[SXSW Interview] Jim Murphy (Lava)
[This interview was originally published during our SXSW 2015 coverage. It’s being re-posted to coincide with Inside Out's theatrical release.]
Video by Elijah Alvarado
Pixar is renowned for their ability to tell captivating stories that can not only appeal to a large audience, but do so by tapping into very real emotions. Lava, the new short by first-time director Jim Murphy, tells the story of a volcano who yearns for someone to love as millions of years pass. In this short clip from our interview with Murphy during SXSW, he discusses the inspiration behind Lava and even performs a part of the Lava song, as well. Prepare to have the song stuck in your head for days!
Lava will premiere in front of Inside Out when it comes to theaters June 19th.
[SXSW Interview] Paul Feig and Melissa McCarthy (Spy)
Video by Elijah Alvarado.
To coincide with the film's theatrical release, we are re-releasing our Spy interviews from this year's SXSW.
Paul Feig has risen up as one of Hollywood's best directors for comedies thanks to films like Bridesmaids and his penchant for creating strong female characters in a socially-aware landscape that asks for such positive depictions. It's this specific point that I wanted to hear more of from both Feig and Spy lead actress Melissa McCarthy (who also played a supporting role in Bridesmaids). I got the chance to do exactly that during a roundtable interview with Feig and a short red carpet interview with McCarthy ahead of Spy's SXSW premiere on March 15th.
[Review] Unfriended
Unfriended
Director: Leo Gabriadze
Rating: N/A
Release Date: March 13, 2015 (SXSW)
Billed as ushering in "a new era of horror," Unfriended had quite the tagline to live up to leading up to its SXSW premiere. As technology and horror continue to grow alongside one another, many young filmmakers are utilizing creative ways to incorporate what's become everyday life into the genre that loves to twist and subvert it. Something that has been toyed around with in recent years is utilizing multiple "screens" to tell the story. For example, Nacho Vigalondo's Open Windows told the entire film through screens a la security cameras, laptops, cell phones, etc.
Similar to the aforementioned film comes Unfriended, but raises the stakes (and technical difficulty) of telling a gripping, compelling horror film completely through a teenage girl's laptop. Does Unfriended ultimately succeed in its attempt of truly ushering in this new era of horror, or does it become yet another failed attempt to modernize horror films?
[youtube id="Zha4RNos8vo"]
On the anniversary of their high school classmate Laura Barns' (Heather Sossaman) death, Blaire (Shelley Hennig), Mitch (Moses Jacob Storm), Jess (Renee Olstead), Adam (Will Peltz), Ken (Jacob Wysocki) and Val (Courtney Halverson) are having a normal night, video Skyping one another. However, a mysterious, unseen stranger named "billie227" claims to be Laura and is seeking revenge for a humiliating video that led to her suicide. To accomplish this, "billie227" pits the friends against one another as their deepest secrets are revealed, threatening to not only ruin friendships, but could lead to untimely deaths.
The film can be a bit jarring to watch as everything plays out through Blaire's laptop, immersing the audience and having them become a part of the film as another unseen voyeur watching high schoolers fight amongst one another. At the same time, it's very reflective of our modern society where technology has replaced such intimate meetings just a generation earlier would have by physically meeting one another. While I'm only in my late 20s, I never experienced group Skype calls with people outside of conference calls for work, so the immersion of contemporary high schoolers' interactions and essentially becoming "one of them" adds an extra layer of tension once the horror truly begins.
It's easy for experimental genre films to be forgotten once the festival circuit has ended, but Unfriended is definitely not one that will be forgotten easily. With NBC Universal's backing, the film is destined to have some minor success at the box office, and will find a devoted audience. It may not reach Paranormal Activity levels, but I can see Unfriended serving as a stepping stone to both cast and crew alike.
[SXSW Interview] Raekwon
[youtube id="CyNi47D0DqQ"]
Video by Elijah Alvarado
During SXSW last month, we had the chance to catch up with RH homie Raekwon The Chef. Rae talked to us about his crowdfunding campaign for "The Purple Tape Files" a documentary based on the making of his debut album "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx." This year marks the 20th anniversary of the project that not only solidified Rae as a solo artist but one of the best MC in Hip-Hop. We also talked about the creative process for his new upcoming album Fly International Luxurious Art (F.I.L.A). He discusses collaborations on the project with A$AP Rocky, Rick Ross, and bringing in new producers to the fold. Check out the first part of the interview above and the second part below.
[youtube id="eoikBh_se0M"]
Steven Piet, Erik Crary, John Ashton (Uncle John)
Photo by Emily Reas
Uncle John was one of my favorite films from SXSW this year, as is not-so-subtly hinted at in my review of the film, because of the film's invitation to explore its characters. And what better way is there to discuss a film than meeting with its writers, directors, and lead actor? Just a short period of time before Uncle John's premiere at SXSW on March 16th, I sat down with the film's co-writers and co-directors Steven Piet and Erik Crary, as well as Uncle John himself, John Ashton. Read on as we discuss the film's story structure, inspirations, and more!
[RH Photos] The Culture Clash at SXSW 2015
Photos by AngieStarPhoto
SXSW came and went yet again this year, and as Austin cleans it's streets and goes back to normal, many of us out-of-towners are back home still recollecting the culture combo we were part of. Whether you're from Chicago, Atlanta, California, Texas, New York City, the UK, or anywhere else in the world, SXSW has become a place where anyone can come to mix culture, share art, collaborate, and eat endless delicious food options. In the past week, I've received more CDs, mixtape downloads, Instagram followers, and openly met more strangers and brand ambassadors than I ever have.
SXSW truly is a festival of its own kind. There's much more than music, film showcases and conferences, as it's more of a combination of Texan culture, art, food, and most of all, a diversity in people. Outside of the local "Keep Austin Weird" types, you have endless writers, bloggers, photographers, videographers, musicians, and actors from all over just trying to stick out and be seen or heard, and all in an open, free spirited form. Most intriguingly, it's all random... one minute you could be listening to a rock band on Rainey Street and the next you're bumping into Wiz Khalifa downtown, then backstage with comedian Hannibal Buress and Chance the Rapper at the Fader Fort (true story). And right when you think you've seen or experienced the most random scenario, someone else will share an even more random story with you. It's on open environment that connects all types of people and this is what loved to capture on the festival. I'm not saying it wasn't fun shooting the performances at various venues, but it was the wandering, behind-the-scenes, spontaneous perspective I loved the most - the plethora of food trucks were a definite plus.
Here are some photos I gathered that I feel capture the essence of the people and scenery while walking around at SXSW. From locals, to people of all ages from different parts of the world, to the food scene, culture, ambiance, and most of all, the great American gem that is Austin, Texas. Find more photos here.
Uncle John
Uncle John
Director: Steven Piet
Rating: N/A
Release Date: March 16, 2015 (SXSW)
Anxiety and tension can be a film's greatest assets when used appropriately. Sure, horror films may rely on supernatural entities, quick scares, and gore to frighten audiences, but nothing is more harrowing than watching the slow build of something sinister you're not quite sure of, and the anxiety over waiting for it to reach a head. The best psychological thrillers can take the slow build and create an unease that we can all relate to, given the genre's tendency to stay grounded in its narrative and characters. At the same time, we don't always find ourselves in scenarios where a mysterious disappearance affects us directly. Rather, we find our tension and anxiety within our interactions with everyday people, especially in regards to romantic pursuits.
Uncle John takes the elements of harboring a secret in a small town and the tension caused by a budding romance between a manager and her employee to create a hybrid psychological thriller/indie romance that, despite my inadequate summary of the film's tone, works extremely soundly and shows that combining two vastly differing genres into one film can be done successfully.
[youtube id="N9h7y-kPGs0"]
A small-tight knight community in a small Illinois town is stunned when a man known for his rambunctious past goes missing following a round of personal apologies as a means of atonement. Unbeknownst to everybody but the missing man's brother, Danny (Ronnie Gene Blevins), the anonymous and unthreatening John (John Ashton) has everything to do with the disappearance, but his calm, friendly demeanor hides his dark secrets. Meanwhile, a graphic designer in Chicago named Ben (Alex Moffat) finds himself facing his own tension when a new project manager, Kate (Jenna Lyng), is assigned to work with him. While their interactions are cordial, they soon begin to grow closer to one another, despite the social scrutiny of workplace relationships. Each narrative converges into one when Ben pays John a visit as both men must overcome their respective tension to deal with the secrets they hide.
As I mentioned in the introduction, I'm doing a terrible job at summarizing the film, because while the overall sweeping dual narratives are enough to entice curious viewers, the true strength of the film is found in the nuances of the direction, tone, and performances. It's hard to simply capture those feelings into words without spoiling the film, especially in one like Uncle John where the payoff is not only satisfying, it leads viewers down a path of character analysis in which they try to decipher each characters' true natures and intentions.
Honestly, I can try as hard as I can to best praise Uncle John, but it truly is one of those remarkable films where you'll enjoy it more going into it blind. Uncle John is perfect for cinephiles that love to dissect and analyze every aspect of a film, but also has enough appeal to attract casual viewers. One thing is clear: Uncle John is the type of film you'll enjoy debating and discussing with other film fanatics after multiple viewings. Isn't that what the medium is all about?
[SXSW Interview] RKSS (Writers/Directors of Turbo Kid)
[youtube id="6iaej16hryc"]
Video by Elijah Alvarado.
If you missed my review of Turbo Kid, I highly recommend reading that soon. It was, hands down, my favorite film out of SXSW 2015, and one I'll have no problem championing and supporting in the upcoming months as it begins to play across the rest of the country. It's been such a long while since a film's hype and buzz was lived up to, making Turbo Kid that much more enjoyable.
During SXSW, we had the chance to sit down with Yoann-Karl Whissell, Anouk Whissell, and Francois Simard, the writers and directors behind Turbo Kid that collectively go by the name RKSS (short for Roadkill Superstar). Watch our video interview where we discuss the influences behind the film, the struggle to make Turbo Kid tonally sound, and more!