A quick personal summation of this years edition of the Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival: First off, as Ive mentioned before, this is easily my favorite Buffalo film festival, but this year in particular, they had a really amazing slate of films! Even when I dont like the films -- for instance, last year, there were a few I couldnt get into (WRATH OF THE CROWS) or downright hated (Albert Pyuns ROAD TO HELL), but I still enjoyed the festival. I figure thats just part of the programming crapshoot. But, holy cow, THIS year all the films I made it to were either pretty good or excellent! I only wish I couldve seen all of them. Highlights: - Co-writer/director Korey Greens THE ROMANS with its epic cast of characters and storytelling. Actually, I was impressed with Koreys soft-spoken confidence a week earlier when he was on the Screenwriting Panel at the Buffalo Film Expo. - 6 BULLETS TO HELL - This movie was so much fun channeling the 70s spaghetti western so authentically, that any fan of Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone couldnt resist its charm. Added bonus was co-director and star villain Tanner Beards Q&A regaling the appreciative audience with great stories from behind the scenes. For instance, Terence Hills horse from the THEY CALL ME NOBODY movies was in the equine cast (he was the slower horse)! - Although I enjoyed the comedy of Brett Kellys James Bond spoof, SPYFALL (my favorite gag was the guy stabbed in the back), I found his Q&A fascinating as he discussed the film and also what its like being a director/producer with a reputation for being able to crank out low-budget films to order. - GAVE UP THE GHOST (short subject) - Thrilled I was able to finally see this Gregory Lamberson helmed, Jeff Strand written film because I missed its premiere screening. The entire cast was delightful, but always glad to see John R Renna on the screen working that ridiculous magic of his, and although I only knew Drew Bialys name from FB, it was great to actually see him in action, because he was pretty good! I think I also saw Drew in a short subject or two at a student screening of films at Buff State earlier in the year as well. - EL INCIDENTE/THE INCIDENT - An anticipated highlight when it was announced as a festival selection, it didm not disappoint. It was great seeing writer/director Isaac Ezban back in Buffalo from Mexico City after having first met him a couple years ago at Buffalo Screams when I saw his memorable short subject COSA FEAS twice. Ezbans first feature had a strangely simple premise that asked a lot of questions and offered lots for the audience to contemplate during the film and afterwards. Excellent cast and performances, and great production design throughout. What made the screening even more memorable was the lengthy Q&A afterwards with Isaac and some really great stories, including casting the older actors, coming up with a great promo item to hand out at festivals (I just saw EL INCIDENTE and all I got was this shit-- and I JUST got the pun!) and about transporting it across the border. On a personal note, I kept bumping into Isaac in the bathroom upstairs, three days in a row. So, wed have these great little conversations every day, so he was sorely missed when he returned to Mexico halfway through the festival. But, SOME day, I hope to make it to Mexico City and check out the drive-in hes a co-owner of. - THE SHOWER - Writer/director Alex Drummonds excellent ensemble cast horror movie was a definite highlight, with thoughtful writing that focused on character and direction. And his parents were in the audience! - I finally saw 13 yr old Hope Muehlbauers short film ZOMBIE KIDS, and man, not only did it not disappoint, it was one of my personal favorite films of the fest. Yes, this is the movie that choked me up. At the beginning, part of its charm is knowing the film is made by a young filmmaker, and there are moments you can point out that indicate that. But as Gregory Lamberson has pointed out, the last act is astounding. Hopes use and choice of music throughout is excellent, but her filmmaking actually matures before your eyes and the timing of it provides an emotional wallop. And its a freaking zombie movie featuring a cats of kids! Unbelievable awesome moment of the festival for me. - Tuesdays block of short local films, HANDS LIKE SUITCASES (director Chris Cosgrave), SCOPE OF PRACTICE (Brandyn T. Williams) and THE OUTLAW: EVIL WOMEN (Aceifer and Fawn Genovese) was quite a spectrum of material. HANDS was a literal blast from the past, made 17 years ago and showing a radically transformed Chris Cosgrave, who, in his youth, looked a lot like Ryan Gosling-- weirdly fascinating. But the filmmaking was phenomenal and a total shot of adrenalin. Unbelievably, I found Chriss Q&A and discussion of how he made some of the effects work and the various generations of dubbing and formats he used to get it from Hi-8 to DVD for the festival also a thrilling and inspirational segment. I know Chris only in the most superficial sense, but I came away from this screening really impressed by him as a filmmaker. SCOPE was a solidly put together drama and Brandyn is another local filmmaker whom Ive only spoken to and know briefly. But from what Ive been reading over the past couple years from his FB posts and related social media, he always struck me as being very serious about wanting to be a quality filmmaker and always striving to achieve a high standard with any project hes associated. SCOPE was a good example of that, showing excellent production values all the way around in front and behind the camera. Bobby Gott had a small part in the film and came up during the Q&A as well, and that seems appropriate, because it seems all the films Bobbys been involved with also have a distinct higher level of production value (like B.O.Y.D. and BROKEN WINGS). The EVIL WOMEN episode of the THE OUTLAW continues the series reputation for insane plotting, characters and visuals. Sometimes the low-budget aspect of the filmmaking would peek through, but for the most part it offered several memorable moments, including the casting of Penthouses Jolene Hexx and also Bill Browns brain searing appearance, something which was difficult to forget even when I saw him briefly on-screen the next day as a poet at open mic in FRIENDS DONT LET FRIENDS DATE FRIENDS. Cool to know that Ace plans on continuing the Outlaw series forever..! - Speaking of which, FRIENDS DONT LET FRIENDS DATE FRIENDS from writer/director Rhonda Parker was a delightful ensemble character study anchored by actress Amelia Favata but featuring good performances all around. A romantic comedy with some dramatic elements, with nods overt and subliminal to filmmakers John Hughes and Kevin Smith, both of whom were acknowledged by Rhonda during her Q&A (with a huge line of the films cast at her side) as two big filmmaking influences for her. The film also does a nice job of having a happy ending without tying up things too neatly. I really look forward to Rhondas future projects, which should be interesting on their own, but also I hope to get to know her more as well because she seems like an intriguing personality. - ELIZABETH BATHORY - I saw this locally made film once before at the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival earlier this year and thats where I also met one of the stars of it, Tilke Hill, who, not surprisingly, won a Buffalo Dreams acting award for her part in it. This film is a good example of the acting talent in the area and also how the local horror genre film has many more possibilities to explore than the most obvious display of blood and screams (not that Im complaining about blood and screams, Im just saying thats not the only method of effectively working the genre). The film has excellent production values and an inventive use of its locations, including the Armory, to get across the time period of its historical subject. - There were a few other short subjects that were worth noting: writer/director Lynne Hansens CHOMP, which looked great and was very funny, featuring a funny cast and script, and it was interesting to hear the struggles Lynne had during the production to get the film made; THE HEEBIE-JEEBIES was very entertaining; SIGN was actually a commercial promoting local writer, filmmaker and Buff State professor, Lou Reras new book SIGN and it was very well done, with great production values, two involving performances and shot in Silo City and directed by Joe Blodgett; STARS was a very short film (5 minutes), somewhat experimental in tone, that was extremely well made and showed an atypical filmmaking sensibility that was partly a result of the original restrictions imposed on the filmmaker (there was a tight deadline for a contest), but during the Q&A, you got a sense that this young filmmaker (whose name, unfortunately, I cant remember except for Ian) just looked at things a little differently, and definitely not in a bad way. Hopefully welil see more of this dudes films, too. Okay, thats more or less a quick overview. Im still hoping to do some specific reviews on my blog, but Rod Durick IIs recent status on his take of Buffalo Dreams kind of urge me write this post. So, blame him!
Posted on: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 19:32:54 +0000