Phil sees AMERICAN REUNION at the Camera 12 Downtown San Jose-April 15, 2012

On Sunday I made it out to the Camera 12 in downtown San Jose to, once again, go on one of my many movie binges. The first film I started my day off with was a sequel that, to my surprise, was actually pretty damn funny. Of course I talking about AMERICAN REUNION, the fourth installment of the AMERICAN PIE franchise.

The whole gang comes back home to East Great Falls, Michigan for their 10 year high school reunion. Everybody's been very busy since graduating. Jim and his wife Michelle (Jason Biggs and Alyson Hannigan) have a two year old son and are having trouble keeping their sex life going. Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) is married to a woman named Ellie (Charlene Amoia) and works from home as an architect. Chris "Oz" Ostreicher (Chris Klien) is now an NFL sportscaster living in Los Angeles with his super hot supermodel girlfriend Mia (Katrina Bowden). Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) has supposedly gone missing while traveling all around the world. Heather (Mena Suvari) is now a nurse and dating a heart surgeon named Ron (Jay Harrington). Vicky (Tara Reid) lives in New York and Stifler (Seann William Scott) is still the same, only now he's the bitch, working as a temp at an investment firm. Oh how the mighty have fallen. But when the guys get reconnect, it's like old times again as they find themselves in hilarious situations that they haven't been in since high school. Add to the mix Jim's widow dad Noah (Eugene Levy ), the hot girl next door that Jim use to babysit Kara (Ali Korbin), Stifler's mom (Jennifer Coolidge), and Finch's mom (Rebecca De Mornay) and you have a recipe for laughs, side cramps, and grotesque humor not seen since the original film!

The film feels like visiting some old friends that you haven't seen in a long time. This is the first time that the entire cast has been together since AMERICAN PIE 2. The guys once again fall back into their roles that made them famous, and reminds us just how much fun being young and stupid was. However life changes a person and all our friends have grown up and matured. Except for Stifler, who refuses to grow up and wants to keep the high school flame alive. Much to the chagrin of Jim, Kevin, Chris, and Finch, who remind him that high school was ten years ago (thirteen in the real world). Old feelings begin to brew between Chris and Heather, even though their respective others continue to interrupt them. Jim and Michelle discover that having a child has cooled down their sex life, and they plan to reignite their passion by recreating their prom night at their reunion. And we finally get to see Jim's dad meet Stifler's mom. Also look for cameo appearances by John Cho, Natasha Lyonne, Justin Isfeld and Shannon Elizabeth.

Directors Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg are able to capture lighting in the bottle once again, but with interesting results. While the film contains the gross out humor and colorful metaphors that we have grown to love, we see ourselves in these characters. We have grown so much since the first film, and the world has changed drastically as well. But in this familiar world, we can forget about the plight of today and be transported back with these characters that we have grown up with. Like them, we all have jobs, responsibilities, and even families. By adding this ingredient of connection, we can see ourselves in Jim, Michelle, Stifler, and the rest of the gang.

AMERICAN REUNION is the best film of the series since the first film. It's also a welcome change of pace. With all these other Hollywood sequels coming out, here is a film that lives up to the tradition of the first film. It's funny, it's touching, and most importantly, it's relatable. Go see it for yourself and remember to bring a friend. Four out of five stars!

AMERICAN REUNION is currently playing in theaters nationwide, including at the Camera Cinemas here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cameracinemas.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends the ANNUAL EARTHQUAKE SHOW at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum-April 14, 2012

Hello there folks and welcome back to my trip to the Edison Theatre, home of the world famous Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum! This past Saturday night was the museum's annual Earthquake Show! Every year near the eve of the April 18, 1906 earthquake, the museum shows films about the earthquake and every year the show sells out. And it sold out big time! The show consists of two shorts and the main feature. But first let me tel you about the shorts.

The first short was A TRIP DOWN MARKET STREET (1906). Made by the Miles brothers (Harry, Herbert, Joseph, and Earle C), the 13 minute film was made by mounting a camera at the front of a cable car as it went down Market Street towards the Ferry Building. This is a film that we're very proud of. Reason being that our historian and projectionist David Kiehn, who did an unprecedented amount of research, uncovered that the film was made on April 14, 1906, just four days BEFORE the earthquake! The reason the film survived was because the Miles brothers had placed the film on a train and sent it to their New York City office on April 17, 1906. When Kiehn discovered the origins of the film, it hit the press and Internet immediately. Soon Morley Safer from 60 Minutes came out to the museum and interviewed Kiehn and the rest of the board members. In 2010, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. To view the 60 Minutes segment, watch it on their official website at http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-18560_162-6958102.html.

The second short film was THE DESTRUCTION OF SAN FRANCISCO (1906). The film is an amalgam of footage shot by the Edison, Pathe, and Biograph film companies as well as some footage shot by the Miles brothers. It shows the devastation caused by the earthquake an by the subsequent fires that blanketed the city in a cloud of smoke.

After a brief intermission, the show continued with:

THE SHOCK (1923) starring the "Man of a Thousand Faces" Lon Chaney. I saw this film a couple of years ago at the museum, so I was looking forward to seeing it again. I mean c'mon it's Lon Chaney people! The man made some of the most important and cutting edge films ever! From crime films, to thrillers and the genre he's most famous for: horror, Chaney did it all. In the film Chaney portrays Wilse Dilling, a shady cripple who works for a crime syndicate based out in San Francisco's Chinatown district. His powerful crime boss Queen Ann (Christine Mayo) sends him out to the quaint little town of Fallbrook to lay low and await her instructions. There he meets and fall in love with Gertrude Hadley (Virginia Valli). When he is instructed to take down her father, who happens to be the town's banker, he becomes torn between his job and his love for Gertrude. Throw in the devastating SF earthquake and you have one interesting climax to the film. Overall a great and overlooked Lon Chaney film! The movie was released by Universal Pictures on June 10, 1923.

Another great earthquake show at the museum. Remember folks the museum is open for tours every weekend from 12pm-4pm and every Saturday night there's a silent film show starting at 7:30 (doors open at 7pm). So if you would like to learn more about the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum, on how to become a member, and to view their film schedule, visit their website at www.nilesfilmmuseum.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees BULLY at the Camera 7 Puneyard Campbell-April 14, 2012

The second film I saw that Saturday was the documentary BULLY (originally titled THE BULLY PROJECT). Now if may remember I saw this film this past March during the Cinequest 22 Film Festival. However since I really liked this film and with all the controversy surrounding the film and the MPAA, I wanted to show my support of the film and see it again.

This powerful and disturbing film follows five kids from Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, Iowa and Mississippi who are victims of bullying as well as their families. Filmed during the 2009-2010 school year, we see the ramifications of bullying and how some schools ignored the problem, which caused some students like Tyler Long and Ty Smalley (their families are focused in the film) to commit suicide. We are granted access to classrooms, school buses and cafeterias and we see first hand how bullying is running rampant in today's schools.

The initial impact the film had on me when I saw it the first time was still there during this viewing as well. As I stated, children go to school to learn and to be safe and protected while their parents are at work. After seeing what actually goes on, I was totally surprised at just how bad this problem has become. The film will touch your heart, and will make you want to look more closely at the schools your kids go to.

Director Lee Hirsch really captures the living Hell that these kids go through every single day of their school year. Now I saw my fair share of bullying back in my younger days, but it was in no way was it ever like this: brutal, vicious, and just disturbing to behold.

After the film was finished, the bullying was just beginning for Hirsch and the film. When it was submitted to the MPAA for a rating, it originally received an R rating, due to the coarse language in the film. Then on On February 27, 2012, Katy Butler of Ann Arbor, Michigan created a Change.org online petition to get the film changed from an "R" to a "PG-13" rating. Even after collecting more than 300,000 signatures, the MPAA still refused to change the film's rating. On March 26, 2012, The Weinstein Company announced that it would release (the film's distributor) would release the film unrated, in protest at the MPAA's decision. This would mean that the film would only be shown in art-house and independent movie theaters such as AMC, CineMark, and, of course, the Camera Cinemas.

So here we are, and the film BULLY is now playing unrated for all of you to see. BULLY is one of the most important documentaries that you and your family must see! See it with your kids, and then ask them if this is happening to them or to their friends. If so, take a stand and say "NO" to bullying in schools. Five out of five stars! Highly recommended!!

BULLY is playing in select theaters nationwide, including at the Camera Cinemas here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cameracinemas.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN at the Camera 7 at the Pruneyard Campbell-April 14, 2012

This past weekend I headed off to the Camera 7 in the Pruneyard Campbell to get caught up on all the recent films I've been missing due to my very hectic day job. The first film I saw was SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN, directed by Lasse Hallstrom (Dear John, The Cider House Rules, Chocolat, Casanova) and starring Ewan McGregor (STAR WARS prequels, BEGINNERS, HAYWIRE), Emily Blunt (THE MUPPETS, THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU, THE WOLFMAN) as well as Amr Waked, Kristin Scott Thomas, Rachael Stirling, and Tom Mison.

Based on a novel of the same name by Paul Torday, the film's about Dr. Alfred Jones (McGregor), a British government expert in fisheries who's life becomes more interesting when a consultant named Harriet Chetwode-Talbot (Blunt), representing a wealthy Yemeni sheikh (Waked), asks for his help to fulfill the sheikh's vision to introduce salmon fishing to the desert country of Yemen, Fred rejects the idea as unfeasible. Eventually as he spends more with the sheikh, the more the idea becomes "theoretically possible." Then life becomes even more interesting when Dr. Jones begins to develop feelings for his lovely assistant Miss Chetwode-Talbot. Throw in a terrorist plot to destroy the project and Dr. Jones' world begins to unravel.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I walked into the screening for this film. However I was very surprised at how well made the film was. It helps to have a great script and screenwriter Simon Beaufoy (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, THE FULL MONTY) wrote a funny, heartfelt, and uplifting script. With Hallstrom in the director's chair, we are given a visual treat as we get to see the beauty and wonder of the Yemen. It's landscape, its people, and its culture unfold before our eyes. We also get to see some other amazing scenic wonders like a English castle and a lot of salmon!

Bringing life to a script is no easy task. It can either make or break a film. Fortunately in this film, both McGregor and Blunt give outstanding and grounded performances. The realistic acting between these two gives their on screen relationship a level of believability and realism. It's cute to watch these two go from disdain for one another to becoming colleagues and later on a couple. Also worth noting is the character of PR whiz Patricia Maxwell (an over-the-top Kristin Scott Thomas) who provides the majority of comic relief in the film. However that is not to say the McGregor hasn't got any funny lines. With his proper English accent, his humor is more dry and carefully placed so to make you smile when needed.

SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN is so far the best feel good movie of 2012. If you want to see a well made, well crafted, well acted film that will make you leave the theater with a big 'ol smile on your face, then this is the film for you. Four out of five stars!

SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN is currently playing in theaters nationwide, including at the Camera Cinemas here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cameracinemas.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends the MIDNITES FOR MANIACS "GROWING UP TOO FAST" triple feature at the Castro Theater-April 13, 2012

Hello again everybody! On Friday the 13th I traveled up to the City by the Bay (San Francisco to all you non-California residents) to attend the Midnites for Maniacs triple feature show at the world famous Castro Theatre. Hosted by the one and only Jesse Hawthorne Ficks, the theme was "Growing Up Too Fast" and the three films screened fit this theme perfectly! So let's begin, shall we?

Theatrical Movie Poster (2003)

The night started off with 35mm screening of Sofia Coppola's sophomore film LOST IN TRANSLATION. Now as hard it is to believe, this film is almost 10 years old! Now I remember when it first came out and to revisit this classic film a decade later reminds me of unearthing a time capsule. The film's about aging movie star Bob Harris (Bill Murray) who comes to Tokyo to appear in whiskey commercials. At his hotel he befriends a young and lonely newlywed named Charlotte (Scarlett Johanssen), who's husband is a popular and high demanded photographer. The two strike up a friendship that takes them out into the streets of Tokyo, and soon the two discover that life's still full of surprises.

The film caused a bit of controversy when it was first released because some found it demeaning and insulting Asian culture. However the film transformed the landscape of the indie film world and made Sofia Coppola a household name. She won an Oscar at the 2003 Academy Awards for Best Original Screenplay and was nominated for Best Director as well. Also the film transformed Murray from a comedian and SNL alumni into an art house indie film star. And let's not forget Johanssen who went on to become one of Hollywood's most popular actress. Her next film is the highly anticipated AVENGERS film, directed by BUFFY creator Joss Whedon. The movie was preceded by trailers from Coppola's other films: 1999's THE VIRGIN SUICIDES, 2006's MARIE ANTOINETTE, and her most recent film 2010's SOMEWHERE.

Click here to watch the film's original trailer.

Original Japan Poster (2000)

The second film up was the San Francisco Premiere screening of BATTLE ROYALE! Dubbed "The Mother of All Survival Films," is was based on the novel of the same name by Koushon Takami and was directed by the late Kinji Fukasaku. Now I don't want to explain the whole movie to you all, so I will just state the synopsis: In the future, the Japanese government captures a class of ninth-grade students and forces them to kill each other under the revolutionary "Battle Royale" act. Sounds brutal, doesn't it? Well guess what? It IS that brutal! But there is also some dark humor as well as some social commentary within its frames.

The film was an immediate smash in Japan but the film would be banned here in America. Why you ask? The film's graphic depiction of students killing off one another hit a little to close to home here in the states. Just a little over a year and a half prior to the film's release, on Tuesday, April 20, 1999, the Columbine Massacre accured. This tragic event left 12 students and one teacher dead, and 21 others injured. The massacre lead to debates about stricter gun control laws, the availability of fire arms (especially in the Wal-Mart superstores), and gun violence involving students. Of course, there was no way that BATTLE ROYALE would get to be imported here, especially in the Post Columbine United States. The film was banned for over 12 years, however all that changed with the release of the film THE HUNGER GAMES, which was also based on a series of novels. While the premise of GAMES sounded a lot like ROYALE it also sparked controversy. But because of GAMES, we here in the states finally received an actual and proper DVD and Blu-Ray release of BATTLE ROYALE! There's a cool 4-Disc boxset by its US distributor Anchor Bay Entertainment that just came out! So for all you peole who liked THE HUNGER GAMES, you need to pick up a copy of BATTLE ROYALE for you film library! The film was preceded by three trailers for upcoming Midnites for Maniacs shows: 1995's STRANGE DAYS, 1987's PREDATOR and 1982's THE THING.

Click here to watch the film's original trailer.

Original Japanese Poster (1977)

The third and final film of the night was the 35 anniversary screening of the 1977 Japanese art house horror film HOUSE (HAUSU). Words cannot begin to describe the plot of this film so I will do the best I can. The film is about a schoolgirl named Gorgeous who travels with her six classmates (Fanta, KunFuu, Gari/Prof, Sweet, Mac, and Melody) to her ailing aunt's country home, where they come face to face with supernatural events as the girls are, one by one, devoured by the home. What I just stated doesn't even compare to the actual experience of seeing this film on the big screen!

The film was inspired by the “eccentric musings” of Japanese director Obayashi's eleven-year-old daughter and it shows! But it is this “eccentric musings” that enabled Obayashi to create one of the most outrageous and eclectic films of all time. But it is also one of the most charming and original films ever made. Tonight's screening was from a newly struck 35mm film print from Janus Films and it looked amazing! The film never had an official film release here in America, but it was finally released on DVD and Blu-Ray in 2010 from the fine folks at the Criterion Collection (and yes yours truly owns the Blu-Ray of the film)! So if you want to see the most off-the-wall, hauntingly dreamy, funny horror film ever made, then go pick up a copy of the film! 

Click here to watch the film's original trailer. 

Tonight was another sold out show! So if you've never attended one of Jesse's shows and want to, well you're in luck my friend! The next Midnites for Maniacs show will be on Friday, May 4th at 7pm at the majestic Castro Theatre. To learn about past shows and Jesse Hawthorn Ficks, please visit his website at www.midnitesformaniacs.com. To view upcoming shows at the Castro Theatre, visit their website at www.castrotheatre.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil reviews VIETTE from the SFIAAFF 30-April 5, 2012

OK so I mentioned previously that during the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival that the screening of VIETTE was sold out. Luckily, I met the film's writer, actress Mye Hoang in between screenings and I was able to purchase a signed copy of her film on DVD. So I finally got around to watching it and all I have to say is that I wish I was able to see this film on the big screen.

In the film Hoang portrays Viette, a young Vietnamese girl who lives with her very traditional and very strict parents. But add to this equation is her very scary father (Chi Pham from the Cinequest 20 film ALL ABOUT DAD) and it only adds more stress for her. She secretly has a white boyfriend that if her parents ever found out, all hell would break loose. However (SPOILER ALERT PEOPLE!) her folks do find out about her secret love and we see her father literally explode with anger and disgust. However as time passes Viette discovers that her boyfriend isn't all that he says he is and their relationship begins to unravel.

The film is very different than your average coming of age story. It's filled with teenage lust, hopes and dreams, as well as agony, hardship, and isolation. Hoang's screenplay is based on her own life experience, with some dramatized situations. But on has to wonder what was real and what made up for the film! Hoang is absolutely riveting in the film and her direction is sharp and precise. However the one flaw I had with the film was that while it took place over the course of several years, there were no time statements, such as "One Week Later" or "6 Months Later" or "One Year Later." This would have helped with the time lapses between certain scenes, but this in my only minor grip.

Overall VIETTE is an astounding and emotional film that really captures teen angst and rebellion as well as introducing us to one of Asian cinema's newest voices! The film will be screened at the 2012 LA Asian Pacific Film Festival May 10th-20th. So if you live in Southern California, make sure you see this film! Also you can visit the film's official website at http://undertowpictures.com/.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends the 100th Anniversary celebration of Broncho Billy & the Essanay Studios coming to Niles-April 1, 2012

It's hard to believe that it's been 100 years since film history was made in Niles, California! What's that you say? You've never heard of Niles? Well then, before I begin this review, let me rewind time and take you on a brief history ride.

In 1903, a young theatre actor named Gilbert M. Anderson acted in the first movie western called THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY, directed by Edwin S. Porter for the Edison Manufacturing Company. Based on the huge success of the film, Anderson went on to appear in several other films for other film companies. A couple of years later he ended up in Chicago where he met George Spoor, a business man who owned several nickelodeon theatres. Soon the two formed a partnership and thus the Essanay Film Manufacturing Company was born. The name Essanay is the first letter of the last name of these men: "S" for Spoor and "A" for Anderson. Spoor would make dramas and comedies in Chicago while Anderson traveled out west making westerns. Anderson would act in a film series as the character Broncho Billy, thus becoming the first western superstar. He traveled around making his films while looking for the ideal area to settle down at. He found what he was looking for in the town of Niles, just 36 miles south of San Francisco. With the perfect weather, a town full of real cowboys, and the scenic Niles Canyon, Anderson knew he found his home. So on April 1, 1912, he along with 52 employees arrived in Niles, and thus film history was made. Between 1912-1916, the Essanay studios made over 350 films here at their state of the art movie studio as well as on location throughout the area. For about three months in 1915, it was also the home for an up and coming comedian named Charlie Chaplin. By 1916, there were problems forming between Spoor and Anderson, which resulted with Anderson selling his share of the company to Spoor. In February of that same year, Spoor shut down the western branch of the Essanay Studios. Even though Anderson and his crew were only in Niles for four years, their impact on the film world still resonates, which leads to today's celebration!

Gilbert M. Anderson as Broncho Billy.

There was plenty for silent film fans to do. There was the Sunol Train ride through Niles Canyon (which I highly recommend you do sometime soon because it's a lot of fun!), a cool costume contest, a parade and a big presentation in the town square. But the cool stuff was at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum, where they were having a look back on the life of Gilbert Anderson and of the Essanay Studios.

The first thing shown was BRONCHO BILLY, THE FIRST REEL COWBOY, a PBS made documentary made in 1998 for Arkansas Education Television. This half hour doc chronicled the life of Anderson; from his birth in Pine Bluff, Arkansas to co-founding the Esssanay Film Company with George Spoor. Also when visiting Pine Bluff, there is a large mural dedicated to its favorite son, so make sure you check it out! Also appearing in the documentary was the museum's own historian David Kiehn. His book BRONCHO BILLY AND THE ESSANAY FILM COMAPNY is required reading for all you silent film buffs so make sure you get one. If you purchase a copy at the museum you can get your copy singed by David himself!

Up next the museum showed about twenty minutes of an interview that Anderson conducted back in the late 1950's. It was for a British television show, which the interview ran for an hour. Now as a film buff, I would love to see the episode in its entirely, but these brief selections were a real treat to see.

Then it was intermission time, but the show continues with:

THE MOVIES GO WEST: a 1974 short film hosted by former Essanay actor Hal Angus, who was well in his 80's when he appeared in the film. Angus took us back in time when movies were still being made in Niles while recalling some great information about not only Anderson, but of the Essanay studios and all the fun they had making these silent film classics. We even got to see the old Essanay barn (their first studio in Niles before the state of the art studio was built) before it was condemned and torn down. The old barn door was saved and now it's part of a museum exhibit somewhere.

The last film shown was WHEN THE MOVIES CAME FROM NILES from 1964. This hour long film was narrated by Bill Cato: a real life cowboy and actor who worked at the Essanay studio and was also Broncho Billy's occasional riding double. We hear Cato recalling how much fun it was making these films for the studio and how mush pride they had making them. We also hear the voice of Anderson as well. All in all, this was an amazing film to see and hope to see it again soon!

Now you might think that the celebration is all over, but guess what? The party isn't over yet folks! Remember the museum is open from 12pm-4pm every Saturday and Sunday. And let's not forget the Saturday night silent film screenings starting at 7:30pm (doors open at 7pm). So if you haven't yet, head on down to the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum and be part of film history! To learn more about the museum and to view their film schedule, visit their website at http://www.nilesfilmmuseum.org/

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!