Cinema Junkie by Beth Accomando

Milk

2008-11-26T19:33:00Z

Sean Penn stars as Harvey Milk in Gus Van Sant's Milk (Focus Features)

Filmmaker Gus Van Sant leaves his usual dreamy, elliptical storytelling behind to deliver a more conventionally structured narrative about unconventional activist and politician Harvey Milk in his new film Milk (opening at Landmark's Hillcrest Cinemas). The film is equal parts biography and look back on the roots of gay activism. Van Sant makes superb use of archival footage to chronicle Milk's rise to political power as California's first openly gay elected official. Too bad the film didn't open before this year's election, maybe the film's plea for tolerance could have swayed some voters about Proposition 8. The film looks to an election some three decades ago in which Milk helped organize opposition to a proposition (Prop 6) that would have banned gays from teaching in California. That bill's defeat contrasts with this year's passage of a ban on same sex marriage, and the film makes you realize that some things and some attitudes have not changed and maybe even are moving backwards. Sean Penn stars as Milk and his performance seems self-conscious at first but grows in strength. Listen to the discussion about the film on this month's KPBS Film Club of the Air.

Companion viewing: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk, To Die For, The Best Man

Twilight

2008-11-26T17:55:00Z

Last Thursday I went to the Edwards Mira Mesa Cinemas to do a feature for NPR on Twilight fans waiting in line for the first minute-after-midnight screening of their long-awaited film. When I confessed to the throng of teenage girls waiting in line to not having read any of the books, I was chastised and urged to immediately go out and get them. I have to admit there was a distinct sense of fun and excitement seeing people -- mostly teenage girls and women -- bundled up outside a movie theater where some had been waiting since 9:30am. That's the kind of frenzy you usually see with Star Wars or Harry Potter. But I had made a decision to see the film without reading the book so I could make an objective judgment on the film as a stand alone work. You can take a look at the highlights from the Twilight Comic-Con panel to get a sense of what the frenzy is like. Clips are courtesy of Comic-Con.

As a fan of vampires, I was looking forward to Twilight and I liked the premise: a quiet a withdrawn young girl, Bella (Kristen Stewart), falls hard for a sexy vampire, Edward (Robert Pattinson). Their relationship remains chaste because Edward also thirsts for Bella's blood and he can't guarantee her safety if his passions get too riled up. That's similar to the Buffy-Angel dynamic on TV where Angel would lose his soul at the moment he experiences one moment of pure happiness (an orgasm as it turns out). So they too had to control their desires or else there would be dire consequences.

But while Buffy the Vampire Slayer chose to play out its teen/vampire tale with tongue firmly in cheek and with a hip sense of humor and pop references, Twilight takes a more serious approach with only occasional moments of humor. It's Buffy but without the hip, cool edginess. Twilight was more like a bodice-ripper for teens in which the romance is everything. Twilight was filled with more languid, longing stares than action.

So what surprised me most was that it really wasn't a vampire story, it was a teen romance that just happened to involve someone who needs blood to live. Author Stephenie Meyer completely rewrites vampire lore without so much as a knowing wink to all that came before. So her vampires have a reflection in mirrors, can walk in the day (so long as it's cloudy), don't appear to have pointy fangs, seem unbothered by garlic, crosses or holy water, need to be torn limb from limb and burned to be destroyed, and they sparkle in sunlight. All that was quite a shocker to a vampire fan like me.

Seeing the film was a bit like going to a midnight show of Rocky Horror. The obsessive fans squealed at the first appearance of each character and at lines from the book (someone who read the book pointed out that direct quotes from the book drew the loudest response). All that made the film-going experience fun. Although I have to confess that I could not share the obsession. The film was glossy, the leads highly attractive, and their young passion had an infectious quality but I could only muster casual interest in the film. I may have also been biased by the fact that I had just recently seen Let the Right One In, a Swedish vampire film about two twelve-year-olds who develop a strong bond, and one of them happens to be a vampire. That film made the vampirism a peripheral element as well but it handled it in a way that still allowed it to deliver on the horror genre elements and that made it more appealing to me.

Twilight (rated PG-13 for some violence and a scene of sensuality) looks to please a certain segment of the books' fans and that demographic seems willing to see the film over and over again. It's the a similar demographic to Titanic, and it's a group that is capable of delivering not only big opening weekend box office but a longer term devotion that will pay off over time and on into the DVD release. Director Catherine Hardwicke, whose first film was the more realistic teen drama Thirteen, enjoys stories dealing with adolescents and has a certain feel for that environment. She has captured a certain aspect of the book's romance with accuracy. But as someone who's not a big fan of romantic movies, Twilight held little appeal for me. I can see what about it appeals to its fans but it's just not my cup of tea... or blood. I would much rather see Let the Right One In again and revel in that film's blend of horror, romance, and coming of age themes.

Companion viewing: Let the Right One In, Underworld, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (movie or TV series), The Lost Boys

Transporter 3

2008-11-26T08:08:00Z

Jason Statham hits the road again as the professional driver in Transporter 3 (Lionsgate)

By Janeane White

What is there to say about Transporters 3 (opening Novemver 26 throughout San Diego)? The movie itself was good but I preferred the previous films in the series. I'm not sure if it was because of the basic storyline or the need for even more action. There were plenty of amazing stunts and fight scenes and Jason Statham delivers an awesome performance as usual. The movie starts off with Frank (Statham) and his French detective buddy off fishing while some guy is running from the cops through the middle of town. Later on this guy ends up crashing through Frank's front wall of his house and Frank desperately tries to help once he realizes that the mad man is a friend of his. This guy tries to warn Frank not to take him away from the car but he doesn't listen. Apparently he and the girl in the car with him were equipped with a special bracelet that is an explosive and when you travel to far away from the car, BOOM! Frank is then taken hostage and told that he had to complete the mission that the previous guy failed. He unfortunately agrees and then the journey begins.

This movie had a lot of amazing action but I still feel like it could have been better. Overall I do think it was a great movie but like all sequels, I feel that it lacked in comparison to the original. There wasn't as much action and all the rules that Frank tried so hard to up hold, he breaks in one way or another. I felt that it was a different guy then the one that all of us are used to seeing up on the big screen. Frank was still the overwhelming bad boy but I felt that he lacked some of his well-known fierceness.

--Janeane White is a senior at Mount Miguel High School. She enjoys movies and spends all her time at the theater. She is also interested in special effects makeup done in the movies. She is an honors student and is currently working towards early graduation. Some of her favorite movies include Queen of the Damned, Hellboy, The Descent, the Underworld series, and the Saw series.

Trailer Tuesday: Star Trek

2008-11-25T09:01:00Z

As William Shatner and what remains of his original Enterprise crew grow increasingly older, Paramount has had to consider what it could do to reboot the popular Star Trek franchise. The answer: Go back in time and show Kirk and company when they were young so the franchise could snare a new generation of both actors and hopefully fans. The result is J.J. Abrams' Star Trek (also know as Start Trek Zero or Star Trek XI) that's set to look at how the crew of the Enterprise first got together. I have yet to be impressed by Abrams (Cloverfield was a bust for me and Lost never really hooked me) but I will go see any film with Simon Pegg (of Shaun of the Dead fame). Pegg plays the young Scotty while Chris Pine takes on Kirk and and Heroes' Zachary Quinto is Spock. Here's the second trailer courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

Teen Critics Enjoys Four Christmases

2008-11-25T08:41:00Z

Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn enjoy Four Christmases (New Line)

By Janeane White

Four Christmases (opens November 26 throughout San Diego) is an amazingly funny movie. It's about this couple -- Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon) -- that has been dating for three years yet still don't know each other as well as they think they do. Every year they go on some vacation around the world for the holidays and make up some lame excuse to tell their families as to why. They claim they are helping children in third world countries make quilts or are helping vaccinate people on some island because you see "you can't spell families without lies," as brad and his family would say. Every year for every occasion there is a different excuse. This year they plan to go to Fiji but their flight gets cancelled due to weather problems. to make things worse they end up being filmed for the news about their cancelled flight. Their families see this footage and immediately start calling and arranging for them to come over and spend the holidays with them. This leads to them learning things about each that they thought they would never speak about again. Kate learns Brad's real name and Brad learns Kate isn't what she used to be.

I loved this movie! It was hilarious. The lines that were said and the things that these characters had to endure were great. Vaughn and Witherspoon made such a perfect couple too. They believed in the same views and they totally loved each other. They both agreed that marriage wasn't for them but through the movie you see a change in their point of view. I think that it's important for couples to know everything about their partner and sometimes it's necessary. This movie does a good job of showing how most people grow up in insane households and that everyone has some sort of embarrassing past. These two just take it to the extreme though. When most say their family is crazy, it's usually an overstatement. But in this case it is true.

I think that if you get a chance to see Four Christmases (rated PG-13 for some sexual humor and language) you definitely should. It was a great film and kept me laughing pretty much the whole time. I give this film a thumbs up!

Teen Critic Prefers Twilight as a Book

2008-11-25T05:08:00Z

Director Catherine Hardwicke, actress Kristen Stewart and author Stephenie Meyer on the set of Twilight (Summit)

By Janeane White

Twilight (opened November 21 throughout San Diego) as both a movie and a book is an overall excellent story: A young clumsy girl falls in love with the most dangerous person she could ever meet and gets in to even more trouble from there.

But I felt that the book and the movie were almost two entirely different stories. The movie had changed important scenes and added extras just to make it more appealing to the audience. But that was unnecessary because it was already primed to be a massive movie hit because of the books' success. Millions of girls and women turned up to see the film in hopes of seeing what they have been picturing in their minds to be this amazingly hot vampire family with this ditsy chick. I felt that the book was perfect all by its self. Some of my favorite chapters in the book were distorted in the movie and it seriously disappointed me. I know that filmmakers can't adapt every detail from a book to the movie because the movie would be extremely long and people would lose interest.

Towards the end, huge chunks of the book where skipped and some of these chunks are important. In the end the scenes were chopped up and edited even more, making the movie feel rushed. It was two hours long but I felt like it was only half of that and that the movie should have been made longer. My favorite two scenes from the book are when Edward takes Bella to the meadow for the first time on their first real date and he kisses her for the first time. The second scene is when Bella tells Edward she isn't scared of him at all in his room -- he crouched, growled, lounged and attacked her in a kidding manner just to show how strong and powerful he is. In the movie Bella and Edward ditch school when she confronts him about knowing what he is. They run through the woods and magically find this meadow where they just laid together. The first kiss, which was suppose to be there, was in her room and it was suppose to be a bare touch of lips. But in the film it was much more then that. In the book that would have been to much because Edward doesn't have that kind of control. This aggravated me. In the other scene, instead of him attacking Bella, he basically flew into the trees with her on his back. I was mad at how the fight that Edward had with James (the bad vampire) to protect Bella wasn't in the book either. They added it for entertainment purposes.

Overall I was disappointed in Twilight (rated PG-13 for some violence and a scene of sensuality), especially in Edward. I had pictured some extremely hot guy with a velvet voice and when I saw who played him in the movie the first thought that came to my mind was "what a let down." I just thought everything was wrong and I wish I didn't see the movie. For people who have read the book, expect a disappointment. For everyone else, this might be an acceptable movie. It has a good storyline and it's cute. It really is a good movie but it's nothing in comparison to the book.

--Janeane White is a senior at Mount Miguel High School. She enjoys movies and spends all her time at the theater. She is also interested in special effects makeup done in the movies. She is an honors student and is currently working towards early graduation. Some of her favorite movies include Queen of the Damned, Hellboy, The Descent, the Underworld series, and the Saw series.

JCVD

2008-11-22T05:38:00Z

The Muscles from Brussels... Mr. Jean-Claude Van Damme as himself in JCVD (Peace Arch Entertainment)

JCVD (opening at Landmark's Ken Cinemas) provides a nice lead in to the upcoming release of The Wrestler. Both films focus on former stars that have faded - JCVD offers Jean-Claude Van Damme and The Wrestler serves up a battered Mickey Rourke. They also focus on two men who have relied on their bodies and physical appearances, and now with age have found that both are letting them down in one way or another. But while we've always known that Rourke was a skilled actor, Van Damme actually surprises us with his turn as himself in JCVD, which proves to be part autobiography and part satire.

The best thing in JCVD might just be its open. In a single take that's meant to dazzle like the opening of Orson Welles' A Touch of Evil, JCVD sets its tone. The shot may be designed as a stylish flourish but it plays out instead as a wicked parody. As Van Damme battles through a series of enemies, stunts don't go off quite as planned, and he even pauses at one point to catch his breath. When the ill-executed scenes comes to an end, Van Damme confronts his snot-nosed young director who doesn't seem to care because he seems to think he's condescended to accept this action assignment.

When the film takes aim at Hollywood and the filmmaking process, it's dead on. In fact sometimes it feels painfully accurate as when Van Damme meets with his agent to discuss his limited opportunities as an aging action star. Writer-director Mabrouk El Mechri nails the film industry satire - from agents to devoted fans to celebrity trials. There's a brilliant bit of dissection about John Woo's career trajectory after Van Damme brought the Hong Kong action director to the U.S. (Van Damme actually gave Woo, Tsui Hark and Ringo Lam their first shots at English language action films.) But his film runs into trouble when he decides to let the film become the kind of direct-to-DVD action flick that he's trying to spoof.

Jean-Claude Van Damme with fan (Peace Arch Entertainment)

Van Damme proves not only to be a good sport - allowing himself to be scrutinized and sometimes mocked and made pathetic - but a good actor as well. Although his mid-film monologue goes on too long and is overwritten, he delivers it well. Hopefully this film will lift him out of the direct-to-DVD hell he apparently has found himself in and will rejuvenate and reinvent his career like Jackie Brown did for Robert Forster.

JCVD (rated R for language and some violence) is half a brilliant movie and a must see for anyone who considers themselves a fan of either action films or the muscles from Brussels, Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Companion viewing: Being John Malkovich, The Wrestler, High Risk (Hong Kong), Hard Target

Slumdog Millionaire Web Video Feature

2008-11-21T17:01:00Z

Filmmaker Danny Boyle came by the KPBS Studios last week for an interview about his latest film Slumdog Millionaire (now playing at Landmark's Hillcrest Cinemas). Boyle proved to be a lively interview with great passion for filmmaking. He also revealed how the city of Mumbai inspired and energized him. Hope you enjoy this interview feature with clips from the film and behind the scenes footage. And go see the film, it's brilliant!

Twilight Impresses Teen Critic

2008-11-21T08:01:00Z

Kristen Stewart is Bella and Robert Pattinson is Edward in the eagerly anticipated adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight (Summit)

By Lily Canones

Twilight (opening November 21 throughout San Diego), one of the top selling books across America, is written by Stephenie Meyer. Now it has become a major motion picture. Twilight is a story about a pair of star-crossed lovebirds, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) who, at first, become friends and then happens to fall deeply in love with each other. It's that typical romance story between two teenagers. The only odd thing about it is that Edward is a vampire. Even though that is a factor that Bella discovers about him, she doesn't care one bit who or what Edward really is, the only thing that matters to her is that she is "unconditionally and irrevocably" in love with him.

I'm not much of a bookworm, so reading books is a rare thing for me to do. When I first heard of Twilight, I just said to myself, "Oh, it's just another book." But when a lot of people began buying and reading the book, it made me want to read it too. I have read only a portion of the first book because of a busy schedule but so far Twilight has completely drawn me in.

Because I haven't finished reading Twilight, there's very little I can compare to the movie. So far, the scenes from the book are the same in the movie, as is the storyline. I do know for a fact that there are some parts in the movie that are added while others are taken away from the book.

The movie Twilight was absolutely amazing! I personally give it two thumbs up and highly recommend it for everyone. While watching the film, I felt so drawn into it just like the book. The audience too was also drawn in, and added some enthusiasm with their squeals and screams at various points in the movie. But since I was so into the movie, the noise didn't bother me at all. I felt a rush of excitement while watching the movie and that made me more excited about reading the rest of Twilight and the rest of the Twilight Saga. I do want to say that the director, Catherine Hardwicke, has done an excellent job in choosing the actors for Edward Cullen and Bella Swan. She has also done an excellent job in making the book into a film. I really do consider Twilight as now my most favorite vampire romance movie of all time. Go watch it, it's totally worth some cash.

--Lily Canones is a senior at Mount Miguel High School. She became a Teen Critic because she wanted to share her perspective and opinions on new movies. She loves horror movies and Asian movies. Most of the horror movies she watches are originally from Asia and she counts the original Thai version of Shutter as one of her favorites of all time.

Slumdog Millionaire

2008-11-21T01:00:00Z

Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight)

Filmmaker Danny Boyle may be best known for his dark drug story Trainspotting. But now he delivers what might best be described as something of a gritty romantic fairy tale. Slumdog Millionaire (opening November 21 at Landmark's Hillcrest Cinemas) is something of a kindred spirit to Boyle's Millions as it spins a narrative rooted in the real world but able transcend reality. You can listen to my radio feature or check out the web video feature on Slumdog Millionaire tomorrow.

Jamal Malik, a slum kid from the streets of Mumbai, not only makes it onto the Hindi version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? But he also manages to win.Now winning a fortune on a game show would seem a dream come true for an impoverished youth. But Jamal doesn't actually care about the money says filmmaker Danny Boyle.

DANNY BOYLE: He has an agenda, a hidden agenda and it's not to do with the money. The reason that he is there is that he's loved and lost this girl in the chaos of Mumbai. And there's no way of getting back in touch with her. All he knows is that she watches this show along with the rest of India. And he figures if he goes on it and sits in that chair for long enough that she will see him and they’ll be able to reunite and that's his dream.

Like Jamal, Boyle's new film Slumdog Millionaire is about misdirection. You think that it'll be about how Jamal got on the show and managed to win. And Boyle even begins his film with Jamal being brutally tortured by corrupt cops working for the show because no one believes a street kid could succeed. But what both Boyle and Jamal prove to be more interested in is how love can succeed in the face of dire obstacles. For Boyle's film, this means moving from harsh realism to lyrical romance.

DANNY BOYLE: Basically I'm a realist I make all my decisions, judgments based on realism basically. Like I go did I believe that? Do I believe you? Do I believe the story? Does it feel real? Having done that, having established that, you then try and push it as much as you can. You try to push the realism into a kind of I don't know if you’d call it hyperrealism or surrealism, but you push it as much as you can. So it lifts occasionally out of the realism.

And Slumdog Millionaire soars about the grim reality of Jamal's roots to deliver a story about a love that's simply fated to be. The film moves through flashbacks to paint a portrait of Jamal's life in which everything leads up to him being on the game show and knowing the answers. It is as if it has all been written in advance by the hands of fate. Boyle makes us accept this sense of destiny by making us accept the contradictory nature of India itself.

DANNY BOYLE: You land in Mumbai and it's a city in fast forward; it's all about people, it's constantly evolving and changing and they live life there at a very vivid intense sense that there's such extremes side by side everyday in front of you such contradictions. So life is everything and it's also nothing. At exactly the same time, so you do get the dispensibility of life, but at the same time that sense of life fades and glows with life and it's really interesting you have to represent both to get any true sense of the city. There are some tough scenes in the film but it's a tough city for a lot of people but there's also a spirit in it that includes everyone, which is inspirational.

Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight)

Capturing the feel of Mumbai helps to create a backdrop for the film that is both realistic and somehow magical. Boyle says the key to capturing the explosion of color that the city offers is in its textiles and plastics.

DANNY BOYLE: Whether it's the light whether it's the pollution in the air the atmosphere I don't know what it is but there's something about the color of things that's just so much more intense, the dyes that they use in plastics and textiles are just so intense and it's very dangerous actually. One of the instincts is to go wow! Look at that. And it's just mesmerizing but I didn't want to make a film like that I wanted to make a more subjective film about someone who doesn't really take much notice of his city.

Jamal doesn't take note of his city until he gets on the game show and starts getting asked questions. Then his life flashes before him providing all the answers, as if the city itself had been helping him his whole life. Like Jamal, Slumdog Millionaire (rated R for for some violence, disturbing images and language) succeeds against all odds and in ways that you think are impossible. In our cynical, contemporary times, it delivers a romantic fable that’s as rich, complex, and beautiful as the city it comes from.

Companion viewing: Millions, Ram Gopal Varma's Company, Salaam Bombay

Trailer Tuesday: Twilight

2008-11-18T09:01:00Z

Ever since I met a group of Twilight Moms waiting in line at Comic-Con I have been intrigued by the new teen vampire film. Based on a successful series of books, Twilight has moms and their young daughters in a mad frenzy for the film. Here's the second trailer. the film opens on Friday with fans probably already starting to line up (or at least buying their tickets) for the Thursday midnight show. Trailer courtesy of Summit films.

Larry Zeiger Honored Last Night

2008-11-17T18:00:00Z

The youngest filmmaker at FSC, Jonathan Jackson, with honoree Larry Zeiger (Tony Weidinger)

At last night's Film School Confidential showcase, former Point Loma High School teacher Larry Zeiger received the San Diego Film Critics Society's Kyle Counts Award. The award is given in recoginition of significant contribution to the film community in San Diego. Although Zeiger has retired from teaching he's still involved with students, and he helped me find one video this year from Jonathan Jackson, a senior at Point Loma High School. Jackson was the youngest filmmaker represented at this year's festival. In the audience were a number of Zeiger's former students. With looming budget cuts, arts are likely to be even more difficult to teach in public schools. But last night people saw that providing students with access to the arts can lead not only to fine works but also to careers.

Larry Zeiger receives his Kyle Counts Award. (Tony Weidinger)

Quantum of Solace

2008-11-14T20:53:00Z

Daniel Craig returns as agent 007 in Quantum of Solace (Sony)

Listen to my KPBS Film Chat about Quantum of Solace (opening November 14 throughout San Digeo) and listen to a montage of clips from the previous Bond films at the end. Bottom line on the new Bond: Casino Royale set the bar very high and this one doesn't reach those heights. Quantum offers more action, less character and plot. Craig is still hot, and the film's still worth seeing. More on the film Monday after I present my student film festival.

XXY Screens as Part of Cinema En Tu Idioma

2008-11-14T19:51:00Z

Ines Efron plays an intersex child and Ricardo Darin is her understanding father in XXY (Film Movement)

The Argentine film XXY (opening today at Ultrastar Mission Valley Theaters at Hazrd Center as part of the San Diego Latino Film Festival's Cinema En Tu Idioma Film Series) marks the feature directing debut of Lucia Puenzo. The film is based on a story by her husband and produced by her father, director Luis Puenzo. The close relationships behind the camera may have helped the film achieve its onscreen intimacy with a difficult subject. I spoke with the director about her coming of age film with a twist. (Be listening Monday for my radio feature.)

XXY refers to males born with a second X chromosome; a condition known as Klinefelter's Syndrome. Filmmaker Lucia Puenzo says she chose XXY as the title for her film in part, for its visual impact.

LUCIA PUENZO: Visually the title has three almost identical X's that corresponds to any human being in the world, and the last one has one of its legs mutilated in a way, it has one of its legs has been cut off, and I thought that was a very visual and powerful way to say a lot with almost no few words in a language that could be universally understood.

But the central character of Puenzo's film is not an XXY male. It's a teenager named Alex who was born with both male and female genitalia. Alex has been raised as a girl... but at fifteen, she's starting to question that identity. Ethan Van Thillo is director of the San Diego Latino Film Festival, which screened XXY last month.

ETHAN VAN THILLO: It's not just about gender, it's about the difficult time in a young person's life ... when you're going through puberty and the difficulties of a young person's life that's a universal theme.

But in Alex's case, it's complicated by the fact she's a intersex child. In the film, Alex meets sixteen-year-old Álvaro. Alvaro is struggling with his own sexual orientation, and with his father's strong disapproval. In contrast, Alex's father is more tolerant of his daughter's confusion. Again, Lucia Puenzo.

LUCIA PUENZO: We have two very different ways of approaching parenthood and in believing and trusting, and believing in your son or daughter or like Alvaro has a father who has stopped believing in him, and who can be so cruel as to say that to him.

Still Alex's mother wants her to resolve her sexual ambiguity. The mother urges Alex to take hormone pills and have what's called "normalization surgery." That's something Alex doesn't want to do.

XXY screened earlier this year at the San Diego Latino Film Festival (Film Movement)

Puenzo says her film is about freedom of choice. For Alex, it's about whether or not tp choose surgery. For Alvaro, it's whether or not to come out to his parents. As the teens struggle with their decisions, they become attracted to each other. Puenzo says their connection makes it possible for them to recognize and accept themselves.

LUCIA PUENZO: So I think that what happens in the film for both Alvaro and Alex is that they find who they want to be because they find who makes them feel alive.

The fact that Alvaro finds Alex desirable in her ambiguity gives her the confidence to fight for what she wants.

LUCIA PUENZO: The absolute hero of the story was the courage with which Alex was fighting for nobody to touch her body until she knew what she wanted to do with her identity. I think she is so strong in the end. She has chosen who she wants to be, she has chosen what she wants to do with her future and with her body.

The film has received critical recognition and support in Puenzo's native Argentina. The country's among the most tolerant in South America when it comes to homosexuality and issues of sexual identity. Puenzo says XXY has also done well in Italy and Thailand where the transgender community came out to support the film and its exploration of a private issue that's starting to go public.

LUCIA PUENZO: This idea of how the world is divided normally bianary between men and women, and in this way there are only places for two sex and what would happen with a third sex that comes to demand their own place in the world?

Puenzo says after all, who decides there are only two ways to be human?

Companion viewing: The Crying Game, 20 Centimeters, 13 Genders

Film School Confidential 2008: A Showcase of San Diego and Latin Filmmakers

2008-11-13T22:17:01Z

Rodrigo Gudino's Demonology of Desire screens Sunday at MoPA. (Rue Morgue Cinema)

Dissent. Revolt. Liberate. It's Film School Confidential 2008! That's right, it's time again to celebrate the passion, dedication and fresh young talent found right here in San Diego and Tijuana. The festival takes place at the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park on Sunday November 16 at 6:00 pm. Film School Confidential is an event sponsored by the Media Arts Center San Diego, the Museum of Photographic Arts, and the San Diego Film Critics Society. Film School Confidential is now in it's seventh year. Unlike other student festivals, FSC is a curated event. There are no calls for entries and filmmakers do not have to pay a fee to submit their films. Instead, the films are chosen based on recommendations by teachers, professors, and other filmmakers. This year the festival offers something of a descent into darkness. There are a few bright, even fanciful films early on but by evening's end the tone grow exceeding dark with a trio of Latin horror shorts. We will also be honoring retired Point Loma teacher Larry Zeiger with the Kyle Counts Award for his years of encouraging and showcasing young talent.

Here's the line up:

Election Video (Point Loma High, 2008) 2 minutes Original format MiniDV
Filmmaker: Jonathan Jackson
This pre-election video mash-up recasts Star Wars as Jackson makes a plea for
people to vote their hearts. Jackson is completely self-taught in After Effects and Sony Vegas. Kudos to Jackson for not only his willingness to embrace new technologies but also for having a flair for political humor (which also implies a political awareness at a young age). I hope Jackson continues to pursue filmmaking.

The Perfect Frame (SDSU, 2007) 10 minutes Original format XDCAM HD
Director: Ross Ching Producer: Iris Caffin Director of photography: Max Wheeler
Cast: Phil Kruse
Taking home top prize at SDSU's end-of-summer film festival, The Perfect Frame explores just what might happen if you discovered color for the first time. The film captures a joyous sense of discovery on the part of the main character. It's a joy that mirrors Ching's own delight in the possibilities of the medium. What's amazing is how effortlessly the surreal tale plays out. You'd never suspect the amount of painstakingly slow and intense work needed to make a film of such visual delights.

Do Something (SDSU graduate, 2008) 4 minutes Original format Mini DV
Filmmaker: Ron Najor
Cast: Timz
Award winning Iraqi-American rapper Timz urges the public to "change the world, not the channel," with his new music video. This film if from an FSC "graduate," Ron Najor. I showed Najor's short Killing Time at the festival's inaugural event. Now Najor lives in LA where he works in the industry but still finds free time to make his own projects like this music video. It's nice to see students move on and continue careers in film. It's also nice to chart their progress.

Untitled. (UCSD, 2007) 16 minutes Original format 720p HD
Writer/director: Edward Kim
Cast James Lintern, Jomo Smith, Luana Choi, Jonathan Libbey, John Tjong, Christopher Lee,
Daniel Kim, Jessica Yoon, Jasmine Cha, Andreia Kim
A film student tries to think of an idea for his next movie when they start coming to life before his eyes. This film is clever, playful, and at times even lyrical. This is an inspired and fun look at the pain and agony of the creative process.

Girl Who Came From the Sea (UCSD) 16 minutes Original format 16 mm
Written, directed and shot by Jessie Pellegrino Edited by Jessie Pellegrino, Andrew Ceperley
Silent film score: Kevin Macleod Mbira solos: Michael Proft
Cast Colleen Borden, Michael Proft, Jeff Huang, Ron Lien, Scott Bandy, Jeff Payne, Byron Diffendorfer
A lovely and playful cinematic poem about being a stranger in a strange land. Pelligrino displays a wonderful visual style that includes a fine sense of production design.

Sed/Thirst (Mexico) 15 minutes Original format Mini DVD
Filmmaker: Christian Cueva
A female vampire wakes up in a warehouse near the streets of Sinaloa, the most violent city in the country. This is Cueva's first film but he shows a savvy sense of filmmaking in that he doesn't let his lack of funds or equipment hinder his imagination. He uses real life horrors of life in a violent city as the perfect backdrop for his tale of vampires.
(Note: there is a short unsubtitled section in the film.)

Destin Cretton's Short Term 12 (Flagpop)

Short Term 12 (SDSU graduate, 2008) 22 minutes Original format Super 16 mm
Writer/director/editor/composer: Destin Cretton
Producers: Michelle Steffes, Anthony Pang, Destin Cretton Director of Photography: Brett Pawlak
Cast: Brad William Henke, Tania Verafield, LaKeith Stanfield, Phoenix Henke

Brad William Henke is Denim, the supervisor for a residential facility housing 15 kids who are all affected by child abuse and neglect. Inside the gates of Short Term 12, fights and restraints happen every day and Denim knows how to respond. But as his personal life collides with work, he begins to realize that he is no better off than the kids he's trying to help. This film is from another FSC alum, Destin Cretton. I have shown a number of films he's done with Lowell Frank but this is the first I've shown of Cretton helming solo. The tone and style are different from his collaborations with Frank, yet all his films share themes about community and how people connect. http://www.flagpop.com

The Eyes of Edward James (Canada, 2006) 15 minutes Original format HD Cam
Director/writer: Rodrigo Gudino Producers: Marco Pecota, Brenton Bentz Special make-up effects: Gaslight Studio
Cast: Shahla Kareen, Tal Zimerman and Richard Underhill
"Lies are the windows to the soul," says the tagline for this film. I have Tijuana filmmaker Aaron Soto (and FSC alum) to thank for introducing me to the works of Rodrigo Gudino. In fact Soto introduced me to all of the Latin films showcased in the event. Gudino is by no means a student filmmaker but he was born in San Diego and grew up just south of the border. His penchant for horror led him to found Rue Morgue magazine and now he is turning to horror filmmaking. I'm happy to showcase two of his horror shorts. This one is an especially effective piece -- well edited, carefully structured, and smartly played out. http://www.rodrigogudino.com/films

Attack of the Robots From Nebula 5 (Spain, 2008) 7 minutes Original format HDV
Director/producer/writer/editor: Chema García Ibarra Art direction: Leonor Díaz Esteve Camera/photography: Alberto Gutiérrez
Cast: José Manuel Ibarra, Carmina Esteve, Pedro Díez, Leonor Díaz.
Almost everybody is going to die very soon. That's the description that Ibarra gives for his pitch perfect sci-fi robot tale. Ibarra reveals a fine eye for composing his frame, and for composing the sparse, dryly effective narration. The film is elegantly simple and completely original. I hope we see more from Ibarra. And yes I bent the rules to show this film from a 27-year-old copy writer from Spain but that's the benefit of being the sole person in charge of a film festival. But how could I not show a film from such a fresh new talent -- that totally fits the mission statement of the festival to showcase new and young talent.
www.nebulosa5.com/inicio.html

Filmmaker Ross Ching.

Eclectic 2.0 (SDSU, 2006) 2 minutes Original format 35mm still photography
Filmmaker: Ross Ching
What would life look like 100 times faster? In Eclectic, Ching uses time lapse (all done with a digital SLR still camera and edited together using Quicktime Pro and Final Cut Pro) to show sweeping pans of nature and dazzling night skies. Think Koyaanisqatsi for the kind of breathtaking and powerful imagery he creates.
http://rossching.com

The Demonology of Desire (Canada, 2007) 16 minutes Original format Super 16mm
Director/writer: Rodrigo Gudino Producer: Marco Pecota Cinematography: Derek Rogers Special make-up effects: Gaslight Studio
Cast: Bianca Rusu, Tudor Popleanu, Jewelia Fisico
It's not love if there's no suffering. Everybody knows that. That's the tag line Gudino gives for the film. Gudino describes it as "Equal parts fatal fable, romantic thriller and artcore horror, this film is a love story... with a caustic heart." This film may send some running for the doors but then that's not a bad thing when you're talking horror. He's not afraid to go to dark places, and that's precisely what you need in a horror filmmaker. So far Gudino has been working in shorts only but hopefully he will move into features as well. We can never have too many good horror filmmakers. Warning: mature content and violence.

And finally, Film School Confidential is pleased to honor recently retired Point Loma High School teacher Larry Zeiger with the San Diego Film Critics Society's Kyle Counts Award. The Award is given out each year to someone in the San Diego community who has made a positive impact on the film community. For the past 30 years, Larry Zeiger has inspired hundreds of students in theater and film. I am grateful to him for his enthusiastic help and support over the years. He was always championing student work and over the years he provided the festival with many exceptional and innovative works. He will be missed at Point Loma High School. But don't think that retirement has slowed him down in the least. He's busy with his memoirs, writing musical shows, and remaining active in the arts community. Many thanks to Larry Zeiger for three decades of dedication to the arts and to future generations of artists.

For Festival information call 619-952-5768. For directions call MoPA at 619-238-7559. Website: http://www.sdfcs.org.