THE REELS

Looper - Featurette

Paul Thomas Anderson

I finally saw The Master last night. It was not what I was expecting, but it was still PT Anderson. The pacing of his films is very much like how he talks. I think he really brings an excellent personal quality that for me is always more relatable. Joaquin Phoenix really blew my mind with how he played the roll. His acting is so involved down to the very last detail of how he walks, the mannerisms, the overall energy. And like PT said everything about the film even down to the type of film used made it so believable and engrossed you into another world. 

Ridley Scott

Prometheus was Scott's first digital film, shot on the RED camera in 3D. It is cool to hear him talk about how he has always wanted his films to be very clean and remembers always battling the grain in low light with film. It's also just cool to see one of the greats talk about processes that someone like myself can relate to. The way the interview is edited is kind of weird. 

A Brief History of John Baldessari - Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman

I just came from a press screening of Shorts Programs #1 at NYFF, held at Lincoln Center. 

Here was the program: 

Crescendo - Alonso Alvarez / Up the Valley and Beyond - Todd Rosken / A Story for the Modlins - Sergio Oksman / A Brief History of John Baldessari - Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman / Saint Pierre - Kevan Funk / Frank Etienne Toward Beautitude - Constance Meyer

My favorite by far was A brief history...narrated by Tom Waits this very stylistic, design driven short doc tells just what the title specifies, a brief history of American artist John Baldessari. Or better known as the guy who puts circles over everyone's faces. 

Armando Taravez

I sat down with Armando to share my thoughts on his new script Fate yesterday. Fate is about a young hitman from Queens who realizes that school is more important to him and wants out of the game. His boss Henry isn't going to let him go that easy, and he will have to fight for his freedom and his life. Armando wrote the script, is producing and starring in the short film, they plan to shoot next month. 

Armando's last project Blind Date, which premiered at the Sunday Night Screenings Film Festival is a short vignette that perfectly captures the essence and uncomfortableness of blind dates.

Aside from writing, producing and starring in his own films, Armando is also a photographer - Check out his work here.

NYFF Shorts Program #1