Not everyone likes the terms “overrated” and “underrated,” and it’s easy to understand why. For some, the words aren’t so much about the films they are applied to as much as a commentary on people’s opinions, and that direct line of attack on the majority can seem a little arrogant. But on the flip side, it’s hard to find two better words that describe what it’s like to disagree with the consensus.

And here at Way Too Indie, we have a wide, diverse group of writers. Want proof? Just look at our list of the Best Films of 2014, where we have a feel-good foodie comedy, a 3+ hour Turkish drama and an animated kids’ movie all on the same list. But there are plenty of times where we don’t all agree on the same thing.

This year we decided to give all of our writers an opportunity to vent out their frustrations at some of the films that either got too much love or not enough. We assigned all of our writers with a task: pick one film you find overrated, one you find underrated, and explain your picks. Read on to see the results, and don’t forget that these picks reflect each writer’s individual thoughts, not the site as a whole. Or, to put it a different way: make sure your hate mail goes to the right person.

Way Too Indie’s Most Overrated and Underrated Films of 2014

Dustin Jansick

Follow on Twitter

Whiplash is Overrated

Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash received overwhelming praise during its festival run and now sits at a whopping 96% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, creating the perfect storm for overestimation. Especially considering the film is a glorified sports movie that substitutes drum sticks for sporting equipment. And like most sports movies, Whiplash is wholly predictable and light in the story department. Here an aspiring drummer (Miles Teller) wants to join an elite jazz ensemble so badly that he’ll letting nothing—and I mean nothing—stand in his way. He briefly courts a pretty girl only to dump her just as quick, trying to show how little he cares about anything else. Then there’s the ludicrous car wreck scene where he crawls out of the vehicle covered in blood, yet he’s only concerned with getting to the performance on time (and somehow he manages to play!) The saving grace of the film is the fully committed J.K. Simmons as a perfection-demanding band instructor that most drill sergeants would be afraid of. When someone isn’t playing at his precise speed, he stops the show, humiliates the person in front of everyone, and insists the tempo changes. When played faster, it’s too fast. Slower, and it’s too slow. This gets repeated over and over until the point is made frustratingly clear. While it’s true Whiplash is exhilarating at times, as a whole it’s a slightly above average film about pushing people past their limits.

Like Father, Like Son is Underrated

Unlike the film mentioned above, Like Father, Like Son turns an outlandish situation into an unexpectedly profound narrative. Two Japanese families learn their children were switched at birth after six years of raising them as their own. Writer and director Kore-Eda Hirokazu explores the complex debate between nature and nurture without a predetermined right answer, making a case for both sides. Does six years of parenting outweigh genetics? You be the judge. Kore-eda adds to this philosophical dilemma by introducing contrasting social class between the two families: one family has a ton of wealth but lacks affection while the other family lacks financial prosperity yet provides undivided attention to their children. Like Father, Like Son displays expert craftsmanship, delightful performances (especially the adorable six-year-old), and an emotionally stirring narrative. Like all great films, Like Father, Like Son encourages discussion and inspires you to think. For reasons I don’t understand, the buzz generated during its Cannes premiere (has it really been two years?!) quickly faded. It’s a shame because this film deserves more attention.

C.J. Prince

Follow on Twitter

Boyhood is Overrated

I didn’t particularly care for Boyhood, which left me feeling pretty cold emotionally when I saw it earlier this year. I couldn’t explain my issues with it more succinctly than Fandor’s Kevin B. Lee, who said Boyhood “feels too much like an all-purpose anthem for the coming-of-age experience” and “lacks the intimacy and specificity” of Richard Linklater’s best work. The film never delves too much into its characters’ lives, sketching out details just enough to ensure as many people can relate to it without getting too precise, perhaps out of fear of alienating viewers.

In a way, I can’t blame Linklater for doing it this way; the shooting method probably made it difficult to get too detailed or specific (it could also explain why Linklater largely eschews narrative). But by doing this, Linklater sacrifices the emotional impact of the story for me, and that broadness leads to something bland. Yes, everyone has something they can relate to in Boyhood, and that’s the problem. It’s perfectly content with doing very little, acting as a blank canvas for viewers to project all they want on to it. And a blank canvas can be pretty boring to look at.

Oculus is Underrated

While everyone and their mother believes The Babadook is the best horror film of 2014 (I came very close to making it my overrated pick), I’m going with Mike Flanagan’s Oculus. It’s a horror film with an unconventional villain: a haunted mirror with the ability to mess with people’s heads, making them see things that aren’t really there. The more time one spends around the mirror, the harder it gets to discern between reality and illusion. And what Flanagan does so brilliantly is make his own film feel like it’s under the influence of the mirror, slowly throwing viewers into a headspace where it’s impossible to understand whether or not what’s on screen is actually happening.

It starts when the mirror shows its malevolence to the film’s two protagonists. The editing starts violating expectations, heightening the awareness of elliptical cuts (in other words, you can no longer fill in the blanks between each shot). And then the film’s flashback structure collapses in on itself, suddenly merging past and present into one. By its climax, Oculus reaches a disorienting fever pitch that’s a marvel to behold. Most horror movies have a hard time creating actual characters; Oculus gets inside its characters’ heads with an effectiveness rarely seen in today’s horror films.

Blake Ginithan

Follow on Twitter

Guardians of the Galaxy is Overrated

Comic book movies are a dime a dozen now a days, thus one only really needs to be good to stand out. Marvel seemingly has a stranglehold on the market at the moment and is releasing anything it can to make money. Guardians of the Galaxy is neither enjoyably good nor enjoyably bad. It’s pure middle of the road boredom. I’d rather watch a gloriously bad movie that shoots for the stars than a film that plays everything by the numbers. Guardians of the Galaxy is a very bland comic book movie that isn’t interesting for a second. It contains not a single exciting character and not a single enjoyable scene. The action scenes fall pretty flat and the choice to use soul and funky pop songs as the soundtrack is a pretty dire, annoyingly distracting decision. Guardians of the Galaxy isn’t bad by any means; Chris Pratt proves that he will be a movie star in no time and director James Gunn shows he can handle a big budget. But Guardians of the Galaxy only shoots for middle ground and never once wants to rise above the crème to become something better.

Edge of Tomorrow is Underrated

I’m convinced the Tom Cruise we see outside of the movies (the one who jumps on couches) has ruined the Tom Cruise we see on the silver screen. It’s unfortunate, because Tom Cruise shows with Edge of Tomorrow that he is far and away the best movie star of all time. Here Cruise turns in one of his best performances not just of the last few years, but possibly of his entire career. It’s easy to dismiss Edge of Tomorrow as a sci-fi knock off of Groundhog Day but it’s so much more than that. The way we see Cruise’s character go from a complete pussy to an ass-kicking soldier throughout the course of this movie is sensational. And who better as his sidekick than Emily Blunt, who proves she can destroy aliens as aptly and easily as Ripley could? We can talk about the weak ending all we want, fine, but to deny everything you see before it is a sin. Edge of Tomorrow is one of the best Hollywood big budget films to be released in some time. It’s fun, grandiose, energetic, loopy, amusing, kinetic, emotional, and pulsating. Edge of Tomorrow was wrongly missed out on during its initial theatrical run.

Ananda Dillon

Follow on Twitter

It Felt Like Love is Overrated

The great part about the Internet is I don’t need to worry about all of you out there shaking your heads at my opinion on It Felt Like Love. I hear what many of you have said about the film (including quite a few WTI staff; read our review): about how it portrays the difficulties of growing up in this modern age of sexual inundation on youth; about how honest Eliza Hittman’s depiction of crossing the line from girl to woman is conveyed; about its realistic and observational style of filmmaking. I’m sorry, but no. I was a teenage girl and nothing Lila (Gina Piersanti) experiences in this film resonates with any memories I have. I get that she’s a motherless, confused young lady motivated by envy and peer pressure, but her every decision in this film is so awkward it’s painful. Not even as a teenager did I know anyone so utterly unable to pick up on social cues. First she throws herself at a boy who, even as a known player, quite obviously wants nothing to do with her. Then it ends with her throwing herself into the way of molestation. It’s not an honest coming-of-age; it’s a scary look into worst-case-scenario for an oblivious girl being taken advantage of. Adding to the uncomfortable viewing experience is a lack of plot and excruciatingly slow pacing. It seems to me it’s easy to confuse amateur, awkward filmmaking for deliberate depth, and I found this film too uncomfortable to enjoy.

The Signal is Underrated

So it only received middling reviews after its Sundance premier and then limited release this year, and even I decried its more flagrant failings in my review, but despite what you’ve heard I’m here to say The Signal is still worth watching. In part it’s worth a watch only so that later when director William Eubank is off making huge sci-fi films that have us all (finally) buzzing, we’ll be able to say “I’ve appreciated his work since The Signal.” So there are bragging rights involved. But additionally The Signal also proves that a perfect film is near impossible to find, and what Eubank gets right far outweighs what he gets wrong. In fact, it’s less that he gets much wrong; he’s just missing a few key elements… like enough plot points. But let’s be honest; if any genre is guilty of putting form over function, it’s sci-fi. So even though the film decides not to answer all our questions, ultimately what we’re left with is the memory of the film’s stunning visuals. Eubanks got his start as a cinematographer, and The Signal showcases some imagery that would leave Michael Bay drooling. The film manages to be stylistic and artistic while also bombastic and blockbuster-looking, which is no easy feat. And despite plot discrepancies, there is no denying the steady tension he incites with this mystery. The reveals are truly shocking, and so, in some ways, you could argue The Signal is TOO good. It sets itself up so well in the first two-thirds that almost no ending could really satisfy. At least that’s my generous conclusion. But trust me on this, The Signal may be a head-scratcher, but it’s not a waste of time.

Bernard Boo

Follow on Twitter

The LEGO Movie is Overrated

I must preface this by saying that The LEGO Movie was one of my favorite films of the year, which I understand may come off as a bit, well, confusing, as I’ve chosen to also label it as one of the year’s most overrated films. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s brand of witty, subversive humor speaks to millennials so directly that I understand (and share) all the adoration. But what bothers me about the enthusiasm behind The LEGO Movie is that it seems to come from a place that’s unreasonably dismissive of kids movies. Almost every time I read praise for The LEGO Movie, there’s some line that essentially says it’s “got heart, unlike other dumb kids movies”, which I can’t help but read as ignorant snark. All-ages movies are NOT intrinsically inferior. For every bad kids movie, there’s an equally horrendous rom-com, horror movie, or indie drama (just go to your local indie film festival for proof). Yes, The LEGO Movie is excellent, but excellent kids movies aren’t all that rare. Wreck-it Ralph, whose similarities to The LEGO Movie are innumerable, is just as good, just not edgy enough for cynical bloggers. Consider other kids movies from this year: Big Hero 6 wasn’t “dumbed-down”; The Boxtrolls was incredibly sincere and well-written; How to Train Your Dragon 2 is one of the best movie sequels of the past 5 years. The LEGO Movie was the best of the bunch, but geez…let’s all calm the eff down.

The Better Angels is Underrated

Most of the criticism levied against A.J. Edwards’ The Better Angels, a hypnotic period piece about a young Abraham Lincoln (played by Braydon Denney and referred to in the script as simply, “Abe”), is that it derides too blatantly and too much from the work of its producer, Terrence Malick. There’s fairness to that point, but the comparison seems to cloud the fact that, informing all of the low-angled, heavenly nature shots, there’s a beautiful story of spirituality and family that’s quite good. More importantly, these themes make the Malick-ian imagery entirely appropriate for the story Edwards is trying to tell. Terrific performances from Denney, Diane Kruger, Brit Marling, Jason Clarke, and Wes Bentley give the black and white visuals further richness. No, Edwards doesn’t do Malick better than Malick does Malick, but Malick’s given him the Malick stamp of approval, so if you love Malick like I love Malick (who doesn’t love Malick?), give this arthouse origin story a second (or first) try.

Aaron Pinkston

Follow on Twitter

Jodorowsky’s Dune is Overrated

Every year is basically a great year for documentary film and 2014 is no exception. The pitch-perfect, clear-eyed portrait of Roger Ebert in Life Itself; the cloudy and pained portrait of a pastor in The Overnighters; the experimental vibrancy of Manakamana; the political nuance of Citizenfour—these (and many other) docs gave us integral and beautiful stories from around the world. Jodorowsky’s Dune is a fine film in itself, but it comes nowhere near the best docs of the year, though it seems many would hold it there. It knocks on two of my biggest cinematic pet peeves—one is basically unavoidable given the film’s story, while the other is completely inexcusable. First, I am always wary about using interviews as a shortcut to verify art, and this film goes there a lot, with talking head after talking head exclaiming how amazing Jodorowsky’s Dune would have been without letting the art speak for itself. Alejandro Jodorowsky is a very compelling figure and his films are among the most bizarre and wonderful ever made. And for some reason Frank Pavich makes a documentary chronicling the tale of the filmmaker’s flawed attempt at bringing the un-filmable novel Dune to the cinema with all the slickness and mainstream vibe that Jodorowsky despises. Sure, watching Jodorowsky ramble on about his worldview is something to see, and the “bringing the team together” section of the film is indeed entertaining, but overall, Jodorowsky’s Dune feels like a lot of wasted potential, much like its source story. Maybe that is what they were going for…

Noah is Underrated

Darren Aronofsky made his biggest movie in 2014, an oft-told tale which manages to feel very personal. Noah has its supporters (who might even outnumber its detractors), but I can’t help but get the feeling that it has already been forgotten. It has basically zero awards buzz, despite Aronofsky’s momentum after his most successful film Black Swan. I can only hope that it bounces back through a strong, loving minority that have championed Aronofsky’s The Fountain, but it probably is slightly too mainstream-feeling for that sort of audience to even give it a chance. Noah, though, is an almost perfect blend of the Hollywood blockbuster and its creator’s vision—it remains a little weird (the stop-motion rock monsters and animated sequences and such) though is probably Aronofsky’s most approachable work. Biblical epics are very hard to bring to the screen without pandering to the religious folks who pay to see them, but Noah balances ideas of the Christian God with atheist philosophies extraordinarily well. I am not a religious person, so I greatly appreciate the filmmaker’s focus on the relevant themes of this story with a naturally questioning tone. For a non-believer, he tells this story with a lot of grace. I was left deeply pondering our impact and place on this world, which is the right effect Noah’s tale should have.

Edward Haynes

Follow on Twitter

Palo Alto is Overrated

Directed by Gia Coppola, this drifting, meandering, dull film has arguably drawn more praise than it deserves because of the legacy of the Coppola name. Adapted from James Franco’s series of short stories, Palo Alto attempts to weave the lives together of its leads into one coherent piece of storytelling, but ultimately fails. It’s also filled with unlikable characters, who are difficult to relate to and painfully irritating. This would not necessarily be an issue if Palo Alto offered any sort of meaningful insight into youth culture, but you don’t learn anything from this film that couldn’t have been picked up from MTV. One redeeming feature in the film is Emma Roberts’ performance as April, but this is ruined by weak dialogue and an uninspiring performance by James Franco acting alongside her. It’s shot beautifully; Gia’s style is reminiscent of Sofia Coppola’s. You can have all the great cinematography in the world, but it won’t save a film with a poor script.

Obvious Child is Underrated

Obvious Child is a film that takes a refreshingly personal and honest approach to abortion. This alone is reason enough for the film to be commended, but just as importantly, Obvious Child puts as much emphasis on being an entertaining, funny and enjoyable film as it does on conveying any political message. This has possibly led to the film receiving less attention come awards season than it might have gotten had it conveyed its pro-choice message more forcefully. Yet its subtlety and reluctance to judge others make it an evocative and poignant film. Obvious Child also deserves praise for creating easily some of the most likeable characters of the year in a romantic comedy. Jenny Slate is brilliant in this film, funny and intelligent, as is Jake Lacey in a role that refreshingly subverts the ‘man-child’ stereotype perpetrated by Judd Apatow films. The need for more sweet and heartfelt romantic comedies like this has never been more apparent considering the cynical phase the genre seems to be in at the moment.

Michael Nazarewycz

Follow on Twitter

Wild is Overrated

Inspired by actual events, Wild tells the story of Cheryl Strayed, a woman with a troubled past who, in an effort to find herself, embarks on a 1,000-mile hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. It’s important to note that anyone who pulls themselves out of the darkness of addiction is worthy of praise, but as backstories go, Strayed’s is not all that remarkable. There’s no lack of people who’ve partaken in self-destructive behavior after a personal tragedy, and director Jean-Marc Vallée does nothing to indicate why Strayed’s story is more deserving to be told than anyone else’s … other than that 1,000-mile hike, of course. As for that hike, Vallée may highlight Strayed’s physical challenges–water shortages, backpack weight, bad shoes, etc.–but it is only ever an exercise in list-making. The hike is presented less as a journey and more as a highlight reel of Strayed’s most memorable moments on the trail. With both past and present unremarkable, tying them together is almost impossible, and the result is a random collection of flashbacks shown during oft-unrelated moments along the linear hiking trail. Witherspoon may shine, but her commitment to character is only a distraction.

John Wick is Underrated

To say John Wick is “underrated” is to make something of a relative statement. The film has certainly received praise, but that praise has felt somewhat faint. “John Wick is a great movie … for what it is.” But “for what it is” should be a compliment, not a caveat. In a cinematic action landscape that is overcrowded with men in tights, John Wick, starring the sharply dressed and perfectly stoic Keanu Reeves, is part homage to the action films of the ’80s and part ballet of violence, with every scene meticulously choreographed, blocked, shot, and edited. The excellence of the technical execution is what makes the film work, and all credit belongs to Chad Stahelski and David Leitch. Between them, the first-time co-directors have over 150 stunt-related film credits. This experience gives them the understanding necessary to turn John Wick from just another shoot-em-up to something stylish in design, exhausting in execution, and incredibly satisfying in total. Awards season always brings a lament that comedies don’t get their due. Maybe it’s time to include action films to that list.

Nik Grozdanovic

Follow on Twitter

We Are The Best! is Overrated

Being derisive about Lukas Moodysson’s raucously titled We Are The Best! — currently standing at 97% on Rotten Tomatoes – might peg me as a self-loathing killjoy, but let me make something clear: I don’t hate it. The moments we spend with Bobo and Klara are filled with insatiable sweetness, which obviously touched a nerve (you’d have to be literally made of stone if you walked away feeling spiteful). But it’s nowhere near as good as critics make it out to be.

By placing it entirely in a 13-year-old world, the film is akin to spending an afternoon with 2 obnoxious pre-teenage girls who are screaming terrible lyrics in your ear and desperately seeking your attention. And it’s funny, because Bobo and Klara hate attention, but Moodysson’s complete imbalance of tone and stubborn insistence to keep the film’s rhythm strumming the same note for the full hour and 40 minutes is so desperate for it, the movie becomes an utterly disjointed experience. It’s as if the girls are directing him, which is fun for the first twenty or so minutes, but then it becomes a movie that feels like it’s directed by a 13-year-old. Yeah, I get it, THESE KIDS ARE SO CUTE, but that’s not enough to keep me interested in their impulsiveness and immaturity, regardless of how much your nauseating cinéma vérité in-your-face camera wants me to. Barkhammar, Grosin, and Liv LeMoyne are the best thing in it so Moodysson clearly knows how to create a freeing atmosphere on set. Too bad his direction smothers this freedom and, by unsubtly using a music genre only most adults can relate to, creates a manipulative and glaringly twee film, which is the complete opposite of punk, creating even more discord. But, yeah, they’re so adorable!

The Rover is Underrated

Premiering at Cannes, the follow-up to David Michôd’s critically acclaimed Animal Kingdom with Guy Pearce and a post-Twilight Robert Pattinson in central roles had most everyone smacking their lips in anticipation. However, the film’s anti-narrative approach to a story set in a post-apocalyptic Australian desert world, and the opaque development of Eric (Pearce) and Rey (Pattinson), left critics feeling, well, very critical. It currently stands at 65% on Rotten Tomatoes, but I’m convinced The Rover is headed toward years of re-evaluation with a more sober hindsight on its quiet, gripping, and poetic powers.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way; Pearce and Pattinson (yes, Pattinson) are both exceedingly intense, determined, and unwaveringly subtle in embodying their characters. The kind of performances commanded by quick looks and haunting stillness; they both add layers without speaking a word. Michôd’s bold approach (he must have realized he’d alienate so many people) to have almost no exposition and just let this one simple story (which he developed with Joel Edgerton) of a man wanting his car back in a financially fossilized and Godforsaken world speak for itself. It’s a sign of respect towards the fundamental rule of this craft; showing without telling, so being shot on 35mm film becomes even more symbolic. Natasha Braier’s cinematography also stands out thanks to the format, however, and the film’s colorful supporting characters all weigh in with their own individual ways. Not a perfect film by any stretch, but absolutely more worthy of praise than scorn.

Three college aged friends created the splendidly unique 17 minute short film which takes place entirely on a teenager’s computer screen. The audience is essentially looking over the shoulder of Noah the whole time, watching what he says, deletes, and thinks about. Noah explores how quickly relationships can begin and end in a world where communication with anyone is just a simple click away.

We spoke to with the film’s directors and writers about how communication has evolved, online “body language”, Chatroulette, showing characters contemplate over what they might say, the process of building a fake Facebook world, and more.

The film contains an unique way of showing how technology and social media have affected relationships and dating. Can you describe where this idea originally came from?
Patrick: Walter had written a script at the university about a guy named Noah who goes on Chatroulette, but in the second half of the film he leaves that realm and goes out into the real world and finds the girl that that he talked to on Chatroulette. He brought that idea back to us and we discussed how it kind of falls off a little bit once he leaves the computer, [so we thought] why don’t we try to box ourselves and try to tell a story that way. From there it was just a lot of late night discussions about the weird shit we did on the computer as kids and how gross a lot of it was.

It is impressive that with just 17 minutes you guys were able to use several different methods of communication; Facebook interactions, text messages, video chats, and online messaging, how much of the dialog was scripted?
Walter: When the actors first performed the dialog, it felt really, really bad. Especially when we were doing the Skype takes we were getting them down so they were reading the lines as written [in the script] and we thought, “This sucks, it’s really bad.” So we told them, “You know where we are going, you know points A and B, how you get there is completely up to you.” So a lot of the dialog was improvised based off the script. There were certain lines that we felt were pertinent to be in there, but even those often came out better from improvisation than the way I originally wrote them.

We didn’t have much equipment, but when we were carrying sound equipment I made sure that the actors carried the equipment as well because I feel like often times in movies actors are seen sort of as separate from the process. It’s like the talent and then the directors and the crew. What we tried to do is make sure that they had a voice as well. So they could let us know if they thought a line didn’t seem to work. I think if you treat actors with respect they will give you a better performance because they feel like they are actually contributing to the story and not just puppets reciting the words you designed for them.

Speaking of actors, how did you cast your leads?
Patrick: We actually did it all online through the site Mandy.com, which is essentially a Craigslist for actors. We had one day of auditions were we brought in a lot of people for Amy (Noah’s girlfriend) and Lilly (the Chatroulette girl at the end). The second they both came in we were instantly like, “You guys are in.”

Noah was a little more challenging because he was more of an amalgamation of all of our personalities. It is the toughest thing to look one guy and think he would perfectly represent all of us. (laughs) His audition was done over Skype so we could see how the actor would look on a computer screen since he only appears on the screen.

At one point in the film the actor playing Noah picks up a guitar and sings. Was that something that was written into the script and put of the casting process, or just something that was improvised?
Patrick: That’s weird! I never thought of that before. (laughs) The guitar was in the script but we never had him sing during the audition. It was more of a fluke that he came into the process [coincidentally] knowing how to play the guitar.

My favorite part was how the film showed the thought process of someone becoming insecure about losing their girlfriend. The one scene that sticks out the most is when Noah is circling the “Send” button on the page, contemplating whether or not to send the message. It is something that we have all done before.
Matt: Before the film was even written we were having conversations about how communication has evolved over the last 100 years. Right now we have body language and that is such a huge component of how you interpret what I am saying. What is the equivalent to that in the digital world? That hovering with the mouse is a new sort of [non-verbal] communication technique. Another example is when he was texting with his girlfriend and how he did not respond back immediately. If you don’t respond back in a certain amount of time you are actually saying something [just by a lack of response].

The result of the film shows the lack of communication between the two characters in a relationship in a world where communication is literally a click away. Was the intention of the film to show the breakdown of communication?
Walter: A lot of times when computers are used in movies you see what the character is Googling, but our big thing was what if you also saw what they deleted. So you do see what he wrote, but [more importantly] what he didn’t write. Too many times in movies you do not get to see their contemplation actions.

Patrick: This story allows for showing the processing of thinking because it’s easy to do on a computer.

Noah was completely done through screen capturing, how long did it actually take for you guys to do the whole thing?
Patrick: It took a couple months to build the groundwork for the film; building fake Facebook profiles, fake relationships with people. It was actually my Facebook page that became Noah Lennox, so I had a lot of friends ask me, “Who the fuck is this? And why do you have pictures of Patrick?” (laughs) We also had a lot of tertiary characters that played their way in through News Feeds and such.

The second part is when we actually got our actors in and we did the Skype calls and Chatroulette sequence. We did that with a big screen capture and then we edited that in to the final process, which was sitting the apartment doing the actual screen capture and doing the sort of “acting out” of everything that was going on.

So you guys did a lot of the scenes in real-time then?
Walter: Patrick and I each had a smartphone and three or four laptops open that were dedicated to each character. So I would be Amy, Dillon and Kanye then we would have one computer that was screen capturing. It took us a couple nights to get it down perfectly takes as Patrick created a step-by-step process.

Patrick: Yeah, a step-by-step script for each of us on what to do and when to send messages. It went pretty smooth, I was expect that part to be a weekend process.

Walter: There are some happy accidents in there too. Actually, one of them happens to be one of my favorite moments in the film. Something I would not think anyone would notice, but Amy’s face is seen the picture in Noah’s wallpaper of the desktop and Patrick just so happened to extend the screen over just because it didn’t look good, so he ended up extending to over her face [on accident]. It worked out great because it is like Noah did not want to look at her so he covers her up.

How did you guys handle the randomness of Chatroulette? In case some of our readers do not know what Chatroulette is, it is a site that randomly pair with people around the world that are equipped with webcams. Conversations vary in length as you can easily skip to another random person. Because of the amount of inappropriate content, it is also known as dickroulette.
Walter: With the Chatroulette videos it was basically us just asking our friends to open up their laptops and pretend as if they were actually on Chatroulette.

All of those clips of Chatroulette were of your friends?!
Walter: We cannot legally say which ones were our friends and which were not.

Patrick: Some of our friends are dicks. (laughs)

(laughs) Well, our readers can interpret that however they would like. Since winning the Best Canadian Short Film at the Toronto International Film Festival and continuing the festival circuit, have you guys had any time to think about your next project?
Patrick: It is kind of precarious to bring up because nobody wants to hear it from filmmakers, but we are making an album. We are all in a band together.

Walter: We are doing that and we have a couple ideas that we have signed a company called Anonymous Content.

Patrick: Music videos and commercials are definitely areas where we would like to sharpen skillsets in a little more.

Check out their music at www.shykidsband.com

A few weeks ago I had started some serious contemplation on the South Dakota Film Festival. I’ve really only been to one film festival in my lifetime, but it was a big one, the Toronto International Film Festival. For me personally, TIFF is the granddaddy of film festivals (yes, I know there is a festival in the south of France called Cannes and yes, I know it’s massive). But TIFF is in my heart and I consider it a high benchmark for other festivals to follow, so I knew I had to keep my expectations in check.

I knew it wouldn’t be fair to compare the SDFF to TIFF. So I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting to see the same quality of films here. The Monday before the festival I told myself I had to do more research on the films to know which I was going to be looking forward to. Hell, I even convinced myself that I owed it to the filmmakers that I needed to do the research. But I actually think it would’ve been a disservice to have “favorites” going into the festival. So I decided not to revisit any of the films I would be seeing. And I don’t think my festival experience couldn’t have been any better. I was pleasantly surprised and unquestionably satisfied.

By not knowing anything about the films, I was able to sit back and put myself in the moment of each film. Truth be told, I had a blast even if I didn’t enjoy every single movie. But I would say I easily enjoyed 90% of the films I saw. That speaks volumes to a) the talented filmmakers on hand and b) the quality of the eye that the programmers of the SDFF have.

If there’s one thing the SDFF has taught me—or rather, reminded me—it’s that sometimes doesn’t matter how big the festival is, it’s the atmosphere of the theater itself. Every single person at the Capitol Theater this past weekend was there for a sole purpose, to appreciate the art of film. There were no other agendas brought to the table. It was simply a celebration of film.

The producers of the festival need to be commended. They put on a very warm and welcoming festival. I remember when Dustin and I were walking into the theater the for the first time and we weren’t sure what to expect, but immediately we were treated like two long lost family members that hadn’t been seen in years. Looking around over the weekend, it was pretty obvious that every single person attending was being treated the same way.

Sure the festival is tucked away in upstate South Dakota makign it a little out of the way from some areas, but if you’re in the region or if you just happen to be passing through, you will be hard pressed to find a better outlet for film lovers.

Our Top 15 films from SDFF

#1 – Gefallen

#2 – Noah

#3 – Ride with Larry

#4 – Sweet Crude Man Camp

#5 – Mirror

#6 – A Hard Day

#7 – Bring Me A Dream

#8 – The Garage

#9 – Dust of War

#10 – Family Meeting

#11 – Looking Past You

#12 – Storytime

#13 – After the Torment

#14 – Episode 5

#15 – Head Case

Noah

Not only did Noah easily stand out as the most unique film that I saw at the festival, but it is one of the better short films that I have seen in a long time. Filmed entirely from the point of view of a computer screen, the audience has front-row seats to observe Noah in his digital life of Facebook, Skype, ChatRoulette, and even his favorite porn site, all in real time. The short narrative accurately portrays how contemporary relationships are affected by social media. Drama quickly unfolds when a dropped Skype connection with his girlfriend causes him to overanalyze that she might be cheating on him with a classmate who constantly leaves flirtatious comments on her photos on Facebook. After quickly consulting with his (hilariously named) friend Kayne East, he decides to log into her Facebook account suspecting a break-up is in on the horizon. This is a fantastic depiction of how technology is affecting relationships in a way that has not been done before. Born as a school project, Noah has gone on to earn the recognition it deserves after picking up the Best Canadian Short Film at the Toronto Film Festival a couple months back. Noah is an absolutely must-see.

Stay tuned for an interview with the filmmakers of Noah

Home

There are two major issues that are brought up in the ten minute short film entitled Home. The first is an elderly woman whose mind is rapidly fading and stuck back in time with an image of her youthful former self. The second is that her regular nurse turns out to be her own child, who she does not recognize nor remembers that she abandoned long ago. The intensity of emotions regarding the situation between the estranged relationship between the mother and daughter is carried out well by the two lead actresses and the quick camera cuts attributes to the theatrical pacing. With such complex issues at hand, I feel like the film would have worked better as a feature, but Charlie Hofheimer shows off his talents as an actor-turned-director in his debut.

OneSmallProblem.com

Two single people setup a date from an aptly named dating website called OneSmallProblem.com, a website where singles who have some flaw about them can meet other imperfect individuals. The classically handsome man is enjoying a candle-lit dinner he is having with the beautiful woman he met on the site. Their first date is only shortly under way when his problem makes an appearance, or in his case it’s voice. It turns out his one problem is his obnoxiously loud talking genitals that he has no control over. As you can probably guess, this is a straight-up slapstick comedy that works well by not taking itself at all serious. The absurd comedy is not afraid to take the audience on a sidesplitting ride.

City Boots

City Boots is a classic fish out of water story about a city man who is obviously more concern about his stock portfolio than training to ride a horse on a farm. But that is precisely what he is setting out to do, even though he shows no interest in doing so. The reason why he is wants to ride a horse is not stated up front, but it is eventually revealed he must do it to impress a client after a character in the film finally asks the question that is on everyone’s mind. The concept of a man learning to respect the animal he is training is stronger than the presentation of the film.

Head Case

The idea of someone who can hear other people’s thoughts is not entirely unique, but the fact that it is causing Emma to lose her own mind is rather interesting. Sure, hearing random people thinking about how their significant other is annoying or a lonely man with cat issues brings about some hilarious results. But Head Case takes a darker turn when Emma meets a man who shares the same ability. The overall theme of “better not to know” is well enforced when they try for a relationship in which it is impossible to hide any thought from one another. Blending two distinct story varieties into a ten minute film was done effectively.

The Wedding Gown Project: One Day, One Dream, One Dress

If you think about it, the idea of spending weeks (perhaps months) picking out the perfect dress only to wear it for a few hours is a strange concept. Then the fact that you save that dress for the rest of your live, even though you have no intention to ever wear it again, makes it even more bizarre. It is not until you provide the context of how important those few hours you wear is that the idea starts to make sense. The Wedding Gown Project: One Day, One Dream, One Dress is a short documentary that highlights the significance and history of the wedding gown. For many it serves as a cherished memory of that special day. For other it can help preserve a family heirloom. The documentary does a noble job of showing both traditional and non- traditional dresses as well as marriages. At the beginning of the film it shows a young girl excited about her future white wedding dress and if the documentary was permitted a longer runtime I would have loved for it to explore how kids are trained at such a young age to romanticize about the dress.

After The Torment

There is a very impressive long shot of two people taking a walk in a New York City park near the beginning of After The Torment which also reveals the history between the two characters. It has been a year following their 20th high school reunion party where the two re-connected for the first time since graduation, and although they do rekindle some mutual attraction for each other, it turns out that one of them has turned a new corner in their life. The best parts about this short film are the authentic conversations the two have during the one day they share with each other. The cinematographer Taylor Allen does a great job of making dialog heavy scenes between the two characters an interesting watch.

Timeless

A man repeatedly insists that he can stop and rewind time to his psychiatrist, who understandably has a hard time believing that he can do so. I could not quite figure out why he was seeking help as he seemed to understand and use his ability in opportune times. Trying to explaining it to a psychiatrist proves to be an uphill battle. The impressive part about the short film Timeless is that it is a byproduct of a 48 hour short film project in which the theme of the film is given to you. Had the filmmakers been given more than 48 hours to complete the film, the script could have shown its full potential.

David Lynch fans rejoice, soon there will be nearly an hour of deleted scenes from Blue Velvet. Deleted scenes from the cult classic 1986 noir Blue Velvet were found on the blu-ray edition of the film but have recently made their way to YouTube. [Dangerous Minds]

Penelope Cruz has been confirmed for upcoming Ridley Scott and Pedro Almodovar films. Her extensive previous work with director Pedro Almodovar makes the news less surprising but still welcoming. The name of the film will be called Standby Lovers. She will join the cast of Ridley Scott’s The Counselor which is comprised of huge names including Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz, and Javier Bardem. [The Playlist]

Images from Michel Gondry’s upcoming French production Mood Indigo surfaced this week. Audrey Tatou (Amelie) will be the lead in the adaptation of Boris Vian’s 1947 novel Froth On The Daydream. The stills definitely appear to have Gondry’s creative touch to them. [Twitch]

Philip Seymour Hoffman goes agentless after leaving Paradigm after 18 years with the agency. Aside from appearing Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master he just finished a role which director Mike Nichols has said may be the most taxing stage role on an actor. [Deadline]

Rumors have been circling that Emma Watson and Ray Winstone could star in Darren Aronofsky’s Biblical epic Noah. According to Deadline Ray Winstone may get a villain role in the film to go opposite of Russell Crowe. Emma Watson is apparently in talks to play Ila, a young woman who befriends Noah’s son, Shem. [Deadline]

The special animated companion to Moonrise Kingdom is now available to watch online for free. This Wes Anderson animated short does not contain any spoilers to Moonrise Kingdom therefore do not be hesitant to watch it if you have not seen the film yet. [EW]

The female cast from Your Sisters Sister sat down for an interview with Coming Soon to talk about the process of developing characters and how much of the film was improvised. One of the most amazing facts is that the entire crew for the film was only 16 people (and the film was shot in just 12 days). The whole interview is worth reading and if you haven’t read our review of Your Sisters Sister check it out now. [Coming Soon]

The first images from Quentin Tarantino’s latest film Django Unchained have been released. One image shows former slave Django (played by Jamie Foxx) alongside a bounty hunter (played by Christopher Waltz) that is helping him to get his wife back from an evil plantation owner. [Paste]

Speaking of Django Unchained, the movie poster has been unveiled for it. It looks pretty wicked if I must say so myself. [IFC]

Despite Hugo having a lackluster overall box office performance (even though critically it did well, winning five Oscars) Martin Scorsese stands firm on his love for 3D. He expects to use 3D in all of his future projects. [Movieline]

Jennifer Connelly and Saoirse Ronan have been confirmed to join Russell Crowe in the cast for Darren Aronofsky’s upcoming film Noah. Playlist reports that Liam Neeson may be playing the villain role. [Playlist]

As if Noah will not be keeping Darren Aronofsky busy, the rumor is he will be doing a biopic about George Washington called The General. [Twitch]

My favorite indie duo, the Duplass brothers, have been hired to adapt a screenplay from Tony D’Souza’s novel Mule. Mark and Jay Duplass will not be directing it though, instead Todd Phillips of The Hangover will be. [Deadline]

Wes Anderson fans are in for a real treat, six clips from Moonrise Kingdom have arrived. The film is one of the most anticipated films of the year and as we reported, it will be opening Cannes film festival this year. [Twitch]

Speaking of clips, the opening scene of The Dictator has been made released by Paramount Pictures. The film stars Sacha Baron Cohen, John C. Reilly, Megan Fox, and Ben Kingsley. Watch the nearly 2 minute clip over on ComingSoon. [ComingSoon]

The indie short film The Southern Belle is now streaming on Snag Films in it’s entirety (10 minutes) for free. You can see the movie review we did on the short film here. [SnagFilms]

Many people were disappointed when they found out that Darren Aronofsky dropped out of making Wolverine and since then rumors have been swirling on what the next project he would be taking on. Aronofsky fans such as myself knew his work would be of epic proportions, but did not know it would be of a biblical one.

Noah is set to be his next film which will likely be a dark interpretation of the Noah’s Ark story. According to Deadline, it will likely begin shooting in July with a budget of around $130 million. That budget is a huge leap from his previous film, Black Swan, which made for $12 million back in 2010.

Aronofsky has been quoted saying how since a child he has been inspired by the epic story of Noah’s journey. Playing Noah was initially whispered to be Christian Bale but scheduling conflicts prevented him from the role. Now Russell Crowe’s name is being tossed around to play Noah.

We just have to hope that Aronofsky’s Noah actually does actually set sail and does not fall through like Wolverine did.

Update
According to Paramount the release date of Noah will be March 28, 2014.