Shrek: The Final Chapter, He says

Directed by Mike Mitchell

Starring: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas

Synopsis: Shrek is tricked into signing a pact with the smooth-talking deal maker, Rumpelstiltskin, who offers Shrek a day where everything will be as if his adventures had never happened.

If you’re a movie that actually plays up Pete Hammond and the fact that IS (hopefully) the last chapter in a series, you know that you can’t expect much. Shrek: The Final Chapter Forever After is exactly that sort of movie, but here’s the surprise, if you have your expectations lowered, this fourth Shrek movie is pretty fun. The story is a generic one that we have all seen many times, where Shrek cannot appreciate the apparent perfection that is his life with wife, kids, and goofy friends, and he wants to go back to his single days of being a scary ogre. And so begins what is Shrek’s last tale.


I will say that for the first half of the movie I kept on thinking how I would rather be watching The Fantastic Mr. Fox instead because it starts of the same way. Fiona’s parents about to sign over their kingdom to Rumpelstilskin, who specializes in making magical deals with people. As soon as the king and queen are about to sign, they get word Fiona has been rescued and don’t sign the contract. The next scene shows every day mundane routine of hanging out with the cute pooping babies, hanging out with his friends, and dealing with his fame. I’m going to cry boohoo here. It truly bothered me how whiny Shrek seemed; yes it’s annoying to take care of babies but being a good parent means powering through that. When Shrek becomes overtly irritated at his kids’ first birthday, Rumpelstilskin takes this opportunity to make a power play for the kingdom in this deal (didn’t you see this coming). Rumpel gives Shrek a day to be a manly scary ogre again for a day from his life in his past. In a sweet twist, we go to a world where Shrek never existed since the day he gave up was the day he was born, ogres are evil outlaws, Rumpel is king, and his friends do not know anything about him. As an end note, I do think its interesting how they tried to emulate How To Train Your Dragon-style flying scenes, but it does not do it justice the way the former movie did. Though just like with Dragon, this movie’s 3D use is very classy and well put together.


So like I said, this is It’s A Wonderful Life and the aforementioned Fantastic Mr. Fox put in a generic package. You can see Shrek trying to reconnect with his old friends in ridiculous ways, and it’s horribly annoying because you know he’s going to fail numerous times, then he will succeed, and he’ll have to move on to the next acquaintance.

But here is where I think that there is the genius of the film. By taking the characters back to zero, you can almost relive the magic of the original; the chemistry of donkey and Shrek is definitely the highlight of the movie. They have toned down the humor that’s filled with ridiculous pop culture references and adult inside jokes, which really helps the movie. The last half of the movie is what makes me think that this is a fitting end to the series. As Shrek is trying to connect with Fiona, you see the difficulty of this ogre trying to win her again, and without going into spoilers. the way he does win her over is one of great characters growth, and you can see how truly well he knows Fiona and cares for her. And fittingly the end credits of the movie are highlighted scenes from all the movies in the series. (Interesting that they don’t show Justin Timberlake’s character for the most part, just saying guys.)


Overall, this is a generic movie. I would say that it is way better than Shrek 3, but if I had to rank the series it’d be Shrek, Shrek 2, Shrek The Final Chapter, and Shrek 3. I find it a fitting end to series that leaves it with a decent amount of dignity. I would not recommend it unless you want your kids to be quiet for a couple of hours but definitely it would make for a great rental.

Exit Through the Gift Shop- He said

“Exit through the Gift Shop” is movie that isn’t quite a movie but much more. Depending on who you ask, it is either a film by the enigmatic street artist Banksy, or it’s a Charlie Kauffman-esque, meta commentary on the state of art and its culture. I must admit that the film was one of the most entertaining and inventive pieces of cinema I have had the pleasure of seeing. The fact that anyone that has ever cared about any form of art NEEDS to see this film.


The movie follows Thierry Guetta, the eccentric owner of a “vintage” clothing store in one of the hippest parts of LA. He has the most ridiculous moustache that I’ve seen in a long time. He constantly carries a camera around with him in order to capture all of life’s precious moments. This turns into a creative endeavor when he is introduced to street art by his cousin, Space Invader. When he returns home, he seeks out other street artists and starts to follow and communicate with some of the more famous ones in the scene, such as Shepard Fairey, for a supposed documentary about street art.

Eventually he meets Banksy, who is a famously reclusive street artist that has painted street art all over the world. Banksy decides that Thierry is more interesting of a subject for a movie than he was, so the movie becomes about the man, Thierry, trying to make a movie. It’s at this point that the movie becomes more about Thierry’s quest to become a street artist himself at the behest (and annoyance) of Banksy. This is partly due to the fact he had years of raw and unorganized footage from his time filming artists, and the fact that his documentary was incomprehensible. Starting from the creation of a sticker in his own image to the opening of his art show in LA, we see Thierry’s quick rise in fame

As a “documentary”, Exit through the Gift Shop is a well-paced with an entertaining story, as well as a good introduction to the new sort of art form that not many people know about. But the movie really works well as the commentary on art itself. Seeing as how there has been speculation, since the movie was released, that Banksy created all the works of art that were credited to Mr. Brainwash (MBW), aka Thierry. And Thierry just pretended to be MBW as a part of an elaborate years long prank. Whether you believe that theory or not is up to you.

This is the part of the movie that is brilliant to me; it spends the first half of the movie showing you street art, and then it bastardizes the movement in the last half. Thierry Guetta is not a person; he is a symbol about all the bull (shit) that goes into art and what happens when it goes wrong. Beginning with his first sticker, he creates nothing original. It is a picture of him holding a camera symbolizing the narcissistic tendencies of a lot of artists in all forms of media. In the events leading up to the opening show of his gallery, he buys an art house factory with hired guns photoshopping and helping with the creation of his art, and most of it, which is repetitive and horribly colored (and unless I’m missing something) says absolutely nothing. This is a great contrast to the works of Shepard Fairey and Banksy, who all have done something to speak about social equality and peace with their works. Instead Thierry makes Spock look like Madonna.

As the deadlines for his big show approaches, Thierry asks Fairey and Banksy for quotes to help hype up his show. He becomes one of those eccentrics that you see in the reality TV shows. He has no vision or creativity instead he chats with the TV crews instead of setting up his own gallery. He becomes a super famous artist, but has not had to establish a reputation, which is unorthodox even in the world of street art. One of the most cringe worthy moments was when all of these LA’ers were being interviewed about the exhibit, and they talked about the greatness that was MBW, and how he is innovative. These people obviously had no clue what they were talking about. It’s something that happens to all forms of art, you have the types are there to see and be seen.

For all of the ranting on my part, this movie actually brings about a lot of healthy discussion amongst people. Whether they believe that the whole movie is a prank, or that maybe the prank is that people believe the movie itself is a prank. Who knows? Banksy obviously knows the art of satire and social commentary. Even seen as a simple documentary about art gone wrong, it still is a hilarious and engaging story that won’t leave you bored.

Exit Through the Gift Shop- She said

Most of us modern people know the term “street art” by it’s more common and illegal term, graffiti. But there’s a whole underground culture of street artists, and some of them are making money, and LOTS of it. Now, from what I understand, like any form of art, you’re not suppose to get into it for the money. You enter into the world because you’re passionate about making art and/or making a statement (whatever that may be). In Exit through the Gift Shop, we meet “Banksy”, a legendary street artist from Britain, making a documentary of the man, Thierry Guetta, who was making a documentary about street artists.



Now the rumor surrounding this movie is that it’s a hoax, that maybe Guetta and Banksy are pulling a farce on the audience. No one really knows, and to be honest, I think it makes the movie more intriguing. Guetta is a quirky, cartoonish character who will drop whatever he’s doing if it means getting a good shot for his documentary. He is able to catch some of the most prominent street artists in action: Banksy, Invader, and Shepard Fairey. He records 1000s upon 1000s of hours of footage and dumps his tapes into random, unmarked boxes. Eventually, he tries to make a movie, but as Banksy puts it, “It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before…” Banksy then plants idea in Guetta’s head to become a street artist, thus Mr. Brainwash is born.


Guetta puts together his first art show, and it’s huge. However, he didn’t have to “pay his dues” as most artists have. He gets Banksy to put a quote for his art show, and BAM, Guetta has upwards to 7,000 people the first day. He makes millions of dollars. Now, is his art good? One could argue he’s not really an artist. He blatantly takes ideas from other artists, like Warhol. Some say he finds inspiration; others say he’s rip off-wannabe.


At this point is where the question comes in…did Banksy and Guetta create “Mr. Brainwash” to prove a point about art? Was this an elaborate hoax to show how fake and superficial some artists could be, and how blind the masses are?


Or is it a true story? Did Guetta become inspired by the culture he followed for so long and discovered he had a natural gift? Was he just at the right place at the right time and knew the right people? Is he just a lucky guy?


None of these questions are answered, and that’s what makes this film so great. The debate that happens afterwards between members of the audience is why I loved this movie so much. I stayed talking with people for at least half an hour discussing the validity of Guetta, his art, and his sudden success.

Personally, I think it’s a hoax and a brilliant social commentary on art and the passion behind it. The movie is very entertaining and keeps the audience engaged throughout. The world street art that we’re able to scratch the surface of is inspiring and brilliant. The artists like Shepard and Invader do this because they love it and want to make a statement. Guetta…he seems to be in it for the money, which completely goes against the unwritten morals of this culture.


If the truth ever comes out and Banksy and Guetta has pulled one over on the world, I will be impressed. Banksy proves that he can delve in to the subconscious of a culture, create a mess of an artist, and come out clean and brilliant on the other end.

The Last Survivor- She said

Every once in a while, a film will come along that will make you question humanity and your role in it. “The Last Survivor” is a powerful documentary about the human spirit persevering above all obstacles. The film follow four survivors of four different genocides: Hedi from the Holocaust, Justin from The Congo, Jacqueline from Rwanda, and Adam from Darfur. Each story is different, yet the one aspect they share is that they each survived.


The documentary follows these individuals as they go about their lives after their tragedies. All four survivors work and speak about their experiences in some form. Jacqueline has spoken in front of the U.N., while Adam is a leader of Darfur refugees in Israel. Justin got the opportunity to move to America, and Hedi shares her story with performer wanting the story to be told. All four are constantly dealing with the question, “Why me? Why was I chosen to survive?” The burden they have as survivors is almost unbearable. Jacqueline shares about many times she wished she had died in the genocide because the burden of surviving is almost impossible.

This could have easily been ainstead filmmakers, Michael Pertnoy and Michael Kleinman, make this a film of hope. documentary of anger and despair and hatred, but The tenacity and spirit of these individuals is unbelievable. They have been through these unspeakable horrors, yet they find the will to move on. And instead of spewing hatred and violence towards their adversaries, they preach hope and understanding and change. They work for peace, and a world where we never have to hear about genocide again. These individuals understand the basic principle that a lot of people miss- we’re all human, therefore, we’re all connected. It doesn’t matter what you are or who you are, every life is valuable.

One of the directors, Pertnoy, was there for a Q&A, and he was asked a question on the meaning of the title. He said that was his goal; his goal and hope is that, as humans, we can say there is a “last survivor” because that means genocides will have come to an end in this world.

I cannot say enough about this film. It is beautifully shot and edited. It never lags or is weighted down by details. You care about these survivors and their stories, and you leave with the most important lesson of all…the lesson of hope and change. It’s my hope that we all can have the spirit and love that Hedi, Justin, Jaqueline, and Adam share.

Harmony and Me- He said

Harmony and Me is the typical story of a nice guy, Harmony (Justin Rice), that gets his heart broken by his ex, Jessica (Kristen Tucker), and can’t seem to let go. We have all had those friends, and maybe you have been that person at some point. The all too familiar plot serves as a way to show off the goofy characters and situations that inhabit Harmony’s life. This is the work of Texas director, Robert Byington, who shot this movie in Austin, and cited in a Q&A that the biggest influence for this movie was some of the autobiographical and weird situations that happened to him and how they affected him. It is one of more adorable and charming movies I’ve seen this festival.



The movie starts off with Harmony remembering various times in his relationship with Jessica, while his friends are all having fun around him. Even though he can’t get over her, Jessica is not the nicest of ex-girlfriends calling him all sorts of iterations of the word “loser“. The first time we see Jessica we see that she is debating how long it should take to get over a relationship. She decides that it takes at least half of the length of the relationship to get over that person, but since she knew the relationship was over a while ago she has less time. Too say the least, you are definitely not meant to empathize with her, and this scene shows the kind of humor the movie has. Harmony works in some IT company, and just like with his friends, he makes his coworkers know that his heart is broken. At certain points we go through all of his friends and family who all have advice and over-the-top personalities to go along with them. Out of all the supporting cast, I liked Natasha, the chatty and annoying neighbor. She gets some of the funniest dialogue apart from Harmony.

At one point, Harmony decides he needs to take piano lessons, and he ends up striking a great friendship with his teacher. Byington said Justin had a natural curiosity towards learning instruments, and that his learning process is basically captured on camera. It is pretty exciting to see him getting better throughout the movie. I liked that the movie used music as a source of struggle for Harmony and not just a way to look cool in front of Jessica or sell soundtracks. The movie quickly moves from scene to scene in a way that makes you feel as disjointed from reality as I imagine Harmony being. You can really feel the amount of hurt and numbness that Harmony is in, and I have to give Justin Rice a lot of credit here. Even if he is a little annoying, the director somehow makes you care for him, and by the time he sees Jessica going on a date with the office tool, Matt, you truly feel for him from his subsequent reaction . I enjoyed the fact that by the end of the movie, Harmony finally improves his life even if it happens in the most immature way. I normally don’t like romantic comedies where the protagonist changes his life around in one montage.

Overall Harmony and Me is a cute and enjoyable movie. I think that anyone that has been broken up with or has really sensitive friends should be able to enjoy this movie. The characters are so great here, as are the situations they get put in, which highlights the writing power that Mr. Byington has. I look forward to any other projects he has coming up.

Becloud- She said

Alejandro Gerber Bicecci’s “Becloud” tells the story of three childhood friends, Andres, Felipe, and Jose, and their lives in a dusty, run down corner of Mexico City. The boys were inseparable until they witnessed a tragedy that haunts them to this day. The tragedy shaped each boy differently and had a profound effect on their lives.


What’s unique about this tale is it’s not told sequentially. We’re introduced to Efren as he drives down a dusty road with a truck full of water. He has the company of a lady, and when they stop, she goes to explore a dried up lake and finds a baby with his dead mother. She adopts the child as her own and names him after Efren, but Efren wants nothing to do with the child. Fast forward to the present day where we follow 18 year olds Andres, Felipe and Jose. The story jumps randomly from one boy to another as we catch glimpses of each trying to find happiness, love, steady job, or acceptance in their lives. This part of the movie seem to set up a lot of character and exposition, and I wasn’t sure where it was going or why certain things were happening.

Then, act two begins, and we’re taken back eight years earlier when the boys were in school. We see their tight bond to one another, and as boys do, they fight over who can marry the elusive Abigail at the school carnival. The boys put on a mock sword fight to see who the victor will be. This stage of their lives is when the boys witness something they’ll never forget.

This is where Bicecci is a master story teller. All the questions I had about the characters and motives came together. I understood why they acted the way they did, why they drifted apart over the years, and why none of them could find happiness in their lives. In Spanish, the title is “Vaho” which the director described as the mist that you see when you breathe out in a cold night. Bicecci meant this title to be an allegory for the lives of the boys. The mist clouds your vision, and you can’t see what’s ahead of you, and you begin to question the meaning of your life because nothing is clear.

Bicecci has a bright future ahead of him as a film maker and storyteller. This movie reminded me of “City of God” where the pieces are mixed up, but once you figure out where they go, the end result is captivating.

Earthling- He said

Texas director, Clay Liford, is a huge sci-fi nerd, as evident in his film, Earthling. As a festival favorite with much hype, it is the tale of a history teacher, Judith, who learns she might not be what she thinks she is. I had very high hopes for this movie, giving that I love sci-fi in all of their serious and campy iterations, and this movie did not disappoint, even if it has its weak points.

The movie starts with a shot of the spore making its way towards the International Space Station that contains three astronauts. When it gets closer to the station, you can see one of the astronauts Sean (Matt Socia) being affected greatly by it. We see that they managed to get the spore inside and quarantine it, but Sean ends up being the only survivor after the spore comes inside, and he returns to earth comatose. Thanks to a pulse sent by the spore, Judith crashes her car, where she loses her 13 week old. The movie shows Judith waking up and dealing with grief and changes she’s experiencing after the crash. All of this comes to head when she meets Abby, a strange new student that has an apparently been drawn to her and was also affected by the pulse. The movie proceeds to show Judith’s unraveling quest to find out more about herself and those newcomers in her life. I had high hopes for this to be Texas’s “District 9”, and even thought it comes close, it misses on a few key points.

You can tell that Liford is a great sci-fi nerd, and that passion comes off across on the screen in the story detail and performances. The story itself is familiar but, thanks to Liford‘s writing, feels new. I was impressed by Rebbeca Spence in her performance as Judith; her desperation and pain come across fantastically. But the star of this fim is Amelia Turner as Abby in an emotive and expressive performance. Knowing more than she lets on, Abby was a great source of intrigue and frustration. She would answer every question except the ones you really wanted to know.

Here’s where the movie runs into problems. The pacing was the most frustrating aspect. It became a loop of Judith being frustrated, asking Abby something, and then Judith freaking out over what she just learned. I feel that the movie’s 115 minute run time could have been cut down. Lastly, some of the special effects were slightly goofy to the point I thought it was an homage to a B movie; however, in the context of the movie, it feels cheap.


Overall, this is the best Texas based movie (apart from Skateland ) I’ve had the pleasure of seeing. The movie is not revolutionary but well deserved of the hype it has been receiving. Director Clay Liford has talent, ambition and enough imagination to keep on making interesting films for a long time, and I am proud to tell people he is a Texan.