DIFF: Buck Wild

4/6 Angelika 6 Saturday 11:59pm
4/7 Angelika 4 Sunday 10:15pm

Round table interview with Tyler Glodt (director/co-writer/producer/editor/actor), Matt Albrecht (co-writer/producer/actor) and Christian Sosa (producer).


(Video by David Bacon)

DIFF: Lord Montagu

4/6 Magnolia 1 Saturday 5:15pm
4/7 Magnolia 5 Sunday 8:00pm

Round table interview with Luke Korem (writer/director) and Russell Groves (producer).


(Video by reesa)

As the youngest member in parliament and sole heir to his family’s 7,000-acre English estate, Lord Edward Montagu’s life was rich and privileged. However in 1954, Edward, then aged twenty-five, became England's most infamous aristocrat when he was arrested for homosexual offenses and eventually sentenced to a year in prison. Despite the odds against him, Montagu persevered to become a prominent national figure by turning his estate into one of England's greatest tourist attractions, and leading the way into a new era of the British aristocracy. This film features never-before-seen footage from the Montagu archives, interviews with his family, friends and fellow aristocrats, and personal details from Lord Montagu's own writings to tell the story of his unconventional and often controversial life.

Written and directed by Austin filmmaker Luke Korem who gives this story a unique perspective of British nobility. It is a fascinating look at someone who although born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth endured catastrophic setback yet managed to reinvent himself. If you ever enjoyed Downton Abbey or any Jane Austin film treatments you are not really privy to the scope of entitlement of the aristocracy. Lord Montagu inherited his family's 7,000 acre southern England estate that includes 2000 acres of woods, 5 miles of seashore, 8 miles of riverway, and located in the middle is the stately home known as the Palace House.

Troubles came to Lord Montagu when after he opened his home as a public tourist attraction after WWII. The post-war depression made it difficult to afford the upkeep on the large estates and owners were purposefully demolishing or burning their stately homes rather than let commoners see behind the hallowed walls. Shortly afterwards Lord Montagu was arrested for “conspiracy to incite certain male persons to commit serious offenses with male persons” i.e. consensual homosexual offenses. The shock waves this incident created was the catalyst to decriminalize homosexuality in England.

Yet despite this, Lord Montagu came back to Beaulieu and created Britain's first motor car museum on his estate. Although his peers looked down on his commercial enterprises of exploiting his nobility and his family's privacy being invaded by tourists, Montagu managed to become a very successful business man who was charismatic showman. Archival footage and commentary by family, friends and other aristocrats offer a fascinating look at the controversial and unconventional character who ushered in a new breed of nobility.
(Review by reesa)

DIFF: The Union Man

4/8 Angelika 4 Monday 7:15pm
4/9 Angelika 7 Tuesday 9:45pm

Round table interview with Bobby Lewis (director), Andrew J. Nelson (cinematographer) and Sara Masetti (editor)


(Video by David Bacon)

DIFF: Diving Normal

4/9 Angelika 6 Tuesday 10:00pm
4/10 Angelika 6 Wednesday 10:00pm

Round table interview with Philipp Karner and Scotty Crowe (producers/lead actors/co-writers [story])


(Video by David Bacon)

Movies Scheduled for the Week of 3/31- 4/6

It's that time of year again! The DIFF...Dallas International Film Festival...starts on Thursday with their opening night at the new Look Theater where the old SMG Addison used to be parked. The festival runs to April 14 and filled with an amazing slate of films that you will probably not have a chance to see anywhere else. Go check out the schedule at http://diff2013.dallasfilm.org/

You can still sign up to volunteer to work the theaters (because who knows more about movie lines than we do?) or any of the number of positions they have available to earn vouchers to see the movies. Plus you get a really cool collectable volunteer t-shirt, meet some new friends, and give back to the film community that y'all have been taking advantage of over the years. Filmmakers love coming to Texas because the volunteers are the best and friendliest of all the festivals. Let's show them a big Dallas "howdy". Go fill out an application at http://www.dallasfilm.org/explore/get-involved/festival-volunteer/

March 32 - April 6

Sun
Mar 31

Mon
Apr 1

Tue
Apr 2

Jurassic Park in 3D - 7:00 pm - AMC Northpark
Evil Dead - 7:30 pm - Studio Movie Grill Spring Valley
The Kings of Summer - 7:30 pm - Angelika Dallas

Wed
Apr 3

Oblivion - 4:00 pm - AMC Northpark
Evil Dead - 7:30 pm - AMC Northpark
A Place Beyond the Pines - 7:30 pm - Studio Movie Grill Spring Valley
Room 237 - 7:30 pm - tba

Thu
Apr 4

42 - 7:00 pm - AMC Northpark

Fri
Apr 5

Sat
Apr 6

DIFF Announces Latino Cinema Day April 7

Dallas International Film Festival

presented by AutoNation Volkswagen Dealers

Announces Latino Cinema Day April 7



7 BOXES, CLANDESTINE CHILDHOOD, MAN FROM THE FUTURE and POST TENEBAUM LUX

Star as Narrative Films from Latino Filmmakers



Dallas, TX, March 28 , 2013 – The Dallas International Film Festival presented by AutoNation Volkswagen Dealers announced today the films and events line-up for its annual Latino Cinema Day. Sponsored by El Creative Advertising, Colibrí and Univision 23 and MAXIMA 99.1 FM with support from the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau, Latino Cinema Day is Sunday, April 7, 2013, with screenings and activities at Landmark Theatre’s The Magnolia in West Village Shopping Center, 3699 McKinney Ave., #100, Dallas, TX 75204.



The DIFF Latino Cinema Day features four narrative films from Latin American filmmakers that speak a cinematic language of their own : 7 BOXES, CLANDESTINE CHILDHOOD, MAN FROM THE FUTURE and POST TENEBRAS, as well as two Spanish films showcased in other sections of the Festival GIMME THE POWER and BLANCANIEVES .



Latino Cinema Day starts at noon . in Uptown’s West Village . E ncore screening s of the films play on the last weekend of the Festival.


To cap off the Latino Cinema Day celebration at DIFF, Mexican rock band, MOLOTOV’s very own Randy and Ayala will participate in a Q&A following the 5:30 p.m. screening of GIMME THE POWER. From there, Colibrí and AeroMexico will host various artists and performers with a feature performance by MOLOTOV who will create live remixes at Deep Ellum’s Club Dada, 2720 Elm Street, Dallas, TX 75226. Net proceeds from the event will benefit the Dallas Film Society. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 online at http://www.prekindle.com/promo/id/22815447473490139 or $25 at the door the evening of the event.

With a 16-year career, MOLOTOV is one of the main representatives of Mexican Rock Music both in their own country and worldwide. Their debut album, titled “Donde Jugarán las Niñas?” (Where Will Girls Play?), is considered one of the most important albums in the history of both Mexican and Latin Rock.


Latino Showcase films include:


7 BOXES (Paraguay)

Director: Juan Carlos Maneglia, Tana Schembori

Victor receives an unusual proposal, to carry seven boxes of unknown content through the market, but things get complicated along the way. Screens on April 7 at 5 p.m. and April 13 at 2:45 p.m. at Magnolia.



CLANDESTINE CHILDHOOD (Argentina/Spain/Brazil)

Director: Benjamin Avila

After years of political exile, 12-year old, Juan and his family come back to Argentina under fake identities in 1979. This is a story about militancy, undercover life and love. Screens on April 7 at 12 p.m. and April 12 at 7 p.m. at Magnolia.



MAN FROM THE FUTURE (Brazil)

Director: Claudio Torres

Zero is a brilliant scientist, who was publicly humiliated 20 years ago by his secret college love, Helena. An accidental experiment catapults him back in time to confront the situation. Screens on April 7 at 3 p.m. and April 12 at 4 p.m. at Magnolia.



POST TENEBRAS LUX (Mexico/France/Netherlands/Germany)

Director: Carlos Reygadas

Juan and his urban family live in the Mexican countryside, where they enjoy and suffer a world apart. Nobody knows if these two worlds are complementary or if they strive to eliminate one another. Screens on April 7 at 12:15 p.m. and April 14 at 12 p.m. at Magnolia.




Deep Ellum Sounds Latino film:


GIMME THE POWER (Mexico)

Directed by Olallo Rubio
Art usually mirrors and influences historical events, and such is the case for Mexican rock music during much of the 20th century and the new millennium. Director Olallo Rubio, a Mexican rock expert out of passion and profession, does a wonderful job chronicling the close to 70 years of political rule of the PRI, the country’s official state party, and the social upheavals it caused in Mexico, alongside the evolution and role of rock music during this time.



Through interviews with first-hand participants and expert witnesses, found footage, and rock music itself, Rubio offers an insightful narrative that crystallizes with the late 90s rise of the band MOLOTOV, who became the irreverent, foul-mouthed, and hard-rocking voice not only of a generation but of an entire nation fed up with a broken political system. GIMME THE POWER s creens on April 7 at 5:30 p.m. at Magnolia.




World Cinema Latino film :


BLANCANIEVES (Spain)

Director: Pablo Berger

A twist on the Snow White fairy tale, set in 1920s Seville, centers on a female bullfighter. This black-and-white, silent film won 10 2013 Goya Awards, Spain’s Oscars, including Best Film. Screens on April 7 at 2:30 p.m. and on April 13 at 5:00 p.m. at Magnolia.






Passes and Tickets


DIFF Passes are now available at the online Prekindle Box Office at www.DallasFilm.org and at the Prekindle Main Box Office located on the southeast side of Mockingbird Station on the first floor, next to Urban Taco ( 469-547-1230) . Prices range from $100 for a Festival Lounge Pass to $750 for an all-access Star Pass, which includes:



· All-access pass to all screenings

· One invitation to the Opening Night Screening and Gala on April 4, 2013, subject to availability

· Admission for one person to all Centerpiece screenings and parties during the Festival

· Access for one person to the Festival Lounge (Must be 21 or over to enter the Festival Lounge or to consume alcohol)

· Admission for one person to all regular film screenings and panel discussions

· Dallas International Film Festival swag bag full of unforgettable merchandise



For a fast and easy guide on “How to Fest,” watch the video at http://diff2013.dallasfilm.org/how-to-fest-its-easy-watch-the-video/ or visit http://diff2013.dallasfilm.org/fest-info/getting-around/how-to-fest/





About the Dallas Film Society

The Dallas Film Society celebrates films and their impact on society. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the Dallas Film Society recognizes and honors filmmakers for their achievements in enhancing the creative community, provides educational programs to students to develop better understanding of the role of film in today's world, and promotes the City of Dallas and its commitment to the art of filmmaking. The annual Dallas International Film Festival, scheduled for April 4-14, 2013, is a presentation of the Dallas Film Society. In addition to producing one of the largest festivals in the Southwest, the Society produces numerous year round events, screening series and partnership programs with arts organizations around the city. For more information, call (214) 720-0555, or visit www.DallasFilm.org. The offices of the Dallas Film Society are located at 3625 North Hall Street, Suite 740, Dallas, TX 75219.





2013 Dallas International Film Festival Sponsors

ABCO; Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld, LLP; Alamo Drafthouse DFW; Angelika Film Center; Arthur E. Benjamin Foundation; Arts + Culture Magazine; Austin Film Festival; AutoNation Volkswagen Dealers; Balloons Everyday; Barefoot Wine & Bubbly; Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital; BNY Mellon Wealth Management; BuyLED’s; CBS Radio; Cinelease; Cinemark USA, Inc.; Colibri Promotions; Commerce House/Pam and Mark Denesuk; Community Trust Bank; The Container Store; Crow Collection of Asian Art; CultureMap; D Magazine; Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau; Dallas Film Commission; Dallas Morning News; Dallas Museum of Art; Dallas Observer; Dallas Producers Association; David Baertsch db Editorial; Deep Eddy Vodka; Division of Film and Media Arts – SMU; Downtown Dallas, Inc.; Earth Day Dallas; El Creative; Element X Creative; Flagship Marketing; Forte Prime; FunFlicks; Gemini Light, Sound & Video; GrandLuxe Magazine; Holiday Inn Dallas Park Cities; Hotel Palomar/Central 214; InformateDFW; KellyKitchensPR.com; Klyde Warren Park; Kung Fu Saloon; La Madeleine; LOOK Cinemas; Marc Lee; Mary Kay, Inc.; Matthews Southwest; The McKinney Avenue Contemporary; Media 2-Way Radio; Mockingbird Station; Mockingbird Taproom; Modern Luxury; Modia Home Theater; Movie Magic; MPS Studios Dallas; My Sweet Charity; Nasher Sculpture Center; NYLO Dallas South Side; Panavision; PaperCity; Pencilneck Software; PlainsCapital Bank; Post Asylum; Prekindle; Pure Evil Sound & Music Design; ReelFX; Rentex; SAGIndie; Salon Pompeo; Savannah College of Art and Design; Southwest Airlines; Stella Artois; Texas Association of Film Commissions; Texas Capital Bank; Texas Film Commission; Time Warner Cable; Two Sisters Catering; TXU Energy; UBER; Univision Radio; Univision TV; Uptown Latino; Urban Taco; Vergent Communications; Well Go USA Entertainment; West Village; WFAA; Whole Foods; WRR Classical 101.1 FM.



About AutoNation Volkswagen Dealerships

Boardwalk Volkswagen, McKinney Volkswagen and Park Cities Volkswagen are now AutoNation. Coast to Coast, AutoNation is America’s largest automotive retailer. Now Dallas and Ft Worth can join the over 43 million* Happy Customers who have called on AutoNation when buying or servicing their cars and trucks. You’ll get our low, SmartChoice Pricing right upfront on new and used vehicles. And, you can buy with confidence thanks to our Money Back Guarantee**. AutoNation Volkswagen offers the absolute best selection and price in the Metroplex in addition to their state of the art Service Departments.


Dallas Ft Worth, Welcome to AutoNation.


*Based on total number of service visits at AutoNation owed stores between January ’03-Decemeber ’12 plus total number of sales or lease transactions since 1996. Customer is defined as a single service visit and each new or used vehicle sale or lease transaction. **3 days or 150 miles, whichever comes first. See store for terms and conditions, some restrictions may apply. © Copyright 1996-2013 AutoNation, Inc.

12th Annual 24-Hour Video Race

12th Annual 24-Hour Video Race

May 10, 2013

Angelika Film Center at Mockingbird Station in Dallas





The 12thAnnual 24-Hour Video Race, presented by The Video Association of Dallas, will commence at the Angelika Film Center in Mockingbird Station at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, May 10, and end 24 hours later at midnight on Saturday, May 11. The Angelika Film Center is at 5321 E. Mockingbird Ln.




Dallas film and video makers of all levels of experience are invited to participate in the race, both creatively and literally. Teams that do not make it to the finish line at midnight will not be included in the judging, All teams will be assigned four critical elements: one theme, one prop, one location and one line of dialogue. There will also be 3 new divisions in 2013:

Rock Around the Clock (music videos)
Doc Around the Clock (documentaries)
All-mobile device division



Anyone with a camera and the willingness to race can participate. Past teams have included elementary school students to professional filmmakers. Student teams compete against other student teams and adult teams are categorized by team size rather than skill level.



The 24-Hour Video Race’s teams are divided in to five categories:

Pixelvision: K-12 Teams
Futurevision: Current College/University students and recent graduates
Auteur: Professional or amateur teams of a single member
Guerrilla: Professional or Amateur teams of 3 to 5 members
Hollywood: Professional or Amateur teams of 6 or more members



The screenings of the work of all the entrants will be Tuesday-Thursday, May 14-16 with the finalists screened on Monday, May 20 at the Angelika Film Center. The winning videos will be shown on KERA –TV Channel 13’s program “Frame of Mind,” on the website, and on You+Media Dallas site. Team members should bring Race badges for admission to the screenings. (This includes teams who did not finish the Race.) Members of the general public can also attend. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under. The screening schedule will be posted the Monday after the race.



For information, visit http://www.24hourvideorace.com or email info@videofest.org.



Sponsored by

Texas Commission on the Arts

Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs

Dallas Film Commission




ABOUT VIDEO ASSOCIATION of DALLAS:

The mission of the Video Association of Dallas, 501(c)(3), is to promote an understanding of video as a creative medium and cultural force in our society, and to support and advance the work of Texas artists working in video and the electronic arts. VAD serves its mission through exhibition, education, information, service and advocacy. Video Association of Dallas presents the 24-Hour Video Race and other programs throughout the year.

The Host

Twilight brought in a wide audience and was a successful batch of films. The Host was an adaptation from Stephanie Meyer who also wrote the Twilight novels. I don’t think The Host will not be as successful as Twilight and here’s why.

The movie is set in a futuristic setting where aliens have come from another planet and take over the bodies of humans and earth. The premise sounds cool, right? To a degree, this movie is way more interesting than Twilight but still a bad movie. The acting is average and sometimes below par. Saoirse Ronan is the main character and she does an exceptional job given the simplicity of the dialogue of the script. William Hurt is also in this and he gives a good performance. The Host benefited from having a star like him to show you, even with a bad script, an actor can really give something to the character. The cinematography is pretty to look at and then sometimes doesn’t really add anything new. The editing is paced well and the special effects are good especially when the violence plays on the screen (Those were the most tense moments). Some of those moments were even surprising for a PG-13 rating but that’s another discussion all together.

I have never read the book but just from watching this film I probably wont pick it up. The script was bad. The acting was OK but the visuals support good eye candy. With that said, I don’t think it will bring in as much of a fan base as Twilight. If you haven’t read the book you probably wont like it. If you are forced by your wife, girlfriend or date to see this movie, it’s OK you will pull through it because it’s still not as bad as Twilight. 4/10
(Review by Chase Lee)



Max Irons, Chandler Canterbury and Jake Able at the recent press tour for The Host

G.I. Joe: Retaliation

The first thing you notice is the big Hasbro logo, lest you think the film attached is anything more than a toy promotion. Once that mindset is in place and you are not expecting anything resembling human emotion or a complicated storyline then you can accept it just for what it is. A lot of things blowing up and characters doing impossible stunts. Director Jon M. Chu responsible for a couple of Step Up movies and the LXD:Legion of Extraordinary Dancers knows how to center on the choreography of the more interesting action sequences. It's too bad Zombieland writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick didn't infuse the script with something more than broad strokes.

Duke (Channing Tatum), Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson), Flint (D.J. Cotrona) and Lady Jaye (Adrianne Palicki) are the only survivors of the last movie, G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra. The Cobra Commander (Luke Bracey) has been placed in a secret prison stuck in a stasis tube that allows him to hear and see, but unable to move. His Cobra henchmen of the ex-Joe Firefly (Ray Stevenson) and Storm Shadow (Lee Byung hun) have plans to break him out. First the Joe's are framed for stealing nuclear warheads from Pakistan and it seems like it was the President of the United States (Jonathan Pryce) may have been the one who set them up.

Storm Shadow is injured during the rescue and sent to the Himalayas to recover. Snake Eyes (Ray Park) and his apprentice Jinx (Elodie Yung), who is also Storm Shadow's cousin) are sent by the leader of the Arashikage Clan to capture Storm Shadow to answer for the murder of Storm Shadow's uncle the Hard Master. Thankfully they gave Lee Byung hun a chance to show off his killer bod and martial arts. This segment also has probably the best stunt in the whole movie, and probably worth the price of admission. They battle the ninjas flying through the air from ropes along sheer mountain walls.

Meanwhile Roadblock, Flint and Lady Jaye try to figure out what's up with the President and why all the Joe's were brutally attacked. Of course it's some diabolical plan by Cobra to take over the world.
The Joe's seek the help of the original G.I.Joe, Joe Colton (Bruce Willis) who has been in retirement. He offers his wisdom and a houseful of weapons. Will Cobra cause a world war of devastating consequences? Will the Joe's come in time to stop the dastardly deed? Do you care? This is purely adrenalin junkie movie madness. The dialogue is wooden and obvious. And the door is open for more G.I. Joe movies in the future.
(Review by reesa)

Movies Scheduled for the Week of 3/24 - 3/30

Consideration is being given to stop posting the Sunday calendar reminder, because it seems some people just don't seem to take it to heart and mind the issues that plague the moderators. Why is it so difficult to respond directly to the person offering the pass and not just hit reply to group? If a person has questions regarding where and when for the screening, can they not access the group page to check the calendar, or archived messages to find the answer? Doesn't everyone know by now that the moderator has to enter the contest, sign up for newsletter, go to pass pick ups like everyone else. We don't have passes sitting on our computer to supply to you. Our group page is full of helpful information in the links section for signing up to get those SMG epasses.

Also this group is for movies ONLY. Please don't try and share anything else. Go to our Facebook page if there's something on your mind or you want to give away.

Speaking of Facebook...just because you don't want to sign up for it, don't ask the moderator to send you that GOFOBO code that was posted there. No GOFOBO codes are shared on this group. Been there, done that, too many problems.

March 24 - March 30

Sun
Mar 24

Great Performances:Tosca from Rome (1993) - 2:00 pm - Kimball Art Museum

Mon
Mar 25

The Kings of Summer - 7:30 pm - Angelika Dallas

Tue
Mar 26

G.I. Joe:Retaliation - 7:30 pm - Cinemark West Plano
G.I. Joe:Retaliation - 7:30 pm - Cinemark 17
G.I. Joe:Retaliation - 7:30 pm - Amstar 14
The Host - 7:30 pm - Studio Movie Grill Royal

Wed
Mar 27

Horror Remix:Death Rock One - 8:00 pm - Studio Movie Grill Royal

Thu
Mar 28

Disconnect - 7:00 pm - Modern Art Museum Fort Worth

Fri
Mar 29

Sat
Mar 30

Jurassic Park - 10:00 am - AMC Parks Arlington
Jurassic Park - 10:00 am - Cinemark 17
Searching for Sugarman - 8:00 pm - Annette Strauss Square

Admission

The process of applying to the college of your choice is left to the capricious moods of the admissions department in that institute of higher learning. The handful of humans in charge of reading your life essays and accessing your academic records must weed down thousands of applications that come in every year to find the perfect freshman to accept. Based on a novel of the same name by Jean Hanff Korelitz, it's been adapted to the screen by Karen Croner and directed by Paul Weitz (About a Boy).

Straight laced Portia Nathan (Tina Fey) has been working in the Admissions Office of Princeton for 16 years. When she advises the visiting students and parents who are considering spending the next 4 years and thousands of dollars, that there is no secret trick to become accepted. Portia takes a certain sadistic pleasure in controlling the fates of these young hopeful students as she scrutinizes their records with a fine toothed cone. During her recruitment travels to schools she visits New Quest School where John Pressman (Paul Rudd) recommends Jeremiah (Nat Wolff) as a special case applicant. The young man is unconventional, self taught, and brilliant, but doesn't have the academic shiny stars that Princeton looks for on their applications. Pressman also has another agenda, having gone to Dartmouth as did Portia. He believes Jeremiah may be the child that Portia secretly gave up for adoption when she was in college.

Portia was never good with kids. The thought that her child may exist is a challenge, complicated by the recent breakup with her department head boyfriend Mark (Michael Sheen) who has a bad habit of showing affection by patting her head like a dog. He just got a Virginia Wolfe scholar pregnant with twins and leaves Portia during a department dinner at their house. This makes Pressman even more attractive to her. She is conflicted in wanting to help Jeremiah who may be her son get into Princeton and following the rules of her job. She is vying for the head of the department against her rival co-worker Corinne (Gloria Reuben).

There's a low key type of humor that fuels this story. Tina Fey and Paul Rudd are both disarming and real in their manner and comedy. They are earnest and relateable. It's nice to have a movie that doesn't dumb down situations with over played slapstick. The best scenes belong to Lily Tomlin who plays Portia's mother, Suzanne. She's the woman warrior of the "Ms" days and has a Bella Azburg tattoo. Their complicated relationship would have made a really good movie. In the meantime, their application for box office success is on the "wait" list.
(Review by reesa)

Ginger and Rosa

A slow burner? Yes, however writer/director Sally Potter keeps you glued to the screen to see the ultimate ride that these characters take. Set in London 1962, Potter manages to capture a beautiful, haunting realism of what happened during that period. The Cuban Missile Crisis has just happened and everyone believes a bomb will hit and everyone will die. That is just the plot that is overshadowed by the real plot happening between Ginger, Rosa and their families. Elle Fanning, Ginger, delivers as one of the most memorable performances she has had since Somewhere. Christina Hendricks, who plays Ginger's mother, also delivers a very good performance and I believe she will be a great up and coming actress if she does more films. She is best known for her hit show Mad Men.

It's an interesting story told through old school cinematography with vibrant colors. Some of the shots set up in the film reminds me of old film and has a nostalgic feeling. I thought it was a unique experience and something different than mainstream films. I would suggest to check this one out if you heading to a theater that plays independent films. 8/10
(Review by Chase Lee)

Spring Breakers

If you’re like me, after seeing Spring Breakers, Harmony Korine will be a name you’ll want to forget as fast as you more than likely learned it. Spring Breakers recently received the coveted title of “Worst Movie" at the annual SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas. In the film, Director Harmony Korine takes us through a shallow, lifeless story about a group of college girls who do some outrageous stunts to earn money for their spring break vacation. There were moments when I thought the script would make a turn for the better. However, when your characters are as one-dimensional (whether they were meant to be this way or not) there’s only so much they can accomplish. The acting is unbelievable bad. Again, for the record, I’m aware of Mr. Harmony’s tight lip bravado when it comes to his films. Are things intentional? Did he mean for it to come across as shameless and heartless as it does? No one knows except him. Damn me for thinking that films have to have at least one redeemable factor. For this film, one of those may be the talented and ever glossy eyed James Franco, who plays a white chocolate type gangster. Familiar with over-the-top roles, James takes this role with as much weight as he’s given. I for one, applaud him for that. Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez, two notorious pop stars, are included among the lady spring breakers. Their characters were as relevant and likeable as any cadaver on any TV cop drama. They were there. They said some things. They caused some plot twists. End of story.

The cinematography was decent in some parts, with an overbearing amount of establishing shots with no character presence. Though I’m a fan of Skrillex, I’m curious on why he was used in this film when they also used work from Cliff Martinez, whose previous work was Drive. He manages to capture a tone for the entire film which I enjoyed, but was sadly under used in this reviewers opinion. Overall, this film is what it is. As cliche’ as that phrase is, it’s all that works here. I usually like to walk out of a movie and say to myself, "I get why that was made.” It’s hours later, and I still can’t answer that question. 3/10
(Review by Chase Lee)

Croods

Dreamworks Animation with 20th Century Fox has produced a computer animated feature about a caveman family that faces the end of the world as they know it. Written and directed by Chris Sanders (How to Train a Dragon) and Kirk DeMicco (Space Chimps) the 3D adventure follows a prehistoric family who are forced to abandon their cave when the continents begin to shift. The first drafts of the script were written by John Cleese (Monty Python) and Kirk DeMicco back in 2005 as Crood Awakening. The main song Shine Your Way (performed by Owl City and Yuna) was covered by the top 10 contestants of American Idol.

The Croods are the last of the families living in their area after several family units had been victim to any number of hazards that plagued early man. The Croods survived by the overly protective father Grug (Nicolas Cage) whose strict rules he believes is what keeping them alive. The teen daughter Eep (Emma Stone) strains under the need to always be too safe and not take any chances. There's a big curious world out there and she wants to explore it. Grug makes it a point to reinforce the dangers by telling stories with wall painting to his wife Ugga (Catherine Keener), not so sharp 9 year old Thunk (Clark Duke), baby sister Sandy who is more like a small dog and wacky mother in law Gran (Cloris Leachman). All fun things are potentially bad and that means death.

One night Eep sneaks out of their cave when she sees a light. It's fire, an element that is totally foreign to her. It's being wielded by Guy (Ryan Reynolds) a nomadic wanderer who is smarter than the average prehistoric man. He tells Eep to come with him because he had a dream that their world as they know it will no longer exist. Eep is ready to take off with him, but her reluctant father is unwilling. Even after their cave is destroyed in an earthquake, it takes a lot of wild creatures trying to eat them, and his family's insistence before Grug agrees to follow Guy's plan to move to higher ground.

Their journey involves a lot of humorous moments and beautiful plants and creatures that they encounter. There's fish like birds that fly in schools, there's fish like creatures that lay on the ground like rocks. The colors and the inventive wild life is like a mini Avatar. The family story becomes one of a protective father who goes a little over board in his unwillingness to change, the budding love of his teen daughter to another alpha male, the stereo-typical nemesis mother in law who he always fails to count when making sure everyone is accounted after they are safe. There are some nice 3D moments in the film, but it's never enough to seem to justify the extra price for the privilege. It's fun, enjoyable, good for the whole family. The general message that kids may take from this is that trying new things is good and just because your parents say it's bad means they are just being overly concerned.
(Review by reesa)

Olympus Has Fallen

Apparently North Korea is the new bogeyman as evident in the Red Dawn remake that re-branded the bad guys from the Chinese to the new evil power that tries to take over the White House in director Antoine Fuqua's actioner. The screenplay by Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt features the workings of the secret service assigned to protect the president with the technical advise of Ricky James, a security adviser and counter-terrorism expert. According to James it's possible to launch an attack on the White House due to the cut in defense budget and intelligence staff. Paranoid stuff.

Gerard Butler as Mike Banning was the chief the Secret Service staff surrounding President Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart). An unfortunate accident causes Mike reassigned to a desk job in the Treasury Department. He misses his former position and the men he worked with, especially the friendship of the President and his young son Conner (Finley Jacobsen). When an aircraft breaches the Washington DC airspace shooting at the White House, Banning rushes over shocked at the carnage caused by an orchestrated attack. He rushes in to help and finds himself the last man standing. The President and staff are locked in the safe room with the South Korean Prime Minister that had come for reunification talks. With the President locked away and the White House under siege, the Speaker of the House Trumbull (Morgan Freeman) is announced as acting President. The Pentagon staff gathers feeding him intelligence on the situation that becomes clearer when Banning gets in touch with Secret Service Director Lynn Jacobs (Angela Bassett) who vouches for his capability. His first quest is to locate the President's son and get him to safety when they inform Banning of the real situation in the safe room.

This is a Michael Bay movie without Michael Bay with that old school 80/90's action genre style. There's a hard core patriotic theme in the film, and some interesting insight in to the men and women who serve the President and family with their own lives. However there is an excessive amount of violence throughout the movie. The bad guys led by the handsome Kang (Rick Yune) is just about as cool and intelligent as they come. He wants the President to remove the troops from the DMZ border and the occupying fleet from the North Korean waters. Their purpose and ultimate goal is kinda vague distracted by the pile of bodies that are sacrificed by the Secret Service trying to protect the White House. The audience is supposed to feel outrage and with gung-ho fever cheering the heroic efforts of Banning who single handedly must save the world. Butler does well in this part after his he-man persona has being watered down in some recent rom-com's. Lot's of plot hole and improbabilities Try not to think about that until you leave the theater.
(Review by reesa)

DIFF Opening Night Films

2013 Dallas International Film Festival

Presented by AutoNation Volkswagen Dealers



Announces Opening Night

Presented by Arthur E. Benjamin Foundation



JAVA HEAT, THE CRASH REEL, STILL MINE , KON-TIKI and 8 1/2

Start Festival’s 7th Year



SWEETWATER, DECODING ANNIE PARKER and 42 Named as Centerpiece Films



Dallas, TX, March 21, 2013 – The Dallas International Film Festival presented by AutoNation Volkswagen Dealers announced today that JAVA HEAT, THE CRASH REEL, STILL MINE , KON-TIKI and 8 ½ will all screen as part of the Festival’s Opening Night and Gala presented by the Arthur E. Benjamin Foundation. DIFF 2013’s Opening Night is being held on Thursday, April 4, at the new LOOK Cinemas. Following a Red - Carpet entrance of community and film luminaries, five Opening Night film s that reflect the diversity of film at the Festival will be screened for the night’s guests.



“The 2013 Festival is proving to be one of excitement and diversity. Everything from Italian classics to extreme sports to unbelievable tales of journey and survival—there is something for everyone on this night,” said James Faust, Artistic Director of the Dallas International Film Festival. “LOOK Cinemas is an amazing theatre. Having our opening night festivities there will showcase the best in screening technology and offer all the glitz and glam that's became a customary with these type of events.”



"LOOK Cinemas is thrilled to help open the 2013 Dallas International Film Festival. It's an honor to be a part of one of Dallas’ keystone public events. LOOK Cinemas joins Dallas Film Society’s commitment to the art of film, and we’re pleased to present the films with a little fun and fine dining as well," said Tom Stephenson, CEO, LOOK Cinemas.





Opening Night Films



DIFF’s Opening Night Films are an appetizing sample of the diversity that this year’s Festival has on the menu at LOOK Cinemas .



Starring Mickey Rourke, Kellan Lutz, and Ario Bayu, JAVA HEAT is written, directed and produced by the father - son team of Conor and Rob Allyn. This action-thriller about two cops who team up to thwart a terrorist plot to steal the Sultan’s royal treasure will experience its World Premiere at DIFF. Star Kellan Lutz will be in attendance opening night.



Director Lucy Walker’s THE CRASH REEL is an intimate and eye-popping look at U.S. champion snowboarder Kevin Pearce’s rise and fall and ultimate rise again. Walker uses years of vérité footage to expose the excitement, appeal, and the high stakes of participating in extreme-action sports.



STILL MINE is director Michael McGowan’s exquisitely crafted and deeply affecting true story about a couple in their twilight years who fight for their right to live their lives together as they see fit.



Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl crossed the Pacific Ocean in a balsa wood raft in 1947, together with five men, to prove that South Americans already back in pre-Columbian times could have crossed the sea and settle on Polynesian Islands. After gathering financing for the trip with loans and donations, they set off on an epic 101-day-long journey across 8,000 kilometers, all while the world was watching. KON-TIKI tells about the origin of Heyerdahl’s idea and the evens surrounding the group’s voyage.



Influential Italian director Federico Fellini’s 8 1/2 rounds out the film offerings for opening night with a 50th Anniversary Screening. Part of the Festival’s spotlight on Italian films, the 1963 avant-garde film won two Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language and Best Costume Design and is considered a true classic. The film centers on Guido Anselmi, a renowned director, struggling to reconcile his artistic and personal demons.





Opening Day Festivities



As part of the opening festivities, the Arthur E. Benjamin Foundation has partnered with The Larry Hagman Foundation, Dallas Film Society and LOOK Cinemas to present a matinee screening of the animated film THE CROODS for more than 100 elementary and middle school students from Dallas. To enhance their experience, the students will have the opportunity to walk the Red Carpet and to participate in a Q&A with filmmakers following the screening.



"I am grateful for the opportunity for the Arthur E. Benjamin Foundation to sponsor the Dallas International Film Festival for the fourth year in memory of my uncle, Robert S. Benjamin, the late chairman of United Artists,” said Arthur E. Benjamin.



“It is especially personal for me this year in funding a partnership with The Larry Hagman Foundation to remember a great ‘Dallas Point of Light’ by recognizing Mr. Hagman's works and his contributions to the needy kids of Dallas. Larry was my friend, my mentor and one of those ‘bigger than life personalities’ that touched one's life and heart in such a way that things are never the same again. We are grateful to remember him in this special way , ” concluded Benjamin.






Centerpiece Films



Three films will be spotlighted during the Festival as this year’s Centerpiece Films. Logan Miller’s SWEETWATER, Steve n Bernstein’s DECODING ANNIE PARKER and writer - director Brian Helgeland’s 42 will be screened in DIFF’s coveted Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday Centerpiece slots, respectively.



SWEETWATER stars Ed Harris and January Jones in an old-fashioned, 1800s Western directed by Logan Miller. Against the backdrop of the American Old West, newlyweds struggle to make a living cultivating their patch of land in the magnificent New Mexico countryside, while a powerful landowner and community preacher, Prophet Josiah, makes a play for their property. As he launches his diabolical plot to take their land, an eccentric big-city sheriff comes to town and things soon go from bad to worse, culminating in a jaw dropping, hell-hath-no-fury showdown in this intense, but humorous, film. SWEETWATER will be screened at the Angelika Film Center in Mockingbird Station on Saturday, April 6, at 7 p.m. Prolific character actor, Stephen Root will join co-writers Noah Miller and Logan Miller , director, for this Centerpiece celebration.



DECODING ANNIE PARKER is a feature film by writer/director Steven Bernstein, based on the real lives of two extraordinary women separated by thousands of miles, by circumstance, background and education. Yet their two lives gradually intertwine until a final singular life changing reckoning. It is the story of Annie Parker (played by Samantha Morton) a young woman who loses her mother and sister to breast cancer and when diagnosed with the disease herself, fights back against immeasurable odds and survives. It is also the story of Mary Claire King, the geneticist whose discovery of the BRCA1 gene and its link to breast cancer was one of the most important medical advancements of the 20th century. Cast includes Helen Hunt, Samantha Morton, Aaron Paul, Maggie Grace, Alice Eve, Rashida Jones, Corey Stoll, Ben McKenzie, Bradley Whitford and Richard Schiff. DECODING ANNIE PARKER will be screened at the Angelika Film Center on Tuesday, April 9, at 7 p.m. Director Steven Bernstein and Annie Parker herself will be in attendance along with Dallas’ own, Johnathan Brownlee, executive producer.



Completing the Centerpiece lineup is the film 42, which represents the jersey number of the great Jackie Robinson. 42 recounts Robinson’s history-making career as the first African-American to play Major League Baseball. Starting as a first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Robinson broke the baseball color line on April 15, 1947—nearly a decade before racial segregation in the U.S. would be ruled unconstitutional. 42 will be screened on Thursday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m. at the Cinemark West Plano 10. Sharon Robinson, Jackie Robinson ’s daughter, will be attending this Centerpiece screening.





Passes and Tickets



DIFF Passes are now available at the online Prekindle Box Office at www.DallasFilm.org and at the Prekindle Main Box Office located on the southeast side of Mockingbird Station on the first floor, next to Urban Taco ( 469-547-1230) . Prices range from $100 for a Festival Lounge Pass to $750 for an all-access Star Pass, which includes:



· All-access pass to all screenings

· One invitation to the Opening Night Screening and Gala on April 4, 2013, subject to availability

· Admission for one person to all Centerpiece screenings and parties during the Festival

· Access for one person to the Festival Lounge (Must be 21 or over to enter the Festival Lounge or to consume alcohol)

· Admission for one person to all regular film screenings and panel discussions

· Dallas International Film Festival swag bag full of unforgettable merchandise



For a fast and easy guide on “How to Fest,” watch the video at http://diff2013.dallasfilm.org/how-to-fest-its-easy-watch-the-video/ or visit http://diff2013.dallasfilm.org/fest-info/getting-around/how-to-fest/





About the Dallas Film Society

The Dallas Film Society celebrates films and their impact on society. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the Dallas Film Society recognizes and honors filmmakers for their achievements in enhancing the creative community, provides educational programs to students to develop better understanding of the role of film in today's world, and promotes the City of Dallas and its commitment to the art of filmmaking. The annual Dallas International Film Festival, scheduled for April 4-14, 2013, is a presentation of the Dallas Film Society. In addition to producing one of the largest festivals in the Southwest, the Society produces numerous year round events, screening series and partnership programs with arts organizations around the city. For more information, call (214) 720-0555, or visit www.DallasFilm.org. The offices of the Dallas Film Society are located at 3625 North Hall Street, Suite 740, Dallas, TX 75219.





2013 Dallas International Film Festival Sponsors

ABCO; Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld, LLP; Alamo Drafthouse DFW; Angelika Film Center; Arthur E. Benjamin Foundation; Arts + Culture Magazine; Austin Film Festival; AutoNation Volkswagen Dealers; Balloons Everyday; Barefoot Wine & Bubbly; Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital; BNY Mellon Wealth Management; BuyLED’s; CBS Radio; Cinelease; Cinemark USA, Inc.; Colibri Promotions; Commerce House, LP; Community Trust Bank; The Container Store; Crow Collection of Asian Art; CultureMap; D Magazine; Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau; Dallas Film Commission; Dallas Morning News; Dallas Museum of Art; Dallas Observer; Deep Eddy Vodka; Division of Film and Media Arts – SMU; Downtown Dallas, Inc.; Earth Day Dallas; El Creative; Flagship Marketing; Forte Prime; FunFlicks; Gemini Light, Sound & Video; GrandLuxe Magazine; Holiday Inn Dallas Park Cities; Hotel Palomar/Central 214; InformateDFW; KellyKitchensPR.com; Klyde Warren Park; Kung Fu Saloon; La Madeleine; LOOK Cinemas; Mary Kay, Inc.; Matthews Southwest; The McKinney Avenue Contemporary; Media 2-Way Radio; Mockingbird Station; Mockingbird Taproom; Modern Luxury; Modia Home Theater; Movie Magic; MPS Studios Dallas; My Sweet Charity; Nasher Sculpture Center; NYLO Dallas South Side; Panavision; PaperCity; Pencilneck Software; PlainsCapital Bank; Post Asylum; Prekindle; Pure Evil Sound & Music Design; ReelFX; Rentex; SAGIndie; Salon Pompeo; ScreenFX Academy; Southwest Airlines; Stella Artois; Texas Association of Film Commissions; Texas Capital Bank; Texas Film Commission; Time Warner Cable; Two Sisters Catering; TXU Energy; UBER; Univision Radio; Univision TV; Urban Taco; Vergent Communications; Well Go USA Entertainment; West Village; WFAA; Whole Foods; and WRR Classical 101.1 FM.





About AutoNation Volkswagen Dealerships

Boardwalk Volkswagen, McKinney Volkswagen and Park Cities Volkswagen are now AutoNation. Coast to Coast, AutoNation is America’s largest automotive retailer. Now Dallas and Ft Worth can join the over 43 million* Happy Customers who have called on AutoNation when buying or servicing their cars and trucks. You’ll get our low, SmartChoice Pricing right upfront on new and used vehicles. And, you can buy with confidence thanks to our Money Back Guarantee**. AutoNation Volkswagen offers the absolute best selection and price in the Metroplex in addition to their state of the art Service Departments.


Dallas Ft Worth, Welcome to AutoNation.


*Based on total number of service visits at AutoNation owed stores between January ’03-Decemeber ’12 plus total number of sales or lease transactions since 1996. Customer is defined as a single service visit and each new or used vehicle sale or lease transaction. **3 days or 150 miles, whichever comes first. See store for terms and conditions, some restrictions may apply. © Copyright 1996-2013 AutoNation, Inc.

DIFF Presents Free Family-friendly Festival

2013 Dallas International Film Festival

Presented by AutoNation Volkswagen Dealers Announces

Family Day

Presented by Texas Capital Bank



Free Family-friendly Festival for Kids and Adults to Celebrate Fun of Film



THE SANDLOT to be screened outdoors in Dallas’ Klyde Warren Park




Dallas, TX, March 19, 2013 – The Dallas International Film Festival presented by AutoNation Volkswagen Dealers announced the line-up for its free Family Day celebration. Presented by Texas Capital Bank, Family Day will kick off Saturday, April 6, at 2 p.m. at the new Klyde Warren Park in downtown Dallas, and will conclude with a free 20th-anniversary outdoor screening of the childhood baseball classic, THE SANDLOT.



Young film lovers will be able to create crafts, including making their very own microphone, popcorn box and “Walk of Fame” star. They can also decorate their own celebrity sunglasses and then sport those Hollywood-style shades as they strut the Red Carpet for photos. Also, kids can get their faces painted, jump in the bounce house, visit the balloon artist and check out the buzz from Texas Honey Bee Guild.



“We are excited to have Family Day in the heart of Dallas in the Arts District at Klyde Warren Park,” said Renee Contreras, Director of Education, Membership and Outreach for the Dallas Film Society. “What an opportunity to entertain, educate and share the love of film and glitter of Hollywood.”





The schedule of entertainment for the 2013 DIFF Family Day presented by Texas Capital Bank includes:



2:00 p.m. Trevor Haueisen

2:30 p.m. Kitty Carter Dance Factory

3:00 p.m. DMA Resident Storyteller Ann Marie Newman

3:30 p.m. David Chicken

4:00 p.m. Dallas Opera

4:30 p.m. Bowman Ensemble

5:00 p.m. Southern Gentleman from Southern Methodist University

5:30 p.m. Dallas Wind Symphony Tuba Quartet

8:00 p.m. 20th Anniversary Screening of THE SANDLOT





The grand finale for Family Day is a free, outdoor, 20th anniversary screening of THE SANDLOT at 8 p.m. on April 6 in Klyde Warren Park. This beloved classic follows a group of neighborhood boys and their misadventures as they play ball during the summer of 1962. Directed by David M. Evans, the film stars Tom Guiry, Mike Vitar, Arliss Howard, Denis Leary, Karen Allen and James Earl Jones.



Family Day festivities in Klyde Warren Park are free and open to everyone.





In addition to an abundance of free, outdoor activities, Family Day features the following ticketed DIFF family-friendly movie screenings:



5:15 p.m. April 6 and 2:30 p.m. April 13 at Angelika

CHAMPION (USA) – World Premiere

Director: Kevin Nations, Robin Nations

The story of a city girl and a country dog prove that the heart of a champion never dies. Shot in San Antonio, the film stars Dora Madison Burge (“Friday Night Lights”), Cody Linley (“Hannah Montana”) and Lance Henriksen (ALIENS and THE TERMINATOR)




12 p.m. April 7 at Angelika and 12:30 p.m. April 13 at Magnolia

CHARLIE: TOY STORY (USA) – World Premiere

Director: Garry A. Brown

Ten-year old Caden and his best friend Charlie, a golden retriever, are visiting Caden’s father at his “Wonder Toy Store.” His father has just unveiled his newest and greatest invention: Wondermation, a little science mixed with a little imagination and the most amazing toy in the world!




11:45 a.m. April 6 and 2:30 p.m. April 7 at Angelika

STACKER (USA) – World Premiere

Director: Jeremi Mattern

Begun in California in the early 1980s, competitive cup stacking is a lesser-known but growing sport. In STACKER, director Jeremi Mattern documents the fast-paced lives of young athletes as they train for and compete in the annual World Sport Stacking Championships in Denver, Colorado, with more than 300 competitors from across the globe battling it out in lightning-quick rounds with the odds quite literally stacked against them.





Passes and Tickets

DIFF Passes are now available at the online Prekindle Box Office at www.DallasFilm.org and at the Prekindle Main Box Office located on the southeast side of Mockingbird Station on the first floor, next to Urban Taco (469-547-1230). Prices range from $100 for a Festival Lounge Pass to $750 for an all-access Star Pass, which includes:



· All-access pass to all screenings

· One invitation to the Opening Night Screening and Gala on April 4, 2013, subject to availability

· Admission for one person to all Centerpiece screenings and parties during the Festival

· Access for one person to the Festival Lounge (Must be 21 or over to enter the Festival Lounge or to consume alcohol)

· Admission for one person to all regular film screenings and panel discussions

· Dallas International Film Festival swag bag full of unforgettable merchandise



For a fast and easy guide on “How to Fest,” watch the video at http://diff2013.dallasfilm.org/how-to-fest-its-easy-watch-the-video/

or visit http://diff2013.dallasfilm.org/fest-info/getting-around/how-to-fest/






About the Dallas Film Society

The Dallas Film Society celebrates films and their impact on society. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the Dallas Film Society recognizes and honors filmmakers for their achievements in enhancing the creative community, provides educational programs to students to develop better understanding of the role of film in today's world, and promotes the City of Dallas and its commitment to the art of filmmaking. The annual Dallas International Film Festival, scheduled for April 4-14, 2013, is a presentation of the Dallas Film Society. In addition to producing one of the largest festivals in the Southwest, the Society produces numerous year round events, screening series and partnership programs with arts organizations around the city. For more information, call (214) 720-0555, or visit www.DallasFilm.org. The offices of the Dallas Film Society are located at 3625 North Hall Street, Suite 740, Dallas, TX 75219.





2013 Dallas International Film Festival Sponsors

ABCO; Akin Gump Stauss Hauer and Feld, LLP; Alamo Drafthouse DFW; Angelika Film Center; Arthur E. Benjamin Foundation; Arts + Culture Magazine; Austin Film Festival; AutoNation Volkswagen Dealers; Balloons Everyday; Barefoot Wine & Bubbly; Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital; BNY Mellon Wealth Management; BUY LED's; CBS Radio; Cinelease; Cinemark USA, Inc.; Colibri Promotions; Commerce House/Pand and Mark Denesuk; Community Trust Bank; The Container Store; Crow Collection of Asian Art; Culture Map; D Magazine; Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau; Dallas Film Commission; Dallas Morning News; Dallas Museum of Art; Dallas Observer; Deep Eddy Vodka; Division of Film and Media Arts – SMU; Downtown Dallas, Inc.; Earth Day Dallas; El Creative; Flagship Marketing; Forte Prime; FunFlicks; Gemini Light, Sound & Video; GrandLuxe Magazine; Holiday Inn Dallas Park Cities; Hotel Palomar/Central 214; InformateDFW; KellyKitchensPR.com; Klyde Warren Park; Kung Fu Saloon; La Madeleine; LOOK Cinemas; Mary Kay, Inc.; Matthews Southwest; The McKinney Avenue Contemporary; Media 2-Way Radio; Mockingbird Station; Mockingbird Taproom; Modern Luxury; Modia Home Theater; Movie Magic; MPS Studios Dallas; My Sweet Charity; Nasher Sculpture Center; NYLO Dallas South Side; Panavision; PaperCity; Pencilneck Software; Plains Capital Bank; Post Asylum; Prekindle; Pure Evil Sound & Music Design; ReelFX; Rentex; SAGIndie; Salon Pompeo; ScreenFX Academy; Southwest Airlines; Stella Artois; Texas Association of Film Commissions; Texas Capital Bank; Texas Film Commission; Time Warner Cable; Two Sisters Catering; TXU Energy; UBER; Univision Radio; Univision TV; Vergent Communications; WELL GO USA ENTERTAINMENT; West Village; WFAA; Whole Foods; and WRR Classical 101.1 FM.



About AutoNation Volkswagen Dealerships

Boardwalk Volkswagen, McKinney Volkswagen and Park Cities Volkswagen are now AutoNation. Coast to Coast, AutoNation is America’s largest automotive retailer. Now Dallas and Ft Worth can join the over 43 million* Happy Customers who have called on AutoNation when buying or servicing their cars and trucks. You’ll get our low, SmartChoice Pricing right upfront on new and used vehicles. And, you can buy with confidence thanks to our Money Back Guarantee**. AutoNation Volkswagen offers the absolute best selection and price in the Metroplex in addition to their state of the art Service Departments.


Dallas Ft Worth, Welcome to AutoNation.


*Based on total number of service visits at AutoNation owed stores between January ’03-Decemeber ’12 plus total number of sales or lease transactions since 1996. Customer is defined as a single service visit and each new or used vehicle sale or lease transaction. **3 days or 150 miles, whichever comes first. See store for terms and conditions, some restrictions may apply. © Copyright 1996-2013 AutoNation, Inc.



About Texas Capital Bank

Texas Capital Bank is a commercial bank that delivers highly personalized financial services to businesses and individuals. Headquartered in Dallas, the bank has full-service locations in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. Texas Capital Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of Texas Capital Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: TCBI), a member of the Russell 2000® Index and the S&P SmallCap 600®. For more information, please visit www.texascapitalbank.com.

Movies Scheduled for the Week of 3/17 - 3/23

OK...there's a few screening this week where the locations have been marked "tba". If you happen to have gotten a pass for it, please email the moderator do those blanks can be filled in.

What is it about a seat marked "reserved" that people don't understand? Unless you were told that a seat was specifically saved for you and your party, what makes a person think that it's OK to sit there? Taking the sign off the seat won't work either because the reps know which seats where saved for the press, VIP's, contest winners, etc. And don't act all put out when you are told to vacate those seats. This is a free screening folks. The people offering this screening are allowed to rope off any amount of seats they need. We are lucky that we get invited to fill the remaining space. It's a privilege not a right. Hanging out on the stairs by those seats that may or not be filled will keep you from finding a decent seat while you have the chance. Get in and sit somewhere.

March 17 - March 23

Sun
Mar 17

Rogue - A DIRECTV Original Series - 7:00 pm - Studio Movie Grill Royal
Q&A with actors Joshua Sasse and Leah Gibson
With FREE POPCORN AND SODA!

Mon
Mar 18

Olympus Has Fallen - 7:30 pm - AMC Northpark

Tue
Mar 19

Croods - 7:00 pm - tba Dallas

Wed
Mar 20

Starbuck - 7:00 pm - Magnolia
The Host - 7:30 pm - tba Dallas
Olympus Has Fallen - 7:30 pm - AMC Valley View

Thu
Mar 21

Evil Dead - 7:30 pm - tba Denton
Admission - 7:30 pm - Studio Movie Grill Spring Valley

Fri
Mar 22

Sat
Mar 23

Jurassic Park 3D - 10:00 am - tba North Dallas

Stoker

The invasion of South Korea directors fortunately included Park Chan Wook who brought us the classic Oldboy. In his first American feature he brings his particular vision to the script by Prison Break actor Wentworth Miller and Erin Cressida Wilson (Chole). Every shot is meticulous, soaking in the lush estate and surrounding woods, large round sculpted boulders, and the stylistic perfectly appointed rooms of the house. Even the costumes accentuate the coldness of the family within.

India (Mia Washikowska) doesn't like to be touched. It's disconcerting for her mother Evie (Nicole Kidman) who felt like an outsider as India preferred the company of her father Richard (Dermont Mulroney). It's her 18th birthday. Every year she gets a pair of black and white saddle shoes. In this year's box, there's a key. India always believed it was her father who gave her the shoes. So she wasn't ready to hear that her father was killed in a accident. At the funeral she meets Charlie (Mathew Goode) an uncle that she never knew existed. Her mother tells her that Charlie lived abroad from even before she met Richard. Charlie is full of sympathy and the needy unstable Evie invites him to stay at their house. India doesn't trust him. He's handsome, he's smiling, he genuinely seems to care.

Their housekeeper hasn't returned to the house since the funeral. Evie and India remark that it is strange to the ever smiling Charlie. Aunt Gin (Jackie Weaver) comes by after the funeral when she hears that Charlie has come to the house. Evie has a grunge against Aunt Gin and doesn't want to have a private talk with her. Gin slips her phone number to India. She tells Charlie that she's staying at the Baltimore, but tells the taxi to take her to another place. And for good reason. Little by little the natures of mom, daughter and the uncle are peeled away mostly through the perspective of India.

The performances are very cool and distant. The inherent weirdness of Charlie and India make Evie seem almost normal. Charlie whose good looks and earnestness seem slightly off as he tries to convince India of his sincerity. Especially creepy is the scene where Charlie and India do a duet on the piano the viewer is left wondering if it's India's sexual awakening or her imagination. When she catches her mom making a move on a responsive Charlie she runs away from her house and finds something about her self that she never knew before. There's a moment in the shower that will feel very uncomfortable afterwards.

Compared to Oldboy or Lady Vengeance this is one very repressed film by Park. It's still incredibly beautifully shot with music by Phillip Glass and Nancy Sinatra at choice moments. This Hitchcock type of psychological thriller is like a modern update of 1943's Shadow of a Doubt that had an uncle re-emerge who turns out to be more than what he seems. This not really a movie for everyone. It may be a little too pervy for some audiences. It may not be as satisfying as Oldboy, but it's a solid film and hope to see more of this director.
(Review by reesa)

Upside Down

The son of one of Argentina's most important directors, Juan Solanas, has written and directed a romantic fantasy about two planets that have duel gravity. The Romeo and Juliet love story of star crossed sweethearts who live above and below is a visually stunning confection that lightly touches on the dystopian societies of the haves and have nots. The class struggle of the poor thinking the above world is full of wonders and the world below is full of ugly stupid people an attitude that exists in our own planet. There's also the theme of the clichéd big bad business exploiting the unfortunates in the world.

Adam (Jim Sturgess) is the narrator that attempts to explain that the twin worlds are unique in the universe as having two separate gravities. The complicated explanation is that matter is pulled by the gravity of it's own world, an objects weight can be offset by the matter from the opposite world which is called “inverse matter”, and long contact will cause inverse matter to burn. In this world, those above are rich, while the world below is in ruins and a source for cheap labor. Transworld is the major corporation that controls the energy between the two worlds. It buys cheap oil from below and sells it back at at higher rate. Adam had lost both his parents in a oil refinery explosion and he goes to live with his aunt in the country. It's there that she teaches him the family secret of the bees and their pink pollen. Travel between the world is strictly forbidden, but the bees are the only living creature that go from one world to another. While studying the bees he meets Eden (Kristen Dunst) from above while sitting on a mountain crag. As children they begin a friendship, that eventually becomes deeper despite the danger. Adam uses a rope to pull Eden into his world. Being together makes them an anti-gravity object which floats. When they are discovered together they try to go back to their own world. Eden is injured and she loses her memory.

Ten years later Adam is using the bee pollen to develop a cosmetic face lift cream. But he doesn't have the resources in his world to make it work properly. Adam sees Eden who he thought had died on TV telling of a contest to work for Transworld. This is a way for him to find her, and to work on his project. He makes friends with an above worker Bob (Timothy Spall) who helps him track down Eden. Eventually, the lovers will find a way to each other and getting to that point is interesting and unusual if somewhat typical romantic interludes of flirting, anger, remorse, and forgiveness.

What makes this movie so amazing is the visuals. The M.C.Escher style of world can be dizzy at times. Where the worlds sort of connect, there's sometimes mirror structures above and below. A dance hall has tango couples strutting on the ceiling. Adam's work cubicles are above and below with his fellow employee's all interacting. Going to a face to face with your boss makes one have to strap yourself in a seat while he elevates you while you converse upside down. The method that Adam uses to go “above” is a exciting sequence that reveals that going to the bathroom in inverse gravity is problematic. The ending may seem a little rushed, but when you leave the theater you may be looking at the ceiling for people walking upside down above you.
(Review by reesa)

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

The cast alone sounds like one big comedy hoe down with Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, Jim Carrey, Alan Arkin, James Gandolfini and Olivia Wilde. And then put everyone in sequins and Las Vegas with vintage 70's bad haircuts and what you get is The Incredible Burt Wonderstone. Television director Don Scardino and Horrible Bosses writer Jonathan M. Goldstein with John Francis Daley shine their attention on Siegfried and Roy style superstar magicians who are challenged by a Criss Angel type of street performer Steve Gray. If you are looking for real magic, it's not here. This is more like what happens in Vegas should stay in Vegas.

Burt (Steve Carell) was a bullied kid who got a Rance Holloway magic kit. On the VHS tape Rance tells his students that magic will blow people's minds and everyone loves a magician. At school, he's still bullied, but he meets Anthony (later as Steve Buscemi), a sickly, homely kid, who offers to be his partner. Their childhood friendship and ideas on their tricks takes them to a 10 year career working for Doug (James Gandolfini) as the main headliner “Burt and Anton: A Magical Friendship”. Burt has grown up to be a vain, egotistical, womanizer. Their assistant who they always name “Nicole” quits in disgust before they go on stage. Jane (Olivia Wilde) a backstage employee gets roped into being the new “Nicole”. Their act is tired and hasn't changed since they started. They can't compete with the wild and crazy Steve Gray (Jim Carrey), a buff, long haired street performer of dangerous stunts like holding his pee for a week, sleeping on hot fiery coals or cut a missing card out of his cheek. Burt and Anton are losing their audience and Doug wants to shut them down unless they can update their show. Burt stubbornly doesn't think they need to change. Anton suggests that they stay in a plastic box for week suspended in the air by a crane. The newest trick doesn't last long with Burt managing to alienate his audience, his boss, and most of all his long time partner and friend Anton.

The first part of the movie is enduring the preening Burt who can't see that he's now sunk so low that he's forced to do sample demo magic to sell products at Big Lots. It's not until he takes a job trying to entertain at a senior home for old Vegas performers where he meets his childhood hero who inspired him, Rance (Alan Arkin). Burt begins to see that like Rance, he has lost the joy of magic. The rest of the movie is spent trying to learn to love what he does again with the help of his friends who should have dumped him a long time ago for his bad behavior. Doug is having a competition for a new magician for his newest hotel concept. Who ever wins will get a contract and Steve Gray is Doug's brightest hope.

It should be noted that Gray's “tricks” are really gory stunts and probably not good for kids who think they are going to see a family comedy. In fact most of the so called comedy is just plain mean. Having said that, Carrey is probably the only funny one in the film despite his gross attempts to out do his rivals' attempt for a come back. The last magic that Burt and Anton come up with comes from their childhood idea book. Making the audience disappear. How they do it comes after you think the movie ended. Makes one wish for a little Penn and Teller.
(Review by reesa)

Dallas International Film Festival 2013 Full Film Listing

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