SXSW Day#2

We began the day with the very popular Bryan Poyser's latest film 'The Bounceback' at the Paramount. This is a quintessential  view of Austin's current popular scene for the mid 20-30 y.o. crowd.  Air sex competitions, clubs, booze, breakfast, creative performance, lots and lots of talk about sex (think GIRLS, but not in Williamsburg) and some very funny moments. While I enjoyed seeing Austin on film I unashamedly admit the storyline didn't work for me. Age roared it's head on this one.
We then went next door to The Stateside to see PJ Raval's documentary 'Before You Know It', a world premiere.  This is a fabulous film about the Senior LGBT community and the support systems they have created for themselves as they have grown older.  A fabulous look at three different men and their journey into self acceptance as they age.  The filmmaker takes us to Harlem, Galveston, Texas and Florida where we meet likeable men who speak so forthrightly about their experiences.  And age does not stop them from exploring further truths about themselves and living their lives energetically even while facing some serious limitations. We both just loved this film and I highly recommend it.
This evening it was 'Midnight Shorts' at the Rollins.  Brilliant short pieces of filmmaking with titles like 'Child Eater',' Root','Boyfriends',and 'Playhouse' to name my favorites.  These filmmakers take adventurous risks with subject matter and the audience seemed to just love these zany films.  Nothing was sacred:  father's chain wives to kitchen baseboards, people have their heads suddenly blown off while having an idea, and children SHOULD be afraid of the boogeyman.
We once again agreed that short films have always been our favorites at film festivals.  A look into the creativity of new filmmakers like a huge smorgasbord at a dinner you like being at. 

SXSW Day #1

We began the evening with unusual choices for me.  Big headliners, one a comedy and the other a horror film both at 'The Paramount'.  Truth be told I wanted to wait over an hour on the Congress Avenue  line to get into the rhythm and energy of this incredible event that overtakes Austin.  It  reminds me of the fun and safe city that I now call home.  So we began with 'The Incredible Burt Wonderstone' a thoroughly silly comedy about two Las Vegas magicians.  Steve Buscemi, James Gandolfini, Jim Carrey and Steve Carell must have had a lot of fun filming.  It's a truly silly film but I just loved seeing Alan Arkin as a famous magician living in a nursing home.  I am  reminded  of the great opportunity  we as viewers are given when older actors continue to perform.
Believe it or not I truly enjoyed 'Evil Dead.'  I picked it because of location (Paramount) and because Abe just loves horror films.  Fede Alvarez, director, and many of the actors were present and I enjoyed Mr. Alvarez's opening remarks.  What I really really loved about this film was the audience.  1200 people who just LOVE this genre and clap unabashedly at guts and gore and funny lines.  And so what I realized once again what I love about film is the community it draws together.  And so now I can actually say I appreciated a horror film.  And my husband was happy.  Walking back over the Congress Avenue bridge to retrieve our car and drive home is a perfect way to end a night appreciating Austin,  I welcome the visitors.

THE DIRTIES at the Stateside

Tonight we went up to the State with Liz and Jared  to see the winner of the Narrative Film at the Slamdance 2013 Film Festival. Slamdance was created 20 years ago for the films that did not make it into Sundance.   All four of us just loved this film.  A film shot in Canada by some very talented filmmakers who were present for the Q&A.  Matt Johnson (director, leading actor and editor) and Owen Williams are remarkably genuine and appealing  in this  film about bullying and the deadly consequences that occur.  The subject matter is frightening and the talented Mr. Johnson handles it with enormous empathy for the two young outsiders treated so painfully badly by their bullying counterparts. You laugh lots before you sober up and sense danger.  Much of it is shot in local Canadian high schools and Canadian streets with non actors on a teeny budget.  Crew was a camera person and actors.   Mr. Johnson's Mom (on film and real life) is presented as a human, kind understanding parent.  There are no evil witches in this one.  Just people dealing with their imperfect lives and situations.  We all agreed this independent film could never have been shot in Hollywood.  It's way too real.  Highly recommended if you're in Dallas where it will be shown at the Dallas Film Festival.

QUARTET at the Violet Crown

"Growing old is not for sissies."  Not if you do it with a lust for life and appreciation that you can REALLY say what you think and how you feel.  Dustin Hoffman has directed a wonderful film about a variety of old people in a nursing home for retired opera singers from the UK.  Many of the actors are now elderly famous opera singers and I beamed to see their earlier photos during the credit sequence.  Maggie Smith is the grande dame who has a much harder time accepting her aging than the rest of her quartet.  Pauline Collins is just brilliant and adorable as the Alzheimerish (I know that's not a word) Cissy and her husband played by Billy Connolly is adorable as the sex fueled Wilf.  I cried and laughed simultaneously throughout this film while I drank some wonderful concotion made with orange juice, cucumbers and oh yes!  vodka!!  For me "growing older" has been loads of fun.  And I welcome more films like this which will bring the world of aging into it's proper place called "life."

BREAKING SALSA TEXAS 2013

Last night we headed to Emo's on the East Side for a salsa dance competition and B Boy City breakers demonstrating their moves.  What a fun event!!  Also a fashion show of hot looking clothes and the highest of heels this writer would never ever be able to wear. Beautiful clothing from Etc. down on 2nd Street. Dancers came from as far as Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and a judge hailed from the Bronx!!  And he could DANCE!  The event was so well organized by Mely and Romeo Navarro (and others) and her husband gave her so much credit throughout.  I loved noting the competing dancing women wore sneakers!! Dancers on the floor were beautiful to watch and you could see the amount of practice spent learning their moves.  Gorgeous!!  People were friendly and loved to talk about their love of dance.  One young man, Minh, has been practicing bachata (a dance from the Dominican Republic) seriously and we could not stop watching him  with numerous partners.  He loved telling us about his journey into the world of dance.  What passion!  The highlight of my evening was Abe asking the Bronx born judge to dance with me, a Bronx born Austinite.   Bless his heart, he did!  So if your husband isn't a dancer make sure he has a heart of gold! 

TEXAS EXPERIMENTAL FILMMAKERS/AFS

Last night we headed on up to Austin Studios to catch Caroline Koebel, New Yorker transplant, who organized a group of experimental filmmakers for this event.  And we were thoroughly engaged and captivated by their visions, their creativity and passion for making film out of the box.  While every film did not speak to me some moved me to no end.  The best part of the evening was being with artists who view the world through their own unique lens.  Think about this:  one of the filmmakers worked temporarily in a hotel and looks at the carpets on each floor and is drawn to their image, their patterns.  Can you imagine?  I would have just walked on them and not noticed!  We are made so much better by creative people who interpret the world through their own unique vision.  When I told this to Abe,  and mentioned  how fortunate we are to have Beethoven, Mozart, Cezanne......, he said "and Liz Moskowitz."  Yes, and "Liz Moskowitz."

THE ONLY LIVING BOY IN NEW YORK

I've been in rehearsal the last few weeks for an original play that will be presented at the 'Cohen New Works Festival' on campus the week of March 25-29th.  This festival honors the memory of David Mark Cohen, a theater professor and playwright and occurs every two years.  It presents new works from the numerous artistic departments at UT and is well received by students, faculty and the Austin community.  This original play The Only Living Boy in New York by Haley Elizabeth Anderson really spoke to me.  The setting is Brooklyn, a cluttered apartment, the home of a father and a traumatized son whose mother has abruptly departed.  The son is painfully struggling and communicates through a typewriter.  My role is a zany, all over the place family friend/psychotherapist.  I was invited by Haley to play Kara.  I've only worked in film, never  live theater before and have been assisted by the director, Stephen Gerald (also a native New Yorker) and my acting teacher Laurel Vouvray (another native New Yorker) to embrace this role with heart and soul. (And of course my big personality). So think about it:  a Brooklyn social worker retires to Austin, begins to study acting and finds herself in a play set in Brooklyn, cast as a therapist, written by an extraordinarily talented playwright from Texas who has always loved "everything New York."  How sweet is life.