indieWIRE MoviesindieWIRE's reviews of independent and speciality films, part of our award-winning coverage of indie film.Meet Me in St. Tropez: Olivier Ducastel & Jacques Martineau's "Côte d'Azur"- (Found July 2, 2008 ) Flirting with the conventions of the door-slamming theatrical sex farce and the mistaken- (sexual) identity romp, Ducastel and Martineau again wrestle with sexual identity, yet without burrowing so deep that any of their characters get irrevocably hurt. The genial optimism of Ducastel-Martineau often takes consequence entirely out of the equation, and, in the case of "Côte d'Azur," for the first time they run the risk of short-changing some of their characters, transforming...http://www.indiewire.com/movies/movies_050907cote.html Production Report: "30 Century Man: The Music of Scott Walker," "All Fall Down," "August," "Living Gauguin," &- (Found July 2, 2008 ) In the July edition of indieWIRE's Production Report, Jason Guerrasio looks at a group of new movies, including Stephen Kijak's "30 Century Man: The Music of Scott Walker," Matt Tauber's "All Fall Down," Pia Marais' "August," John Galceran's "Living Gauguin," and Ray McKinnon's "Randy and the Mob." (080305)http://www.indiewire.com/movies/movies_050803prod.html To Die From: Marcos Siega's "Pretty Persuasion"- (Found July 2, 2008 ) For all the critics lamenting the turn to all-styleno-substance MTV aesthetics, former music video veteran Marcos Siega's "Pretty Persuasion" could have done well with a stylistic shot in the arm. Producing deft, relevant social satire is tricky enough without leaden direction weighing it down, especially when that satire is aimed at the frothy and fundamentally content-free microcosm of Los Angeles teen privilege. Films such as "Clueless" and "Election" (to which..http://www.indiewire.com/movies/movies_050809pretty.html Film Forum to Screen U.S. and International Debuts in FallWinter Line up- (Found July 2, 2008 ) New York's Film Forum recently announced their fall and winter premiere screenings, which include a wide-ranging assortment of U.S. and international films, with a strong focus on documentaries. Screenings will include Deborah Koons Garcia's "The Future of Food," Jacques Richard's "Henri Langlois: Phantom of the Cinematheque" and Jeppe Ronde's "The Swenkas," among others. (081505)http://www.indiewire.com/movies/movies_050815film.html Torture Chamber Drama: Park Chan-wook's "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance"- (Found July 2, 2008 ) The first installment of Park Chan-wook's "Revenge Trilogy," "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance," opens this week following, in reverse order, the surprise U.S. art-house success of his second entry in the series, "Oldboy." If "Oldboy," a hyper-stylized ode to the sadomasochistic pleasures of bloody retribution and convoluted storytelling was something of a wake-up call to audiences entranced by the soul-stealing somnambulism of Hollywood's latest, "Mr....http://www.indiewire.com/movies/movies_050816symp.html Brothers' Peepers: Gaël Morel's "Three Dancing Slaves"- (Found July 2, 2008 ) Ostensibly a glimpse at the disrupted lives of three young brothers under the thumb of their tyrannical father after the death of their mother, "Three Dancing Slaves" is more of a treatise on postadolescent male angst and the stranglehold of dominant masculine roles. Morel's world, here a backwoods rural community in the Rhône-Alpes, is one comprised almost completely of men and in which there are few emotional outlets. Michael Koresky reviews the film with responses by Jeff...http://www.indiewire.com/movies/movies_050823three.html Making "Volver," Pedro Almodóvar's Online Diary- (Found July 2, 2008 ) A man comes up to me while I'm having breakfast in a bar. He tells me he's seen "Bad Education" three times. I thank him, as I normally do. The first time I fell asleep, the stranger explains. Did it bore you so much Pedro Almodóvar gets answers and more in this diary entry from the acclaimed Spanish filmmaker. (082905)http://www.indiewire.com/movies/movies_050829almo.html What Reverse Shot Learned During Summer Vacation: 13 Lessons- (Found July 2, 2008 ) We'd prefer not to have to once again go over the corrosive specifics of the summer's oft puzzled-over "summer slump." But with its projected "whopping" 9% drop from 2004's box-office totals and 11.5% decline in attendance, what are we supposed to do in response Suddenly decry the paucity of strong Hollywood product Strange to suddenly be chastising Hollywood for just doing what it thinks it does best, even if people are preferring more and more to watch movies at home...http://www.indiewire.com/movies/movies_050831rev.html Production Report: "Angst," "The Big Bad Swim," "Find Love," "Full Grown Men," "Warriors"- (Found July 2, 2008 ) In the September edition of indieWIRE's Production Report, Jason Guerrasio looks at a group of new movies, including Robin Christian's "Angst," Ishai Setton's "The Big Bad Swim," Erica Dunton's "Find Love," David Monro's "Full Grown Men," and Marc Singer's "Warriors." Get a premiere look at some independent films in various stages of production. (090705)http://www.indiewire.com/movies/movies_050907prod.html Deep Breath: Phil Morrison's "Junebug"- (Found July 2, 2008 ) These moments are recreated for me onscreen Phil Morrison's lovely American treasure, "Junebug," a North Carolina based portrait of human contradictions and the conundrums of the familial bond which locates the ineffable, spiritual balm of the home womb. The opening of "Junebug" is more than slightly disorienting, moving headlong and devil-may-care from a romantic, joie de vivre credit sequence. Michael Koresky reviews Phil Morrison's "Junebug," with responses by...http://www.indiewire.com/movies/movies_050802junebug.html |