Phil Attends CINEQUEST 30: Day 2 - March 4, 2020

Hello again folks and welcome to Day Two of the 30th Annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival! After a celebratory opening night and after party last night, I popped up at 3:30am for work, then afterwards came home to shower and change so I could head back to beautiful Downtown San Jose to see a total of four movies! And In case you’re all wondering how I’m still awake, it’s called caffeine! So let’s talk about all the films I saw today!

The first screening I attended was held at the ultra cool 3Below Theater & Lounge. Before the main feature, there was a quick short entitled LABOR RELATIONS, which was about a women named Emogen (Christine Lin), who goes into labor during her big presentation with her department, and continues the presentation even after her baby's birth! Strangely, her co-workers are unaffected about her going to labor, as the other women are busy with their own children. A very surreal and funny short!

  The main feature HOMEWRECKER is about a young and beautiful interior designer named Michelle (Alex Essoe) who becomes the obsession of the psychologically unbalanced stalker Linda (Precious Chong of L.A. CONFINDENTIAL, PEARL HARBOR, and ACCORDING TO SPENCER fame)). Linda cons Michelle into coming home with her in hopes to hire her to fix up her place. But then Linda’s true nature unfolds and thus, Michelle becomes her victim and the focus of unhinged madness.

Good Lord was this film freaking amazing and disturbing! Chong is absolutely creepy and horrifying, yet sympathetic and sad. Her performance was out of this world! The scene that really made my skin crawl and made me twitching in my seat was when she was singing Lisa Loren’s 1994 classic "Stay" while starring directly into the camera! It felt like she was singing directly to me and it pierced my soul. I was so uncomfortable that I wanted to cry because I was so freaked out! This was an excellent psychological dark comedic thriller that had me from the word go! 5 out of 5 stars!

The film will have three more screening at the Cinemark Century Theaters in Redwood City: Thursday, March 6th at 11am, Wednesday, March 11th at 7pm, and Saturday, March 14th at 10pm.

I headed over to the Hammer Theatre Center to see the North American premiere of the drama BEFORE OBLIVION from Mexico. The film focuses on the community that resides in the neighborhood called Jonathan Perez Pillar, They're a close nit group that consists of families, friends, outcasts that have made this place their home. But soon there's trouble, as the city has been evicting families and communities from several other neighborhoods; all against their will to build up a new mall. The community at Jonathan Perez Pillar fight back against the city and the authorities, as they refuse to give in and be tossed out on the streets, homeless and hopeless.

This was powerful film to watch unfold, but it also addressed issues that have plagued many families in Mexico. The people versus the government and the authorities is still common to this day, but it also spotlights the will of the human spirit: to fight for what you believe in and refusing to compromise your morals and beliefs. But this was also very difficult to watch without comparing the events in the film to what has been happening here in the states in the past decade or so. The banking buyouts, the mortgage forclosures that left hundreds of families without a home, and the skyrocketing housing costs here in the Bay Area that has forced families to live in shelters or in their cars. It's sad to think that in the 21st century, we are still dealing with these issues that are affecting everyone from all over the world. 5 out of 5 stars!

The film will have three more screening: Thursday, March 12th at 9:30pm here in San Jose, and then at the Century Theater in Redwood City on Friday, March 13th at 6:40pm, Saturday, March 14th at 3:00pm.

For film number three, I stayed at the Hammer Theatre Center to watch another North American premiere, a British comedy entitled LOVE TYPE D. Meet Frankie (Maeve Dermody). She gets dumped a lot by men. Like, by A LOT of men! Thomas (Oliver Farnworth), the latest man to dump her is the most painful, seeing that he sent his eleven year-old brother Wilbur (Rory Stroud) to break up with her while he starts seeing a breathtakingly beautiful astronaut! How does Frankie move on from this devastating break-up? By enlisting Wilbur's help, since he's a schoolboy science prodigy. Together, they learn of the Type D Gene, better known as the "Dumpee Gene." Through a series of hilarious mishaps and comedic timing, Frankie must contact all of her exes so SHE can dump them! But out of all of them, it's Thomas that proves to be the most difficult to execute, seeing as she's still in love with him and will do anything to get him to love her again. But will it work out for Frankie in the end?

I absolutely adored this film! I'm also a sucker for romantic comedies, IF it's done right! Seeing how the British have a different take of the affairs of the heart, it's wonderful and interesting to see how a rom-com is done from another country. Maeve Dermod deserves all the credit for pulling this all off. It's her performance as the sad sack Frankie that makes the audience connect with her, and thus we relate to he emotional baggage and hang-ups, as we have all been there! Dermond is just fantastic in the role of Frankie, and truth be told, if Frankie were a real character, I would totally go out with her! Because I can relate to her! This was a fun-filled rom-com that made me smile and warm my heart with laughter and love! 5 out of 5 stars!!

The film will have two more screening at the Cinemark Century Theaters in Redwood City: Saturday, March 7th at 12:20pm, and again on Saturday, March 14th at 12:45pm. 

After the movie was over, I jammed back over to the 3Below Theater & Lounge to see my fourth and final screening, the shorts program entitled SHOCKS, THRILLS, AND DARK VISIONS. Actually, these were really television pilots, and these were awesome pilots as well! There were a total of four pilots (there was a fifth one called GLITCH! that was supposed to be part of this program, but it wasn't shown. As to why it wasn't screened, I have no idea.)

ASKING FOR A FRIEND: After a long day at work, Blake comes home only to find her best friend and roommate Q standing over a freshly dead body, blood soaked in the rug and spilling over on the hardwood floor. Blake helps Q to get rid of the body, in ghastly fashion, and their exploits a funner than hell! This was so gory and over-the-top that I laughed my ass off! If this was on Shudder, I would binge watch the shit outta this!

R.L. ALLMAN'S PETER PAN: This re-imagining of the classic children's tale takes place in San Francisco (Neverland), where we met the new incarnations of Peter Pan, The Lost Boys, and Tinkerbell. Peter refuses to grow up, even though he lives among biker gangs, drugs, and the threat of eviction, thanks to the evil conglomerate Hook Corporation. A fanatic take on the Peter Pan tale told through modern storytelling!

S41NT: In the corners of the dark web, there are a group of hackers who rob and steal people's personal information and sell it to anyone who's buying. Unfortunately, a brilliant hacker named S41NT is arrested for selling information to an undercover FBI Agent, But when she gets caught up with the government, she is told that she lived a very different past life that shocks her to her core. A powerful thriller that deserves to be on CBS!

SUCKED IN: A young woman comes home and finds a dangerous intruder who thinks she's stealing prescription drugs from the hospital she works at. Unfortunately for him, that's not what she's stealing, and now, because of her roommate, he is no longer the dangerous person in the apartment! A great concept pilot for a series!

I couldn’t help notice that all four pilots contained both political and social commentary. With ASKING FOR A FRIEND, it talked about violence in society, the meaning of friendship, and how women can be just psychologically disturbed as men. R.L. ALLMAN'S PETER PAN commented on gentrification, the housing crisis, and the lost of the innocence that made the art world in San Francisco so alive. S41NT pointed out the dark web, the fear that Big Brother is constantly watching you, and identity crisises. SUCKED IN addresses violence against women, home invasion, and what if you’re roommate is a deadly vampire. Okay, I may have made that last one up, but it did cross my mind.

The program will have one more screening at the Century Theaters in Redwood City on Saturday, March 7th at 4:15pm.

After the screening, all the filmmakers who were present (which was all of them) partaked in a fun and entertaining Q&A session. Then we all went into the lobby to converse some more and take a plethora of pictures. Then everybody went to the Maverick Meet-Up over at Chacho's, while yours truly went home, wrote up my review of opening night, and then I went to bed and slept for four hours before waking up and going back to work.

And folks, there you have Day Two of Cinequest 30! And there's still 11 more days of movie watching for me! Remember the festival ends on Sunday, March 15th so make sure you come out here to San Jose! To view the festival's film schedule and purchase tickets and passes, visit their website at www.cinequest.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends the Opening Night of the 30th Annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival - March 3, 2020

It's that most amazing time of the year!! That's right folks!! Tonight was the opening night of the 30th Annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival!! I am expecting to see some of the very best in independent, foreign, and documentaries here for the next thirteen days! Once again I got to see some of my old friends like Jason Wiener from Jason Watches Movies as well as my old buddy Roy from the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum, Terra Wood-Taylor, Michael Rabehl, and a few others. At this year's festival I hope to once again make new friends and as well as new memories. Back in 2014, I set an all-time personal record by attending 60 screenings in 13 days! Let's see if I can even bet that record this year!!

The opening night was held once again at the beautiful California Theatre on South First Street. There was the traditional red carpet with numerous filmmakers talking about their films to the press and posing for the cameras. Soon I found my way towards the front of the stage, bouncing in my seat with excitement. Then at 7:15pm, the lights slowly dimmed and the show began!

Cinequest director and co-founder and Halfdan Hussey came out and greeted everyone and thanked all our sponsors. He then had the theatre screen this year's festival trailer, which was done once again by SF Bay Area production company Guerrilla Wanders. We also saw SJ Mayor Sam Liccardo, a touching and inspiring trailer from Stand Up to Cancer (which was founded by Laura Ziskin, who passed away from breast cancer in 2011). After, Halfdan introduced Dave Gilliam from Cisco, TJ Rogers from Clos de la Tech (one of the new sponsers of the festival), and comedian Matt Donaher performed a hilarious stand-up that had the audience in stitches! We then saw the funny animated short film CRUEL SHOES, narrated by Steve Martin,and directed by Kevin Peterson, who also introduced his short. And then, it was time to watch the festival's opening night film JOHN PINETTE: YOU GO NOW.

The documentary tells the life of comedian John Pinette, who would become one of the hottest and fastest rising young comedian of all time. Told by family, friends, and peers like Lewis Black, Dane Cook, Bill Burr, Howie Mandel, and Iliza Shlesinger just to name a few, we're told the story of Pinette's early years dealing with loss and personal setbacks to becoming one of the biggest stars in stand-up, to his tragic fall from grace, his redemption and comeback, to his final days. Throughout his ups and downs, we get a better understanding of who John Pinette actually was; the man behind the laughs, the fat jokes, and his smile he wore to cover up his pain.

Truth be told, I had totally forgotten about John Pinette. I used to see his Comedy Central specials back in the day, and it was fantastic to see this footage in the documentary, along with several clips of him doing his stand-up throughout the years. I found myself laughing uncontrollably one minute, then wiping away my tears the next. Pinette hid his pain well from the rest of the world, and it was so tragically sad when he passed away on April 5, 2014 at only 50 years old. After the screening, there was a Q&A with the filmmakers, which was very informative and heartfelt.

Now I just became aware that Cinequest here will be having an encore screening of the documentary on Monday, March 9 at 6:45 at the Hammer Theatre. This is the first time Cinequest ever had an encore of their opening night film, which makes this a very rare and special occasion.

After the Q&A, everybody headed over to the lavish after party, which was held over at The Glass House on 12 South Market Street, where there was plenty to eat, drink, and music to shake our booties to all night long! Drinks were once again provided by Tito's Vodka, as well as by  Hendrick's Gin,  Drake's Brewing, and J. Lohr Winery!!

JOHN PINETTE: YOU GO NOW was the perfect film to kick off Cinequest 30! And there's still 12 days of movie watching left! So what are you waiting for? Now you can partake in this very important downtown event. The 30th Annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival runs from March 3rd to March 15th!! To view film schedules, information about the festival, and to purchase tickets and passes, visit their website at www.cinequest.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show! 

Phil's Favorite Films from the 29th Annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival- March 18, 2019

Hello again everybody and welcome back! Now that Cinequest is all over and done with, I decided it was now time to give you my Favorite Films from the festival!! Now thanks in large part to my OCD, I have listed my favorites under five categories: Best North American Film, Best Foreign Film, Best Documentary, Best Short Film, and Best Spotlight Film. So ladies and gentlemen, without further adieu, here are my Favorite Films from the 29th Annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival!

 BEST NORTH AMERICAN FILM - BITE ME (Directed by Meredith Edwards)

In New York City, there is a subculture of people who identify themselves as vampires. A young woman named Sara (Naomi McDougall Jones) is one of those individuals. While she does drink blood to stay healthy, she doesn't sleep in a coffin, can walk in the daytime, has a job, and her vampire "church" is being audited by the IRS for back taxes. He life takes a turn in an unexpected direction when she meets James (Christian Coulson), the IRS agent assigned to her audit case. Before you know it, the two fall for each other, much to the chagrin of her roommates Chrissy (Naomi Grossman) and Lily (Mahira Kakkar). So how does a vampire find love in New York City, and can love truly conquer all in the real world?

This movie blew my mind!! I was expecting a horror comedy, not a romantic comedy/drama that deals with all-too-real problems that we face in our everyday lives. While there is horror in the film, it's modern day horrors: dead-end jobs, money problems, prejudices, and the fear of never finding that special person to love for the rest of your life. Naomi McDougall Jones soars as Sara; she just exudes talent and is absolutely wonderful in the film! Her on-screen chemistry with her co-star Christian Coulson is so believable that I fell head over heels in love with these two characters! And, in case you are not able to see the film during the festival, the filmmakers are taking the film on tour this spring. Dubbed "The Joyful Vampire Tour of America," the movie will be screened at independent theaters in 20-30 cities! Visit the film's official website www.bitemethefilm.com to learn more about the tour.

 BEST FOREIGN FILM - BORDERLINE (Directed by Anna Alfieri)

The film's about a young woman named Anna (Anna Alfieri), who is going through the aftermath of her breakup with Robyn (Agathe Ferre), the only girl she's ever loved. Told through a non-liner storyline, we see the love and heartache Anna has experienced, and the self-destructive path that she walks on after her relationship ended so damn painfully. Love is a four-letter word and we see first hand how Anna experiences this, how she lost it, and how does she find herself again.

This film had made such an impact on me that I was overwhelmed with a flood of emotions! Filmmaker Anna Alfieri tapped into a very dark and heartbreaking period in her life to tell a story of being in love and then losing it. Again, it doesn't matter if your gay, straight, bi, trans, Asian, African American or what have you, we all have the same emotions, and Alfieri bared her soul for all of us to see. Combining avant-garde visual storytelling, D.I.Y. guerrilla style filmmaking, and universal themes of love, depression, and life, the film is an unflinching look at what it means to be human, and how to overcome loss! Something that all of us can relate to!! To learn more about the film, visit www.borderline2019.com. To learn more about Anna Alfieri, visit her website at www.annaalfieri.co.uk.

 BEST DOCUMENTARY - THE EDGE OF SUCCESS (Directed by Liza Meak & Kathryn Basiji) 

This was such a compelling and heart wrenching documentary about the many suicides that has transpired at Gunn High School, located in Palo Alto, California. Through in-depth interviews with students, educators, parents, and doctors, the film attempts to shine light as to why all this has happened, what were the circumstances, and how the community is trying to stop these deaths from happening all over again.

Living here in San Jose, Palo Alto is less than half an hour north of here, and yet, I had no idea that this was happening! I knew about the first cluster of suicides, but since 2009, there have been a total of eleven deaths of Gunn High School students, all by suicide. This documentary was such an eye opener that I was shocked and saddened by this, and not realizing this until now. Directed by Kathryn Basiji and journalist Liza Meak, this is a film that should be required viewing for all high school students who feel the same way as those interviewed!: overwhelmed, pressured, and depressed about their scholastics, SATs, college choices and everything else in their lives! This is call to action for every single parent, faculty member, and administrator! To learn more about the documentary and upcoming festival screenings, visit the film's official website at edgeofsuccessmovie.com.

BEST SHORT FILM - THE WIND PHONE (Directed by Kristen Gerweck)

Inspired by true events. A phone booth on a remote ocean cliffside brings together seven strangers, having different conversations with their loved ones, but it's not your typical phone booth, and not your typical conversations.

This was emotional gut punch of a short film! We all people in our lives who have passed on, but what if we were given the opportunity to talk to them from the beyond? Writer/director Kristen Gerweck got the inspiration from a very tragic event. In 2011, a devastating 9.0 earthquake hit the northeastern section of Japan, which caused a massive tsunami that claimed the lives of more than 15,000 people. In the coastal town of Otsuchi, where they lost more than 800 lives, a phone booth was set up for people to call their dead loved ones, friends, and family members. An emotional short film that I really connected with!! To learn more about the film, the filmmakers, and future festival screenings, visit the film's official website at augohr.de/catalogue/the-wind-phone.

BEST SPOTLIGHT FILM - TEEN SPIRIT (Directed by Max Minghella)

Elle Fanning stars as Violet, a very quiet and shy seventeen-year-old girl who goes to school, does her chores on her farm, loves her horse, works waiting on tables, and likes to sing. In fact, she can sing very well. When the hit UK show Teen Spirit (kinda like American Idol) comes to her little island, she tries out and gets picked. She gets help from her new manager, who just happens to be the local drunk at her work, Oh, and he used be a famous opera singer. What are the odds? As she climbs up the competition, he's exposed to the city's indulgence, which threatens her chances to win the contest.

I wasn't expecting much here, but I was pleasantly surprised on how much I enjoyed the film. Fanning was awesome as Violet, but it's actually her singing the songs! And she can really sing people! I've already the film's main song, "Dancing On My Own" and I can't stop listening it! She is just so damn talented and she shines brightly in the movie! Written and beautifully directed by Max Minghella, the movie is scheduled to be released to theaters on April 5th, so keep you eyes peeled when this bad boy comes out! To learn more about the film, visit the official website at bleeckerstreetmedia.com/teenspirit.

And folks there you have it! My Favorite Film from the 29th Annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival!! So be on the lookout for any of these films at your local theater, on cable, film festivals, VOD, and other media outlets! Also, if you would like to learn more about Cinequest, their mission statement, their Picture the Possibilities program, and how to make a donation, please visit www.cinequest.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show! 

Phil attends the final day of the 29th Annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival - March 17, 2019

They say all good things must come to an end, and this is so true. Today was the last day of the 29th Annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival! Hard to believe that it's all over! I always get a little emotional when the festival concludes; mainly because I got to meet to many talented filmmakers, actors, actresses, and I'll most likely never seen them again. I may see their film pop up on VOD or it gets either a limited theatrical release or it makes its way on home video, but that's about it. You make some really cool friends here during the festival that it can be difficult to say goodbye. However, before I do that, I've got four films to review! So let's talk about the final day of Cinequest 29!!

Upon arriving in Downtown San Jose, I made my way over to the California Theatre to see my first two films of the day. First up was BRING ME AN AVOCADO,  a dramatic comedy about a family going through one of the most difficult times in their lives. It's Robin's birthday, and her husband George and their two daughters have planned a big surprise b-day for her! While only one block away from home, she is held at gunpoint by a mugger, whom she takes to her home, gets spooked by the party goers, accidentally shoots her, and then flees. While Robin is in a coma, George gets some help from her sister and her best friend Jada. Things are going fine at first, but then a series of events causes George to feel frustrated, which results in some miscommunication and misleading nods that become out of control.

Now this is what a cool local indie movie should be! I really enjoyed the hell outta this movie! The acting were great, I loved the storyline, and the directing was very well done! While it dragged in some parts of the movie, my overall reaction was that it was a funny, tragic, and addressed some real life situations that makes us want to appreciate the people in our lives more and not to take anything in life for granted! A really fantastic film to look out for! 4 out of 5 stars!!

Film number two at the theatre was the Cinequest Spotlight film, starring the extremely talented Elle Fanning! TEEN SPIRIT stars Fanning as Violet, a very quiet and shy seventeen-year-old girl who goes to school, does her chores on her farm, loves her horse, works waiting on tables, and likes to sing. In fact, she can sing very well. When the hit UK show Teen Spirit (kinda like American Idol) comes to her little island, she tries out and gets picked. She gets help from her new manager, who just happens to be the local drunk at her work, Oh, and he used be a famous opera singer. What are the odds? As she climbs up the competition, he's exposed to the city's indulgence, which threatens her chances to win the contest.

I wasn't expecting much here, but I was pleasantly surprised on how much I enjoyed the film. Fanning was awesome as Violet, but it's actually her singing the songs! And she can really sing people! I've already the film's main song, "Dancing On My Own" and I can't stop listening it! She is just so damn talented and she shines brightly in the movie! Written and beautifully directed by Max Minghella, the movie is scheduled to be released to theaters on April 5th, so keep you eyes peeled when this bad boy comes out! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

After the screening, Cinequest co-founder Kathleen Powell present Elle Fanning with the Maverick Spirit Award and sat down with her for a very fun and informative Q&A. She talked about breaking into the movie business, how she thought she'd be a tennis pro, the making of the film, and what she's most proud of. I found her to be a very sweet, down to earth, funny, and charming young woman, and I'm planning on seeing this film again!

As soon as this ended, I jammed over to the 3Below Theaters and Lounge for screening number three! But before the feature, there was a short film. INTO THE PLAINS is about a women who abandons her husband and drives out into the plains in an attempt to cope with the loss of their child. The film stars Maggie Alexander, whom you may remember from last year's Cinequest film  ENTHUSIASTIC SINNERS (which came in at number five on my Top Ten Films of 2018 list). One again, Alexander gets to showcase her talent as an actress, and continues to grow in confidence as one of the most talented women acting in the indie scene. I predict that it's only a matter of time we see her in a major Hollywood blockbuster! I'm hoping she gets cast in a Marvel Studios movie!! 4 out 5 stars!

The documentary RITOMA focuses on a group of nomads in Tibet that enjoy playing basketball. Then, a former college basketball coach from the states shows up to help train them to become ready for the upcoming basketball tournament among eight local teams. Along the way, we're introduced to several of the folks that reside in Ritoma, and how they will navigate the collision of their traditions and the modern day world.

Another documentary that caught me by surprise, the only negative thing I have is that I wish it was longer. Clocking in at a lean 58 minutes, I felt that filmmaker Ruby Yang could've stretched the movie out longer by including more of the nomads in Ritoma, more information on the other teams in the tournament, and dig deeper in their traditions and beliefs. However, the movie was still fun to watch, and was interesting to learn that basketball exists out in Tibet of all places! I did not know this, but now I do, and now I feel all the more wiser! 4 out of 5 stars!

For my final film of the day, I made my way back to the majestic California Theatre for the Closing Night Film of Cinequest 29. Co-founder Halfdan Hussey came out on stage to greet the audience, and then awarded the Cinequest Volunteer Legacy to three of the most worthy volunteers of all time, announced artist Rose Margaret's painting "Its Center Everywhere & Circumfrence Nowhere" was the winner of the Cinequest LiveART Contest, and then we were entertained with an awesome dance and musical number courtesy of Bloco Do Sol San Jose! After the presentation of the Life of a Maverick recipient Esther Wojcicki (who's new book "How to Raise Successful People: Simple Lessons for Radical Results" will be on May 7th), it was time for the closing night film!

 THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE is the latest masterpiece from writer/director Terry Gilliam and stars Adam Driver as Toby, a cynical but supposedly genius film director finds himself trapped in the outrageous delusions of an old Spanish shoe-maker who believes himself to be Don Quixote. In the course of their comic and increasingly surreal adventures, Toby is forced to confront the tragic repercussions of a film he made in his idealistic youth - a film that changed the hopes and dreams of a small Spanish village forever. Can Toby make amends and regain his humanity? Can Don Quixote survive his madness and imminent death? Or will love conquer all?

This was Gilliam's passion project that took over 25 years to come to fruition!  When the film premiered at Cannes Film Festival, it received a fifteen minutes standing ovation, and rightfully so! Having been unable to get the project off the ground, that fact that he finally made the film proved his belief in his vision, as well as his determination! While not as batshit bonkers as his earlier films, it contains all his idiosyncratic fundamentals and randomly comical humor that we as fans have grown to love! And the good news is that it will be screened in select theaters as a one-night-only event courtesy of Fathom Events. And in case you can't make it, the 3Below Theaters & Lounge will be showing the film from May 10th through May 20th! 41/2 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

After the screening, everybody hurried off to the Corinthian Grand Ballroom located at 196 North 3rd St. (right across the street from St. James Park). There was plenty to drink, thanks in large part to our drink sponsors Tito's Vodka,  Hendrick's Gin, Drake's Brewing, and J. Lohr Winery!! I was able to see a lot of my friends and filmmakers and took pictures as well. At about 10pm, it was time for me to call it a night. I said goodbye to everyone, walked back to my car, and drove home. I'm going to miss these crazy movie lovers and makers!!

Well folks, there you have it! Another festival has been added to the history books! What made attending the festival so much fun were the films, the filmmakers, the audiences, my friends, the afterparties, the whole vibe was intoxicating. Sometimes during the festival I thought it would never end, but unfortunately, it did. And I can't wait for next year's festival! This year I attended 20 screenings so not too shabby, but I'm hoping to set an all-time new record for myself next year! So now I would like to say hi to all my friends, old and new, from the festival. I had the best time seeing you all again and I hope to see you at next year's festival. To all the filmmakers I got to meet, good luck with your respective films and I hope to see them again on either the big screen or on DVD and Blu-ray. And to all my friends and followers who read my blog during the festival, I just want to say thank you! Take care everybody, and I'll see you all again soon!! And remember, if you would like to learn more about Cinequest, their mission statement, their Picture the Possibilities program, and how to make a donation, please visit www.cinequest.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends the Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival: Day Twelve - March 16, 2019

Hello again and welcome to the final weekend of the 29th Annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival! So this is really it people!! The final weekend of the festival is upon us, and I've got movies to review. So let's get the party started! I saw another couple of movies today, one was a documentary and the other a drama. The first film was being screened at the Hammer Theatre Center.

Before the main feature, there was a short entitled LUNCH LADY. The film was about Mrs. Shirley, the lunch lady of a typical high school. She is loved by many students there, except for one student, who has been bullying her. She eventually confronts him, but not in the way that he was expecting. A really sweet short about the power of love and understanding!

After the short, it was time to watch THE EDGE OF SUCCESS, a compelling and heart wrenching documentary about the many suicides that has transpired at Gunn High School, located in Palo Alto, California. Through in-depth interviews with students, educators, parents, and doctors, the film attempts to shine light as to why all this has happened, what were the circumstances, and how the community is trying to stop these deaths from happening all over again.

Living here in San Jose, Palo Alto is less than half an hour north of here, and yet, I had no idea that this was happening! I knew about the first cluster of suicides, but since 2009, there have been a total of eleven deaths of Gunn High School students, all by suicide. This documentary was such an eye opener that I was shocked and saddened by this, and not realizing this until now. Directed by Kathryn Basiji and journalist Liza Meak, this is a film that should be required viewing for all high school students who feel the same way as those interviewed!: overwhelmed, pressured, and depressed about their scholastics, SATs, college choices and everything else in their lives! This is call to action for every single parent, faculty, and administrator! This needs to stopped!! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

THE EDGE OF SUCCESS will be screened one last time on Sunday, March 17th at 11am at the Century 20 Redwood City.

For my second film of the day, I made my way over to the California Theatre to see the dramatic and funny THE EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY OF CELESTE GARCIA.Celeste is a former teacher who now works at the local planetarium in Havana, Cuba. Her life is pretty mundane, but then the government announced that alien visitors were living among them this whole time, and are looking for those individuals who are willing to relocate to their world to start their lives over. She goes and meets several new friends on her journey, but then she meets one who would not only betray her, but willing to take away her only chance of happiness.

Wow!! Was this a discovery!! I found the movie to be really moving, funny, warm, and it's a freaking sci-fi film from Cuba!! That is extraordinary by itself!! The movie can also be seen as a social commentary of Cuba itself; trying to rediscover itself after so many years being ruled by Fidel Castro. Almost a reawakening, in my humble opinion. The cinematography is top notch, the acting is fantastic, and then at the end, the special effects look epic and stellar! I am now very interested to see what other types of films come this area of the world! 5 out of 5 stars!

This was the last screening for the film at the festival.

And that  was Day Twelve of the 29th Annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival!! Remember the festival ends tomorrow, March 17th!! Now you only have one day to check out so amazing independent films! To view the festival's film schedule, purchase tickets and passes, visit their official website at www.cinequest.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show! 

Phil attends the Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival: Day Eleven - March 15, 2019

This is it! The final weekend of the 29th Annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival! Hard to believe that the fun is almost over!! So let's not waste anymore precious time! There are movie reviews to discuss!! So for my first two screenings, I hung out at the 3Below Theaters & Lounge for two very awesome shorts programs!

The first screening I saw was SHORTS PROGRAM 1: INBOUND VISIONS, which consisted of 10 unique and interesting short films. Let's take a look at them, shall we?

1) The 17: Based on a true story. A tragedy befalls on a pregnant woman, resulting in her passing out on her bathroom floor bleeding. She awakens in the hospital handcuffed to her bed, charged with the murder of her stillborn baby.

2) Chickens: Two racist and violent police officers kill three innocent victims in fast food establishment. While they take the video surveillance tape, the worker had been broadcasting the officers' bloody crime via a live feed on the Internet for all to see. Very poignant in Trump's Amerikka of today!!

3) Hayley: A flight attendant is under the suspicion that a young child is being abducted by a sex and must find evidence to her claim in order to save the young girl's life. A very important message regarding child sex trafficking!!

4) Lamb: A young, inspiring actress has a meeting with a powerful Hollywood executive. She meets the assistant in the hotel bar, only to escort her to his room. A powerful social commentary regarding the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse scandal!!

5) Nocturne: A women and her elderly mom are watching television in their retirement home when they receive a visit from a complete stranger. What happens next is murder, via a pie server! And it's pretty damn funny!

6) Notre Mort: A French short about a tale of two brothers who, after discovering their own dead bodies, conduct a series of tests to see if they're ghosts or not.

7) Nursery Rhymes: A heavy metal band pulls off on the side of the road to calm a baby down as we pan to a horrific car accident involving the baby's family and a cow.

8) The Revolutionaries: The longest short of the program, Set in America during the early 1970's a young student radical, who was involved in a bombing, is taken to her sister's husband's family house out on the East Coast to hide out. Unfortunately, an unexpected guest confronts the young radical woman to show her her past and what the future holds.

9) The Wind Phone: Inspired by true events. A phone booth on a remote ocean cliffside brings together seven strangers, having different conversations with their loved ones, but it's not your typical phone booth, and not your typical conversations.

10) Woman in Stall: A young woman rushes into a bathroom stall to change clothes for an important interview. All of a sudden, a strange man begins to talk to her while she's in the stall, and he has no interest in leaving her alone. Another important social commentary regarding women being stalked and the paranoia that women live with!!

This was the last screening for the program at the festival.

After that, I again stayed at the 3Below Theaters to watch the second shorts feature entitled SHORTS PROGRAM 6: DOCUNATION. Here, I got to see some really incredible and informative short documentaries. Here are the thirteen shorts that I saw in this program!

1) 49 Mile Scenic Drive: A fun and insight full short on the history of one of San Francisco's most famous and beloved signs, and how the community came together to restore this local and iconic sign!

2) Bones: An artist creates and carves bone sculptures while it damages his body in ways we cannot even imagine.

3) Double Exposed: Filmmaker Julie Buck narrates over a double exposed film that her grandfather did while she tells us how he had molested her and all the women in her family.

4) I am Thinking of Pierre Cardin: A loving tribute to fashion designer icon Pierre Cardin.

5) Lion in a Box: Told through photographs, it's a tale of overcoming obstacles and adversities in the pursuit of achieving her goals.

6) Nazi VR: The longest short in the program and the one I found most fascinating, it's about the trail of a WWII war criminal and how technology, more specifically virtual reality, is used in its prosecution.

7) Project Chick: An autobiography of actress, poet, and award-winning playwright Kim El, and the struggles she faced in her youth.

8) Shades: A hilarious short about the iPhone's emoji people, the choice of colors, and what people of different races think of them.

9) Shout at Me!: Melissa is a student, daughter, and a professional wrestler, and we witness first hand the trials, obstacles, and judgements she faces everyday in her life to become more than the labels she is dealt with.

10) The Spring They Didn't See: One of the most shocking and disturbing shorts of the program, the film documents the tragedy and outcome of the Kurdish genocide, and the chemical weapons that killed hundreds of men, women, children, and even babies. This left me emotionally crippled and scarred.

11) Super 80: Filmed on Super 8mm filmstock, it's about a man who turns 80 years old and his wife who makes him feel young. Super sweet short.

12) Swan: Focuses on dancer Duane Gosa of Ballet Trockadero and his transformation into The Swan.

13) The Swimmer: An quick look at an Irish long-distance swimmer and what his life means as he's swimming in the ocean.

This was the last screening for the program at the festival as well.

After my shorts screenings, I went back home to take care of a few things, then picked up my son from school, waited for our old friend to come over a babysit him, then hurried back to Downtown San Jose to see one of my favorite silent film comedies of all time at the historic movie palace the California Theatre! Plus, my old friend Dennis James was on hand playing the Mighty Wurlitzer organ! The man being highlighted was none other than the great silent film comedian Buster Keaton!

Before the main feature, the festival screened the short two-reeler THE HIGH SIGN, which I've been fortunate to have seen several times at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum. Buster is hired as a hitman by a criminal gang called Blinking Buzzards, only to be hired by the man they wanted him to take out. The short is best remembered for the hysterical house with all the secret walls and trap doors that Keaton flies through! Comedy gold folks!! 

STEAMBOAT BILL JR. is considered by many film historians and silent film fanatics as one of Buster Keaton's best comedies! And it was his last independent film he made before heading over to MGM. In the film, Keaton plays the son of a riverboat captain (played by Ernest Torrence) who tries to earn the respect of his father. Then he runs into his old childhood sweetheart (Marion Byron), who's father (Tom McGuire) is trying to put Steamboat Bill Sr. out of business. Much like Romero and Juliet, both fathers refuse to let their respective children see one another. Then out of nowhere, a devastating cyclone comes hits the town, and what comes next is a series of hilarious spots featuring Buster in his element: unbelievable hilarious slapstick comedy that only Keaton himself could've have pulled off!!

The film was shot on the Sacramento River up in here in Northern California across from the junction with the American River in late 1927. They also built three full blocks of city sets near the state capitol itself. The film was released to theaters on May20, 1928, and believe it or not, actually lost money at the box office for United Artists. As I mentioned earlier, this was Keaton's last truly independent silent film he made. The very next year, he would sign with MGM, and, unfortunately, this move would cripple he genius and his films suffered from studio interference.

Another day of moving watch here at Cinequest 29 is done! Remember, this is the last weekend of the festival so make sure you join in on the fun here in Downtown San Jose!! To view the festival's film schedule and purchase tickets and passes, visit their website at www.cinequest.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends the Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival: Day Ten - March 14, 2019

Greetings and salutations and welcome to Day Ten of my trip to the 29th Annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival!! Hard to believe that the end of the festival is coming soon, so let's not waste anymore time! Once again I made my way back to Downtown San Jose where I saw one more film today over at the 3Below Theaters & Lounge. The movie I saw today was the dramatic HORIZON.

The film's about a building designer named Giorgi, who after having a falling out his wife Ana retreats to a remote cabin that's located in a swamp near the Black Sea, away for the chaos of civilization. Here, he meets and gets to know the locals as he deals with the pain of his wife leaving him and her falling in love with another man. The worse his situation becomes, the longer he stays away, even if he loses himself in his isolated depression.

While the movie deals with an all-too-real relationship problems that everyone of us has gone through, the movie moved way too slow, dragged in certain parts, and in the end, I didn't care about any of the characters. Even though it had great cinematography and the locations were beautiful and poetic, I didn't find myself emotionally invested in any of the characters, and, unfortunately, I found myself looking at the time more that I was watching the movie. 2 out of 5 stars.

HORIZON will be screened one last time on Sunday, March 17th at 3:45pm at the Century 20 Redwood City.

And folks there you have Day Ten of my trip to Cinequest 29! And there's still more films to watch before its conclusion! Remember the festival ends this Sunday, March 17th so make sure you come out here to Downtown San Jose to see some art! To view the festival's film schedule, purchase tickets and passes, visit their official website at www.cinequest.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show! 

Phil attends the Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival: Day Nine - March 13, 2019

Hello film fanatics and welcome of Day Nine of my trip to the 29th Annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival!! So far I've seen some excellent movies and having blast seeing old friends and making new ones! After all, what else do you do at film festivals? Oh yeah, watch movies!! And with that, I made my way back down to 3Below Theaters & Lounge in Downtown San Jose to watch my first movie of that day, the romantic comedy BITE ME!

In New York City, there is a subculture of people who identify themselves as vampires. A young woman named Sara (Naomi McDougall Jones) is one of those individuals. While she does drink blood to stay healthy, she doesn't sleep in a coffin, can walk in the daytime, has a job, and her vampire "church" is being audited by the IRS for back taxes. He life takes a turn in an unexpected direction when she meets James (Christian Coulson), the IRS agent assigned to her audit case. Before you know it, the two fall for each other, much to the chagrin of her roommates Chrissy (Naomi Grossman) and Lily (Mahira Kakkar). So how does a vampire find love in New York City, and can love truly conquer all in the real world?

Wow! I was not expecting the film to be quite like this! Meaning, this movie blew my mind!! I was expecting a horror comedy, not a romantic comedy/drama that deals with all-too-real problems that we face in our everyday lives. While there is horror in the film, it's modern day horrors: dead-end jobs, money problems, prejudices, and the fear of never finding that special person to love for the rest of your life. Naomi McDougall Jones soars as Sara; she just exudes talent and is absolutely wonderful in the film! Her on-screen chemistry with her co-star Christian Coulson is so believable that I fell head over heels in love with these two characters! And, in case you are not able to see the film during the festival, the filmmakers are taking the film on tour this spring. Dubbed "The Joyful Vampire Tour of America," the movie will be screened at independent theaters in 20-30 cities! Visit the film's official website www.bitemethefilm.com to learn more about the tour, and make sure you see it here at Cinequest! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

BITE ME will be screened one last time on Sunday, March 17th at 10:45am at the Century 20 Redwood City.

For film number two, I headed over to the historic California Theatre to watch the Chinese sci-fi film LAST SUNRISE. On one particular day, life changed forever, as the sun flickered and then suddenly faded, leaving Earth in a state of cold darkness. Amateur astronomer Sun Yang (Jue Zhang) along with his neighbor Chen Mu (Yue Zhang) must travel to seek shelter in the area called District Four. Along the way, they must learn to survive their new environment as they trek through this cold and dark, yet beautiful new world.

Now this was an astounding and beautifully made sci-fi movie with a voice! The film is an antithesis to what American science fiction films are. Here is a movie that is smart, unique, and provides us with hope instead of death and violence, like our films. Kudos to co-writer/director Wen Ren for crafting a film that dares to go against the norm of traditional Hollywood films and charting a new course for his highly intelligent, emotionally charged, character driven, and highly original sci-fi film that I hope will be seen by the entire world! 5 out of 5 stars!

LAST SUNRISE will be screened one last time on Saturday, March 16th at 6:30pm at the Century 20 Redwood City.

And that cinephiles was Day Nine of the 29th Annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival!! And there's still plenty more films to watch! Remember the festival ends on Sunday, March 17th so make sure you come out here to Downtown San Jose and see some art! To view the festival's film schedule, purchase tickets and passes, visit their official website at www.cinequest.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show! 

Phil attends the Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival: Day Eight - March 12, 2019

Hello again and welcome to Day Eight of my trip to the 29th Annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival!! Today I saw a couple movies here in beautiful Downtown San Jose! Upon my arrival to the heart of the city, I made my way over to the 3Below Theaters & Lounge to watch my first movie of that day, and that movie was called CIRCLE OF STEEL.

Meet Wendy Fong (Chantelle Han), a young, bright, and eager engineer who has only been with her new company for about year, but then rumors begin to surface regarding potential layoffs. During this time of waiting, she keeps herself busy by hanging out the local watering hole drinking and singing karaoke, working out to Pilates tapes in her hotel room, online dating, and getting smashed on blow with her friend Kristen (Andrea Jorawsky). But eventually, the real world becomes more real than she can imagine, and her future comes to an unknown conclusion.

While the film addresses issues of job loss, drugs and alcohol, and the nightmare of adult routines, the film fell flat for me. It was described as a comedy in the festival program, but I didn't find anything funny about it, nor did I know if it was supposed to be a dark humor or a laugh-out-loud comedy. My impression of the movie was that the filmmakers didn't really know either. It could have had potential to be comedy, but there wasn't anything funny about it. I did enjoy the acting in it, and I thought that the lead actress Chantelle Han was great in it, the movie was a let down for me. 2 out of 5 stars.

This was the last screening for the film at the festival.

I remained at the 3Below Theaters & Lounge for my second feature of the day., but before the main feature there was a short film screened. THE FRINGE CLASS is about a group of runaway and homeless teenagers living on the streets of the Bay Area. We follow Thena, who has been living on the streets since her falling out with her no-so understanding mother. On the streets she meets and befriends Sabrina, who is now being pimped out by Romeo. Soon the situation becomes violent as Thena must now choose to either stay in her current situation or to seek refuge elsewhere.

Based on the novel "The Art of Love" by Betsy Franco, the short film looks and feels very authentic to the plight that young homeless teenagers are forced to live through out on the streets. It was very well acted, great cinematography, and really addresses the issues of the rise teenage homelessness and what we as a community and society can do to help theses runaways get off the streets. A really powerful short film that I would love to see again! 5 out of stars!

BROKEN PLACES is a documentary that explores why some children are permanently damaged by early adversity while others are able to thrive. By revisiting some of the abused and neglected children we profiled decades ago, we're able to dramatically illustrate how early trauma shaped their lives as adults. The film interweaves these longitudinal narratives with commentary from a few internationally renowned experts to help viewers better understand the devastating impact of childhood adversity as well as the inspiring characteristics of resilience.

The documentary was very informative and provides evidence on how our environments of our childhood shape us as we grow into adulthood. Award-winning director Roger Weisberg revisits several of his interviewers that he has filmed for the past four decades to see how they are all doing, if they are surviving, and what is their attitude about their lives in the present. 5 out 5 stars!

This was the last screening for the film at the festival as well.

And that ladies and gentlemen was Day Seven of the 29th Annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival!! And there's still plenty more films to watch! Remember the festival ends on Sunday, March 17th so make sure you come out here to Downtown San Jose and see some art! To view the festival's film schedule, purchase tickets and passes, visit their official website at www.cinequest.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show! 

Phil attends the Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival: Day Seven - March 11, 2019

Hello again everybody and welcome to Day Seven of my trip to the 29th Annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival!! Now as some of you may have noticed, I missed three days of the festival, but there's a very good reason for that. My incredibly talented and beautiful girlfriend is one of the leads in the new show called EURYDICE, a Greek tragedy play that will be opening at the City Lights Theater on Saturday, March 14th and it will run till April 14th (click the link in the title to purchase your tickets today). Because of this, she is in rehearsals a lot, and this past weekend she had all-day rehearsals! That's 11 hour days my friends!! So I was watching our son while she was getting her theater groove on, but I did sneak in a screening of CAPTAIN MARVEL on Friday after work (which was awesome!), but that's where I've been. Like I've said before, being a parent is a lot of hard work and sacrifice, but I would not change it for the world! I got to spend some quality time with my son and I get to see my love back up in the stage acting again! So I would say that it's a win-win for yours truly!

I'm on vacation from work this week, and so I was able to see two movies today. After grabbing an early lunch over at the awesome La Victoria Taqueria (home of the delicious orange sauce) over on San Carlos and 4th Street, I made my over to the 3Below Theaters & Lounge to see the LGBTQ love drama BORDERLINE.

The film's about a young woman named Anna (Anna Alfieri), who is going through the aftermath of her breakup with Robyn (Agathe Ferre), the only girl she's ever loved. Told through a non-liner storyline, we see the love and heartache Anna has experienced, and the self-destructive path that she walks on after her relationship ended so damn painfully. Love is a four-letter word and we see first hand how Anna experiences this, how she lost it, and how does she find herself again.

This was such an outstanding film!! I absolutely loved it!! It proves, once again, that it doesn't matter if your gay or straight, we all feel the exact same way, and we feel the pain and suffering when we lose that special someone that we loved the most. I applaud filmmaker Anna Alfieri for her bravery to put all of this on the screen. Based on a true event that she herself went through, the film was her passion project; she wrote, produced, acted, and directed the film, took over two years to make, filmed in three different countries, and it was entirely improvised based on only a twelve page skeleton outlined script! The end result is a raw, unflinching, and uncompromising movie that discusses not only to have been love and lose said love, but of depression and the inner demons that most people cannot comprehend, nor understand the daily struggle of trying to figure out how to be happy in the modern world. As of this moment, this is my FAVORITE film of the festival, and it's gonna be damn hard to see if anything top this emotionally charged, beautifully haunting, and powerful examination of the human soul!! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

BORDERLINE will have two more screenings: Tuesday, March 12th at 6:00pm and Friday, March 15th at 9:30pm at the Century 20 Redwood City.

For my second of the day, I went down the block to the Hammer Theatre Center to watch LAKE OVER FIRE, a Norwegian comedy that was also making its world premiere at the festival as well. The film takes place in a remote desert town (it's actually just a bunch of mobile trailers) where everybody is filthy rich, thanks in large part to a mine that's filled with these red circular things (almost Lego-like). Because of this, the whole town doesn't feel like working anymore (would you?). Then out of nowhere, a stranger rides into town (on a moped no less) and decides to stir things up by pitting the townsfolks against each other.

This was one of the most bonkers-ass movies I've seen at the festival for quite some time! The movie is filled with brightly colored mobile trailers, people with giant cowboy helmets with giant rotary phones on their hips, riding on mopeds, and garbage everywhere. There's barely a story, quirky characters, people killing each other, and it's just freaking weird ass movie! If Alejandro Jodorowsky teamed up with John Waters to make a film, this would be the end result! I didn't love it, not did I hate it. It was just there. And that's where I'll end this review. 3 out of 5 stars.

This was the last screening for the film at the festival.

And there you have it! Day Seven is now in the history books! And there's still plenty more films to watch! Remember the festival ends on Sunday, March 17th so make sure you come out here to Downtown San Jose! To view the festival's film schedule, purchase tickets and passes, visit their official website at www.cinequest.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!