originally, I began to think that The Boy with the Golden Pants was pretty much a bit of a copy of Blank Check (1994), but it wound up
taking some hard turns that made the entire story look and feel insanely
different. Aside from the fact that it was incredibly dark for a family genre
film, the story was really good with foreshadowing.
I’ll be honest, I wish this was the first film we had to
review for the new Foreign Film Fridays because it was not only a great film,
but I can actually see the differences between this movie and the kind that we
would release here. No family film in the US would have naked butt in it.
The aforementioned American film, Blank Check, took a goofy look at what would happen if a kid got an
unlimited amount of money. Even when the bad guys got involved, there were no
jump scares and ‘dark’ is not a word anyone would use to describe any part of
that film. The Boy with the Golden Pants
definitely took a different spin.
I’m going to forget that I’m apparently a pre-teen boy at heart, (I would have bought the EXACT stuff he did if the same
thing happened to me), and just go straight into the darkness. The bad guys were
not clumsy, oafish, ha-ha villains; they were BAD. There was an actual jump
scare in the film that caught me because who the fuck expects that in a family
film? There was even some cursing – in fact, one of the few English lines in
the film was ‘what the fuck’ and it took me a moment to realize I wasn’t just
thinking the subtitles loudly. I went a little stupid for a moment there.
The differences in the movie-making culture were so apparent
that it was a learning experience for me.
Moving on.
It’s going to take me a while to catch on to voice tones
where foreign language acting is concerned, but visually the actors ranged from
decent to great. I didn’t lose any of the emotional impact just because I had
to rely on subtitles, I really appreciated that.
I have very little bad to say about The Boy with the Golden Pants. There were a couple of plot holes
near the end that were a little jarring to me, but that wasn’t enough to fuck
with my focus.
This is one of the first subtitled films, outside of the
anime genre, that I would actually recommend and watch again.
Cat’s Point of View:
This movie is exactly what I was hoping for when we started
Foreign Film Fridays. I’m going to forget that last Friday’s movie ever existed
and this one is going to be my personal official kick-off film. Seriously.
I think one of the advantages to watching foreign films like
this is that it deposits us squarely out of the comfort zone of recognized
faces and places (for the most part). I spent a few minutes pondering if the
actor playing Zeke was the same that portrays Tormund Giantsbane in Game of Thrones (2011-). (He’s not.)
Other than that, everyone in the cast was a blank slate for me. My brain wasn’t
busy making connections and having fangirl moments, and was more involved in
experiencing the movie.
As far as the format of this film goes, I was very
appreciative that the subtitles were easy to read and presented below the movie
on the screen.
My eyes aren’t the best – even with very strong corrective
lenses – so having to pick out fast-moving text against the backdrop of a film
drives me absolutely crazy. I spend more time trying to read than I do getting
to enjoy what I’m watching. That wasn’t the case here. It was easy to follow,
and the text was presented at a good pace.
The story was a bit on the predictable side, once the
premise was set up for you – but I didn’t care.
Where the last movie almost had me asleep in my chair, this
one had me on the edge of my seat. There are some serious feels laced in with
this adventure story, and some moral backbone behind it all.
This film left me with an uplifted feeling of warmth. I
enjoyed it very much and would gladly recommend it.
Producer: Suzanne
Buirgy, Christopher Jenkins, Mireille Soria
Director: Tim
Johnson
Writer: Tom J.
Astle, Matt Ember, Adam Rex
Actors: Jim Parsons,
Rihanna, Steve Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Matt Jones, Brian Stepanek, April
Lawrence, Stphen Kearin, Lisa Stewart, April Winchell, Nigel W. Tierney
Stunt Doubles: N/A
Languages
Speech Available:
English, Spanish
Subtitles Available:
English, Spanish
Blurb from Netflix:
When a lovable misfit from another planet and a human girl form and unlikely
friendship, they embark on an incredible journey that changed their lives.
Selina’s Point of View:
Home was
absolutely nothing like what I expected. Nothing. Even the plot was completely
different than I thought it would be from the trailer I saw (this film made my
top 20 for the month it came out).
Despite that, my feelings on the film were… complicated.
For the majority of Home,
I was running cold. My attention was wavering. I couldn’t help but feel like I
had seen it before. The story might have been relatively newish, but the
characters were tropes personified. In fact, this film really owes a debt of
gratitude to Lilo and Stitch (2002). The
characters would not exist without that predecessor.
It was very difficult for me to stay focused because the
characters were not very unique. I’d rather have a recipe story with unique
characters that give a different spin on it, than a new story with recipe
characters that you can predict every step of.
However, now that the film is over, I find myself feeling
fulfilled and remembering it fondly.
I imagine that makes no sense to someone that hasn’t seen
it.
The fact is, once Home
was a little more than half over, it picked up in speed so much that ‘roller
coaster of emotions’ isn’t enough to aptly describe what I felt. I have
officially been run over by the feels train and am trying to write all this
with teary eyes.
I would likely recommend this film in the future, I just
wish the rest of the film could have matched the awesomeness of the last
portion.
Oh, one more thing. Hats off to the music department. What a
phenomenal job those men and women did. Not just on the quality of the music
chosen, but on the risks they took. Well done. They’re the true MVPs of this
movie.
Cat’s Point of View:
We were a little bummed that we didn’t end up with a
Christmas movie this week for one of our reviews prior to the holiday. Even so,
we were both jazzed that we hit the animated jackpot this week.
I have good news for you, though, and am rather confident
that this spoils nothing in the telling – Home is a Christmas movie. Of course,
it’s rather subtle and along the same vein that makes Die Hard (1988) a Christmas Movie.
When you watch it, you’ll see. I started cackling when the realization
hit me as I was watching with my daughter; and she looked at me like I was
nuts. It was so worth it!
This movie is based on a book by Adam Rex (Almost Home, Home: Adventures with Tip &
Oh) called The True Meaning of
Smekday. I haven’t read the book (I may need to correct that in the
future), but that sounds an awful lot like “the true meaning of Christmas”
phrase that often gets bandied about this time of year.
The film was also originally scheduled for a November
release, but then got flip-flopped with another movie that had an established
franchise that would be more solid for holiday box-office numbers.
Back to the movie!
I love the alien-encounter sub-genre of sci-fi movies. It’s
a question that burns in quite a lot of us – what would happen when or if we’re
visited by beings from another world? This movie has an entertaining take on
that answer. Beneath all the fun and shenanigans, there’s some pretty powerful
messages and some parallels that could be drawn within our own history.
I also enjoy that the Boov have a unique and interesting
technology. I am pretty sure that I haven’t seen anything like it used before.
Aside from her part in the music, I was surprisingly pleased
with Rihanna’s (This Is the End, Annie,
Bates Motel) performance here. This was definitely some redemption for her
after that other alien invasion nautical-themed movie loosely inspired by a board
game.
The pairing of Steve Martin (Shopgirl, The Pink Panther, It's Complicated) as Smek and Jim
Parsons (Gardener of Eden, The Muppets,
Hidden Figures) was also a stroke of brilliance. I don’t think I could
imagine anyone else in either of those roles.
This wasn’t my first time watching Home, nor will it be my
last.
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 47%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 64%
Netflix’s Prediction for Selina – 5/5
Selina’s Trust-the-Dice Score – 3.5/5
Netflix’s Prediction for Cat – 4.5/5
Cat’s Trust-the-Dice Score
– 5/5
P.S. There are
cute ‘photos’ throughout part of the credits.
Production Companies:
Illumination Entertainment, Universal Pictures
Producer: Janet
Healy, Brett Hoffman, Christopher Meledandri, Chris Renaud, Dave Rosenbaum,
Robert Taylor
Director: Kyle
Balda, Pierre Coffin
Writer: Brian
Lynch
Actors: Sandra
Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney, Steve Coogan, Jennifer
Saunders, Geoffrey Rush, Steve Carell, Pierre Coffin, Katy Mixon, Michael
Beattle, Dave Rosenbaum, Alex Dowding, Mindy Sterling, Tara Strong, Zachary
Alexander Rice, Hiroyuki Sanada
Stunt Doubles: N/A
Languages
Speech Available:
English
Subtitles Available:
English
Blurb from Netflix:
The banana-yellow, linguistically garbled henchmen of “Despicable Me” star in
this prequel, recounting the story of their villain-worshipping history.
Selina’s Point of View:
I’ve been saving this film for the blog and it’s been
KILLING me. I love the series it’s from and I’ve been dying to see it – but I
wanted the blog to get my first reaction. A few more months and I would have
given in.
I thought this film was absolutely adorable. I knew it would
be, of course, that was never the question. The only questions that really
mattered going into this film was whether or not the story would be decent and
if it would work as the prequel it was meant to be.
Oh, and if anyone would be able to understand what the hell
was going on. Minions don’t exactly come with subtitles.
I found that the film was actually really easy to follow,
the storyline was good, and it was a hell of a prequel. In fact, as a prequel
it definitely was one of the best I’ve seen. There weren’t any glaring errors
or issues of continuity.
All that said, I did prefer the original Despicable Me (2010) and Despicable Me 2 (2013). I think both of
those movies were highly creative and hilarious. I could watch them back-to-back
on any given day.
There was a part of Minions,
however, that was… eerie. Like the writers could see into the future. I know it
was supposed to be an amusing/funny moment, but I found it relatively
impossible to laugh at. It would have been much funnier before the election.
I don’t think I’ll wait to see Despicable Me 3 (2017). That may require a theater trip.
Cat’s Point of View:
This wasn’t my first time to watch this movie, though I was
overjoyed when the dice landed on this one. I’d gladly watch it many more
times. Needless to say, I loved the movie.
This is one of those that no matter how many times you watch
it over again, you’re likely to find something new you didn’t notice in prior
viewings. This film is jam-packed with little ‘hidden’ nuggets of geekdom via
“cameos” and references to both the Despicable
Me (2010/2014) movies, other cartoons (both print and animated), as well as
actual tidbits from pop culture and ‘reality.’ For example, the carpet from the
Overlook Hotel in The Shining (1980)
makes an appearance; as well as a little teddy bear that would make Mr. Bean (1990-1995) jealous due to the
fact it’s nearly identical to his own.
Aside from all the little bits that inspire an exclamation
of ‘hey, wait, was that [insert aforementioned ‘nugget’ here],’ the movie was
adorable, inventive, and hilarious. This movie answers the question that
everyone had to be asking themselves after watching the Despicable Me movies – where did those Minions come from?!
One of the non-spoiler answers to that question is one of
the directors of the movie - Pierre Coffin (Pat
et Stanley, Despicable Me, Brad & Gary). He single-handedly voiced all
of the Minions seen in the movie. Talk about a Herculean task and surely a
labor of love. This film is said to boast over 800 of the little yellow guys.
Sandra Bullock (Two Weeks
Notice, All About Steve, The Blind Side) and John Hamm (The A-Team, Friends with Kids, Shrek Forever
After) were sensational in their roles and made a fabulous dastardly
dynamic duo as Scarlett and Herb Overkill. This was Bullock’s first villain
role. It will be interesting to see if she opts to join the dark side in future
movies, now that she’s sampled the cookies.
I had a personal giggle over the role for Hiroyuki Sanada (Lost, 47 Ronin, Helix). He’s always in
super serious projects – often samurai-type roles and sci-fi. It was great to
see him in a role with a bit of humor to it as the sumo-wrestler.
My final note is for parents and those contemplating how
appropriate this movie is for varying ages of kids. I remember that when the
trailers were first running for this film, the selection of clips it showed
were put together in such a way that it seemed like the movie would be full of
innuendo and inappropriate content. I am pleased to say that is not the case.
The MPAA gave it a PG rating for action and rude humor – but the ‘suggestive’
variety of humor is practically nonexistent.
Minions has fun for the whole family to enjoy again and again.
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 56%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 49%
Netflix’s Prediction for Selina – 4/5
Selina’s Trust-the-Dice Score – 4/5
Netflix’s Prediction for Cat – 4.5/5
Cat’s Trust-the-Dice Score
– 5/5
P.S. There are
small scenes throughout the credits and one long scene after.
Through “This Week in Crowdfunding,” you’ll find five of the
best projects Trust the Dice found hosted on crowdfunding sights this week.
These are Films/Web Series’/Shows of varying lengths and genres that we believe
in. If you like any of the projects you see here, donate to them, tell your
friends, and/or post it on social media.
These projects don’t just need money, they need people to
care and spread the word that they exist.
Support creativity. Support indie artists.
Remember that every actor, director, writer, and movie you
have ever fallen in love with had to start somewhere.
Trust the Dice does not, and will not, accept payment from project
creators for
Appearance on this list. Projects are chosen solely on the merit of the
idea,
proposal, and people involved.
Trust the Dice will be going on vacation starting December
24. We will return on January 2 with our Top 20 Movies to Look Out For in
January.
5 – OddySee
Crowdsource Platform:
KICKSTARTER
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
Other Staff: Unknown
Amount Requested:
$3,500
Current Standing (as
of Saturday night): $1,310 raised by 9 backers.
Type of Goal: All
or Nothing – This project will only be funded if it reaches its goal by the
deadline.
I’ll be honest, I’m a little hesitant to add this project to
the list at all. However, it was the only other film I found that would fit in
this fifth spot. It does have a cute plot idea and their Kickstarter page is
well laid out, which makes it easy to see where your money is going. On top of
that, their introductory film is engaging and funny.
My hesitance does not come from the fact that OddySee is being created by a student
club, most of the films I find for this list are being made by students. My
issue is that there doesn’t seem to be much information on who’s in, or working
on, this film.
In the introductory video, you see the faces of people
working on OddySee, but only get
first names. I can’t tell you the full name of the writer, director, or anyone
else. I attempted to get in touch with them to fill in the information gaps,
but no one ever got back to me. Unfortunately, all I can tell you is
speculation at this point.
The negatives out of the way, the plot does look
interesting. It’s not the most unique idea, but they put a spin on it that
makes it much more interesting in general. I know that, if this were a film
coming out in theaters, it might very well be something I would want to pay to
see.
Lowest Fund Reward:
$5 – Pledge $5 or More – Shout Out/Thank You on the Production Club at UWM
Facebook page and access to all behind the scenes footage and pictures.
Highest Fund Reward:
$1,000 – Pledge $1,000 or More – A date night on the location with the
producers, directors, and writer, and all previous rewards.
4 – Minds at War
Unfortunately, Minds at War was unable to be completed, and the director has requested removal of its mention. Change made: 3/26/22
3 – The Night
Cleaner
Crowdsource Platform:
INDIEGOGO
Director: Zoe
Ward
Writer: Zoe Ward
Other Staff: Pratik
Shah (Cinematographer), Arkesh Ajay (Producer), Annie Pace (Producer), Gayatri
Bajpai (Assistant Director), Jien Sun (Costume Designer), Naomi Gonzalez Kahn
(Production Designer)
Amount Requested:
$24,000
Current Standing (as
of Saturday night): $4,315 raised by 35 backers.
Type of Goal: Flexible
– The campaign will receive all funds raised even if it does not reach its
goal.
I was immediately attracted to this film. It actually took
me all week to decide if I was personally attracted to it, or if I truly
believed the film could be successful. In the end, I realized it was both.
The story really speaks to me on a deeper level, even though
it seems to lean toward drama as a genre, which is not my favorite. That look
at the connection of two people spurned by society feels like home for me where
entertainment is concerned.
What strikes me as the most important thing I learned from
the Indiegogo page and the introductory video, is that the entire crew of The Night Cleaner seems to have a
significant and unarguable faith in the writer/director, Zoe Ward. It helps to
raise faith in a project when everyone involved believes so heavily in the
person in charge.
As for the page itself, it’s highly informative. You know
where your money’s going and the perks are eye-catching.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to reach Ward for an interview,
and I truly regret that. I wish I had something more to say on her project than
just what you can learn on her page. It seems like this film could become
something amazing.
Lowest Fund Reward:
$10 – Heartwarmer – You are now part of the Night Cleaner family. You’ll get a
shout-out on Facebook and regular updates from the production team.
Highest Fund Reward:
$5,000 – Executive Producer – The name says it all! Receive an Executive
Producer credit, come visit us on set and receive all other perks on offer.
2 – Silicon Beach
Crowdsource Platform:
INDIEGOGO
Director: Max
Gold
Writer: Max Gold
Other Staff: Stephen
Tringali (Cinematographer), Max Silver (Producer)
Amount Requested:
$20,000
Current Standing (as
of Saturday night): $50 raised by 3 backers.
Type of Goal: Flexible
– The campaign will receive all funds raised even if it does not reach its
goal.
Originally, Silicon
Beach was a little lower on my list, but after getting to speak with
writer/director Max Gold, I knew it needed to be higher.
This feature film is a thriller that takes a look at the
anxieties of a group of young professionals as they attempt to build their
startup business. The plot alone sounds interesting, but it’s difficult to
really look deeper into it until you watch the introductory video.
The video on the Indiegogo page is a great teaser for the
film and it supports the simple idea mentioned in the overview enough that it
makes everything that much easier to picture.
One of the facts about this film that make it seem like it
is such a small risk for investors, is that it is already complete. All the
money being raised through crowdfunding is going directly to post-production;
things like editing and composing.
I was able to get a phone call with Max Gold on Saturday
afternoon. He seemed happy to be discussing this film and, after only a few
moments it was easy to tell why.
Gold has a significant amount of passion for Silicon Beach and, from everything he
told me, even more faith in his cast and crew.
“I just want to underline the fact that this film was made
by a community,” Gold told me. “Every single person involved was committed and
excited to bring this to life.”
One of the things I asked Gold was about his inspiration for
the film.
He told me a story about how he worked side tech jobs while making
films for over a decade, which allowed him to understand the startup world very
well. He took that knowledge and combined it with his own personal experiences.
The anxiety he drew from to create Silicon
Beach was from knowing that he was working those tech jobs, but was unable
to really commit to them. He was, essentially, leading two lives.
Every morning, he was spending several hours writing his
scripts, then he would have to go to work exhausted and try to do what he was
supposed to. All the while, making any real work friends was difficult for him,
because he wasn’t there for the career, he was there only because he wasn’t
able to exist solely on his film work yet.
Anyone with any kind of creative ambition probably relates
to that story on a very deep level. I know I do.
He went on to explain about a previous project, one that he
had to rely on others for. It was a larger budget film that got delayed because
the people financing it weren’t as helpful as they should have been. When
creativity is stifled by a lack of funds, it easily fuels rage and rebellion. Silicon Beach is the manifestation of
that rebellion. Proof that Gold and his crew were capable of putting together
something spectacular without having to rely on a giant budget to get through
it.
We all know how I feel about the importance of rebellion, so
I’ll just add here that learning the inspiration for Silicon Beach was another reason why I knew it needed to be higher
on this list.
One of the other interesting aspects of Silicon Beach is the method Gold decided to use for perks. I
noticed that the films Indiegogo page split the perks into two different
categories: for the audience and for fellow movie makers.
According to Gold, he’s noticed in the past that sometimes
people would donate money to his project and want something other than the perk
offered – like direction and advice from someone more experienced than them. On
the other hand, there were just as many laymen that only wanted to put some
money toward helping along a film they thought looked pretty cool.
After seeing this method, I think it’s something more
creators should look into.
In the end, I can’t wait to see what Gold and his team do
with this film. I’m betting it’s going to be phenomenal.
Lowest Fund Reward:
$10 – Thank You Tweet – A thank you tweet. Tweeted to 35,000+ followers by
director Max Gold (@blindhummingbrd)
Highest Fund Reward:
$5,000 – Executive Producer Credit – An ‘Executive Producer’ credit on the
film. This perk includes: -IMDB credit –invitation to cast and crew screenings –invitation
to visit the editing suite during post-production –invitation to the LA
premiere (flight and accommodations not included.) Congratulations and welcome
to our team!
1 – Focus
Crowdsource Platform:
KICKSTARTER
Director: AJ
Winters
Writer: AJ
Winters, Stephen Fletcher
Other Staff: Kelly
Renata (Line Producer), Jacob Abercromby (Director of Photography), Mark
Flanders (Music), Shannon Rogers (Cast), Mabel Foong (Cast), Reece Bagrowski
(Cast), Mike Moshos (Cast), Keegan Zykowski (Cast), Flavia Marini (Cast), Teddy
O’Hearn (Production Assistant), John Reid (Production Assistant), Stephen
Fletcher (Production Assistant), Jonathan Giles (Production Assistant),
Ashleigh Barrow (Production Assistant), Biance Roose (Costume Designer), Alex
Roussel (Costume Designer), Justine Hinz (Script Supervisor), Mitchell McKenna
(Editor), Philip Healey (SFX), Amelia Robinson (Graphic Designer), Robin Cook
(Graphic Designer), Karlien Kemp (Graphic Designer)
Amount Requested:
$1,460
Current Standing (as
of Saturday night): $74.52 raised by 3 backers.
Type of Goal: All
or Nothing – This project will only be funded if it reaches its goal by the
deadline.
This web series immediately caught my eye. It has a solid
plot and its introductory video was an interesting teaser trailer. I had no
idea that between the moment when I chose this project and when I’d write the
article, they would release the actual pilot on YouTube.
I watched the pilot the moment I finished talking to the
director, AJ Winters.
The first thing I can comment on is the quality of the
pilot. I’ve seen original pilots for popular TV shows that didn’t exhibit the
kind of quality Focus had. I’ll avoid
the obvious pun here, but I will say I was very impressed. At the end of the
episode, I wanted to see more, I wanted to know more. It was such an
understated video, but it served its purpose well.
What makes the quality of that pilot even more incredible is
that the cast and crew of Focus are
all on the young side. Winters told me that the majority of people working on
the film are between 16 and 30 years old.
Trust the Dice loves to support indie projects and we love
to support youth in creating entertainment even more. The future of films,
series’, and everything else, comes from youth and people willing to take the
chances that mainstream entertainment doesn’t encourage. In this case, Focus meets both those requirements.
I believe that web series’, like those based on YouTube, are
going the way of Netflix. There are so many unique, interesting projects being
created on the platform that it is impossible to ignore completely.
I’m aware that it might be a little scary to offer funding
to a project run primarily by younger, less experienced people, but I’ll say it
again: everyone starts somewhere. You can choose to only support people with
greater levels of experience, but I believe that’s a mistake that keeps the
entertainment world from growing.
When I asked Winters if she had anything she wanted you to
know, she said:
“We are 100% dedicated to making this show possible and I
will continue to strive to make it so. This Kickstarter is just the beginning
for us, and hopefully, with the help of sponsors and pledge donations, we will
be able to film Season 1 of FOCUS next year. I want to facilitate and make the
dreams of my cast and crew a reality and therefore I won't stop until this
succeeds.”
I know their perks don’t start until a relatively high
number, but you can make smaller pledges that will garner a thank you from the series
creators.
Lowest Fund Reward:
$200 – Skype call with the cast – If you pledge over $200 we would like to
thank you personally with a Skype call with our leading cast. You’ll get to
meet them and ask them any of your questions about the filming process!
Highest Fund Reward:
$1,000 – Be a part of Focus – If you pledge over $1,000 we would love to get
you on board with our show! Always wanted to do a little acting? How about
spending a day behind the scenes? Or maybe you’re a bit of a creative writer
yourself and want to contribute to the script writing process? We want to give
you the opportunity to be involved in the creative process!
Actors: Daniel
Candia, Alejandra Yañez, Daniel Antivilo, Ariel Mateluna, Jennifer Salas, Don
Willie, Paula Leoncini, Daniel Urrutia, Eduardo Villalobos, Sol Banoviez
Stunt Doubles: N/A
Languages
Speech Available:
Spanish
Subtitles Available:
English, Spanish
Blurb from Netflix:
The thugs that have taken over Jorge’s middle-class neighborhood push the
mild-mannered family man to the brink when they mug him and shoot his son.
Selina’s Point of View:
This movie was a very poor start to our new Foreign Film
Fridays. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure whatever the festivals saw in this movie
was very educational and technically sound but that doesn’t mean a damn thing
for entertainment value.
Where entertainment value is concerned, there was none.
I was literally bored to tears. You know when you have those
yawning attacks that start to make your eyes watery? Yeah.
I get what the creators were trying to do with the lack of
sound during certain scenes, but it didn’t succeed. Instead of forcing a
feeling of suspense, it just made me lose focus and become less interested in
what was going on.
There’s are plenty of true stories out there that make
phenomenal movies, but this isn’t one of them. Just because something really
happened, doesn’t mean there’s enough interest there to keep people watching.
This is a film that could have benefited from being a short instead
of a feature. I definitely wouldn’t watch it again.
Cat’s Point of View:
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with this movie.
I think the very beginning of the film prior to the title is
a good indicator for the rest of the film – slow and drawn out with dramatic
music.
I ended up feeling really squirmy and antsy during this
movie because I was bored out of my mind; but I couldn’t look away to fidget or
I’d miss what was going on.
I’m not sure that this really falls into the ‘thriller’
genre. It does fall squarely into the crime drama zone. Unfortunately, it
wasn’t the sort of drama that I enjoy.
The movie claims to be based on a true story. While I can
respect that, and conditions in the depicted area of the world aren’t as
fortunate as where I call home; I don’t generally choose to watch movies that
leave such a bleak feeling in their wake.
Not only was I not entertained, I failed to feel a profound
impact from the story that would make the time spent with this drama more
worthwhile.
Production Companies:
Dark Sky Films, Glass Eye Pix, Site B
Producer: Hamza
Ali, Joel Alonso, Larry Fessenden, Luis Flores, Brent Kunkle, Greg Newman, Lex
Ortega, Andrea Quiroz, Zak Zeman
Director: Adrián
García Bogliano
Writer: Eric
Stolze
Actors: Nick
Damici, Ethan Embry, Lance Guest, Erin Commings, Rutanya Alda, Tom Noonan, Tina
Louise, Caitlin O’Heaney, Karen Lynn Gorney, Al Spienza, Bernardo Cubria, Dana
Ashbrook, Charles Techman, Hythem Noor, Larry Fessenden, Frances Sherman,
Karron Graves, Kareem Savinon, Pun Bandhu, Ralph Cashen, Raina
Stunts: Bryce
Burke, Pete Klein, Mariusz Kubicki, Anthony Vincent
Blurb from Netflix:
After several of his neighbors are killed by savage dog attacks, a blind
Vietnam vet starts to believe that a vicious supernatural force is at work.
Selina’s Point of View:
I enjoy B-movies and I love werewolf mythology. Needless to
say, I was super interested in seeing this film when it came up.
I figured Late Phases
would be typical and trope-y with a werewolf costume so bad you could see the
zipper in it. But I also thought it might fall into the realm of that ‘so bad
it’s good’ category. I don’t mind those films. I don’t watch movies to judge techniques.
I watch them to be entertained.
However, Late Phases
was NOTHING like I thought it would be. Sure, the werewolf costume wasn’t the
greatest I’ve ever seen, but they did a hell of a lot with the transformation.
The acting for this film was pretty good. I grew attached to
the main character, despite the fact that he was not a likable man. And, can we
just talk about the setting and focus characters?
When I read the Netflix blurb I thought the film would be
set at an earlier time, right after the Vietnam War. I had NO idea the main
characters would be elderly. You don’t see that done often. The last horror
film Trust the Dice reviewed that had several elderly actors playing main
characters was in Cockneys vs. Zombies (2012).
Even then, there were plenty of younger adults to accompany them.
A nearly all elderly cast is pretty much unheard of for this
kind of storyline.
I was impressed. There were a few plot holes, and someone
trained in gun use held his weapon like a gangster teen that learned to shoot
from rap videos once – that bugged me, but I still enjoyed the movie.
To be honest, this may have been the most unique film that I’ve
seen in a very long time. The creators took only the tropes that generally ‘have
to’ come with a werewolf (transformation, silver bullets, full moon, bites,
etc.), and absolutely spit on the rest of them.
I would recommend this film to anyone that’s a fan of
werewolf stories. Just, keep in mind, the story is a slow burn.
Cat’s Point of View:
After a really long day, I was looking forward to watching
this movie. I was pretty sure that the B-creature feature would let my brain
disconnect from the last few days. I have to say, I got more than I expected.
This film elicited a strange dichotomy of response from me.
On one hand, I loved it – on the other, there were parts that I didn’t enjoy.
I’ll start with the negative so we can leave off on the good note!
Sometimes it just felt like the movie was meandering
aimlessly – the blind main character seemed to move with more purpose at
points. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the creature aesthetic. However, it wasn’t
too horrible.
If the production team here was going for a throwback feel
to movies like The Howling (1981)
then they nailed it. For a movie released in 2014; somehow I was expecting
more. Then again, the wolves in the Underworld (2003) look a little funny to
me, too. Maybe I’m just picky.
On to the good!
This movie was surprisingly engrossing for me. I wasn’t even
tempted to fiddle with my phone so much because I didn’t want to look away. I
loved the main character, Ambrose. Nick Damici (Never Down, Stake Land, Premium Rush) knocked that out of the park.
There was something about him that was just compelling beyond the fact that his
character was blind. I bought what he was selling, though he struck me more as
the ‘get off my lawn’ type.
I also loved the complicated relationship between Ambrose
and his son, Will, played by Ethan Embry (Armed
Response, The Guest, Convergence). I felt like I wanted more screen time
for Embry but he did make the most of the moments he had.
Lance Guest (Jericho,
The Least of These, 21 and a Wake-Up) was an interesting addition to the
cast. He’s come a long way from his role as Alex in The Last Starfighter (1984) or one of the Brody boys in Jaws: The Revenge (1987). Obviously
that’s quite a gap of time between then and now but I almost didn’t recognize
him at all. I don’t suppose that’s a bad thing, all things considered.
I think this movie has more to offer than nostalgia factor
and I would feel reasonably comfortable in giving this movie a recommendation
to fans of the genre.
Tagline: The
giant, man-eating graboids are back and even deadlier.
Genre: Comedy,
Horror
Length: 98
minutes
Rating: PG-13
Production Companies:
Capacity Relations, Universal 1440 Entertainment
Producer: Ogden
Gavanski, Lisa Gooding, Alan Shearer
Director: Don
Michael Paul
Writer: William
Truesmith, M.A. Deuce, John Whelpley, C.J. Strebor
Actors: Brandon
Auret, Natalie Becker, Emmanuel Castis, Michael Gross, Daniel Janks, Jamie
Kennedy, Ernest Ndlovu, Rea Rangaka, Zak Hendrikz, Lawrence Joffe, Ian Roberts,
Sello Sebotsane, Wayne Smith, Matthys Kuhn, Pearl Thusi, Nolitha Zulu,
Blurb from Netflix:
When he is hired to capture a deadly creature terrorizing South Africa,
survivalist Burt Gummer brings along a new tech-savvy partner.
Selina’s Point of View:
I have to say something super weird right now.
That was like… a real movie.
I mean, all creature features are technically real movies.
Actors, directors, writers, etc. When something like this comes up, however, I
expect to sit down to a basic-shot, badly acted, campy piece of entertainment.
Not really something I would ever have tried to see in theaters, but amusing
enough to either be background noise or hold my attention for at least certain
parts.
What I just saw was the kind of movie that I may have wanted
to see in theaters (if it hadn’t been a straight to DVD thing).
The Tremors (1990-2015)
series is a guilty pleasure of mine. I’ve seen the first four, and they’re kind
of basic for B-movie creature features. They’re good for people like me who
enjoy that kind of stuff. Tremors 5:
Bloodlines really kicked things up a notch or two.
From the upgraded monster visuals to the much different
cinematography, everything was better in this film. I love the series in
general, but after seeing Tremors 5:
Bloodlines, I can’t help but wonder if the franchise would have had Jurassic Park levels of popularity if the
rest of the films had been handled the same way.
Roughly five minutes into the film I absolutely knew that
the people who were once in charge, were not in charge of this one. I wasn’t
surprised at all when I turned to IMDb after the movie and found that it was
the product of a new director to the series. I’m not familiar with Don Michael
Paul’s (Dead Above Ground, The Island,
You) body of work, but I’d like to be.
The script was classic Tremors,
though. With everything that changed, I’m glad the crew managed to keep the
feel of the series alive.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s riddled with tropes and corny
jokes, and roughly 98% of the storyline is completely predictable; but you don’t
watch a movie like this because you think it’s going to be groundbreaking. You
watch this kind of film because it campy, familiar, and entertaining. Also,
after spending all day at work, or with your kids, or otherwise trying to
pretend to be an adult, maybe you just want to turn off the logic center of
your brain for a while.
That’s what movies like Tremors
5: Bloodlines is for, and this film succeeds tremendously at its job.
This film was my favorite of the Tremors series. I’m actually excited for the next one.
Cat’s Point of View:
The Tremors series
is really a batch of B-movie creature features that you pretty much have to
take with a grain of salt. The original was one of the first horror movies I
was allowed to watch when I was younger, so it tends to have a special place in
my heart.
I’ve always cringed a little at the name for the killer
worms – graboids. I had a toy, when I was little, called popoids. That
association could be part of my disconnection. It could also be that the phrase
‘you’ve got graboids’ sounds like the diagnosis of some horrible condition;
something a step up from hemorrhoids.
The good news is that, generally, watching these movies
doesn’t leave you feeling like you have that affliction. They’re decidedly not
Oscar material – but we all know that going in, right?
I have to hand it to the creative team behind these movies.
They have certainly tried to keep the story fresh with evolving their big bad
critter through the course of the sequels. They’re all still a little bit of a
rinse and repeat of the original formula – this movie was no different in that
regard.
There has been a long stretch between this new
seismic-sensing terror flick and the last offering in this series (which was
actually a prequel). Fret not! There’s a framework that sets up a review for
you so that you’ll feel like you haven’t missed a thing in spite of this being
movie #5.
I remember my reaction the first time I saw Michael Gross (Rosemont, Becoming Santa, Holidays)
playing survivalist Burt Gummer. It was a bit trippy to see the dad from Family Ties (1982-1989) as this big
hunter ‘gun-nut’ type. Funny enough, he’s the only member of the original cast
to have been in all five movies as well as the TV series.
There were some new cast members that brought something
interesting to this movie. First, Jamie Kennedy (Ghost Whisperer, Good Deeds, The Sand) was a bit of a surprise
here. His dynamic with Gross was enjoyable.
Out of the rest of the supporting cast, two people stood out
to me. Pearl Thusi (The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Kalushi: The Story of Solomon
Mahlangu, Quantico), who played Nandi; and Brandon Auret (Elysium, Alien Outpost, Chappie), who played
Johan Dreyer. (I affectionately refer to him as ‘steampunk goggle guy.’)
I love that Thusi’s character seemed to be a community
leader, as well as being smart and badass. As for ‘goggle-guy,’ I’m not sure
how much of his role was supposed to be comedic – but I was giggling at the
levity he brought to some of the scenes all the same.
This new installment was set and filmed in South Africa. It
was a refreshing change from Perfection, it still felt a lot like the same old
scenery – just this time with lions and elephants.
I’m fairly on the fence with this movie. I didn’t hate it,
and it was pretty good in the context of this series. I don’t think I’d
recommend it to anyone that wasn’t already a big Tremors fan, however. For those that are giddy for graboids, I do
have some good news. In late September of this year, Michael Gross announced on
his Facebook page that the studio had green-lit production on a Tremors 6 and
he’s already growing his Gummer mustache. Kennedy is said to reprise his role
in the next movie, as well.
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 37%
Netflix’s Prediction for Selina – 4/5
Selina’s Trust-the-Dice Score – 5/5
Netflix’s Prediction for Cat – 3.5/5
Cat’s Trust-the-Dice Score
– 3/5
P.S. There’s an
extra scene just after the beginning of the credits.
Through “This Week in Crowdfunding,” you’ll find five of the
best projects Trust the Dice found hosted on crowdfunding sights this week.
These are Films/Web Series’/Shows of varying lengths and genres that we believe
in. If you like any of the projects you see here, donate to them, tell your
friends, and/or post it on social media.
These projects don’t just need money, they need people to
care and spread the word that they exist.
Support creativity. Support indie artists.
Remember that every actor, director, writer, and movie you
have ever fallen in love with had to start somewhere.
Trust the Dice does not, and will not, accept payment from project
creators for
appearance on this list. Projects are chosen solely on the merit of the
idea,
proposal, and people involved.
5 – On the Nose
Crowdsource Platform:
KICKSTARTER
Director: Gilbert
Bannerman
Writer: Gilbert
Bannerman, Theo Boswell, and Fergus Burnand
Other Staff: Nicholas
Ferguson-Lee (Producer/Sound), Rory Mclean (Cinematography/Editor), Frank Lebon
(Cinematography), Eliis Kuusk (Associate Producer/Assistant Director), Izabela
Swiderska (Costume Design), Tjasha Stroud (Costume Design), Samuel Jones
(Second Assistant Director), Lynda Boudjeltia (Art Director), Sabina Claici
(Assistant Camera), Julia Hardecks (Sound), Grace Campbell (Script Supervisor)
Amount Requested:
$3,143
Current Standing (as
of Saturday night): $658 raised by 27 backers.
Type of Goal: All
or Nothing – This project will only be funded if it reaches its goal by the
deadline.
On the Nose is
described on Kickstarter as “a twist on a cold war spy thriller” and the
artwork accompanying the description of the story is very ‘film noir.’ From
what I can see in the descriptions and the introduction video, this film will
be a throwback to some of the greats from that general genre.
Not exactly a bad thing, if you ask me.
One of the most interesting things I noted about this film
was the perspective the script was written from.
On the Nose is
about a man trying to figure out why his wife left him. When he finds out she’s
joined up with a theater group that performs on a train, he decides to go see
what she’s been working on. When he gets there, he finds that the audience are also
given costumes. The costume he’s given is just enough to make it impossible for
his ex-wife to recognize him. That gives him the chance to find out what she’s
been up to and maybe even why she left.
Seeing this story through the man’s eyes would be interesting.
The amount of drama and mystery that could accompany his perspective is
limitless. If this film is done right, it could do incredibly well at festivals.
There’s the rub with crowdfunding. You can’t really
guarantee the success of a film you back… but there are some very important
aspects of a campaign that could indicate a greater possibility that things
will work out.
One of the most important things a campaign needs to
succeed, is to understand exactly just how much Murphy’s Law can fuck with
their production. The team working on this film understands that. This is not
their first time working together and, from what they posted on their
Kickstarter page, they’ve had to deal with a huge amount of Murphy’s Law in the
past.
That’s a really good thing. It means that whatever is thrown
at them that might cause failure, they’ll be able to meet head on.
Even if you’re not interested in the story or you don’t see
the aspects of this campaign that could make it successful, you might want to
look at the rewards. If you pledge enough money to the cause, Nicholas
Ferguson-Lee, the producer, has promised to tattoo your name on his butt cheek.
So, at the very least, you can say you own someone’s ass.
If I had a reward of the week segment that would definitely
be the winner.
Lowest Fund Reward:
$1.27 – Huge Thank You – Warm our hearts over the Christmas season with a quid.
Highest Fund Reward:
$2,538 – Tattoo On The Producer’s Bottom – Your name permanently tattooed on
Nicholas Ferguson-Lee’s left cheek of his bottom.
4 – Drinking
Games
Crowdsource Platform:
INDIEGOGO
Director: Bradley
Neale
Writer: Unknown
Other Staff: Becky
Fumagall (Producer), Hannah Smith (Producer), Jack Jeffery (Director of
Photography)
Amount Requested:
$3,144
Current Standing (as
of Saturday night): $1,088 raised by 20 backers.
Type of Goal: Flexible
(This campaign will receive all funds raised even if it does not reach its
goal)
Although no writer is listed on the Indiegogo site, I’d
wager a guess that Bradley Neale was responsible for the script. During a
portion of the film’s page, there’s a list of cast along with something they’ve
said about the film, and you can definitely see the passion behind Neale’s
words.
I guess it’s helpful that he actually starts his paragraph
off with “I had the idea for Drinking
Games…”
Moving on, the story that goes along with Drinking Games is something new that I’ve
only started seeing happen in films in the past couple of years. It seems to be
along the same lines as something like Nerve
(2016). There are just enough differences in the description, however, to make Drinking Games stand on its own.
In many of these films, the victims don’t come face to face
with their tormentor until the very end of the story. Such as in the original Saw (2004). In Drinking Games, the antagonist is already mentioned in the
description. There’s no “who dun-it” involved.
What I truly love about the way the creators refer to the
antagonist, is that they depict him as a psychopath with “a movie star smirk.”
I’m a sucker for that evil-behind-beauty thing.
Movies that flip what you expect of the characters just tend
to hit a mark that trope-y films don’t. Take, for instance, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010). The
entire film was completely based around that tendency people have to judge
people by what they look like, or by their caste. That film was awesome because
it stuck so true to that.
I believe that Drinking
Games has the potential to take their plot and turn it into something
significantly worth watching.
For England locals, the Drinking
Games team intends to hold some fundraising activities in person. There is
no information for that just yet, but donating to the campaign would make it
very easy to follow along with updates like that.
Also, I spoke with the director and he wanted to relay the
message to everyone that they will begin shooting this thriller in February and
that contributors will be invited to their exclusive premiere when the film is
complete. Currently, Neale foresees that date as falling somewhere in May 2017.
Lowest Fund Reward:
$12.57 – Virtual High-five! – Thanks! Any kind of donation we really appreciate
it so have a high five from us! And a digital wrap photo of the cast and crew
on set.
Highest Fund Reward:
$314.36 – Part of the crew – Be a part of the crew! Have you ever fancied
taking part in the film world? Here’s your chance to get that Associate
Producer Credit you never knew you wanted. Alongside all the previous perks.
3 – Morning Glory
Crowdsource Platform:
KICKSTARTER
Director: Robert Bertrand
Writer: Robert
Bertrand
Other Staff: Tim
Jolly (Cinematographer), Emmy Anshaw (Assistant Director), John Ryder (Sound
Recordist), Jade-Marie Joseph (Cast), Bianca Beckles-Rose (Cast)
Amount Requested:
$3,772
Current Standing (as
of Saturday night): $590 raised by 20 backers.
Type of Goal: All
or Nothing (This project will only be funded if it reaches its goal by the
deadline)
Morning Glory is a
film about two best friends that are heading down roads that will undoubtedly
separate them.
By this point in my life, I’ve had many different best
friends that I have parted ways with. Some of them I miss, others I regret
missing with my car. I think by my age, everyone feels the same way. That makes
the story of this film incredibly relatable.
Most of the time, in films, when two friends are shown
parting ways it’s because of some great betrayal. Sure, sometimes that happens
in real life. In fact, it happens much more than it should. However, that’s not
what happens the majority of the time. Usually, when two best friends part
ways, it’s simply because their lives pull them apart. For most people it’s
because they went to different schools, moved out of state, got vastly
different jobs with vastly different schedules, or had to dedicate their time
to building new families.
In Morning Glory
the reason the friends are separating is because their careers are taking them
on two separate paths. It seems like a realistic, down-to-earth drama.
A lot of dramas take their plot to the extreme because
people believe drama can only come from extremes. That’s not true. When you
know something bad is going to happen, or you’re going to lose someone on a
specific date, a kind of dread collects in your core and bubbles hotter and
hotter until that moment comes.
In films, like the kind Morning
Glory seems to be, the burn is slow but effective. When you combine that
kind of tried and true set up with an experienced cast and crew, you can wind
up with something magnificent.
As good as all that is, there’s another piece of the film’s
Kickstarter page that’s understated, but stands out as a beacon of possible
success.
The introduction video for Morning Glory starts off very typical. Robert Bertrand,
writer/director, is seen in the video simply explaining things. He mentions
that they’ve finished casting and started rehearsals. He also introduced the
crew in general. Basic stuff, until you get to the middle.
According to the video, they ran out of funding and had to
improvise.
The fact that the team ran out of money and still managed to
finish the video in an engaging and humorous way is a, very subtle, big deal. It
means they likely have plans for when things go wrong. That adds a certain
layer of risk protection to investors. In the crowdfunding world, it’s
important to not ignore things like that.
Lowest Fund Reward:
$12.57 – HIGH FIVE – A ‘thank you’ credit at the end of the film.
Highest Fund Reward:
$1,257.45 – A ‘thank you’ credit at the end of the film. One hour skype call
with the director and Casper the Cat. Two tickets to the private screening of
the film. Original film poster signed by the cast, crew, and Casper the Cat.
Original film stills. Digital Download
of the film once the film festival run has finished.
2 – Killing
Clarence
Crowdsource Platform:
INDIEGOGO
Director: Nicholas
Wyatt and Ameen Haddad
Writer: Nicholas
Wyatt and Ameen Haddad
Other Staff: Teddy
White (Producer/Hype Man)
Amount Requested:
$5,000
Current Standing (as
of Saturday night): $485 raised by 9 backers.
Type of Goal: Flexible
(This campaign will receive all funds raised even if it does not reach its
goal)
I’ll be honest, I really wanted to make this movie number
one on my list. The ONLY reason it’s not, is because the film in the number one
spot is socially important. However, I want to sincerely express that in all
other ways, Killing Clarence is the
best crowdfunded film I found this week.
I have to ignore the fact that they chose an absolutely
remarkable hype man. Teddy White is probably the most likable person I’ve seen
in any of the introduction videos I’ve ever seen on a crowdfunding site. He’s
just adorable.
Oh, don’t think I didn’t catch that short reference to Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993), I can
quote Cary Elwes’ speech too!
Killing Clarence
is a film about one hitman and one somewhat-hitman that arrive at a location to
kill a man named Clarence, only to find there’s a party being held for the guy.
I’ve seen a lot of movies. This is the first time I’ve heard
that particular plot. Of course, there are a ton of movies I haven’t seen, so I
might just not know any other films that have that base storyline… but either
way, the idea seems really interesting.
There’s the potential in that plot for action, humor,
violence, redemption… and so much more.
According to the Indiegogo site, the two directors, Nicholas
Wyatt and Ameen Haddad, met in film school. That’s relatively typical, what I
find much more interesting is what Wyatt explained to me when I contacted him.
There’s a certain beauty in the fact that Wyatt is a combat
Marine veteran and Haddad fled from the civil war in Syria.
Aside from the poetry involved in that connection, I love
the idea that a Marine has had a hand in writing something like this. I have a
high respect for anyone in any branch of the armed forces. Out of curiosity, I’ve
done a lot of questioning about the training that Marines go through. I’ve
always felt knowing the reality of that level of violence would make me a
better writer. Wyatt has a much better understanding of that subject than I
ever could. On the same subject, Haddad has experienced a civil war. Which
means the realism level of any fighting or violence in the film will likely be
through the roof.
When you take the script facts and mix it in with the level
of passion the crew of this film exhibits, then add a sprinkle of the
influences of Quentin Tarantino (which you see a lot of in the introduction
video), you have a recipe for something that could truly explode.
For now, Killing
Clarence will a short film. Of course, if it does well, it could become
much more.
Lowest Fund Reward:
$1 – Why not? – This is cool. I’m officially one of the funders of a movie!
Highest Fund Reward:
$5,000 – The Godfather – Enough with the games. It’s time to make you an offer
you can’t refuse. You’re the type that’s got the cash, got the prestige, and
all the power. Welcome to “The Godfather” Package. You will earn the highly
coveted Executive Producer Credit, which will be shown on all posters and movie
artwork. You will also be invited to every event at each festival we attend with
the film as a part of the Killing Clarence team. Plus a trip on set and all the
cool perks that other packages offer.
1 – In Praise of
Action
Crowdsource Platform:
INDIEGOGO
Director: Aistė
Jauraitė
Writer: N/A
Other Staff: David
Grant (Stunt-man), Olivia Jackson (Stunt-woman), Jim Dowdall (Stunt-man)
Amount Requested:
$1,000
Current Standing (as
of Saturday night): $40 raised by 3 backers.
Type of Goal: Flexible
(This campaign will receive all funds raised even if it does not reach its
goal)
This film is extraordinarily important to the entertainment
world.
As fans of films, we only get to see the finished product.
We stare, transfixed, as burning cars flip over gaps or people. We gasp when
our favorite character falls off a cliff. All the while, we commend the actors
for their amazing performances… performances that might have been absolutely
nothing without the physical aspect.
A lot of the time, the actor’s we’re congratulating weren’t part
of that aspect at all.
In Praise of Action
is a documentary that calls attention to the unsung heroes of entertainment:
stunt-people.
Sure, there have been (very few) other documentaries, in the
past, that have shined a light on people in the stunt-performing profession. I
reviewed one of those documentaries, Double
Dare (2005), VERY early on in my blogging career. My opinion of it would
likely be much different now.
At this point, I’ve seen so many movies that I have started
seeing ‘behind the veil’, so to speak. I see the effort put in by the people
working behind the scenes, and it kills me that most of them will never get
recognition.
When it comes to stunt-people, though, things are different.
It may be a shame that some makeup, or costume, designers won’t be acknowledged…
but it is a crime to not acknowledge stunt-people.
The men and women who work in the stunt profession literally
put their lives on the line.
Of course there are safety measures in place, but accidents
happen and stunt-people do die on set. On the set of The Expendables 2 (2012) a rogue explosion seriously injured one
stunt-person and killed another, Kun Liu. If that had been a cast member, the media
would have exploded… but it was a stunt-person.
Stunt-people NEED to be recognized. In Praise of Action is a film that is being used to try to and give
people in the stunt profession the recognition they deserve, perhaps even their
own award category at the Academy Awards.
When it comes down to it, without stunt-people the films we
all know and love would be vastly different, if they existed at all.
In fact, I mentioned Marvel films to my husband earlier in
order to make a point on this subject. His response was that it was a bad
example because of the CGI used. Well, I’d like to point out that there are just
over 700 people listed under “stunts” in the credits for Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015).
That’s not a typo, there are three digits in that number.
Most people couldn’t name a single one of them.
It’s that mindset that makes this movie necessary. 700
people worked on a film seen by millions, and no one will ever know their names
because “there weren’t stunt-people, it was CGI.”
Put that into perspective. How many stunt-people must there
be if that many of them worked on a single film? How many names have we, as
fans, overlooked?
Think about it.
Lowest Fund Reward:
$5 – Good Karma – We are very thankful for your support! – Items Included: Good
karma!
Highest Fund Reward:
$400 – Credit: Executive Producer – This way you will receive the best possibility
to meet us, talk about the film, share the ideas, and will be credited as an
Executive Producer. – Items Included: Credit: Executive Producer.
