Obselidia at The Ashland Independent Film Festival

Originally posted on The Southern Oregon Wine Blog, I feel it is worthy to share with more people! 

This weekend was the epitome of spontaneity and that means many blog posts are coming out of it.

On Friday we pulled up the schedule for the Ashland Independent Film Festival, saw a 12 o'clock showing, got in the car making it just in time to be let into the Varsity Theater to see Obselidia.

Synopsis: Believing he's the last door-to-door encyclopedia salesman in the world, George decides to write The Obselidia, a compendium of obsolete things. George believes that love, among other things, is obsolete. In his quest to document nearly extinct occupations, he befriends Sophie, a beautiful cinema projectionist who works at a silent movie theater. Sophie believe that nothing is obsolete as long as someone loves it. When they interview a reclusive scientist who predicts 80 percent of the world's population will be obliterated by irreversible climate change by the year 2100, the two must fact the question, if the world is going to disappear tomorrow, how are we going to live today?

I couldn't have written anything I agree with more than this review from Variety, "From the striking title cards to the beautifully composed visuals and unusual collected items that litter the protagonist's home, Obselidia has the look of a hand-crafted piece, something meticulously sculpted or painted in an artist's studio."

After the showing, Diane Bell, writer and first time director, got up in front of the audience for Q&A. Previously a yoga instructor in Barcelona, Diane moved to Los Angeles to pursue writing. After feeling dissatisfied writing Hollywood horror movies, Diane started working on Obselidia with inspiration from encyclopedias and climate change. Filmed in 17 days, on an extremely low budget of $500,000, and casting literally off the LA street, Obselidia was a Sundance Film Festival selection. This showing in Ashland is only the second festival the movie has been involved in, but plans to participate in film festivals in Texas, Florida, and in Diane's home of Edinburgh, Scotland are next up for the indie film. Hopefully the film gets picked up so more can enjoy its message, but if not, Diane and her husband, Chris Bryne, talked about taking the film a more viral route.

While leaving the theater, a woman asked me what movie I saw and I responded with my favorable recommendation of Obselidia and how impressed I was with my first visit to the film festival. She too saw the film and said it was movies like that which bring her back year after year to the Ashland Independent Film Festival. Next year, attending the film festival will not be a spontaneous event in my Friday, but rather a planned out trip to catch as many wonderful films as I can.

Obselidia will have one last showing at the festival tonight at 6 p.m. I cannot urge you enough to go see it. For more information go to http://www.ashlandfilm.org/.

If you miss its last showing tonight, or want to follow Obselidia success, join the facebook fan page.

Just My Type of Movie

I don't mind cleaning up other people's messes, but I think I would have to draw the line at cleaning up a dead guys brains. However, watching Rose and Norah (Emily Blunt and Amy Adams) do it in Sunshine Cleaning was definitely worth my while.

The people who created Little Miss Sunshine came back with another signature quirky movie about two sisters who start a cleaning business cleaning up messes other people won't touch. They even went as far as to bring back the obnoxious Grandpa, Alan Arkin, to play another unconventional Grandpa.

I love movies of transformation. This movie has two great ones as the sisters forge through life seeking a semblance of meaning in their lives.

"You Should Know From the Beginning This is Not A Love Story" Part II

Way back in March I posted a blog about my anticipation to see the movie (500) Days of Summer. The movie was soft released everywhere BUT Oregon in July, so this past Sunday was my first chance to see it. (500) Days of Summer is so perfectly casted and acted. Joseph-Gordon Levitt is beyond adorable in his emotions and style. As always, Zooey Deschanel is my favorite. Everything about her is perfect, although her character did shocked me to tears (I obviously didn't take the advice from the headline). All week long this movie stayed on my mind... it was just so delightful and provoked a lot of thoughts about love in me.

The soundtrack is also awesome- featuring songs by Wolfmother, The Smiths, Sea Wolf, and Regina Spektor.

Here is Joseph and Zooey at the LA premiere:

Inside All of Us Is A Wild Thing

I watched this movie trailer off one of my favorite blogs - Vanessa's Runway- and had to share it. I had no idea there was going to be a movie adaptation (directed by Spike Jonze) for the child's book Where the Wild Things Are. I haven't watched a kids movie since... hmm... I can't even remember, but I am going to make an exception for this one!

Inside all of us is Hope. Inside all of us is Fear. Inside all of us is Adventure. Inside all of us is a Wild Thing.

"You Should Know From the Beginning This is Not a Love Story"

This movie looks great. I have seen the trailer on two blogs now and couldn't help passing on my excitement. I love every movie Zooey Deschanel is in. 500 Days of Summer.

The revolutionary road to boredom.

Yes, yes.  I realize I am procrastinating and already going against my goal of finishing my homework before the sun starts to rise.  But, I thought I would add- I watched Revolutionary Road earlier with the bf and I was really disappointed.  I was certain I would love it.  Dramas are my thing.  The sadder, more depressing, more intense, and more ironic the better for me.  But, even I couldn't deal with the slowness and constant question of "is anything going to happen in this movie?"  So, Leo and Kate, better luck next time.