Streamathon - Underseen Americana

Streamathon - Underseen Americana

Underseen Americana (May 2018)

Preface: This is part of an ongoing blog series of curated movie marathons that are thematically or otherwise tied together. The other common factor tying these films together will be their availability to watch them all from the comfort of your own home on various streaming platforms. The goal is that writing this blog will somehow justify the excessive number of streaming platforms I subscribe to. The films will be found on some combination of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Mubi, FilmStruck, Shudder and/or Fandor. These titles will be available for the month that the blog is published. All of these subscriptions offer free trials so feel free to dive in and follow along… Have fun. Just don’t message me for my login information.

By: Emery Martin-Snyder

I’ve done just enough travelling around this country to realize how possible it is to step off of a plane somewhere and into a completely different world. Different regions have different values and tenets and the people that make this up are even more diverse. Cinema, like any other art form, is created through the societal lens. It can and should serve as a window into this world’s lesser seen landscapes. These are some films that celebrate those little corners of our Nation that most will never experience first-hand.

The Stream

45365 (2010)

Directed by Bill Ross IV & Turner Ross – Streaming on Vimeo

The title refers to the zip code of Sidney, Ohio, the small town that the filmmaking brothers grew up in. This is a documentary without any real narrative. It follows a small judicial election, the high school football season and about a half dozen other small day-to-day dealings of the various locals. The filmmakers never interject, just quietly observe. It’s hard to articulate what works so well here and why this film is so engrossing. It is filmed through an obviously affectionate gaze for the community, warts and all. I don’t know if the audience is supposed to share in that affection but it’s impossible not to appreciate the love on display.

COLUMBUS (2017)

Directed by Kogonada – Streaming on Hulu

In case you didn’t know, Columbus, Indiana is a mecca of modern architecture. If you already did know that, you are likely a student of architecture or you’ve seen this film. I made the point last month that Parker Posey is a national treasure. This film seconds that motion with a small but critical performance. Haley Lu Richardson however is somewhat of a revelation.  If you are going to set a film amidst the backdrop of all of these beautiful structures, you better be shooting it with interesting angels and blocking. Cinematographer, Elisha Christian does just that with confidence and grace. This is a melancholy story and the camerawork and score treats its characters and setting with weight and respect.

DOWN BY LAW (1986)

Directed by Jim Jarmusch – Streaming on FilmStruck

The acting trio of John Lurie, Tom Waits and Roberto Benigni probably seems pretty odd for anything other than a Jim Jarmusch film. His specific sensibilities just seem to make it work beautifully. Honestly, I could have picked a number of his films to fit this topic. He has a knack for exploring many of this country’s lesser known settings. In this one, we are treated to the underbelly of New Orleans, Louisiana. The dilapidated motels, back alleys and swamplands are shot in some the most gorgeous and crisp black and white cinematography by Robby Müller. Eighties Arthouse has never looked so good.

THE FLORIDA PROJECT (2017)

Directed by Sean Baker – Streaming on Amazon Prime Video

I think this ended up as my favorite film from last year. It tells the story of the impoverished communities that live in the shadows of the happiest place on Earth.  The extended stay motels of Orlando, Florida provide our backdrop for what is ostensibly a heartbreaking story. But to this film’s credit, it never seems to pity its subjects, nor does it glorify them. The film’s heart is in newcomer Brooklynn Prince’s “Moonee” but its soul is found in what may be Willem Dafoe’s best performance ever. And that’s a pretty big deal.

GOOK (2017)

Directed by Justin Chon – Streaming on Netflix

There is no shortage of movies that take place in the City of Angels. This one however, is a few miles and a couple of light years away from “La La Land”. This is a small story taking place in LA’s Koreatown during the Rodney King Riots of ‘92. Written and directed by its star Justin Chon, this film reminds me a lot of the best Spike Lee films from the nineties.  This script is far more mature and well-grounded than what most would expect from a young filmmaker. 

RIVER OF GRASS (1994)

Directed by Kelly Reichardt – Streaming on Amazon Prime Video & Hulu

This is an unfortunately underseen and underappreciated film that tends to get forgotten amongst the nineties American independent movement.  There is really no reason that Kelly Reichardt’s name shouldn’t be mentioned in the same breath of Tarantino, Smith or Sayles. The title refers to its location, a strip of the Florida Everglades not typically camera-ready. The story Reichardt tells here is small, quaint, often times funny and absolutely heartbreaking. Most importantly, I feel that this film is comfortably relatable to the large swaths of us that grew up in the less than picturesque landscapes that are rarely seen on the big screen.

Random Cinematic Year In Review - 1928

A Random Cinematic Year In Review

1928

Preface: I have decided to write this series at least in part because I don't make it out to see new films very often and I've found that I spent too much time at the end of the year attempting to see all the big releases (many of which I'm not even interested in) for no other reason than to make an obligatory 'year end list'... This is a way that I can continue writing about films without feeling the pressure to see a bunch of stuff that I wouldn't otherwise take the time to. I'll still see most of them eventually, just on my own time. I use a random number generator to pick a year and I use letterboxd.com to determine the actual release year.

By: Emery Martin-Snyder

The year 1928 was the last year of a time that would end up being coined “The Prosperity Decade” by economists. It is primarily called this in retrospect because of the economic contrast of the “Great Depression” years that immediately followed. The good fortune of this time period also allowed for a significant amount of both cultural and technological advancements. So grab your cloche hat and flapper dress (I have no idea what I’m talking about) and let’s take a look.

The world of medicine would see one of its greatest achievements in 1928. While everyone else was busy dancing the Charleston and the Foxtrot, a Scottish physician named Alexander Fleming was discovering penicillin while researching influenza. Although it took about 14 years before it was used medically, this discovery has become the basis for how we treat bacterial infections that previously could have been life threatening. Today, billions of standard units of penicillin are consumed worldwide, each year.

Next, maybe the most recognizable figures of the past century was born in this year. Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse was featured in the short film, STEAMBOAT WILLIE. This was one of the earliest films to successfully synchronize sound into and animated cartoon. And the world would be forever changed. Today, the Walt Disney Company is worth about $55 Billion.

And, where would Mickey be today if it weren’t for another revolutionary invention of 1928? Appliance companies, RCA and GE installed the first 3 television “sets” this year in Schenectady, New York. I had to put “sets” in quotation marks because they were only 1.5 inches wide and there was nothing to watch on them. Later that year, WGY, Schenectady began broadcasting regular TV programming. It was a half an hour a day, three times a week, and it primarily focused on farm and weather news.

This invention would later prove to be the best thing since sliced bread. Back then, that wasn’t really saying that much because guess what else was invented in 1928... That’s right, the Chillicothe Baking Company of Missouri was the first to use Otto Frederick Rohwedder’s automatic bread slicing machine. Before that, consumers had to slice their own bread like a bunch of suckers. I would have starved to death.

Some great films came out this year as well. Officially, we had entered the sound era a year prior with THE JAZZ SINGER but all the best films were still silent. And some of the greatest filmmakers in the world were doing great work.

EMERY'S NOTABLE 5

5 – SPIES (Directed by Fritz Lang)

This is a very complex and twisted spy plot and at times, it’s hard to follow. But I think that just adds to its overall charm. Like all of Lang’s films, there are several scenes constructed absolutely beautifully here. He uses the running time of 145 minutes to a great suspenseful effect. Every time I watch early Lang, I can’t help but think of David Fincher.

4 – THE CIRCUS (Directed by Charlie Chaplin)

Typical, run-of-the-mill Chaplin is nothing to scoff at. If you’re into his work, it’s hard to dislike anything he’s done. This film would mark the end of Chaplin’s era of light-hearted comedies and it contains some of his best gags. Considering the setting and Chaplin’s style, he probably could have made this a longer flick. It clocks in at a lean 72 minutes. Interestingly, Chaplin was originally nominated by the Academy for Best Actor. Instead, they decided to remove his name from consideration and hand him an Honorary Oscar for “versatility and genius in acting, writing, directing and producing THE CIRCUS”…. He also edited this film and composed the score.

3 – THE CROWD (Directed By King Vidor)

“MONTHS… ENDLESS MONTHS. The crowd laughs with you always…. But it will cry with you for only a day.”

This is a story about the struggles of mediocrity and ambition in an industrialized world. This film tackles themes that you wouldn’t typically expect to find from this time. Personal identity and your own insignificance are subjects that we see much more in modern cinema from filmmakers like Charlie Kaufman or Darren Aronofsky. It’s actually very fascinating to see that yesterday’s population faces the same trials and tribulations that are so prevalent today.

2 – STEAMBOAT BILL JR. (Directed by Buster Keaton & Charles Reisner)

Although this is not my personal favorite Keaton film, it has a great collection of some of his best stunts. Keaton meticulously engineered his stunts with the utmost precision and it’s always amazing. Some of the stuff he pulled off was incredibly dangerous. There’s no possible way that this type of filmmaking would fly in today’s industry. I’m sure glad they captured it on film.

1 – THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC (Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer)

This is my absolute favorite silent film and one of my favorite films period. Maria Falconetti’s performance is often called the greatest ever in film, and for good reason. Mesmerizing and heartbreaking, her face tells the story of a young woman condemned to death for her unwavering faith. The despair that comes from her brow alone is enough to break you in half. Her performance by itself would make this a great film. But Dreyer’s direction along with Rudoph Maté’s cinematography was absolutely revolutionary. Before this picture, the medium was seen by many critics primarily as a lesser form of pulp entertainment. It was not considered to have true artistic value. This film definitively ended that debate.

Streamathon - Mental Health Issues (Nov. 2017)

Streamathon 

Mental Health Issues (November 2017)

Preface: This is part of an ongoing blog series of curated movie marathons that are thematically or otherwise tied together. The other common factor tying these films together will be their availability to watch them all from the comfort of your own home on various streaming platforms. The goal is that writing this blog will somehow justify the excessive number of streaming platforms I subscribe to. The films will be found on some combination of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Mubi, FilmStruck, Shudder and/or Fandor. These titles will be available for the month that the blog is published. All of these subscriptions offer free trials so feel free to dive in and follow along… Have fun. Just don’t message me for my login information.

By: Emery Martin-Snyder

Mental health is quite frankly not something that is openly discussed enough. There is a very unfortunate stigma attached to mental health that makes is difficult for most to open up. I’m not trying to say anything too profound here, I actually just happened upon a very good crop of films this month that deal with this topic so I thought I’d share.

These issues have been a staple in cinema for a very long time, especially in horror. These ailments have been the catalyst for a wide variety of deranged killers like Peter Lorre’s character in Fritz Lang’s masterpiece M (1931). Or even earlier than that, they have been used to create an unreliable narrator like the one in Robert Wiene’s THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI (1920). Other genres tie in the illness to serve family dramas that tell heartfelt stories such as Lasse Hallstöm’s WHAT’S EATING GILBERT GRAPE (’93) or Barry Levinson’s RAIN MAIN (’88).

The Stream

BENNY & JOON (1993) 

Directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik – Streaming on Hulu

We’ll start off pretty light with some Buster Keaton stylings via Johnny Depp and his quirky performance. Mary Stuart Masterson plays Joon, a young woman afflicted with schizophrenia that can’t be left to take care of herself. She eventually ends up in a group home where she meets Johnny Depp’s character, Sam. I’m sure most thirty-somethings have at least a nostalgic affinity for this film. It’s worth a second look. Depp’s performance is so much fun to watch and I appreciate how it lets the character’s personalities and charisma breathe through the plot. It’s pretty sweet.

TAKE SHELTER (2011) 

Directed by Jeff Nichols – Streaming on Shutter

This film has some scary moments but don’t let the fact that it’s currently streaming on Shudder fool you into thinking it’s a horror film. It’s a beautiful family drama that I think it criminally underseen. Michael Shannon plays a man with a family history of paranoid schizophrenia that may or may not be succumbing to his illness. Sometimes the beauty of a film is in its isolation. This isolation comes from the perspective of the character that the story is being told from. When the two possible outcomes of the story are apocalyptic doom or total mental collapse, it’s hard to decide which would be worse. Both will lead to the end of the world as we (the audience) know it. This film is tense, depressing, hopeful and beautiful and everyone should see it.

THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY (1961) 

Directed by Ingmar Bergman – Streaming on FilmStruck

I was tempted to leave this film off of this list because when I first saw it, I had no idea what it was about. And I think that was probably a little more effective. Harriet Andersson pulls together one of her many amazing performances for Bergman. I think this is her best by far though. Her depiction is one of the desperation of a woman perfectly aware of her own condition yet powerless to do anything about it. Be warned, this is not the happiest film you will ever see. It’s devastating… and beautiful.

THE VOICES (2014) 

Directed by Marjane Satrapi – Streaming on Netflix

Speaking of great performances, this is Ryan Reynolds’ best work. He is on another level with this one. He plays a man battling with schizophrenia who takes his queues from his talking cat and dog (also voiced by Reynolds.) Although this picture starts out as an absurdist dark comedy, it very quickly turns extra dark. This really works for me.

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN (2011) 

Directed by Lynn Ramsay – Streaming on Netflix

If there’s ever been a cinematic call to action for more openness and discussion about mental health, this would be it. This film tells the story of a disturbed teenager with sociopathic tendencies through a series of flashbacks experienced by his mother. Unfortunately, we realize very quickly that the time for intervention has passed. This picture is shot beautifully with just a touch of surrealism that you find typical of Lynn Ramsay’s work. Often times punishing, I wouldn’t tell you to watch this if I didn’t think it was rewarding.

WHAT ABOUT BOB? (1991) 

Directed by Frank Oz – Streaming on Hulu

I bookended this marathon with some pretty light choices. That’s because I do them alphabetically but let’s just pretend that I had a greater design in mind. This film should work as the perfect palate cleanser after the emotional punishment endured by the rest of this list. Bill Murray plays an anxiety riddled patient of Dr. Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss)…hilarity ensues. I don’t really know if this film passes 2017’s sensitivity test in reference to its treatment of the multitude of anxieties and phobias discussed here but you know, it’s Bill Murray acting goofy for 90 minutes. Let’s just say that this one’s in here for your mental health.

Far From The Madding Crowd

Far From The Madding Crowd

Dir: Thomas Vinterberg

Starring: Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts, Tom Sturridge, Michael Sheen, Juno Temple, and Jessica Barden

Thomas Hardy crafted the literary classic “Far From The Madding Crowd” in 1874. The first film version of the novel was brought to the screen by director John Schlesinger in 1967 and starred Julie Christie as the strong willed and passionate picture of feminine independence, Bathsheba Everdene. Updated again by director Thomas Vinterberg, who last helmed the exceptional film “The Hunt”, and Hardy’s story of a restricted world and the decisions and complications of life and love comes to adoring life behind the exceptionally skills of actress Carey Mulligan and a director who understands how to balance superficial romanticism, period charm, and melodrama into a film that is far more interesting than it might look.

Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan) is a poised, proper, and determined woman who wants to live a life under on her own free willed guidance. Society in Victorian England however has other impressions of how a woman should be, which is basically living a life without much personal freedom while being forced into the established structures of societal expectation and formal customs. Bathsheba’s life begins to change after an inheritance comes her way, however not before she meets a farmer named Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts) who has an unquestionable passion for her. Bathsheba comes to be the owner of her own farm. Mr. Oak comes to work for her, a wealthy farm owner is in want of a wife, and a soldier mourning lost love stumbles upon her property; these men further complicate the life Bathsheba is trying to forge for herself.

Bathsheba Everdene is a picture of confidence and power at a time when woman where restricted to lives established and influenced by the decisions of men. Bathsheba is a female character that admires love but not at the expense of the responsibilities and ambitions that drive her pursuit of personal control.  Her direct and impatient nature is somewhat quieted by her kind and honorable character. She is unique and the men who meet her clearly find these attributes attractive. Vinterberg builds on these characteristics throughout, turning Bathsheba into an enigma of sorts when she is proposed with offers from the opposite sex. It’s surprisingly charming and comedic considering the morbid source material. In many ways it becomes similar to the best-composed romantic comedies today, offering a laid-back and enjoyable quality. Whether in scenes where Bathsheba shrewdly thwarts the propositions of her male suitors, some directly asking for her hand in marriage, or in scenes where she struggles with the indecisions of which man she should choose. This prospect of choice is one the narrative utilizes cleverly, trudging Bathsheba through bad choices and restarting the spinning wheel of choice for another path. While this works for most of the film, there are moments when it undermines the keen sensibilities established to the character in the beginning.

 The pleasing aesthetic, costumes and sets, and the beautiful photography, the glow of fading sunsets and vibrant landscapes, fill every frame. The cast is great, especially Carey Mulligan who makes Bathsheba strong, thoughtful, and enchanting. Matthias Schoenaerts establishes Mr. Oak as a deeply passionate character in unwavering pursuit of love. Thomas Vinterberg and screenwriter David Nicholls turn what could have been a tedious period drama into a buoyant romantic comedy that will undeniably garner its fair share of final act swoons for Bathsheba and the choice in love she ultimately makes.

Monte’s Rating

4.00 out of 5.00