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swblackwood
Reviews
The Talent Given Us (2004)
"Cinema-verite" at its finest
After seeing this movie, I looked the cast up on IMDb and, sure enough, Emily IS on ER! Plus, the others are actors themselves EXCEPT for the parents. This was stunning to me because they are so great. This may be because son Andrew is directing, but, nevertheless, their performances are outstanding.
The father is one mess of a man who clearly will would be lost without his wife; I really wondered whether he would last to the end! The mother shows a range of personality often not seen in "mother" roles. Her last scene is priceless.
The plot is simplicity itself and the humor is often very subtle. The verite style is insisted on throughout unlike, say, Albert Brooks' "Real Life" (1979) and yet Andrew Wagner varies it at one point to more resemble a hidden camera investigation (a "drug" scene) to humorous intent.
This little film deserves wider distribution: market it as a road picture! This
Chump Change (2000)
Milwaukee strikes back
Milwaukeean Steve Burrows (actually from the southern suburb Greendale) tries to make it in Hollywood and "fails" but Milwaukee gets its revenge in this scathing satire of the movie-making biz. It's too funny! As in, "my god, Steve, you're just too funny!" Those who saw "Chump Change" or have heard Steve comment on it will know what I mean. Also, don't forget: in order to succeed, you have to make the producer's penis twitch. "Don't ask me why!" Lots of great cameos from minor stars old and younger. Ann Meara probably has the single funniest line in the movie. I won't spoil it for you but it's her first line. Well, at least it was funny to this raised-and-still-living-in-Milwaukee reviewer. Too bad, it never saw the light of day on the big screen except at the Milwaukee Film Festival in Nov 2003. It was made in 2000, I believe. Judging from all the Milwaukee-shot scenes, it must have been during the record-setting month of December. At any rate, the movie is available from Miramax video. Buy it, already!