Andrew Johnson's Blog — WriterAndrew

Feature: The 10th Annual Full Frame Documentary Film Festival

Note: This article was originally published in Technician on April 19, 2007.

-----

Full Frame turns 10

The 10th annual Full Frame documentary film festival took place in Durham, N. C., last weekend and attracted filmmakers, press and visitors from all over the country. Approximately 120 films were screened, with around 80 being in competition for various awards.

The festival officially kicked off with a screening of Castells, a film by German director Gereon Wetzel that followed a human pyramid team in Catalonia, Spain. The film had viewers on the edge of their seats with its depiction of towers rising dozens of feet in the air, composed solely of human beings.

To honor the 10th anniversary of the event, 10 curators were invited to each present a film they felt was a particularly meaningful and relevant representation of the genre. The special guests included, but were not limited to: playwright Ariel Dorfman, author Walter Moseley, documentary filmmakers St. Claire Bourne and Michael Moore, and feature film director Mira Nair. Martin Scorsese also submitted a film, though he was unable to attend the festival in person.

Julia Reichert, director of A Lion in the House, presented Michael Moore's first film, Roger and Me, as her choice. She felt the film marked a turning point in documentary filmmaking, as it proved that documentaries could be humorous and entertaining, as well as reach mainstream audiences. In a conversation after the screening, Moore revealed that this was exactly what he was intending to do.

Review: Grindhouse (2007)

Note: This article was originally published in Technician on April 5, 2007.

-----

Get a blast from the past with 'Grindhouse'

Filmgoers are about to get a blast from the past this weekend with the release of Grindhouse, a double-feature that pays homage to the grindhouse exploitation films of the '60s and '70s.

Robert Rodriguez (Sin City) and Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill) have teamed up to direct a tribute to the edgy, low-budget films of their childhood. The result is a film lover's dream come true, and a damn good time as well.

The film begins with Planet Terror, an over-the-top zombie gore-fest directed by Robert Rodriguez. Rose McGowan stars as Cherry, a go-go dancer who teams up with an old boyfriend, El Wray (played perfectly by Freddy Rodriguez) and a slew of other eccentric characters to take on a horde of flesh-eating zombies and the corrupt military officials behind the infection.

Gore oozes out of every scene, the violence is nonstop, and there are so many explosions you'll think you accidentally walked into the next Michael Bay popcorn flick.

Feature: Hilary Swank and Idris Elba on The Reaping

Note: This article was originally published in Technician on April 5, 2007.

-----

Movie roles challenge more than skill

Hilary Swank is an established actress, having already won two Academy Awards for her performances in Boys Don't Cry and Million Dollar Baby. This weekend, she can be seen in the supernatural thriller The Reaping, alongside Idris Elba, a relative newcomer to the world of film after having appeared on a variety of television shows, most notably The Wire on HBO.

The Reaping follows a young woman who specializes in debunking supernatural phenomena. It chronicles what happens when she investigates a small town that is apparently being tormented by the 10 biblical plagues.

"It's a smart supernatural thriller," Swank said. "Even though I read the script and act in the movie … when I watched the movie I got scared at certain points."

Her co-star was also attracted to the project by the script.

"The script really opened up my mind while I was reading it. And, you know, the way my character and Hilary's character interact and the relationship they have as they go debunking miracles is really interesting to me," Elba said.

Swank plays a former Christian missionary who is disillusioned by the faith. However, the actress herself claims to be less of a skeptic than the character she portrays.

"I'm more faith driven than skeptic driven," Swank said. "It was definitely interesting, though, to read about these people who are skeptics and how they feel like there's a scientific answer for everything. But I'm definitely more of the faith side."

FeaturesAndrew JohnsonApril 5, 2007Hilary Swank, Idris Elba, The Reaping, biblical plagues, spirituality, supernaturalComment

Review: Blades of Glory (2007)

Note: This article was originally published in Technician on March 29, 2007.

-----

Blades of Glory sticks to formula, with good results

It started with dodgeball. Then it was NASCAR. Now it's figure skating. Hollywood seems to be going through a phase of sports-themed comedies, and this weekend will see the release of Blades of Glory, the latest Will Ferrell movie in which he plays the same egotistical-jerk-at-the-top-of-his-game as usual. Really, does he play anything else?

Will Ferrell and Jon Heder play Chazz Michael Michaels and Jimmy MacElroy, respectively - professional figure skaters whose rivalry for each other eventually results in them being permanently prohibited from skating singles in the Olympics. However, the pair discover a loophole that will allow them to skate as a pair. They'll have to put aside their differences if they're going to steal the gold from the favored competitors, Stranz and Fairchild Van Waldenberg (Will Arnett and Amy Poehler).

ReviewsAndrew JohnsonMarch 29, 2007Amy Poehler, Blades of Glory, Jon Heder, Will Arnett, Will FerrellComment

Feature: Jon Heder talks Blades of Glory

Note: This article was originally published in Technician on March 29, 2007.

-----

Napoleon takes to the ice

Jon Heder is probably best known to most as the socially inept yet lovable Napoleon Dynamite. However, ever since that small film became a cult sensation, the actor has had the opportunity to work with many veteran directors and actors and make a name for himself in Hollywood. He can next be seen alongside Will Ferrell in Blades of Glory, a comedy about two male figure skaters who end up competing as a pair.

According to Heder, it's a film audiences are lucky to see. There was a brief period of time during which it was nearly cancelled, after the actor broke his ankle during training.

"I wish I could say it was a cool accident and I was doing a cool trick, but I wasn't. I was going into a spin and my foot stayed stuck in the ice, so I just kind of crumpled on top of it," Heder said. "There was a brief time where we really thought the movie wasn't going to happen."

FeaturesAndrew JohnsonMarch 29, 2007Blades of Glory, Jon Heder, Will FerrellComment

Feature: Mark Wahlberg talks Shooter

Note: This article was originally published in Technician on March 22, 2007.

-----

Shooting up the screen

Mark Wahlberg has risen through the ranks of Hollywood like few have. Once known as the crotch-grabbing rapper Marky Mark, he went on to become admired for his acting talent, even going as far as to achieve an Oscar nomination for his role in last year's The Departed. The actor can now be seen this weekend in Shooter, an action-packed shoot-em-up meant to pay homage to the action-conspiracy films of the '70s.

"The high-intensity action movies that they've been making lately aren't really the kind of character-driven movies that I love and that I grew up watching in the '70s," Whalberg said. This is kind of a throw-back to that."

FeaturesAndrew JohnsonMarch 22, 2007Mark Wahlberg, ShooterComment

Feature: Jonathan and Wes Craven talk Hills Have Eyes II

Note: This article was originally posted in Technician on March 21, 2007.

-----

Father and son team up on horror film

Thirty years after the release of a remake of his 1977 horror film The Hills Have Eyes, Wes Craven teamed up with his son, Jonathan, in writing a sequel to the 2006 remake. The Hills Have Eyes II which will be released into theaters this weekend, follows a group of military trainees who are attacked by mutants in the desert.

"It was great. I've never had a smoother writing experience," Jonathan said. "We sat in a room for a month and pounded out a first draft. We got along great and had a great time."

Though both Cravens had writing experience, this was the first time they had teamed up and collaborated on a project.

"We could have conversations about being a father, which was a new thing for us. It was two writers and two fathers writing together," Wes said.

As one of the godfathers of the horror genre, responsible for films such as A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream, Wes said there are only a few rules he tries to follow when writing and directing his movies.

"The basic questions I try to ask are, 'Would I like to watch this?' and 'Have you already seen a movie like this?'" Wes said. "Also, don't kill the cameraman."

FeaturesAndrew JohnsonMarch 21, 2007Jonathan Craven, The Hills Have Eyes, Wes CravenComment

Feature: The Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell

Note: This article was originally published in Technician on February 22, 2007.

-----

Breaking the mold of Hollywood

So you want to make your own movie? Maybe these guys can help.

This Friday the Carolina Theatre will host a premiere of The Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell, an independent feature film made by North Carolina natives. Before the screening, however, the filmmakers will be here on campus as part of a special "Meet the Filmmakers' event sponsored by the Film Studies program. The writer, director, producer, actors and other crew members -- including Jamie Bullock and Kevin Wheatley -- are scheduled to be on campus to show clips from the film and answer questions about how it was made.

Marsha Orgeron, director of film studies, is helping to sponsor the event.

"The whole idea is to allow students to have some interaction with a significant number of the cast and crew,' Orgeron said. "This is an opportunity for anyone interested in any element of filmmaking to come and ask questions.'

Feature: The Polish Brothers and Billy Bob Thornton

Note: This article was originally published in Technician on February 22, 2007.

-----

Actors, Directors factor their kids into filmmaking

Apparently anyone can go into space these days.

Just ask twin filmmakers Mark and Michael Polish. Mark cowrote the new family film The Astronaut Farmer with his brother, who also directed. The movie follows a farmer who builds a rocket in his barn with the intention of going into space, and how this impacts his family and even the entire nation. It's an idea that's been a few years in the making.

"The initial idea came in around 2002. We pulled it out in 2005. The total writing took around 6 months," Mark said. "We did extensive research. It's called Google."

Famed actor and director Billy Bob Thornton stars as the protagonist.

"I loved the script. After doing a few comedies in a row I really wanted to do this. It was a great experience," Thornton said.

Bruce Willis and Bruce Dern also appear in the film, both of whom are friends of Thornton. It's a detail, according to the actor, that made the acting process much more enjoyable.

"When you're working with friends, it's like a vacation together because we don't get to see each other a lot. The whole cast was terrific to work with," Thornton said.

FeaturesAndrew JohnsonFebruary 22, 2007Billy Bob Thornton, Mark Polish, Michael Polish, Northfolk, Polish Brothers, The Astronaut FarmerComment

latest POSTS