Follow up response

I forgot to mention that the bottom line is that I’m proud of my first film. Why? Because to me, it was my film school.

I learned so many valuable lessons from it that it helped me grow as a filmmaker. I’ll always be fond of that fact and so I’ll always look back at this film and smile.

FAVORS review

Film Threat’s review of my short film was negative. It basically ripped on the fact that the plot made no sense, or didn’t reveal enough information and the performances were not engaging enough to care for the characters.

The funny things is….I agree with most of the criticism. Being that is was my first film, I wrote something that I thought would be made originally by my brother and friends. I tried to write something simple to shoot. When the production grew, I tried to expand the story and character motivations, while keeping a sense of mystery about the plot. I was intent on not telling the audience everything that was going on. I was really in a bind when writing this by not wanting to give too much backstory (as it was a short film). I wanted to start the film in the middle of the characters’ lives and situation.

The critic writes, “Direct answers are not present”. Good. That’s something that actually was the point of this film. I’m the filmmaker that wants the audience to make decisions about what the film is trying to say.

Having said that, I’ve learned that there’s a fine line between letting the audience interpret the film….and confusing them too much by not telling enough so that it pisses them off, disengages them with your film and makes them check their watches and pray for the film to end.

The part of the review which I contest is the reviewer’s assertion that the film title comes from the main characters waiting in the garage to help out a friend. Again, it’s probably at this point that the reviewer already lost interest, but the title refers to a number of different situations that could be considered a “favor.” And I wanted the viewer to be able to think about what was the favor of the film.

I also do not agree with the critic’s comment on the actors’ lack of charisma. I think my actors did a great job for the material they were given. Could they have been better? Possibly. If I had given them better direction, there may have been better moments on the screen. And that’s my fault. Another learning lesson for me.

This is great crticism to let me know that it’s still important to tell a damn good story. While I think the script did that, I failed to translate it well on the screen. The feature script fully goes into the lives of the characters and builds on motivation and plot information, so I’m not too worried about the review. It seemed like 90% of the negative review was on story.

I wish the reviewer had commented on my visual style or other aspects of the film (cinematography, dance sequence). But this proves that I have a lot to learn, and can only improve from this point. This will make me work all that much harder. Stay tuned for my next film.

Gary’s Great Films

NARC (2002) Dir: Joe Carnahan

Raw energy. Pure adrenaline. Electric performances. There are few words that can really capture the feeling when you watch this film. Joe Carnahan’s second film stamps his signature all over a genre that was all but tired out. In fact, what impresses me most with this film is that it certainly feels new and fresh in a genre and storyline that’s been previously explored by myriads of filmmakers. And that’s damn hard to do.

The plot, if read on the page, could seem to be just another routine crime drama, but in the hands of Carnahan, he brilliantly creates a sense of urgency, depression and dread in an experience I will never forget. His use of precise framing, amazing color/film stock choices and an ingenious split-screen sequence differentiates this film from the pack. The editing style delivers a frenetic energy to the situation, and then slows to let you catch your breath.

The performances from Ray Liotta and Jason Patric are phenomenal. The motivations and feelings of the characters they create are so innately felt, that everything they do has significant resonance to everything around them and the viewer. They embody the harsh reality that we feel, and we feel that we are living it with them. Both Liotta and Patric were so under appreciated in this gem, I am surprised that not too much notice was given to them.

Watch this film. Live their lives.

Magic Moment
Nick Tellis (Jason Patirc) looks in the mirror when an important person in his life decides to leave him.

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Angry Asian Man