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OUT OF FOCUS – Epic Boys Productions – Jim Cocoliato
Jim Cocoliato & Bryan Payerl Bound for Sundance 2011, I am not. Things didn’t pan out as I’d hoped. However, it doesn’t stop me from discussing up and coming filmmakers. Earlier this week Tinsel & Tine highlighted some emerging filmmakers from Reelblack’s Shorts Showcase (click HERE for post) and now I’d like to draw attention to Epic Boys Productions headed up by Jim Cocoliato. I met Jim a couple of months ago at The Greater Philadelphia Film Office 25th Anniversary Celebration (click HERE for post). During the evening we discussed his short film (45 min) Out of Focus and he asked if I wanted to view a screener of it.…
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Reelblack Short Film Showcase Recap
I wouldn’t call it a resolution, but I do intend to cover more films of color on Tinsel & Tine in 2011. It’s a shame that it takes effort, but if you’re not a fan of Tyler Perry there’s not a whole lot to see during most years. Good for Tyler Perry that he found his niche, his abundance and his audience, and I did intend to see For Colored Girls, but … Well, I’m hoping other black/multi-racial filmmakers emerge with a storytelling style more to my aesthetic. To that end, I attended last week’s Reelblack’s Showcase of Short Films by Emerging Artists of Color (I House). Reelblack headed by…
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Commentary – The Dilemma
I watched an interview with Ron Howard on The View. He said the idea for the movie came from a true life experience with his long time business partner, Brian Grazer. Grazer thought he saw Howard’s wife of 35 years, being extra chummy with a guy on the street. He could only see her from behind, so he made a point to keep following until he could see her face and assure himself that his best friend and partner wasn’t being cuckolded. Later he told Howard about the incident and it soon became a “what if” topic of discussion around the office. Similar to the water cooler talk back in…
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Commentary – Country Strong
So after the PFS preview of Country Strong on Wednesday night, I was discussing the film with a staff member who felt the movie was too song oriented. I could tell he was not a Country Music fan, so I agreed with him and said I feel the producers of the film were more interested in selling a soundtrack than making a good movie, which I truly feel. What I didn’t say, was that I would be one of the people looking to buy said soundtrack. I was already on YouTube yesterday watching the music video of Gwyneth marching around in her red cowboy boots to the title track. And…
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Commentary – It’s Kind of a Funny Story
…The movie centers on relationships and about finding life wherever you are standing at that moment. It’s about learning how to give yourself a break. For those of you reading this old enough to remember “After School Specials”, in some ways, although not cheesy or hokey, that ’s what this movie reminds me of; I think it might have the ability to change the perspective of some kids going through these same overwhelming fears about life. Keir Gilchrist feels like a real kid, he plays the role low key and believable, he’s not trying to go for the quirkiness of a Michael Cera. I like the non-traditional casting of Zoe…
