Tag: Independent Film

Overlooked Gem, Microbe and Gasoline gets a State-side Release July 1st

microbe__gasoline_key_art_posterBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

* This subtitled film is finally getting an American-side release come July 1, 2016 courtesy of Screen Media Films. Please check local listings for screenings and locations.

Microbe and Gasoline is a charming, optimistic and insightful coming-of-age story of two young boys. Together, they embark on an epic road trip when life at home simply sucks. Just how they managed to build a vehicle in the shape of a tiny cabin with a small engine to traverse France is beyond me, but this leap of faith works. The idea puts this film into the realm of escapist fantasy. When their decision to leave is based on the fact they wish to put behind a miserable life, I can certainly see the reasons why.

Both are outcasts. The younger of the two, Microbe aka Daniel (Ange Dargent) is the quieter of the two (and runt of the family). He gets bullied at school. Théo (Théophile Baquet) is nicknamed Gasoline because he often smells like he works at a garage. Nobody at middle school is fond of being near him. He does not let the insults tossed at him hurt. He wears a stylish imitation leather jacket that Michael Jackson might envy.

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On Patterson’s Wager & Comic Books, An Interview with Corbin Saleken & Garry Chalk

Patterson's Wager poster

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Cinecenta
University of Victoria
Victoria, BC
Tuesday, June 14th, 
7:00pm and 9:15pm

Also available on iTunes and other VOD platforms.

O. Corbin Saleken’s independent film, Patterson’s Wager, is not necessarily a tough to categorize movie. There are light elements of fantasy and a dash of comedy woven into a charming romantic tale about a dorky insurance agent, Charles (Fred Ewanuick, Corner Gas) trying to find that perfect moment to propose to Audrey (Chelah Horsdal, Hell on Wheels). But when he gains psychic powers that allow him to see into the future by a few minutes, just what can he do with it? Can he use this ability to find that special moment or save the day? This product could have moved like M. Night Shyamalan’s Unbreakable. There’s no villain here but there’s a quest to discover what’s special between two people.

Within this film is a side story about a young girl’s relationship with grandpa which ties into the main story in one huge way. I don’t want to say too much about it since it would constitute a major spoiler. I was very drawn to this secondary narrative because it features one of my favourite all-time performers in a very genial role: Garry Chalk. He’s the voice of Optimus Primal in Mainframe Entertainment’s Beast Wars and played Colonel Chekovin Stargate SG-1.

Otter (Michelle Creber) talks with her mum high res

Folks interested in this quirky film can find it on iTunes Canada and USA. It’s also available on other streaming platforms like Amazon Instant Video, VHX and Vimeo, along with making continued presences at the film festivals. This movie won many awards — like the Best Independent Feature Narrative award at the Winnipeg Real to Reel Film Festival and the Golden Honu for Best Foreign Feature at the Big Island Film Festival in Hawaii — since debuting last year.

Continue reading “On Patterson’s Wager & Comic Books, An Interview with Corbin Saleken & Garry Chalk”

Crowdfunding & Bringing Families Together in According to Camden

According to CamdenAccording to a Camden is a short film seeking crowdfunding by a group of talented filmmakers who also see themselves as nerds. Some of whom are going into their third year (or are alumni) of the Motion Picture Arts Program at Capilano University in North Vancouver and this project is taking place in between terms as a project. For executive writer/director Maelina de Grasse, she’s bringing years of her talent (having been in live theater as one of the dancers in Kaleidoscope Theatre‘s Rocky Horror Show) to a story she says is an honest and earnest piece of her heart.

“It’s funny, I don’t think I realized just how close to it I was … until I got to the point that I was pitching it for Off the Grid [a film program from May-June which allows students to turn their ideas into reality], at Capilano University,” said de Grasse.

She had to break down what the film was about. The idea did not come until after the script was done, and it looked at the themes of loneliness and isolation that many people — not just nerds — feel. She specifically wanted to explore the constant trials of figuring who you are and who you want to be in this crazy and confusing world.

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Lazer Team: First Trailer!

By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

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The company of Rooster Teeth — which has over 8 million YouTube subscribers and has produced the ever popular Red Vs. Blue (a comedy series based on the HALO video game) — released the first trailer of their first feature film.

The film was financed by a successful crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo and it will see release sometime this year. It’s a sci-fi comedy that will see present-day Earth under yet another alien threat. The good news is that a protective alien race has sent a super suit for a special individual to combat this threat. The bad news is four complete morons discover the super suit after the delivery is interrupted. With the fate of the planet in their hands, is Earth doomed?

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI455Z37o30&w=560&h=315%5D

 
The film stars Burnie Burns, Gavin Free, Michael Jones, Colton Dunn, Allie Deberry and features Alan Ritchson.

When Hyper Reality Collides: The Frame to debut this Fall

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

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Fans of mystery and the supernatural should find the trailer for The Frame engaging as they see reality and fiction collide. There’s no real interpretation as to what’s presented in this tease. The montage of shots shows a man running away from something. Juxtapose that with a closeup of an antiquated typewriter, perhaps some people will assume that he’s a writer who crafted a tale that people have read from and found its contents too much to handle. There’s no exact details as to what the plot is. For now the producers are keeping that a secret. With that philosophy, they succeeded at creating a trailer that truly draws viewers into wanting to see the movie when it releases this Fall.

The film stars newcomers David Carranza and Tiffany Mualem and features Christopher Soren Kelly from Ink.  Other cast members include: Cal Bartlett, Anthony Nuccio, Jordan Doll, Kent Randell and Shauna Earp.

Jamin and Kiowa Winans

Fans of Jamin Winans work and Double Edge Films will find his new film tantalizing. He crafted the artful sensation, Ink (2009) — a story about souls caught in a light and darkness war set in the world of the Dreamtime — and masterful Spin (aka “God is a DJ”), available on YouTube. Both his early works show a skill in mythic storytelling.

This new film may well follow a similar distribution model as Ink. It was self-distributed through the Internet via torrent sites like PirateBay. Winans and his producer/wife, Kiowa, embraced the piracy, citing the incredible exposure could only help the film. They believe that “Independent films’ largest battle is against obscurity, not piracy.”

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUm04OmjZMA&w=560&h=315%5D