I ♥ Film Festivals pt. 2

Saturday, Cheryl and I watched the movie I had been most anticipating: Adante. It was spoken in Hebrew and was about a society that couldn't dream anymore. You should watch the trailer (Andante trailer) because it gives you a really good grasp at the theme of the movie. I had a hard time following the scenes because I felt like I was missing something but then it dawned on me that what I was seeing might be following more of a dreamers perspective. It's not supposed to make total sense. Sure enough, when I got home and looked at a more detailed synopsis I knew I got just what I was supposed to from the film and would love to see it again and catch some things I surely missed. 

After that we saw The Pill. This was a welcome break to the mind-a romantic comedy. I thought the leading actress Rachel Boston (who also starred in 10 Years Later) was delightful to watch on screen and felt like she really made the movie her own. She faintly reminded me of Zooey Deschenal, just in her eclectic and slightly off-the-wall personality.

Our very last film of the festival was Vamperifica (vamperifica.com). This one was a great mixture of drama, suspense, and comedy. Trying to bring back their vampire king, two vampires turn a flamboyantly gay community college student (Carmen) into a vampire. Even though he is the reincarnation of the ancient king his soul has morphed so much over the 200 years that the vampires that turned him are forced to try and take him down. They lose, and in the process turned one of his best friends. They end up living a happy/bloody eternity.

Ahhh and the festival was over. There was one more set of shorts we were going to watch Sunday but both of us were dead beat and decided that sitting in bed all day in our pj's sounded like more fun than getting all dolled up once again, driving twenty minutes, and paying a ridiculous amount of money for tolls/parking just for one set of shorts (and it was). Between getting really good at walking in heels, to learning a little about the process of making an independent film, to walking around downtown and discovering a beautiful park this festival has got me hooked. I want to go to more and I can already say that my name will be on the list for the festival next year.

The only thing I would change is getting the VIP badges. While the free popcorn was nice, I don't really think we got enough out of it. A whole festival pass was only $15. If we had've gone to all the parties for VIPs I'd say it was worth the money. We planned on going to them, but every night when we got out of our last movie the prospect of walking to wherever the party was, hanging out for a while, and having to get up for school the next day was just never worth it. Plus I got sick just in time for the weekend (yay me).

That being the only complaint, though, I'm one happy chick. 

I ♥ Film Festivals pt. 1

This week, I had the pleasure of spending four days attending my first ever film festival in downtown Orlando. Cheryl and I have been looking forward to this a lot and more went into it than you might think. Outfits had to be planned. New shoes/dresses/shirts/tights/whatever needed to be purchased (Good thing October is almost over, my bank account can't take much more). We put our schedules together with the film schedule and our list of films we wanted to see and set forth on making a time table. We also had to factor in in-between times, places to eat, you get the picture. All in all, this has more or less been consuming us for weeks now.

On Wednesday we got dressed and rushed off to the first and only film of the evening: Virgin Alexander (virginalexander.com). I highly recommend you look it up and watch the trailer. It was a delightful movie and I absolutely loved it. It was up for multiple awards and I'm still trying to find out if it won. After the movie, the filmmakers (husband and wife) came out and did a Q&A. I learned a lot about the film that really made me appreciate working on a budget. Your cheap film doesn't have to look cheap.

Thursday, we watched two groups of shorts: Animation Celebration which included Deep Blue Breath, Dissolving Destinies, The Birds Upstairs and the Jockstrap Raiders; and Artistic Impressions which included Dream Street Productions, Hallows' Eve and the Pumpkin Dream, Land of Blossom, NIQAB, The Fall of the Cutter's Mind, and Change. In the Animation Celebration I think my favorite was definitely The Jockstrap Raiders (thejockstrapraiders.com). It was a cute tale and was very well done. For Artistic Impressions I'd go with Dream Street Productions. It follows the style of a "Behind The Scenes" type of video only you realize it's the behind the scenes for the making of his dreams. Very cool concept, and again, well done.

Friday (my birthday), we saw 10 Years Later and Moleman of Belmont Ave. 10 Years Later (10yearslaterthemovie.com) was awesome. It followed a group of friends reuniting after 10 years (duh). Their reunion, however, is a bit rocky since one of them brings a tied up sheriff with them. It got really interesting and by the end you were rooting for the characters with unexpected veracity. Moleman of Belmont Ave (molemanmovie.com) was simply hilarious. The story centered around two brothers who owned their late mother's apartment building. After the mysterious disappearances of pets around the building, the brothers find out that none other than the Moleman is behind it. Their comedic timing was fantastic and I really enjoyed it. One of the brothers from the film was there (he was also the co-writer and co-director) and he did a Q&A. He was just as funny as his character and again made me realize what you can do with a tiny budget.

I'm cutting it off here since it's already kind of long as I have lots more to tell you. Pt. 2  coming soon.

20 Things I've Learned In Twenty Years:

1. Never grocery shop when you are A) Hungry B) PMSing.
2. Trying to force others to do something your way probably isn't going to work. Compromise, compromise, compromise.
3. There's nothing wrong with asking for help.
4. For some people, music soothes all. For others that may be riding their bike, playing video games, or watching trashy tv. Respect that.
5. Don't ever make a plan that involves doing it "even though you hate it". Chances are it won't work.
6. Always try to befriend the people you work with. It generally leads to a myriad of good things.
7. The fact that people like or don't like you may be completely out of your control. Move on.
8. You don't reap any rewards if you don't first take a chance.
9. Christmas shouldn't cause you stress. I mean, it does. But it shouldn't. Relax, have some eggnog, and enjoy the season.
10. Spending a little money to make your bed more comfy is money WELL SPENT.
11. Eating bagels for breakfast for two months straight will probably make you sick of them. The same rule applies to most things in life.
12. Realize that not every decision is life or death.
13. When in doubt-sleep on it.
14. Dealing with people you don't like is an invaluable skill. I'm still working on it.
15. If you are attached to an electronic more than you are a family member, it might be time to take a break from it. Or to get rid of the family member. Either way, you should probably think about it.
16. Organized life=less stress
17. Appreciate the fact that you have a home, money in your bank account (no matter how little, it's more than some), a bed to sleep in, friends, family, you get the picture.
18. Gifts should always be more fun to give than to receive. Check your priorities.
19. Safe is boring.
20. It's your life. Live it how you want to. And above all, strive for happiness. The rest will fall into place after that.

Some of those may be exclusive to me, but for the most part I think they're pretty good life lessons I've learned (the hard way) over the past two decades. I've been blessed with a wonderful life and sometimes it just takes me a little while to remember that.

Happy day, all.

What A Year For A New Year

(I'd listen to this song if I were you. I think it adds something. Ignore the video. Click here)

Is it really this time already? It's October. Soon, maybe too soon, I will be turning twenty. TWENTY! I won't be a teenager anymore. I won't have the excuse of youthful innocence anymore. I think I'm okay with it. Because, as we all know, I've never been one to relate to my age group very well. I get to enter a new era of my life, now. My twenties. Oy.

A lot is presumably going to happen now. There's a good chance I'll get married, have kids, maybe buy a house. All that, in the next ten years of my life.

And then there's the fact that it's almost the end of the year. It's October; a couple more months and BAM-2012. How does something so big sneak up on us every year? This means another year of my life will be laid down. I remember the resolution I made last year. I said I want to be proud of myself. I think I am. I've been doing pretty well in Orlando. Haven't starved, or gone completely broke, or locked my keys in my car. I think that's what success means.

I finished my school year at ECC and survived a bakery internship (which included Easter...holy crap). I made the decision to move home. That certainly wasn't easy. I made my first road trip sans Mom and didn't die. I got a new job and actually felt like I fit in from the beginning which has never happened to me before.

But let's not forget the most important thing of all. I'm going to be an aunt in a couple months. Our family is growing and I am so elated to think that I will have a new little one to love as if he were my own (but don't worry Rachel, I won't steal him). I relish in the thought of watching my nephew grow and play and laugh.

So there you have it. My year in a nutshell. Every year has seemed harder than the last. Then again, every year has seemed more rewarding than the last, as well. So here's to change! Here's to life and adventure and youth! Live to live, not to meet any kind of a quota. The world will be beautiful only if you make it.

P.S. If anyone has their year in a nutshell and wants to share, feel free. I'd love to read them.