Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Oct 4, 2014 23:27:15 GMT -6
variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-hellaware-1201313851/
An ambitious New York photographer attempts to exploit a marginally talented Delaware band in Michael M. Bilandic's micro-budget indie.
Joe Leydon
@joeleydon
Pretentious art-world trendies and posturing rap-rock nonentities collide in writer-director Michael M. Bilandic’s “Hellaware,” a micro-budget indie best described as the cinematic equivalent of a modestly amusing shaggy-dog story that meanders toward a clever punchline. There conceivably could be a market in smallscreen platforms for this poker-faced dramedy about an ambitious photographer who develops a fixation on a deservedly obscure band based in rural Delaware. But theatrical exposure likely will be fleeting.
Eager to establish himself with a New York gallery show, Nate (Keith Poulson) turns his camera on Young Torture Killaz, a group of marginally talented young rockers he fortuitously discovers on YouTube. (The crude musicvideo of the band’s even cruder song — “I’ll Cut Yo Dick Off” — is by far the most inspired thing in the movie.) It’s fairly obvious these Insane Clown Posse wannabes never will get much further than concertizing in their parents’ basements. But Nate sees — or, perhaps more accurately, wills himself into seeing — something authentic, and photogenic, about their posing, performing and, after they party too strenuously, puking.
Even though he is considered, at 25, rather “old” by his subjects, Nate manages to ingratiate himself by making vague promises about alleged record-company connections, and delivering pharmaceuticals he pilfers from his grandmother’s medicine chest. In return, the Killaz let down their guard, misbehave wantonly — well, as wantonly as one can in rural Delaware — and rather too trustingly sign waivers that give Nate the right to exhibit photos he takes of them.
Bilandic scores some easy satirical points while skewering the pretentions of both snooty New York art-world habitues — Robert Greene has a few funny moments as a pompous tastemaker — and naive small-town white boys who long to be ferocious foul-mouthed gangstas. In the latter group, Brent Butler makes the strongest impression as Rusty, a band member who would prefer that his parole officer not see photographic proof of his substance abuse.
Not altogether surprisingly, Nate casually betrays Rusty and the other Killaz in the name of art, truth and career advancement. It’s a credit to Poulson that he’s able to retain even a shard of sympathy for Nate as the self-absorbed shutterbug repeatedly exploits and/or short-changes relatives, close friends (including a friend with benefits played by Sophia Takal) and casual acquaintances. At the same time, it’s nicely satisfying when Nate ironically becomes the butt of the movie’s final joke.
Production values indicate Bilandic squeezed every last drop of resource from tightly pinched pennies.
Film Review: 'Hellaware'
Reviewed online, Houston, Sept. 25, 2014. Running time: 73 MIN.
Production
A Factory 5 release of a Mister Z Prods. production. Produced by Spencer Kierman, Rachel Michelle Fernandes. Executive producers, Daniel M. Weissbluth.
Crew
Directed, written by Michael M. Bilandic. Camera (color), Sean Price Williams; editor, Jason Giampietro; music, Nathan Akin; production designer, Janelle Jones; costume designer, Peter Burke; sound, Luke Allen; assistant director, Caitlin Mae Burke.
With
Keith Poulson, Sophia Takal, Brent Butler, Duane C. Wallace, Robert Greene.
An ambitious New York photographer attempts to exploit a marginally talented Delaware band in Michael M. Bilandic's micro-budget indie.
Joe Leydon
@joeleydon
Pretentious art-world trendies and posturing rap-rock nonentities collide in writer-director Michael M. Bilandic’s “Hellaware,” a micro-budget indie best described as the cinematic equivalent of a modestly amusing shaggy-dog story that meanders toward a clever punchline. There conceivably could be a market in smallscreen platforms for this poker-faced dramedy about an ambitious photographer who develops a fixation on a deservedly obscure band based in rural Delaware. But theatrical exposure likely will be fleeting.
Eager to establish himself with a New York gallery show, Nate (Keith Poulson) turns his camera on Young Torture Killaz, a group of marginally talented young rockers he fortuitously discovers on YouTube. (The crude musicvideo of the band’s even cruder song — “I’ll Cut Yo Dick Off” — is by far the most inspired thing in the movie.) It’s fairly obvious these Insane Clown Posse wannabes never will get much further than concertizing in their parents’ basements. But Nate sees — or, perhaps more accurately, wills himself into seeing — something authentic, and photogenic, about their posing, performing and, after they party too strenuously, puking.
Even though he is considered, at 25, rather “old” by his subjects, Nate manages to ingratiate himself by making vague promises about alleged record-company connections, and delivering pharmaceuticals he pilfers from his grandmother’s medicine chest. In return, the Killaz let down their guard, misbehave wantonly — well, as wantonly as one can in rural Delaware — and rather too trustingly sign waivers that give Nate the right to exhibit photos he takes of them.
Bilandic scores some easy satirical points while skewering the pretentions of both snooty New York art-world habitues — Robert Greene has a few funny moments as a pompous tastemaker — and naive small-town white boys who long to be ferocious foul-mouthed gangstas. In the latter group, Brent Butler makes the strongest impression as Rusty, a band member who would prefer that his parole officer not see photographic proof of his substance abuse.
Not altogether surprisingly, Nate casually betrays Rusty and the other Killaz in the name of art, truth and career advancement. It’s a credit to Poulson that he’s able to retain even a shard of sympathy for Nate as the self-absorbed shutterbug repeatedly exploits and/or short-changes relatives, close friends (including a friend with benefits played by Sophia Takal) and casual acquaintances. At the same time, it’s nicely satisfying when Nate ironically becomes the butt of the movie’s final joke.
Production values indicate Bilandic squeezed every last drop of resource from tightly pinched pennies.
Film Review: 'Hellaware'
Reviewed online, Houston, Sept. 25, 2014. Running time: 73 MIN.
Production
A Factory 5 release of a Mister Z Prods. production. Produced by Spencer Kierman, Rachel Michelle Fernandes. Executive producers, Daniel M. Weissbluth.
Crew
Directed, written by Michael M. Bilandic. Camera (color), Sean Price Williams; editor, Jason Giampietro; music, Nathan Akin; production designer, Janelle Jones; costume designer, Peter Burke; sound, Luke Allen; assistant director, Caitlin Mae Burke.
With
Keith Poulson, Sophia Takal, Brent Butler, Duane C. Wallace, Robert Greene.