This Week In Trailers: King Jack, The Blackout Experiments, Versus: The Life And Films Of Ken Loach, For All Eyes Always, Living On Soul: A Daptone Records Film
Trailers are an under-appreciated art form insofar that many times they're seen as vehicles for showing footage, explaining films away, or showing their hand about what moviegoers can expect. Foreign, domestic, independent, big budget: What better way to hone your skills as a thoughtful moviegoer than by deconstructing these little pieces of advertising? This week we get political with Ken Loach, we shake a tail feather as we get down with Daptone, ponder a CIA's reality show, get snatched in the dark, and get real with a teen who is just looking to get by. King Jack Trailer
Let others sell it for you.
When you sit and let this trailer wash over your eyes you see that this is one of those films that might not be one that will redefine the human experience but, rather, it looks like it's just taking a look at one person's experience. There's a rawness and an element that this story is grounded in a real world with real places. Director Felix Thompson's critically acclaimed feature debut here cuts through a lot of noise with everything else vying for your attention but it does so gently, quietly, and with the kind of force that lets the pull-quotes do all the talking as to why this one is a must see.
Versus: The Life and Films of Ken Loach Trailer
From Wikipedia about director Ken Loach: He is known for his naturalistic, social realist directing style and for his socialist ideals, which are evident in his film treatment of social issues.
I'm completely dialed in to what Ken is talking as his voice helps contextualize his oeuvre. I'm sure all directors are as insightful about what stories they want to tell and why they want to tell them but director Louise Osmond (of Deep Water and Dark Horse fame) does something wonderful in giving us the bad with the good. This isn't a glossy retrospective full of sunshine, there's some absolute torrential downpours as it pertains to his work when issues of public reception and the political nature of that work come up. There's nothing more intriguing about telling a story that doesn't look to shy away from the more tough subjects and with someone like Loach this couldn't be more of a gift.
The Blackout Experiments Trailer
Yes.
Director Rich Fox, who has mainly kept his game to editing movies like A Band Called Death, The Hammer, and Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, just explodes with a documentary that feels flat out creepy. There's no way to dodge the obvious comparison to The Game but in the moments that we're given here I think that beyond just the effusive critical praise some have given it, it is the psychological component of what people who do this gain that is of most interest. It's not the shock and awe, although that's what will bring all the boys to the yard, but it's the examination of how transformative these experiences that's really going to solidify this as either a "must-see" or a complete waste of all of our time. Where do I sign up?
Living on Soul: A Daptone Records Film Trailer
"What you young white boys know about funk?" – Sharon Jones
These next two are related.
Jeff Broadway directed the fabulous looking Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton (Rob Gordon Bralver is credited as having a hand in writing it and would go on to direct the feature below). And it's that same passion for music that has landed him here to talk about Daptone Records and its importance in the musical ecosystem. Self-confessing to the notion that this was shot in the tradition of The Last Waltz, this is nothing short of fascinating. It's an energetic yet sanguine look at a lesser known cog in the music machine that is no less deserving of some attention and reverence. I don't know if I even know a single artist here but when it comes to music I'm always on the hunt to have my ears opened to something fresh.
You can find out more about the project and/or help to support it right here.
For All Eyes Always Trailer
This is pretty fantastic.
Director Rob Gordon Bralver is bringing something so high concept that, on the surface, it ought to be abhorrently nuts to try and film but, on the other, it's just nuts that it all comes together in a pastiche of good humor and tight editing. Just considering the many locations this independent film had to set up in is one thing but to reasonably believe that this is all taking place is quite another but it works. I'm not sure of exactly what in the hell is happening here but, when it comes to movies I would absolutely put on before watching a feature that cost 1000x more this would be at the top of the list to get a chance.
Nota bene: If you have any suggestions of trailers to possibly be included in this column, even have a trailer of your own to pitch, please let me know by sending me a note at Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com or look me up via Twitter at @Stipp
In case you missed them, here are the other trailers we covered at /Film this week: