Phil Goes Hollywood: Phil attends the final day of CINECON 49-Spetember 2, 2013

Greetings and salutations everybody and welcome to the fifth and final day of the Cinecon 49 Film Festival at the Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in the heart of Hollywood! I saw another seven films on Monday, which was a great way to spend my Labor Day! So let me talk about all the films I saw!

WET AND WARMER (1920): This silent comedy short film stars Billie Ritchie as the "Mysterious Stranger", Charlotte Dawn as May Time, and Albert Ray as Billy Poste. The film was directed by Henry Lehrman who was at one time one of the biggest comedy producers of the Teens. This short was one of only five films he produced for his own company Henry Lehrman Comedies ans was released in December of 1920. 

CASTLES FOR TWO (1917): According to the Cinecon program, "American heiress Marie Doro (Patricia Calhoun) returns to the old sod to find the fairies and the leprechauns of her grandmother's stories. There she meets Elliot (Brian O'Neil), who thinks she's poor and falls in love. But Elliot's sisters remind him that they need a real pot of gold to save the family estate from foreclosure. In order to avoid being pursued for her money, Marie has her maid play herself. But in the end, true love come through."

This silly and heartfelt silent film was written by Beatrice DeMille, mother of legendary director  Cecil B. DeMille and his brother director/writer William C. DeMille. Director Frank Reicher is most famous for his role as Capt. Englehorn from KING KONG and its sequel THE SON OF KONG (both from 1933). This film was released by  Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company on March 5, 1917.

THE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (1929): The man himself Det. Sherlock Holmes (Clive Brook) comes out of retirement to solve his last, and greatest, case ever! Involving murder kidnapping, double cross, and a secret weapon that could alter the balance of power, Holmes's investigation leads him face to face finally with his old adversary Professor Moriarty (Harry T. Morey).

This was the very first talking Sherlock Holmes film. And this was a fascinating film to see and hear! Clive Brook is a fantastic Sherlock Holmes, showcasing intelligent, stamina, ingenuity, confidence, everything the made this legendary detective famous for. H. Reeves-Smith was really good as Dr. Watson and Harry T. Morey portrayed Holmes's nemesis with unfathomable evil. The film was released by Paramount Pictures on October 26, 1929.

After our lunch break, it was time to see the last four films of the day...

SPRING PARADE (1940): The film's official synopsis: an Hungarian woman named Ilonka Tolnay (Deanna Durbin) who attends a Viennese fair and buys a card from a gypsy fortune teller which says she will meet someone important and is destined for a happy marriage. Soon after the woman gets a job as a baker's assistant and meets a handsome army drummer Corporal Harry Marten (Robert Cummings) who dreams of becoming a famous composer and conductor, but is held back by the military which discourages original music. Wanting to help the army drummer, the woman sends one of his waltzes to the Austrian Emperor with his weekly order of pastries, which leads to the tuneful and joyous fulfillment of the gypsy's prediction.

What I loved about the film was its sheer innocence. It was a romantic comedy that really had heart. Both Durbin and Cummings had great on-screen chemistry which elevates the film to become a classic. Really a great joy to see! The film was originally released to theaters by  Universal Pictures on September 27, 1940.

CHINA (1943): The film's official synopsis: Shortly before Pearl Harbor, American opportunist Jones (Alan Ladd) and partner Johnny (William Bendix) are in China to sell oil to the invading Japanese army. Cynical about the sufferings of the Chinese, Jones meets compassionate teacher Carolyn Grant (Loretta Young) while traveling cross-country to Shanghai. Sparks fly between these strong-willed characters, neither budging an inch. But when Jones witnesses a Japanese atrocity, his feelings toward his customers (and Carolyn) begin to change.

Now here was a really interesting film to discover. While the plot does sound like a poor man's CASABLANCA, here we see Mr. Ladd give one of his best and underrated performances he ever gave! Miss Young really does a stupendous job of being the "light of understanding" as Ladd's Jones does an complete 180 degrees. The film was made during the early years of World War II, so one can see this as a propaganda piece, but the acting and the directing (courtesy of John Farrow) really makes it a must-see rediscovery! The film was released to theaters by Paramount Pictures on April 21, 1943.

FIFTY ROADS TO TOWN (1937): Official synopsis: A man named Peter Nostrand (Don Ameche) hides out in the country to avoid testifying in his friends' divorce. A girl named Millicent Kendall (Ann Sothern) shows up and he thinks is a process server while she thinks he's a gangster. So do the sheriff and his men when they mistake Peter with kidnapping Millicent.

The film is another product of the times, featuring African Americans in a negative light. This time it's good ol' Stepin Fetchit stepping in as the lazy and mumbling hotel employee Percy. Both Ameche and Sothern have a lot of fun with their respected characters, and we see their feeling for one another bloom while in contrast to the unforgiving snow storm that has trapped them in the cabin in the woods. Director Norman Taurog made an amazing 181 films, dating back to the silent film era! His most famous films are the Elvis Presley ones: GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS! G.I. BLUES and BLUE HAWAII, but he also helped direct one of the most famous films ever! That would be 1939's THE WIZARD OF OZ! Yup, he directed several scenes for that film as well! This film was released by 20th Century Fox on June 14, 1937.

HI, GOOD LOOKIN'! (1944): An usher at a radio station studio pretends to be an executive at the station in order to help a pretty girl become a singer. That's all I can remember right now, but it was a pretty funny from what I can recall. I'll update this one later on once I can remember. I was pretty tired by this film, which was released by Universal Pictures on March 22, 1944.

And ladies and gentlemen, there you have it! My first Cinecon Film Festival since 2011. I had a blast at this festival, to see so many classic Hollywood films from the silent era, pre-code, and musicals! It was also nice to see a lot of my friends down here. Overall, I can't wait to come back again next year! And I encourage you all to make a trip down here to check out this awesome film event! To learn more about the Cinecon Film Festival, visit their website at www.cinecon.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil Goes Hollywood: Phil attends CINECON 49: Day Four at the Grauman's Egyptian Theatre-September 1, 2013

Hello folks and welcome back to my trip to Hollywood! I was back for Day Four of the Cinecon 49 Film Festival at the historic Grauman's Egyptian Theatre! There were a lot of films to see on Sunday, so sit back, relax, and let the fun begin!

TURKISH HOWLS (1927): Also known as Wisecrackers #2: Turkish Howls, the short takes place at a hotel where they are visited by a Royal Turkish King. However, they staff finds that the king is an impostor and they help the real king take his rightful place on his throne. This was part two of the Wisecrackers series from the Film Booking Offices of America and was released on February 13, 1927.

EVE'S LEAVES (1926): Now here's a cute and funny silent film! Eve Corbin (Leatrice Joy) is a young girl who was raised by her father as a boy who then finally discovers that she's a girl when she falls in love with a man named Bill Stanley (William Boyd). But when Eve's father's boat is taken over by the ruthless Chang Fang (Walter Long) and his crew, it's up to Eve and Bill to regain the ship and save the day.

Director Paul Sloane does a great job of balancing the comedy with the action. Boyd is great as our hero, but Joy is the star here and she steals every scene that she's in. Outstanding comedic timing and just an all around great actress! Yet another film by DeMille Pictures Corporation, it was released to theaters on June 13, 1926.

SUTTER'S GOLD (1936): This supposed biopic tells the life of the one and only Californian pioneer John Sutter (portrayed by Edward Arnold). It chronicles his entire adult life: from leaving his family in Switzerland (which bugs me that he never had an accent) to his conquering of California and the discovery of gold, thus ushering the Gold Rush.

The film ran waaaaay too long, the script was underdeveloped and the filmmakers to liberty with Suter's story. This was the most expensive film that Universal Pictures made up until that time (a whopping $2 million dollars), and it completely bombed at the box office. It was because of this financial disaster that founder and president Carl Laemmle and his family were booted off the lot forever. The film was originally released on March 1, 1936.

After an hour and a half lunch break, the festival continued with...

A THRILLING ROMANCE (1926): A silent two-reeler short is about an aspiring writer (Wanda Wiley) who chases after a couple of thieves who stole her purse, which sets off a chain reaction of comedic yet thrilling situations! A fun short film to watch! It was released by Century Film on July 14, 1926.

OH MARY, BE CAREFUL (1921): This film should've been called OH MARY STOP BEING A FLIRT! Mary Meacham (Madge Kennedy) is a college student who flirts with every single man in town. Seriously, she does! She lives with her man hating aunt Miss Myra, who has these weird test to see if a man is worthy of marriage. Well, Mary meets a handsome young tree surgeon named Morgan Smith (George Forth). She puts him thru some tests, and then tells her auntie that he's the one she wants to marry.

According to the Cinecon program, actress Madge Kennedy only made 27 silent films and only a handful survive, with this being one of them. Now supposedly that the film was made a number of years prior to 1921. It was produced by Goldwyn Pictures and released by the Pioneer Film Company on September 1, 1921.

APRIL LOVE (1957): Chicago troubled youth Nick Conover (Pat Boone) is sent by his mother to live with his Aunt Henrietta Bruce (Jeanette Nolan) and Uncle Jed Bruce (Arthur O'Connell) on their horse farm in Kentucky. Soon Nick meets the neighbors, the Templetons, and their younger daughter Liz (Shirley Jones), who takes a liking to Nick right from the get go. However he has his eyes on her older sister Fran (Dolores Michaels), but she has a boyfriend already. The four of them spend time together, eventually leading Nick to the charms of Liz, especially she coaches him in the big horse race at the country fair.

Filmed in color and full of singing and dancing, this was one of my favorite films of the festival. Boone was great, but Jones was just amazing! She sang well but she was quite a looker back then! OK she was cute and hot at the same time! But the movie was a real joy to watch! Unfortunately it's not on Blu-ray or DVD yet! Boo! After the screening, both Boone and Shirley participated in a fun and informative Q&A! Afterwards Shirley Jones was signing copies of her book in the theatre lobby! And in case you were wondering, of course I bought a copy!

After a hour dinner break, it was back to the theatre to see...

BOTTOMS UP (1934): The film's about a promoter named 'Smoothie' King (Spencer Tracy) who helps a Hollywood extra actress Wanda Gale (Pat Paterson) con her way into a movie company and soon towards stardom with the help of his "associates" as well: Spud Mosco aka Reginald Morris (Sid Silvers) and Limey Brook aka Lord Brocklehurst (Herbert Mundin). However, she begins to turn away from Smoothie as she falls in love with her leading man Hal Reed (John Boles).

Spencer Tracy was the man. He really was one terrific actor. Here, we kinda see a softer side to him, as he portrays Smoothie with sympathy and love for Wanda. But he still talks a mile a minute, and he still sounds like a gangster, but he just commands your attention when he's up on the screen. And the film itself was a hoot to watch. Really enjoyed this film, which ran for just under a hour and a half. It was released by the  Fox Film Corporation on April 13, 1934.

THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE (1956): This Fox musical is about two songwriters Buddy De Sylva (Gordon MacRae) and Lew Brown (Ernest Borgnine) who are joined by piano player Ray Henderson (Dan Dailey) to form a successful musical show writing team. With their friend and sometime leading Kitty Kane (Sheree North), the team goes from Broadway to Hollywood. But when Buddy begins to follow his personal ambitions, they rest of the guys feels left out and soon it looks like the end for this amazing songwriting team.

I found the film overall to be entertaining, but it went on a bit too long, but then again, that was the way films were made back then. Studios were going against television, so to lure people away from their sets, they offered them lavish movies with amazing dance numbers and cool soundtracks. This being a product from that  time, it reflects those ingredients. The acting was great, the music okay, but I felt the script could've been more tighter. Now the film would go on ti receive an Oscar nomination and also turned a profit, despite its mixed reviews from critics. The film was released by 20th Century Fox on September 28, 1956.

There was another film screened at 10:50pm, but I was so tired that I headed back to Mo's place. But overall, I saw some amazing and wonderful films! They sure knew how to make them back then! I still had more films to see on Monday, so come back for those! To learn more about the Cinecon Film Festival, visit their website at www.cinecon.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil Goes Hollywood: Phil attends CINECON 49: Day Three at the Grauman's Egyptian Theatre-August 31, 2013

Hello and greetings from Hollywood!! Yup, I'm back in Tinseltown once again for my vacation and I'm also staying with my very good friend and filmmaker Maureen "Mo" Whelan while I'm here for the week. I arrived into town early Saturday afternoon. After I got settled in at Mo's place, I made my way to attend the 49th Annual Cinecon Classic Film Festival, held at the world famous Grauman's Egyptian Theater in the heart of Hollywood! The festival started back on Thursday, so I missed a couple of days as well as some of the films from earlier Saturday. However, I did see a lot still, so let's get the show underway!

The film I saw was TRANSIENT LADY (1935). The film's official plotline: Nick Kiley, Chris Blake and Dale Cameron set up a transient roller-rink in a small town in the American south, filled with red-necks and louts, most of which are related to each other. One of the Baxter boys makes some crude suggestions and remarks reference Miss Cameron, which results in a squabble. One of the rink-partners shoots one of the Baxter rubes quite dead, and blows town. The dead Baxter is the son of State Senator Hamp Baxter, who takes a dim view of transients who come to town and shoot one of his sons. The rink-partner who stayed behind is blamed for the killing, and lynch mobs are on the horizon. Local attorney Carey Marshall, in love with Dale Cameron, takes on the task of defending the innocent man.

OK, this was THE MOST RACIST FILM I HAVE EVER SEEN!! Holy crap!! And I thought BIRTH OF A NATION was racist! The way African Americans were portrayed was appalling, it upheld the idea that Southern folks are ignorant, redneck idiots (OK maybe that may still be true), and it was full of other stereotypes. But you have to remember, this was where society was back then. This was the status quo and it's hard to fathom that today. We've progressed so much since then. The film was interesting to watch to say the least. The film was originally released by Universal Pictures on March 4, 1935.

Next up was the silent film MARE NOSTRUM (1926) and it's about a young Spaniard named Ulysses Ferragut (Antonio Moreno) who is seduced by the beautiful (and German spy) Freya Talberg (Alice Terry) into helping her by using his boat (the Mare Nostrum) to help refuel a German U-boat. However, Ulysses tells the captain of the U-boat that they must not sink any passenger ships. Unfortunately, they do fire on a passenger boat and kill everyone on board, even Ulysses' son Esteban. Stricken with grief and hatred, he curses Freya's name, but when they meet again, their reunion is short lived.

The film was based on the novel of the same name by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez. It was directed by Alice Terry's husband, actor, producer, and producer Rex Ingram. The film itself is a beautiful and tragic drama, and I was really impressed with it! The film was thought to have been lost, but thankfully, it was rediscovered and restored so it could be shown here! The film was originally released by MGM on February 15, 1926.

After a hour and a half lunch break, the festival continued with:

THEIR FIRST EXECUTION (1913): This short comedy is about a prison that just installed their first electric chair and are about to execute their first prisoner. Unfortunately he escapes and the two bungling guards who let him escape are on his trail along with two other detectives. When one puts on the prisoner's coat and hat, the two dumb guards knock him out and put him in the electric chair! Yup, this was a very sadistic film! The short was released by Keystone Film Company on May 15, 1913.

Next was the hilarious comedy SUDDENLY IT'S SPRING (1947). Husband Peter Morley (Fred MacMurray) meets his returning wife Captain Mary Morley (Paulette Goddard), WAC marital-relations expert, to ask her to sign their divorce papers so he can marry his new girlfriend  Gloria Fay (Arleen Whelan). However, Mary is still in love with Peter and is determined to save her marriage, even though Peter's client Jack Lindsay (Macdonald Carey) is determined to help end their marriage so he can make Mary his girlfriend!

This was one of the funniest films I have ever seen! First off, the chemistry between the four leading actors is stupendous! However, both MacMurray and Goddard were just outstanding in their respected roles! Second, Mitchell Leisen's directing was fantastic, capturing the serious and the hilarity. Third, the production value was excellent, but what would expect anything less from a studio like Paramount Pictures? Truly a Hollywood classic! The film was released by the fore mentioned Paramount Pictures on February 13, 1947.

The last film I saw was the comedy HOLD 'EM YALE. Beautiful socialite Helen (Jeanette Loff) is romanced by the suave Latin lover Rod La Rocque (Jaime Emmanuel Alvarado Montez ), who, along with his monkey, follows her all the way from South America to Yale! (Can you say stalker?) Determined to win her heart, he studies hard and joins the Yale football team where he becomes a big star, but can he win her heart forever?

The film was produced Cecil B. DeMille and was based on a 1906 play called AT YALE by Owen Davis. It was a joint effort between DeMille Pictures and Pathe. Jaime Emmanuel Alvarado Montez was very good and funny in the movie and Jeanette Loff was a very striking woman! The film was cute, sweet, funny, and enjoyable to watch. The film was released by Paramount Pictures on May 14, 1928.

What a day I had! And there's more films to watch for the next two days!! Yup, this is what being on vacation is all about! To learn more about the Cinecon Film Festival, visit their website at www.cinecon.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees YOU'RE NEXT at the Cinelux Morgan Hill-August 28, 2013

This past Wednesday night I finally got around to seeing the new horror film YOU'RE NEXT, which has received quite a lot of hype prior to its release. Now the movie was actually filmed in 2011 and it toured on the festival circuit and received numerous praises (which is where I first heard about the film), but it didn't a wide release till this month. So after waiting patiently for the last two years, I went and saw it. What did I think of it? Glad you asked.

So here's the plot in a nutshell: The Davison family heads out to a beautiful remote home near the woods for a wedding anniversary/family reunion. But when they come under attack by a vicious gang of masked killers, it's up to an unlikely family guest to take them all down.

The film is basically a slasher film disguised as a crime thriller. But let me just state that, in my humble opinion, the movie doesn't try to be scary at all. Rather, it's very reminiscent of the old 80's slasher films I used to love to watch. First off, the film has some really great kills, some of which I have never seen before. Want an example? OK how about seeing someone get their head bashed with a blender, then turning it upside down, sticking it on top of said head, then plugging it in and turning it on, thus making a very bloody brain shake! Yup, that was a new one for me!

Second nod to the 80's horror films was the ultra cool retro soundtrack! In the beginning, the soundtrack is classical, with strings and whatnot. Then by the second half of the film, it sounds like someone brought in an authentic 1986 Casio keyboard! Soon I found myself rocking out to it!Seriously, I didn't see that one coming either!

Third, the film didn't take itself too seriously. Unlike the other home invasion horrors like THE STRANGERS and this year's THE PURGE, the movie became somewhat funny, a little campy, but in the end, it was fun too watch! There were numerous parts in the film where I found myself laughing because I was amused with its absurdity. But credit goes to its female lead and heroine Sharni Vinson who plays it straight and serious while being surrounded by all this fun and crazy death. Also, she's hot, sexy, and I love her Australian accent!

Overall, YOU'RE NEXT is not a serious, scary, horror film that the trailers and commercials make it out to be. Rather, it's a fun, cool, gory, and entertaining flick that it's OK to see! So this is definitely a movie to see in the theater, and I predict that this will be really popular when it comes out on the media outlets. Three out of fun stars! Worth a look!

YOU'RE NEXT is currently playing in theaters nationwide, including at the Cinelux Theaters here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cineluxtheatres.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends the 16th Anniversary screening of SHOWGIRLS hosted by Peaches Christ with special guest Rene Riffel at the Castro Theatre-August 24, 2013

This past Saturday night at the historic Castro Theatre I attended my very first Sweet 16 celebration! And no, it wasn't one of those annoying, silly, pink frilly parties with sixteen year old girls talking about Justin Beiber all night. Oh no! This was the 16th Anniversary screening of the cult classic SHOWGIRLS hosted by the one and only Peaches Christ!! And returning to San Francisco was none other than Rene Riffel!! Joining me on the momentous event was my very good friend and make up extraordinaire Michelle Snyder. Upon arriving at the theatre, we saw an enormous line that wrapped all the way around the block! The show had completely sold out, so I knew we were for a one helluva party!

Since this was my birthday weekend, Michelle bought me my ticket for tonight's festivities. We had VIP passes, which meant we were let in early, and we also had two free drink tickets. Now usually I don't get this drunk, but bless these bartenders! When Michelle and  I asked for four vodka cranberries, this is how they made them: 85% vodka and 15% cranberry juice! By the time I finished my first drink, I was already buzzing. By drink number two, I was drunk. By the third drink, I was pretty much wasted! Oh what fun I had! Plus I was also getting drunk off the electricity from the crowd! The front lobby was packed and there wasn't one empty seat in the theatre! The crowd was getting rowdy, people were screaming, I was getting wasted, and by 8 o'clock rolled around, the show finally began!

Like last year's event, the show opened with Peaches (once again as the evil Crystal Christ) coming out of that iconic volcano and she dancers with her ladies, then Rena is carried though the theatre and she leaps onto the stage, with the audience screaming their lungs out. But that's where the similarities end. Right away, Peaches accuses Rena of trying to steal the show from her like last year. Then the show shifts gears as we see Peaches having dinner in the posh restaurant like in the film with Lady Bear. Then both begin to eat a can of dog food!! Now, I don't know whether or not they were eating real dog food, but they sure acted like they were! It was pretty damn gross, and I loved it! Once again the preshow was excellent!

Afterwards Peaches held the annual contest for best costume. At the conclusion of the that, it was time for the "Night of a 100 Lap Dancers" to commence! Members of the audience had to sign up to participate in the event, to which she called up every single one of them. Her Showgirl Dancers also helped out as well. So people who had purchased a large popcorn received  free lap dance, and that's when all hell broke loose! People were climbing all over seats, gyrating pelvises where everywhere, old people and young were giving it their all as the orgy of lap dancers continued for several minutes. By this time I was just completely hammered and I was having fun! Michelle was laughing so hard. Remember, this was her first time at SHOWGIRLS, so I don't think she knew exactly what she was going to see! But she was having a ball!! After it was all over, it was time for the movie to begin!

The film stars Elizabeth Berkley as Nomi Malone, a young and beautiful drifter who arrives in Las Vegas to become a dancer, but ends up as a stripper at the aptly named Cheetah Club instead. She meets a seamstress from the Stardust Hotel named Molly (Gina Ravera) and soon the two become fast friends. When Nomi encounters a chance meeting with the star of Molly's hotel show Goddess Cristal Connors (Gina Gershon), she manages to get an audition to be on their chorus line. Soon life becomes more complicated as Cristal sees Nomi as a threat to her and to her career as the star of the show, which creates a love/hate friendship between the two. Also Nomi sets her eyes on Cristal's manager and part time lover Zack Carey (Kyle MacLachlan) and the two of them become lovers as well. Eventually Nomi wonders if all of this stardom is worth the price.

Right when the film began, Michelle and  I made my way back up to the mezzanine and waited in line to meet both Rena and Peaches. I bought some pics and posters for both of them to sign. Michelle had Rena sign her SHOWGIRLS 2 DVD! After the movie, Michelle and I had brinner (breakfast for dinner) over at Orphan Andy's. Overall, we had an awesome time that night!

Another fantastic Peaches Christ show has come and gone! But don't you fret my friends! There's plenty more fun ahead! Her next show is GREY GARDENS and it will be on Saturday, October 12th at the Castro Theatre! So make sure you come check that show out! And if you are interested in becoming a fan of Peaches Christ, or want to view her upcoming shows, visit her website at http://peacheschrist.com. To view the Castro Theater's film schedule, visit their website at www.castrotheatre.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil's Top Three Film Picks from CAAMFest San Jose-August 19, 2013

After the final screening of the CAAMFest San Jose at the Camera 3 Cinemas, I ran into Masashi Niwano, the festival and exhibitions director in the theater lobby. He asked me what were my favorite films during the weekend, to which I responded. Now since I have severe OCD, I had my favorites listed by category: narrative, documentary, and what I call undiscovered gem, which is a film that catches me by surprise. Masashi liked my choices and appreciated my feedback. While driving home I thought to myself, "Hey! I should post that for my blog! What a great idea!" So ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present to you all my Top Three Film Picks from the inaugural CAAMFest San Jose!!

FAVORITE NARRATIVE FILM: WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW?

From the opening scene from Arvin Chen's film, I knew I was seeing something really special. Equal parts romantic comedy, drama, and queer cinema, Chen's film also has that distinctive feel of a Wes Anderson movie; which only elevates the film to new heights. Funny, sweet, heart warming, as well as touching, introspective, and surreal, this was an easy pick for me! One of the finest films I've seen in a long time! To learn more about the film, check it's official website and "Like" the film on Facebook!

FAVORITE DOCUMENTARY: GO GRANDRIDERS!

Truly one of the most inspiring documentaries ever captured onto film! This simple story about a group of over 80 senior citizens traveling on a 13 day motorcycle tour around the island of Taiwan is a testament to the human spirit, showing us that life doesn't have to slow down when you get older. And as I said in my original review, this film should inspire you to live every single day of your life to the fullest! I found myself getting choked up during the screening because I was so touched my these people! My favorite documentary at the festival! The film will be the very first Taiwanese documentary to be released theatrically here in the states, so I encourage you all to see this once it's released! In the meantime, please visit the film's official website at http://gograndriders.com.

UNDISCOVERED GEM: BEST FRIENDS FOREVER

OK, I did not see this film coming. While reading the film's synopsis in the schedule, you really don't get the full brilliance of it. Here's a girl buddy road trip film, mixed with an apocalyptic disaster film, and you get one of the most intriguing and fascinating films ever! It really did caught me off guard because it was so different and original! Plus the stars of the movie wrote and directed the film and it was shot on glorious super 16mm film stock! All these factors make this an undiscovered gem of a film! Highly recommended!! Check out the movie's official website at http://bestfriendsforeverfilm.com.

And folks there you have it! My Top Three Film Picks from CAAMFest San Jose! So be on the lookout for any of these films in your local theater, on cable, or VOD, or any other media outlet! Also, if you would like to learn more about CAAM, their mission, and how to make a donation, please visit their website at caamedia.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends CAAMFest San Jose at the Camera 3: Day Three-August 18, 2013

Hello again everybody and welcome to the third and final day of the CAAMFest San Jose Film Festival at the Camera 3 Cinemas! Hard to believe it's all over! But before I say goodbye, let me talk about the last four film I saw on Sunday!

The first film I saw was the French-Belgian export APPROVED FOR ADOPTION, a true story/narrative/documentary/animation movie. It's about a 45 year old comic book artist named Jung who travels back to Seoul, Koera for the first time since he was abandoned there by his mother at five years old and was found by a policeman. He was just one of thousands of abandoned Koreans that was adopted after the war. He eventually was adopted by a loving French family. Told in animated sequences conveying his childhood, he see Jung's early years unfold as he struggles with who he is and his search for an identity.

The movie is based on a graphic novel by Jung and was directed by Laurent Boileau and Jung. This was a very personal film to watch. We have all at one point in our lives struggled with an identity crisis that leaves us questioning everything that we do. Jung was brave enough to first put it in comic form, and then translate it for the big screen. A very brave move on his part. The film was thoughtful, poetic, and amazingly animated that pulls on your heartstrings. A wonderful work of art that Jung should be very proud of! To learn more about the film, visit its official website at www.couleurdepeaumiel-lefilm.com as follow the film on Facebook too.

Film number two was the documentary HARANA, the long lost art form of when a Filipino man would serenade to the woman he was in love with under her window. Returning home to the Philippines for the first time in over 12 years, classically trained guitarist Florante Aguilar sets out to find the last three remaining masters of the Harana: Celestino Aniel, Felipe Alonzo, and Romeo Bergunio. Together, these four men set out to revive this forgotten music by recording an album and going on tour; to once again bring the Harana music to the people.

I have never heard of Harana music before, and now after seeing the documentary, I can't wait to tell all my friends about it, and the film as well! Director Benito Bautista and Florante did a tremendous job of not only finding the original Harana keepers, but do get them in the film and in the studio to record this incredible music! This film should be required view for music lovers worldwide! It's as if Florante and his friends serenade us though the duration of the film! It's truly a captivating film to watch!

For those of you living here, the film will have several more Bay Area screenings so make sure you check this film out. To learn more about the film and the other screenings, please visit www.haranathemovie.com and check out its Facebook page. 

The third film of the day was the crazy and eccentric New York based film LET'S BE OUT, THE SUN IS SHINING. A shy, twenty-something, Indian-American woman named Diya (Lipica Shah) meets and falls for good looking but jerk Brooklyn bartender Paddy (Scott Lyman). Believing everyone is disposable, he ditches her to Diya to and runs away to Miami with smoking hot blonde cougar Sophia (Madeleine James). Feeling rejected, she befriends a small group of struggling actors and musicians in Bushwick, Brooklyn, much to the disapproval of her protective older brother. During this time she explores who she is, her feelings and thoughts on life and love, and what's important to her.

Director Bornila Chatterjee captures the raw energy and youthful rebellion of New York as we watch Diya come out of her shell and becomes a totally different person at the end of the film. The combination of a good script with hand held cinematography really sets the film apart and gives it its own distinctive personality. The entire cast was great but Lipica Shah was amazing in the film, bringing a sense of innocence and strength to her role as Diya. Really a terrific performance! At the 2012 New York Indian Film Festival, the film won the Audience Choice Feature Film Award and Lipica Shah also received a Best Actress nomination!

After the screening, Bornila Chatterjee came up on stage and gave a fun Q&A session with the audience. You can follow the film on its Facebook page and Bornila on Twitter.

The fourth and final film of the festival was the documentary CROCODILE IN THE YANGTZE, which tells the story of the man known as "Crazy" Jack Ma, a former school English school teacher who went on to become China's first Internet entrepreneur. The documentary explores the early years of his company, the Alibaba Group, and his fierce battle with the powerful US company eBay for dominance in China.

The film was written, produced, and directed by Porter Erisman, who was one of Ma's first employees and had front row seats of this rags t riches tale. From its humble beginnings in Ma's small apartment to a massive company employing 16,000 staff, Porter documents Ma's story from culling nearly " 200 hours of archival footage filmed by over 35 sources between 1995 and 2009." What's really remarkable was that Ma gave Porter his blessing to make the film, showcasing some personal moments and stories that most CEOs wouldn't allow. But by doing this, Porter's film shows the real Jack Ma, a regular human being who had a dream and dared to chase it.

Porter was in attendance at the screening and conducted a Q&A with the audience. To learn more about the film, visit the official website at www.crocodileintheyangtze.com and also follow the film on Facebook.

And that ladies and gentlemen is a wrap of the very first CAAMFest San Jose! I had a blast this weekend and I cannot wait for next year's festival! So if you would like to learn more about CAAM, their mission, and how to make a donation, please visit their website at caamedia.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!