http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/ Mike Jones' Blog en Copyright 2009 2009-09-25T17:50:20+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/the_economy_takes_cinevegas/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/the_economy_takes_cinevegas/ The great CineVegas Film Festival, coming off its strongest year, has announced it will go on hiatus for 2010. “Given the current economic climate and the pressures it has created, we made the difficult decision to put CineVegas on hiatus for the coming year. CineVegas has become such a well respected film festival, and rather than allow the economy to affect its level of quality we have opted to put the event on hold,” said Robin Greenspun, Festival President. “We are so proud that CineVegas has grown to become a premiere showcase for uninhibited filmmakers and a scintillating festival experience… 2009-09-25T18:50:20+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/rachel_rosen_heads_to_san_fran_fest/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/rachel_rosen_heads_to_san_fran_fest/ San Francisco Film Society exec director Graham Leggat announced this morning that Rachel Rosen will be the fest’s new Director of Programming. “We’re thrilled to welcome Rachel back to a leadership role in the organization after her extraordinarily successful tenure in Los Angeles,” said Leggat. “Her intelligence, flair for innovation and keen eye for exciting new work are just what we need as we enter our next phase.” Rosen will leave her eight-year gig as director of programming for FIND‘s Los Angeles Film Festival, which recently wrapped up one of its best years.  She was the associate director of programming… 2009-08-10T19:07:39+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/postcard_from_comic-con/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/postcard_from_comic-con/ You know Comic-Con has turned a corner when a vendor hawks cologne for geeks.  The box for this Star Trek-inspired perfume called Red Shirt reads: “Because tomorrow may never come.” Check out my Con article for FilmInFocus: The Comic-Con volunteer working the registration desk has seen most every character in the universe pick up their badge, from the Green Lantern to Alice in Wonderland.  “But it was the girl in the French maid outfit carrying an Uzi had me scratching my head,” she says.  “Bless her, but her generous body just wasn’t built for that get-up.”  Yet that is Comic-Con—a… 2009-07-29T15:48:27+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/cinevegas_well_repped_in_filmmaker_mags_list/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/cinevegas_well_repped_in_filmmaker_mags_list/ A big winner out of Filmmaker Mag‘s 2009 list of 25 New Faces of Indie Film is CineVegas.  Three of the twenty-five filmmakers premiered their pic at this year’s event—Frankie Latina (“Modus Operandi”), Jeff Mizushima (“Etienne!”—pictured above), and Asiel Norton (“Redland”). I’d even add a 26th from the CineVegas lineup—Kyle Patrick Alvarez, whose assured drama, “Easier with Practice,” (below) won the fest’s top award.  Check out Cinematical’s review. 2009-07-15T17:50:46+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/fantastic_fest_lands_new_jared_hess_movie/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/fantastic_fest_lands_new_jared_hess_movie/ “Let me irrigate your barren earth with fresh cream.” Austin’s Fantastic Fest will open with Jared Hess‘s new Fox Searchlight comedy “Gentlemen Broncos” Benjamin (Michael Angarano), home-schooled by his eccentric mother (Jennifer Coolidge),  is a lovable loner whose passion for writing leads him on an offbeat and hilarious journey as his story first gets ripped off by the legendary fantasy novelist, Ronald Chevalier (Jemaine Clement) and then is adapted into a disastrous movie by the small town’s most prolific homespun filmmaker. Check out the website and teaser: 2009-07-13T17:53:49+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/where_is_the_writing_going/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/where_is_the_writing_going/ I have always marveled at how Anthony Kaufman was able to maintain a freelance life. Tony and I met at film school years ago.  We are in each others’ short films, either in front of or behind the camera.  When school ended we both went on to journalism.  One of my proudest career moments is bringing Tony into an eager start-up I was working with called indieWIRE.  While I went on to make a living as a screenwriter, Tony kept at film journalism.  I’ve watched Tony’s writing become sharper, essential, and wonderfully opinionated as the years passed.  With regular gigs… 2009-07-09T17:55:50+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/afi_dallas_film_festival_drops_afi/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/afi_dallas_film_festival_drops_afi/ There is certainly more to this story, but both AFI and the Dallas Film Society jointly announced “completion of their initial three-year agreement.” The release goes on to say “The DALLAS Film Society is planning its 2010 international film festival and expects to announce details over the coming weeks.” The AFI Dallas Film Festival came out of the gate strong three years ago.  With a massive budget for a first time event, they had always intended to compete directly with the big fests.  The “jointness” of this release indicates a mutual separation, though at the end of the day, I… 2009-06-17T22:48:30+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/ampav_notebook_eli_roth/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/ampav_notebook_eli_roth/ Eli Roth with Fantastic Fest’s Tim League (left): “I was 25 and broke and working as a PA on movies.  I had a giant mouse infestation in my apartment.  All my friends were married, had health insurance, 401K plans.  There I was with 200 bucks in my bank account while I was cleaning up dead mice in a New York walk-up on 25th Street. But my brother said, ‘But you’re pursuing your dream and you’re not going to be here forever.’  And he was right.  And a lot of my friends who took a job that they really didn’t want… 2009-05-21T11:08:05+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/notes_from_the_ampav_lynn_shelton_and_lee_daniels/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/notes_from_the_ampav_lynn_shelton_and_lee_daniels/ Talking with indieWIRE‘s Eugene Hernandez at the Cannes 2009 American Pavilion, directors Lynn Shelton and Lee Daniels spoke about their festival films, their career, and what’s next. Shelton’s alt-buddy comedy “Humpday” opens July 10 while Daniels inner city drama “Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire” debuts November 10. — As an excited young producer (before hitting it big producing “Monsters Ball”), Lee Daniels courted then-emerging African American actors, including Morgan Freeman.  “I know you from the Electric Company, man!  We can rock this town!” Daniels told Freeman. “Let’s make some money!”  Daniels said he loves actors and is… 2009-05-17T19:36:58+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/notes_from_francis_ford_coppola/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/notes_from_francis_ford_coppola/ by Jean-Pierre Busche The 70-year-old directing legend Francis Ford Coppola spoke to a packed Roger Ebert Conference Center for a intimate conversation on his process.  Some notes gleamed from the hour-long talk: —After an enthusiastic welcome by the audience, he joked that he is “currently living up past failures.” —The director reminded moderator Scott Foundas that “Apocalypse Now”—Coppola’s follow-up to “The Godfather”—did not receive good reviews initially. Nevertheless, it was appreciated over time and is much more appreciated today. —Coppola emphasized the importance of quality and innovation over budget, a notion well received by the audience:  “The smaller the budget,… 2009-05-16T16:35:59+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/cannes_blood_red_year/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/cannes_blood_red_year/ NY Times’ Joan Dupont says Cannes will bring more gore than love: So what’s new? A feast of horror and gore. Mr. von Trier’s “Anti-Christ” is a vision of the world created by Satan. Gaspar Noé — of the scandalous “Irréversible”(2002) — should spook again with “Soudain le vide” (Enter the Void); Johnnie To’s “Vengeance” stars Johnny Halliday as avenger; in Mr. Tarantino’s World War II epic the avengers slaughter Nazis. Park Chan-Wook’s “Bak-jwi” (Thirst) is about a priest who turns into a vampire; Isabel Coixet’s “Map of the Sounds of Tokyo” is a thriller about a female killer. Brillante… 2009-05-12T20:28:38+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/cannes_competition_primer/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/cannes_competition_primer/ The Guardian has a nice pic gallery of Cannes Competition contenders, including Almodovar, who returns this year with “Broken Embraces.” 2009-05-11T16:44:29+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/laff_to_open_with_manns_public_enemies/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/laff_to_open_with_manns_public_enemies/ As their Centerpiece Premiere, Los Angeles Film Festival will screen Michael Mann‘s John Dillinger flick “Public Enemies” starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale.  Seven world or U.S. preems make up the Narrative and Doc competitions, including—for the first time—some international pics. In the Narrative Competition: “Dear Lemon Lima,” Suzi Yoonessi “Harmony & Me,” Bob Byington “Hollywood, je t’aime,” Jason Bushman “Passenger Side,” Matt Bissonnette (Canada) “Turistas,” Alicia Scherson (Chile) “Wa Do Dem” (What They Do), Sam Fleischner, Ben Chace “Zero Bridge,” Tariq Tapa (USA/India) In the Doc Competition: “After the Storm,” Hilla Medalia “Bananas!*,” Fredrik Gertten (Sweden) “Branson,” Brent Meeske… 2009-05-05T17:05:50+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/cannes_tetro_trailer/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/cannes_tetro_trailer/ Coppola’s black-and-white drama starring Vincent Gallo, “Tetro,” has a trailer up. It shows the extreme limits online video has with blacks—muddy and narrow.  IMDb has this bit of trivia: Francis Ford Coppola decided to shoot this film the same way he shot Rumble Fish (1983): in black-and-white, with occasional bursts of colour, since both films held “a spiritual connection” with each other (both are dramas about relationships, primarily that of brotherhood). and To attain the film’s visual style, director Francis Ford Coppola and cinematographer Mihai Malaimare Jr. watched La notte (1961), Baby Doll (1956) and On the Waterfront (1954); films… 2009-05-05T16:36:41+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/ny_times_points_out_mumblecore_to_hollywood_a_little_late/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mikejones/archives/ny_times_points_out_mumblecore_to_hollywood_a_little_late/ Among his “Memos to Hollywood,” A.O. Scott calls on the rom-com studios to hire some fresh air for a dying genre: To: Heads of production, Sony, Universal, Paramount, Fox, Disney Cc: Joe Swanberg, Andrew Bujalski, Greta Gerwig, Aaron Katz and all their Facebook Friends From: A.O.S. You all keep trying to make Rock Hudson-Doris Day-style romantic comedies with the golden guys and gals of the moment, and the results are sexless, subtextless, bland career-girl-in-search-of-Mr.-Right retreads. Meanwhile, a bunch of hungry directors with digital cameras, time on their hands and not much money are making free-form studies about tentative hookups and… 2009-05-03T15:17:01+00:00