Sunday, June 24, 2012

Elephant in the Living Room (2010)

Directed by Michael Webber
Starring Tim Harrison and Terry Brumfield
Runtime 96min. - Rated PG

4 Stars (out of 4)

"Elephant in the Living Room" is available on DVD or $3.99 V.O.D including
Amazon, Vudu, or YouTube.

Michael Webber's "Elephant in the Living Room" reinforces a belief that I've always had. What I didn't realize is that I may be in the minority on the issue. Personally, I don't think people should own dangerous exotic pets. It isn't just that they should choose not to, they should legally be banned from owning them. Not only are people allowed to own lions, tigers, and bears (wait for it) in most states, but at least 7 states require no permits and have no laws regarding ownership. That should make you say, "oh my".

Saturday, June 23, 2012

The Avengers (2012) - A Negative Review

Directed by Joss Whedon
Starring Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood
Runtime 143min. - Rated PG-13

3.5 Stars (out of 4)


There are currently 497 external reviews posted to IMDB along with 1,057 user reviews. Those numbers render whatever I have to say pretty much pointless. So let me start out by saying that the film was a lot of fun. It was one of the best theater experiences in the past few years. You all know why; effects, humor, aliens, superheroes. There's no sense in me rehashing the other 1500+ reviews by gushing over Joss Whedon's best film to date, so let's focus on something different, the negative. I want to explain where the other half-star could have came from.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

The Sunset Limited (2011)

Directed by Tommy Lee Jones
Starring Jones and Samuel L. Jackson
Runtime 91min. - Not Rated

3 Stars (out of 4)


Here's a film based on a play by Cormac McCarthy, the writer of "The Road" and "No Country for Old Men". This is a sharp turn from those two novels/movies, but it does have in common a grim view of the human condition.

The film has only two actors, Samuel L. Jackson and Tommy Lee Jones. Their names are never given, they are only credited as "White" and "Black". I'll give you one guess which actor is black and which is white. The trailer gave me the idea that this was to be a classic battle between an atheist (Jones) and a believer (Jackson). In truth, its more of a "minimalist vs. nihilist" battle.

Collaborator (2011)

Directed and Written by Martin Donovan
Starring Donovan and David Morse
Runtime 88min. - Not Rated

3.5 Stars (out of 4)

"Collaborator" is available for $5.99 on ITunes, Amazon Instant and Vudu.


I didn't know what to expect from this film. I hadn't even seen a trailer when I rented it from Amazon. All I knew is that it was written and directed by Martin Donovan, and featured Donovan and David Morse in the starring roles. I reasoned that was enough to give it a try and that reasoning proved fruitful.

This is the 2nd review in a row that features a struggling writer of screen and stage. The struggles for Robert Longfellow (Donovan), however, are much more external than my previous subject. The film opens with Longfellow's most recent stage-play being brutally mocked by some local radio hosts who take pleasure in the pain of others. The play is the latest in a string of critical failures and Robert is beginning to feel the effects.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

2nd Take (2011)

Directed by John Suits
Starring Tom Everett Scott and Sarah Jones
Runtime 103min. - Not Rated

3 Stars (out of 4)

2nd Take is available for as low as $3.99 on ITunes, Amazon Instant, and YouTube.


They say all good writing is autobiographical in some way. I think that's the case for "2nd Take", which is very tragic. The screenwriter chose to write about a screenwriter who's writing about a screenwriter. It'd take hard evidence to convince me that the story is totally fictional. It appeals to nostalgia with its constant referencing of "Casablanca", which I publicly endorse as the greatest film of all time.

Peter (Scott) owns a storage and shipping facility not unlike a U-Haul franchise. His clientele seems to be made up entirely of hookers, which I find fascinating. I suppose it's convenient for them to store their belongings and then walk to the corner. It's hinted in the movie that they might be using their storage space for unsanctioned purposes; drugs, sex, sleep. Peter is in no place to judge since he's a frequent partaker of their services. He doesn't have sex with the prostitutes; he just sleeps next to them and holds their hands. I thought this might lead to some Patrick Bateman-like activity, but it's quite the opposite. Peter doesn't even get angry when he wakes up and finds a hooker stealing from him. He convinces her to give back the object because of its sentimental value. This behavior is a big clue to Peter's personality and his past. Tom Everett Scott plays the character with bottled-up emotional turmoil and a perpetually straight face. It's the decisions of the character that give him away.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Blue Ridge (2010)

Directed by Vince Sweeney
Starring Eric Sweeney and Audra Glyn Smith
Runtime 90min. - Not rated

Star Rating...5th Amendment!!?

"Blue Ridge" is available on Vudu, Itunes and Amazon Instant.
It's also screening in select theaters.

I'm going to invoke my 5th amendment rights in terms of a star rating for this film. It's been filmed in Craig County and Roanoke, Virginia. Since I spend at least 40 hours a week in Roanoke, I am always grateful for a movie to be made there. I couldn't give an unbiased grade to the film and I don't want to make filmmakers feel unwelcome in my hometown. Therefore, I abstain. Instead I'll just discuss my thoughts on the film and allow the reader to project whatever tone they choose.

"Blue Ridge" follows the exploits of J.T., a tire salesman and handyman whose entire world exists on an isolated patch of mountainside. I got the feeling that we're supposed to be sympathetic to J.T. I certainly wasn't. He seems to be a nice enough guy. He likes everyone except homosexuals, Mexicans, blacks, feminists, yapping dogs, and people who talk on phones. Now that I think about it, he really only likes one person, Sara.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Beauty Beneath The Dirt (2011)

Conceived, directed, produced, filmed by Katherine Imp
Starring Ringleader, Monkey, and Lightning
Runtime 70min. - Not Rated
3.5 Stars (out of 4)

For more information including the Homepage, YouTube page, fund-raising efforts, screening information, movie trailer, and an exclusive interview with Kate Imp.
CLICK HERE

As a film, "B.B.T.D" is a wonderfully entertaining self-contradiction. On the surface it's a documentary about a trio of thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail. However, if you take an archaeological approach and gently brush away the dirt and rock, what you find is the fully formed skeleton of an urban drama. There's jealousy, rage, lust, pain and sadness. Thankfully, there's also humor, love, tranquility, and a major sense of achievement.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Spilt Milk (2010)

Directed by Blake Calhoun
Starring Jake Johnson and Chase Jeffrey
Runtime 80min. - Not Rated

4 Stars (out of 4)

Spilt Milk is available on many V.O.D streaming outlets, including YouTube, for $2.99.

"Spilt Milk" is arguably the crown jewel amongst a quarry of gems that constitute the Indie Rights library. I haven't been able to track down the history of the film's production, but it seems to me it should have made waves on the festival circuit. There are echoes of "Clerks", "Office Space" and other great workplace comedies. But like a Quentin Tarantino film, it's more than the sum of its parts.

Jake Johnson anchors the cast. Before "Spilt Milk" Johnson's credits included such prestigious roles as "Man on cell phone", "Basketball Player" and "Guayabera Shirt Man". Today he's known for his excellent work on the hit comedy "New Girl" with Zooey Deschanel. It doesn't surprise me that Johnson's role as Todd spurred his career to greater heights.

You may be thinking I have some sort of fantasy bromance with Jake Johnson. You'd be right. I've never seen a more natural talent. Even good actors often sound like they're reading lines from a script. No matter what material he gets, Johnson makes it sound like the dialogue is completely reactionary. It's almost as if everyone around him is reading their lines and Jake is just improvising. I doubt that is the case. The illusion created is the product of a unique skill set.

The story of "Spilt Milk" takes place in a grocery store. It's one of those grocery stores that you only see in movies. Every space on the shelf is fully stocked with it's designated item. The products line up so evenly that during a wide-angle shot cereal boxes appear to be walls. It's not really relevant to the story, but those of us who have worked retail know it's an inaccuracy. One thing that sets this grocery store apart from other cinematic retailers is the use of actual brand names. The reason for this difference is that indie producers probably don't bet on product placement for funding. "Walnut Circle Market" may be a fictional store name, but among its products are several "Great Value" items, a brand commonly found at Walmart.

Todd is the overnight manager of the store. Perhaps due to the hours, his customer base is a little eccentric. When a robber enters the scene, his only available hostages are a pharmaceutically intoxicated middle-aged suburbanite and some teenagers who insist they are of legal drinking age. When Todd refuses to sell them beer, it's revealed that the intoxicated lady is actually one of the teens' mother. Instead of being outraged, she demands that she be allowed to purchase the alcohol for the teens' enjoyment. The appearance of a masked gunman comes at an opportune time for Todd, who was at his wit's end with the ridiculous demands of his customers.

The movie's foundation is based on the fact that Todd can't open his safe to pay off the robber. It's on a time-lock and it will be five hours until the safe approves its digital combination. For reasons I dare not share, Todd encourages his would-be assailant to stick out the wait. The ensuing downtime sets the table for all sorts of comic situations and dialogue, all of which do their job. The time-lock scenario also gives the characters a chance to be fleshed out in full. The crook's role is to be the catalyst for change. He forces our characters to face their past, evaluate their present situations, and plan their futures. Blake Calhoun gives the viewer every opportunity to invest in his characters and after you're emotionally hooked, he subjects them to some perilous situations. However, the source of this peril is not what you may expect.

"Spilt Milk" is also excellent on the technical level. The use of space rivals that of the aforementioned "Clerks". Calhoun finds a near endless amount of interesting and fresh camera angles in a single location. The depth of field creates an illusion of grocery aisles that stretch hundreds of feet. Having worked in a grocery store, I can tell you the overall authenticity level is cranked to eleven.

The most appealing aspect for some will be that the film is genuinely funny. It's not just the gags, the film makes you think while you laugh. Its price, instant availability, and most of all its greatness makes "Spilt Milk" an experience not to be missed.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Beauty Beneath The Dirt - An Exclusive Q&A With The Ringleader


The following is a DustyOnMovies.com exclusive Q&A with Katherine "Ringleader" Imp. Kate is the executive producer, director and a subject of the new documentary "Beauty Beneath The Dirt". It follows an unlikely trio of thru-hikers on their quest to conquer the Appalachian Trail.

This is the first Q&A for the blog. I can only hope I didn't disappoint with the questions because the responses were golden. But this isn't about me, so let's get on with it.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Delivered (2011)

Directed by Michael Madison
Starring Michael Madison and Jeanette Steiner
Runtime 89min. - Not Rated (Intended For Adults)

3 Stars (out of 4)

"Delivered" is available as a 72hr rental for $2.99 on YouTube.
Also available as a 7 day rental for $1.99 on Amazon Instant


"Delivered" isn't the best movie I've ever seen, but it shows a remarkable amount of creativity and talent. This is especially true if you consider this is only Michael Madison's second outing as director and was made on a meager budget. I've seen a lot of good indies recently, but most have been dramas or romantic comedies. It takes some real ambition and a lot of guts to make an action-thriller without funding from a big studio. The product of that ambition is a movie that has a few shortcomings, but is satisfying in the end.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Less - Losing Is Everything (2010)

"Less" is screening in limited availability, but is on YouTube for $2.99.

"Less" truly captures the spirit of independent film-making. It's directed, produced and acted by relative newcomers on meager budget. It's also made with the kind of care and personal attachment that you don't find often in big studio films. There's no robots, explosions, car chases or gun fights. It's a story about people and their burdens, drama in its most elemental form.