I hope that this holiday season finds you well, and you’re ready for 2012, because as everybody knows, according to the Mayans (or actually probably not, if you do any research beyond a terrible movie by John Cusack), the world will end this coming year.
At any rate, as another year closes its doors, it’s as good a time as any to take stock of where the industry is and offer a few year-end musings. The economy, despite thousands of reports on cable news networks (yes, I know, but they are such an easy target) to the contrary, really hasn’t recovered, which has left independent film mired in this sort of holding pattern. I talk to indie filmmakers all the time, and fundraising is always a major topic (of course), and so are the ways that people are going about the business of trying to find money. I always believe that one of the problems is that when people—potential producers, marketers, etc.—hear the term “indie film,” they only think one thing: your classic, black and white two and a half hour treatise on a frying egg, a crying girl, the sad clown in the corner, and the inability of whoever is operating the camera to stay in focus.
Of course, we know that’s not the case. Indie film runs the entire spectrum, from the single camera documentary shot with a Panasonic HVX 200 to a film like “Martha Marcy May Marlene,” which has some significant (not necessarily by Hollywood standards, but still) dollars behind it and a cast that includes an actor like John Hawkes, who is sublime in everything he does, ranging from “Deadwood” to “Winter’s Bone.”
So that may be the first part of the process. For all of the struggling indie filmmakers out there, start the dialog and figure out what works best for your project, because they’re all different. Traditional funding has taken a hit in recent years, and for the few who have figured out how to make the Internet work for you, take a bow and come get your gold star, because that is no small feat. It always reminds me of that “South Park” episode where the gang tries to figure out how to go from Internet millionaires to real millionaires, and get stuck in the waiting room with all of the pseudo YouTube celebrities.
As always, we had the chance to talk with some extraordinary people in the world of filmmaking this year. I hope you enjoyed reading the thoughts of people ranging from the first timers just breaking into the business to the seasoned pros who have worked on big budget projects but who have never forgotten their indie roots. And we hoped it helped the filmmakers get a little press who would otherwise not get recognized. Every year we start with a plan, have certain festivals and filmmakers in mind, but that’s the great thing about this business. It’s a fluid situation, and people become available all the time. You wake up one morning, and you see an e-mail that someone like John Hurt can chat for 10 minutes. How cool is that?
So who gets the gold for this year? “The Descendants,” written and directed by Alexander Payne, is racking up some positive publicity. George Clooney is this generation’s Cary Grant, Robert Altman, and Don Johnson (yes, dammit) all rolled into one. He escapes unscathed from his missteps, and always seems to find more quality projects than not, all the while becoming a solid filmmaker in the process in addition to his acting career. A late release like “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” from director David Fincher, might do well. Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life,” starring another actor who has evolved beyond his face—Brad Pitt—may be a dark horse candidate. My personal favorite this year was “Cedar Rapids,” starring Ed Helms and John C. Reilly, who officially, can do no wrong. There were better movies, but none I liked more. It could have been easy for this movie, directed by Miguel Arteta, to slip into farce, but the cast, including Anne Heche (surprisingly solid) and Isiah Whitlock Jr., would never let it.
Of course, until Hollywood gets out of this asinine phase of remakes, reboots, and a general penchant for chasing its own tail, it’s becoming harder and harder to go into a movie without a) wincing violently at the supposedly clever dialogue that’s being pumped out by Judd Apatow disciples, b) screaming at the screen as another piece of my childhood is defiled by executives who just can’t help themselves (can’t wait for the next “G.I. Joe” movie!) and, c) figuring everything out in the first five minutes and then being more enthralled with what the movie theater pretzel is doing to my digestive system than anything that’s happening on the screen—“Battle Los Angeles,” the most clichéd, hackneyed thing I’ve seen in a long while comes to mind. God, what a terrible, terrible movie.
At this point, it’s pretty clear that the balance of quality has tilted towards TV. The CW (it is so a network—leave them alone!) keeps bringing out stellar product like “Ringer,” “Ha8ter,” and a half dozen shows about teenage witches played, as always, by actors who have crow’s feet around their eyes. One good thing about “Ringer,” which stars Sarah Michelle Gellar (well, nobody really stars on the CW) as a pair of twins who…must stay awake…some sort of mystery…can’t keep eyes open…It did have the most unintentionally hilarious green screen CGI effect of Gellar being stranded in the “ocean.” Good stuff.
But in actuality, HBO continues to lead the pack. This season of “Boardwalk Empire” was easily on par with, if not better, than last year’s. Where to start? The set pieces make you feel like 1920s Atlantic City has come to life. Steve Buscemi and Michael Pitt play their roles like they’re trapped in the ultimate Greek tragedy. The show is beautifully written and impeccably cast. “Game of Thrones” proves you don’t have to be a sci-fi fantasy nerd to like swords and sandals epics. The recently canceled “Hung,” starring Thomas Jane and Jane Adams, deserved another season. And if the sneak peak at the pilot of “Luck” is any indication, the network can…I was going to try for a horseracing pun, but I couldn’t do it. Take my word, it’s good. And that’s not even mentioning their original movies and documentaries. There’s always FX’s “Sons of Anarchy,” “Justified,” and the brilliant “Archer.” “Boss,” starring Kelsey Grammer, which airs on Starz, is quite compelling, and don’t forget Showtime’s “Dexter,” which is the most fun you can have while watching a serial killer.
So that’s what I’ve been watching this past year, while avoiding deadlines and any other major responsibilities. That, and “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.” I have probably watched that no fewer than eight times this year. I kid you not. “From hell’s heart, I stab at thee…”
Oh, and one last thing. My last blog, which focused on the most memorable movie theme songs (those with the title of the movie in them) of all time had a critical oversight. 1983’s “All the Right Moves,” which actually isn’t a bad movie and a fairly decent look at high school football in a depressed Pennsylvania steel town, features a title track performed by Jennifer Warnes and Chris Thompson that puts “Lethal Weapon” to shame.
So that’s it. Thanks for reading Film Slate Magazine, and always, keep the comments coming. Also thanks to everybody behind the scenes—the writers, the designers, publicists, etc.—who have made the publication what it is. See you in 2012.
