Starz Denver Film Festival - Best of Nov 20-22

1. Hotel Sahara - The temporary residents of Nouadhibou, Mauritania, have come from all over Africa to wait for transport to Europe, and the chance at a better life. Bettina Haasens intimate camera ushers us through the provisional world of these migrant workers as they pick up odd jobs and sleep in sparse rooms, all under the constant threat of deportation. Sandwiched between the Sahara Desert and the Atlantic Ocean, they try to stoke their individual dreams in a place where the only thing not fleeting is their desire to reach their destination.



2. Passenger Side - Michael Brown's (ADAM SCOTT) birthday begins with a telephone call from his estranged, drug addicted brother Tobey (JOEL BISSONNETTE). Tobey is totally unaware that it is his older brother's birthday, but he is very aware that his car is broken, and he begs Michael to drive him on various apparently legitimate, vital errands. As Bruce Springsteen has astutely noted, "a man who turns his back on his family just ain't no good", and so Michael puts off his seemingly romantic birthday plans, and with his brother embarks on a sketchy, meandering day long odyssey though the mysteries of Los Angeles County. As the day wears on, it becomes clear that this drive will lead them to some very unexpected destinations.



3. St. Nick - St. Nick is the story of a brother and sister on the run. Hes eleven, shes nine. They've left their home for some unknown reason, and are living in the woods, hiding in barns and sheds, doing what they can to survive. As the bitter Texas winter sets in, they strike up residence in an abandoned house and, for a brief, bittersweet period, manage to escape the harsh realities of their circumstances.

Starz Denver Film Festival - Best Of Nov 12-15

Opening weekend of the film festival. Best three films seen. And I've only seen 4. That makes me 3 for 4. The 'opening night' film 'Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire' was awful. Don't waste your money. Lee Daniels has no discernible directing style.

But these on other hand are awesome.

1. October Country - Every family has its ghosts. Set in the Mohawk Valley of Central New York, this film chronicles a year of life seen through the eyes of the Mosher family. Relationships gone sour, poor economy, a troubled foster kid, young mothers, and a belief in the paranormal make this film a beautiful portrait of a family.



2. Con Artist - Mark Kostabi is a fraud and a scam artist. He knows it. And he's spent years perpetuating his 'art' and will do just about anything to keep himself in the spotlight.



3. Leaves of Grass - Tim Blake Nelson directed narrative about twin brothers and weed in Oklahoma. That's all I need to say.

Wonderland & Salton Sea & a Lomo

Salton Sea

Snapshots from a trip recently made with my friend James.

Halloween Weekend

My Sister

Flew back to upstate NY this past weekend to surprise my sister. Her field hockey team played a sectionals game on Saturday against their perennial rival Warrensburgh. She didn't know we were coming and so when we showed up in her bedroom at 9:15 on Friday night she went crazy.

The Johnsburg Jaguars (my alma mater) ended up winning the game 2-0, the first time in years that they'd beaten Warrensburg 3 times in one season. My sister scored a goal and assisted on the other. She's a fantastic player and well of course, she's my little sister so I'm proud.

My sister is on the right in white.


Scoring a goal.


Winning moment.


Sequential winning moment.


Team.


The Jaguars play tomorrow, Wednesday November 4th, for the chance to advance further to the NY State Championship. Wish I could be there to cheer her on....