First review of "Angelina Jolie is a Zionist Whore! or, Plan 9 from Baghdad"

Okay, now this blog is really drifting far afield. Started originally at the 2005 Austin Film Festival to follow the festival perigrinations of "Two Harbors" (as the blog title would indicate) I have since added news on the festival activities of my second feature, "The Quietest Sound." And now, to confuse matters even more, I'm posting a recent review of my new play, currently running at the Bryant Lake Bowl Theater in Minneapolis. The review appears at a theater review site called Steve on Broadway:


Angelina Jolie is a Zionist Whore! or, Plan 9 from Baghdad

As incendiary as its title is, perhaps another more appropriate subtitle for this droll, rapid fire satire on the insurgency in Iraq could be "Out of the mouths of boobs."Director and playwright James Vculek has made a name for himself at film festivals worldwide for his quirky little award-winning film "Two Harbors." Further burnishing his idiosyncratic credentials, Vculek becomes provocateur in suggesting a rampant incongruity among even the most incompetent "hapless boobs" within insurgent cells and their interest in all things West. Whether they're musing about the long-term prospects of the eponymous actress with Brad Pitt or the strategery linked to Ed Wood's infamous sci-fi movie -- or even wearing an ironic "I [heart] New York" T-shirt -- this comedy keeps the laughs coming.

And if this bungling trio of would-be kidnapper insurgents doesn't cause you to recollect the antics of Colonel Klink & Co. from "Hogan's Heroes," perhaps -- in a most ironic twist -- you'll be reminded of a certain Administration steadfastly requiring suspensions of belief to trust their leader's modus operandi.In this case, a cell in "the fifth year of the insurgency" attempts to regroup after their last kidnapping attempt has been botched. Seems the video their leader Samir (Steve Lattery, looking and sounding more like a U.S. Marine than an Iraqi) shot simply wasn't good enough for Al Jazeera. His every dictate is questioned by cohorts Bashir (precision-perfect Sam Landman) and Margaret -- yes, Margaret, thanks to her parents' schooling in England (played with winning conviction by Alayne Hopkins) -- although she would prefer to be called "Revolutionary Sister in Jihad Suba," but must settle for simply Suba. All three are largely fearful that their ongoing ineptitude will result in their selection for suicide martyrdom.

In the midst of their arguments walks in American "Food Network" correspondent Wheeler (played with great gusto and bombast by Alex Cole) looking literally and figuratively for a pot to pee in. While the triumvirate take Wheeler hostage, they learn that if they can produce a more air-worthy video of a kidnapping victim, Al Jazeera might just broadcast it thanks to a last minute opening on its news schedule. As the captors practically beg Wheeler for his cooperation during their taping, he becomes their worst nightmare.

Without spoiling the plot, suffice it to say that the show concludes with what amounts to a terrorist blooper reel as the trio tries to meet the Arab television network's deadline.Clocking in at a mere 65 minutes (counting the video sequence and ten-minute intermission), it often seems as though you're watching an extended version of a clever "Saturday Night Live" sketch. There's little in terms of character development as all four roles remain solidly one-dimensional. Although perhaps that was the intent since this is an inside-out parody of the Bush White House. Nevertheless, even if the title makes you wince, this Angelina Jolie offers up some smart dialogue and plenty of laughs.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

First review of "The Quietest Sound"

The following review appears at the www.filmschoolrejects.com website. I reprint it in its entirety.


AFF 2006 Review: The Quietest SoundNovember 8th, 2006
By Cole Abaius

Release Date: TBA
For most, the recent environment of cinema is the unthinkable mix of brilliant innovation and boring stagnation. The former, is characterized by filmmakers like Gondry and Aronofsky who are brave enough to play around with storytelling styles and camera work. The latter is characterized by the majority of films that can be found on the marquee at your local 800-screen mega-multiplex-o-rama. This situation has created high demand for independent films that take a different slant, but it seems that many of these films - admittedly amateurish - either rely solely on a hook or bypass being interesting in hopes of selling out. The Quietest Sound does not fall into these categories. With a shockingly innovative narrative style bolstered by an intense storyline, this film satisfies in a way most films can’t.The Quietest Sound has guts. It is one, seventy-five minute long, continuous shot of a woman as she sits in a police interrogation room. There are no cut-aways, no fade outs, no punch ins. What you see is what you get for over an hour. If that’s enough to get you to the screening, great. If it sounds like it might get boring, it doesn’t. Plus, the director, James Vculek, was smart enough to explain the gimmick within the story - it’s the camcorder tape that the detectives made of her interview, and they can’t turn it off or they risk facing scrutiny of falsification once the tape is used in a court of law. By this point in the movie, you realize you’re not watching a gimmick, you’re watching a great film.
Elizabeth (Catherine E. Johnson) is frantic. Brought into the police station for another round of questioning about her missing four-year old daughter Chloe (Eleanor Koster), she cannot understand why the police are wasting time recounting her details instead of out looking for the creepy man she saw just moments before losing her daughter in a Wal-Mart. On the other side of the table are Blake (Michael Tezla) and Ryan (Chris Carlson), the policemen trying to get to the truth. After a winding path of frustration, doubt, allegations of child abuse, unreliable details, and police bullying, the interview leads to a startling climax and a twist ending that leaves the audience ice cold.
One thing I can’t do enough is praise the concept of the film, but its execution is really what deserves the credit. Too often, films are made to stand on the legs of some clever hook alone. Too often, critics claim that an idea behind a film is good, but could have been done better. Too often, independent films stay below the radar because they deserve it. The Quietest Sound defies all of these to take a gripping story, tell it in a fascinating, different way, and tell it using capable actors. Catherine E. Johnson does an outstanding job as the worried young mother dealing with a missing child. She’s dynamic - vulnerable and submissive, but she grows in determination and then fluctuates between emotions as the policemen guide her along. It’s also impressive to see an actress handle herself on screen for over an hour and never lose an audience’s interest.
Oddly enough, there’s not much more to talk about - editing and cinematography don’t exist. But that’s a great thing. Imagine a film where storytelling, great storytelling, is the only focus. There are no explosions or fancy tricks, which may bother some, but for those out there that want to be brought near heart failure with only spoken words and a static camera, this film will deliver. It’s realistic, gritty, and a great mystery thriller that relies on its situation to shock. Considering the current movie environment and its lack of creativity or follow-through, more films like The Quietest Sound need to be made.
The Upside: A completely different narrative style, done well.
The Downside: It takes a few moments to dig into this movie, and the rolling time/date marker at the camcorder’s bottom left corner is a nice touch, but it’s also a bit distracting.
On the Side: It was filmed entirely in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Final Grade: A