The Boy
The Boy
Director: Craig William Macneill
Rating: N/A
Release Date: March 14, 2014 (SXSW)
Say what you will, little kids can oftentimes be the creepiest, most frightening people in the world. Their understanding (or misunderstanding) of basic social interactions is funny at times, but possesses a somewhat sinister nature. How many times have you seen children, both in media and in everyday life, do or say something that, if done by an adult, would be met with caution and concern?
The relationship between children and dark impulses has become fodder for many horror/thrillers over the years. The Boy represents a return to the trope, presented as a slow moving film that's meant to build tension and rankle unease and discomfort amongst audiences. However, the slow pacing of the film ultimately disservices the film.
Ted (Jared Breeze) is a nine-year-old boy living at a lonely highway motel owned by his father, John (David Morse), in 1989 following the departure of his mother. With his father facing depression, Ted is free to indulge his thoughts, which partially stem from the practice of luring animals into the road to be slaughtered and turned into John for a quarter. As his desire to make more money increases, so do the animals, resulting in a car accident that leaves the driver, William Colby (Rainn Wilson), stranded. The two form a bond of sorts, with both William and Ted hiding dark secrets within themselves. Ted's growing fascination with death comes to a head in the film's climax that will leave audiences stunned.
Despite a climactic ending, The Boy takes far too long for the payoff, which may disappoint viewers. Furthermore, Ted's evolution in his creepiness can make audiences uncomfortable with the levels of creepiness on display. Fans of psychological thrillers will love where writer/director Craig William Macneill takes the film, but the best of praise will be held for Breeze and his depiction of Ted. His ability to balance and hide Ted's sinister and devious thoughts without being a cartoon-like caricature of the trope.
As a rumored first part in a trilogy, some excuses could be made for some characterization/pacing that plagued the film. The payoff could mean a tighter, more focused sequel, but as it currently stands, works against the film on its own. The Boy is a very solid debut by Macneill and will attract a small cult following to be appreciated by horror cinephiles.
Fresno
Fresno
Director: Jamie Babbit
Rating: N/A
Release Date: March 14, 2015 (SXSW)
Fresno features a stellar cast of Natasha Lyonne (Orange is the New Black), Judy Greer (Archer), Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation), Fred Armisen (Portlandia), and more that allures comedy lovers into not missing it. And with a plot that features Lyonne as an optimistic presence in her recovering sex addict and cynical sister played by Greer, the formula for a solid indie comedy is all but assured, right?
Read on and find out.
Shannon (Greer) is a recovering sex addict living and working with her younger sister, Martha (Lyonne), who takes her job as a hotel maid very seriously and is doing everything in her power to assure Shannon's successful recovery. However, after Shannon's relapse with a guest at the hotel ends with his death, the two decide to dispose of the body by bringing it to a pet cemetery for incineration. However, when the cemetery owners, played by Armisen and Fargo's Allison Tolman, blackmail them for $25,000, Shannon and Martha must come up with the money quickly in outlandish ways.
Fresno subverts the typical formula by making Shannon almost completely unlikeable save for her quick wit and other quirks, making her an anti-hero of sorts. It's an interesting take on the plot that allows Greer to play up the ungrateful, unrepentant type to let her comedy shine. However, the script and writing for the film is very flat and one-dimensional, despite some funny scenes set up, like robbing a sex shop and a rap-themed Bar Mitzvah.
In short, Fresno isn't very funny, save for some small exceptions. It's a shame, too, because the cast is made up of some really hilarious actors, yet they weren't given the proper material to truly show off their talents. In a nutshell, Fresno feels like a vehicle for Greer and Lyonne that unfortunately suffers from a flat or two.
[SXSW Red Carpet] Get Hard Premiere
Video by Elijah Alvarado
With a big name comedy like Get Hard set for a wide release in a short couple of weeks (March 27th), it only made sense for Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart to bring the film over to SXSW for its world premiere. The comedy, directed by Etan Cohen, stars Ferrell as a framed accountant sentenced to ten years for fraud. Desperate to "get hard" for maximum security prison, he turns to his car washer (Hart), whom he mistakenly assumes has spent time in jail, to prepare him for jail.
Just before Get Hard premiered, we had the chance to work the film's red carpet and speak to Cohen, Ferrell, and Hart about the SXSW experience and the film itself. Check out our Get Hard SXSW red carpet video interviews below.
20 Artists You Need To Know: Summer Festival Edition
Header by Bryan Allen Lamb.
With spring getting into full swing, summer seems within reach already. For music junkies, spring just means a couple more months until festival season. Whether you're planning on hitting all, one or none of the festivals listed in this week's playlist, all of the artists are definitely ones you should know.
Bonnaroo - Check out Run The Jewels
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A hip-hop duo from New York with just two albums under their belt, but mucho street cred amongst hipster rap enthusiasts and the hip-hop community. A definite must-see.
Brownout Presents Brown Sabbath
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I’ve seen Black Sabbath live, and believe me, it’s sad. Just a bunch of pissed off seniors narrowly escaping the bus ride back to Shady Pines. Do yourself a favor and check out the funky bunch known as Brownout who add groovy bass lines that even Ozzy approves of.
Warped Tour - Check out Riff Raff
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If you don’t know who Riff Raff is by now, then listen up: the walking, talking, real-life version of the “alleged” inspiration for James Franco’s Spring Breakers character is playing all Warped Tour dates. The nonsense rapper of neon-flavored Bart Simpson shaped Cheetos is just a skip-and-a-hop away from your hometown. His bogus rhymes are catchy, fun and worth the money to see up close. Also, his merch table is probably going to be full of light-up do-rags or rhinestone encrusted McDonald’s toys from the 90’s.
Candy Hearts
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If you’re already at Warped Tour, then you’re probably going to be at the Candy Hearts show, but the general public might not have the pop-punk upper hand that you do. For those that don’t know, Candy Hearts are a cutesy pop-punk trio from New York who could be described as: Paramore + Bubbalicious Cotton Candy gum + a wink + a diary. If you’re a fan of New Found Glory, State Champs, or Set It Off, then Candy Hearts are a must-have in your library.
Bunbury - Check out The Front Bottoms
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The acoustic pop-punk band have been a Warped Tour hit for some time, but they're moving up the ladder of notoriety ever since their 2013 release of Talon Of The Hawk.
Lindsey Stirling
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Don't even act like you know someone who plays the violin flawlessly, let alone be able to entertain millions in the age of technology doing so. Plus, she often themes her songs to a certain era or place, so her outfits and performance are sure to be entertaining.
Coachella - Check out FKA Twigs
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Amongst all of the gigantic, jaw-dropping artists featured at Coachella this year, one who has been kept more on the hush is FKA Twigs. FKA (Formerly Known As) Twigs started out in 2013 as a YouTube sensation and then POOF! Her sultry demeanor and daze-y hip-hop style are what make her so intriguing. Not to mention her image/feminine mystique is the IRL version of Tumblr, which is probably what Coachella is looking for.
Marina & The Diamonds
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I. Love. Marina. And. The. Diamonds. And you should too. She’s an indie-pop artist who has more soul and flavor than most of her sugary sweet counterparts. Her deep, Welsh accent pulls through the electro-Madonna-esque beat of her songs. Also, her outfits are described as “retro cartoon-ish,” so expect an exciting visual; I’d describe her sound as that too. She may be popular among the invested music critics and indie-pop enthusiasts of the scene, but she deserves to be more than just an honorable mention.
South By Southwest (SXSW) - Check out All Them Witches
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The Nashville natives of All Them Witches have the classic-rock, heavy riff act down to a T. What sets them apart from that blase "hip radio rock friendly" sound is that they have a groovier, sludge inspired Queens Of The Stone Age tang to them.
B.I.C. (Bitches Is Crazy)
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The Bronx hip-hop/rap group known as B.I.C. produce raw, Latin-influenced rhymes similar to their modern counterparts (IE: A$AP Rocky, Schoolboy Q, etc).
Are You Ready for SXSW 2015?
For the next 10 days, we'll be bringing you all types of coverage from this year's South by Southwest (SXSW 2015) ranging from reviews from upcoming films, interviews with actors, filmmakers, musicians, tech people, to photos of your favorite artists via the #RHSX15 tag! We'll also be doing exclusive social media coverage on all of our platforms (Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook) featuring our favorite moments in Austin, TX as they happen with the special #SXSecs tag! Who knows who we may run into this year.
[Video Interview] Ryan Moore (Manny)
[This interview was part of our SXSW 2014 coverage. It is being reposted to coincide with Manny's wide release.]
Manny Pacquiao is one of those sports icons that transcends the sport that he comes from. As a Filipino, he carries The Philippines on his shoulders every time he steps into the ring for a match. For those familiar with Pacquiao, you all know that the country literally shuts down to watch Pacquiao box, from government officials to guerrilla rebels to everyday citizens. To say Pacquiao has become a true Filipino icon is an understatement. Away from the ring, away from Congress, away from the spotlight and the cameras, Manny Pacquiao is still just a man.
In Ryan Moore's documentary, Manny, the goal was not to just highlight Pacquiao's rags to riches story, but to also highlight the man he truly is away from the spectacle of his iconic status. Over the span of three years and more than 1,200 hours of footage, Moore's documentary sheds light on Pacquiao's life in a way that has never been seen or covered before.
In our SXSW interview with Moore, we discuss how he first approached Pacquiao about the documentary, any personal pressure or worries he faced in capturing and sharing Pacquiao's story, and much more. Watch the full video interview below!
[Video Interview] Lenny Mesina (Manny)
[This interview was part of our SXSW 2014 coverage. It is being reposted to coincide with Manny's wide release.]
Manny Pacquiao is one of those sports icons that transcends the sport that he comes from. As a Filipino, he carries The Philippines on his shoulders every time he steps into the ring for a match. For those familiar with Pacquiao, you all know that the country literally shuts down to watch Pacquiao box, from government officials to guerrilla rebels to everyday citizens. To say Pacquiao has become a true Filipino icon is an understatement. Away from the ring, away from Congress, away from the spotlight and the cameras, Manny Pacquiao is still just a man.
In Ryan Moore's documentary, Manny, it was up to amazing film editor Lenny Mesina, known to most as the editor behind Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest, to help craft a cohesive narrative that not only traces Pacquiao's rise as an undersized boxer into the pound-for-pound best boxer in the sport, but also to illuminate Pacquiao's humanity beyond the ring.
Watch the SXSXW interview above in which we talked with Mesina about how he joined the crew for the documentary, the production process, any difficulties editing all of the footage together, and his own personal feelings about Pacquiao. Enjoy!
[Review] Manny
[This review was originally published during our SXSW 2014 coverage. It is being reposted to coincide with the documentary's wide release.]
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Manny
Directors: Ryan Moore and Leon Gast
Rating: N/A
Release Date: March 8, 2014 (SXSW)
Manny Pacquiao is one of those figures that can transcend from their initial platform and find success in multiple ways outside of what they're known for. And, for better or worse, Manny Pacquiao has become not just a boxer, but a singer, an actor, a politician, and a missionary of sorts. Diehard Pacquiao and boxing fans have seen the effects of overexertion in a handful of his fights, and I always wondered how Pacquiao himself viewed his journey. In Manny, not only is the question of Pacquiao's identity explored, it delves deeper into the boxer's history to paint a better, more detailed picture of who Manny is outside of the ring and away from the spotlight.
As a half-Filipino man, I have to say that I'm very familiar with Pacquiao's story. As a young boy growing in poverty in the Philippines, Pacquiao turned to boxing to support himself and his family. After finding success, it wasn't until he was paired with famed trainer and former boxer Freddie Roach that Pacquiao's star began to rise in which he has (so far) captured eight different titles at eight different weight classes. All of this is retreaded ground for anybody familiar with either boxing or Pacquiao, and the background information on Pacquiao is necessary for audiences that may not be familiar with Manny. However, what I loved most about the documentary is that not only does it create a running narrative of Pacquiao's "rags to riches" story, it pairs it well with amazing cinematography, editing, and a mix of both on-location shots and archival footage to properly tell Pacquiao's real story, with both good and bad sides given equal focus.
The big question I asked myself (and both director Ryan Moore and editor Lenny Mesina) was the nature of the documentary's intent: Is it meant to appeal to pre-existing Pacquiao fans, or is it meant to bring in those that may not be familiar with Pacquiao? I believe that Manny appeals to both groups, but pre-existing fans will find something extra to enjoy about the documentary. I won't even lie, I found myself getting teary-eyed, not only because of my admiration for Pacquiao as a boxing fan, but for everything he represents as a cultural icon for The Philippines.
Again, I'm biased when it comes to Manny, and I felt a stronger connection to this documentary than everything else I viewed at SXSW. However, with my bias set aside, I truly believe that Manny will find success in both pro-Pacquiao circles and general documentary/cinephile circles. When it comes to sports documentaries, fans will always have a connection they will turn to to better understand the recipient of their cheers and pride; however, I think the real magic is when a well-crafted documentary can turn viewers into a fan of the subject, and I believe Manny is capable of doing that.