Henry Fool/Fay Grim and ILM?
Despite busyness, went to take a break to go see "Fay Grim" at the Camera 12--- originally it was Camera 3, our local indie film house that I always had a fondness for, as it was the 'little movie theatre that could' against the big mainstream films.
There's something about the tiny indie arthouses I liked and I totally forgot about it.
One thing, right away, is how much CLEANER the theatres are. Secondly, the flavor and tone of the audiences is so much different. People who are waiting are generally reading/discussing books whilst waiting for the film.
Anyhow, even though it's more financially feasible to see indies at home via rental, it just ain't the same. I miss it, maybe eventually when life is less burdensome, I can re-subscribe to it.
To the point: went to see the 7 year follow up to the bizzare masterpiece that was "Henry Fool"- "Fay Grim".
"Henry Fool" told the story of a loser who non-the-less had giant pretentions and confidence about his art and his writing, who at first puts himself out there as a brilliant exile, who befriends a young garbage man named Simon who has no confidence in himself or his writing. As time develops, the young man devotes himself to the craft of writing poetry under Henry Fool's tutelage.... even though Henry Fool is focused primarily on wasting his time getting drunk and indulging in sex with every woman who falls under his degenerate charms--- including Simon's sister, Fay, and Simon's mother as well.
SImon continually focuses and struggles to find solace in his writing, despite living under conditions that would be trying, with taking care of his sick mother and promiscuous sister. He eventually tries to get a publisher, only to be crushed when the publisher tells him that his work is worthless.
In the meantime, those who circle a poem that Simon writes all have their own poignant moments as well. Simon's mother has a moving scene where she plays her music again briefly, lamenting that she was only condsidered mediocre- and never was able to enjoy music again after that judgement, a deaf girl who reads the controversial poem can suddenly sing, locals condemn the poem as incredibly obscene and offensive, the poem is different things to different people, and one is reminded how powerful of an idea and/or words on paper can be, regardless of material or critical success. It's one thing to know this intellectually, but the movie makes you feel it.
Eventually, one writer becomes more successful than another, and the hidden pain totally comes out in the end of wanting money, love, and respect in a world that can be very arbitrary about it.
There's a lot of weird scenes and choices that seem odd, but the core of the story is so powerful by the end to anyone that is creative that it's undeniable, and writer/director Hal Hartley said that the ending is a 'do it yourself' ending... either the guy did or didn't get on the plane, and he liked the ambiguity.
Now, cut to seven years later:
While I'm tickled pink to be able to see these actors in these characters again in an unlikely 7 year later sequel, except for a promising beginning--- "Fay Grim" undermines the central idea of the story behind the first one and takes its espionage story (which was supposed to be ludricrous) far too seriously and I literally fell asleep 3/4ths of the way through.
Put in perspective: After watching a few thousand movies in my time, I've fallen asleep maybe three or four times in a movie theatre (twice was from working a graveyard shift the night before) and walked out twice.
While every character was affected by a single poem in the first film, (and there's something very touching about that), every character here is affected by the magnitude of this "Bourne Supremacy" conspiracy--- and to be frank, compared to real world events--- being fictional... I just didn't give a damn and I didn't buy or care that these folks who had struggles with real life pains that were far more resonant to me than going around the globe as a spy.
It's like coming across an old friend that just wants to chat about their new this or that. You're thrilled to see them after so long, but you wish you could converse about the things that drew you two together as friends in the first place, not this other thing. Especially if it's not even real.
So.
And... I applied to ILM and I thankfully read that San DIego has extended notifying their filmmaker entrants in June rather than May, so I may still have a chance at getting my one film in there.
Hoping both will turn out, but trying not to get too attached to anything these days and figure out how to move forward.
Tis all for now.