Sitting On Your Ass All Day Is Hard Work

I was on the phone with a friend from D.C. the other night after a long day of watching films at Cucalorus and at one point mentioned that I was exhausted. After her laughter subsided, I asked her why that was so funny. She said "Yeah. Watching movies all day is sooooo hard." I had to explain to her that watching movies is much different for me than it ever used to be. I used to be able to relax, immerse myself in the story, and enjoy myself, and forget what I was doing. However, although it is still just as enjoyable, now I find myself constantly analyzing what I'm watching; deciphering shot compositions, looking for underlying themes, observing actor/actress nuances, etc. After 3 or 4 movies in one day, this begins to take a toll on you mentally. But...I'm pretty sure complaining about being tired after watching movies all day is still somewhat out of line. Anyway, that being said, Cucalorus was great. I was able to see many films that I had either known about and wanted to see for awhile, or new ones that I discovered simply by being there. My favorite thing abut Cucalorus was the diversity of the films available to go see. There were amazing documentaries, inventive experimental shorts, and narrative films that pushed the boundaries of how we see and tell stories in the world of cinema. There were two films that I saw that stood out more than the rest in terms of quality and uniqueness.
The first film that really stood out to me was Shotgun Stories. It was a simple “southern revenge” story with a fairly basic plot. One man dies and leaves behind two immensely different families. The sons from each family have an intense rivalry that seems to escalate with each passing event. The story was at times predictable, but the way the director shot the surrounding landscape, letting it bear the weight of the tension that enveloped the brothers really made the difference in how the story played out in my perception. Having seen the ghost towns that dot the southern landscape, I can attest to the fact that this film conveyed the idea of that place extremely well. It was amazing to see how well the story was told using beautiful still shots alongside ethereal music. It reminded me somewhat of the upcoming 48 hour video race. Overall, the film was a fresh new way of cinema storytelling that helped me generate new ideas about how I can possibly utilize my skills when I embark on my own film endeavors.
The other film that I really enjoyed was Wendy and Lucy. This was one of the more accessible films in the festival in terms of classical Hollywood cinema. Don’t get me wrong, however. It was still VERY much an independent film. The acting of Michelle Williams was unbelievably authentic and pure. It felt her struggle in my own muscles throughout the film. Her ability to convey a calm confidence while simultaneously showing subtle weakness was amazing. Kelly Reichardt, the director, did a great job of letting Williams use her talents to move the story forward and not over-complicating things with complex camera movements helped give the story a more genuine feel. I really felt as is I was a passive observer on this girl’s life as she struggled with her car breaking down and losing her dog. The slow, passing shots of Wendy as she hums a tune and walks the streets of the town really convey a sense of peaceful tension that is extremely difficult to achieve unless the acting and cinematography isn’t exactly right. Its films like this that make me excited to see where the art of cinema is going in the coming years. We, as a generation, are part of a movement towards change; change in government, change in art, and a change in our collective consciousness. Films like these help to advance that movement forward, and give me hope for a more creative future for all of us.