We welcome our biggest guest ever as we welcome Australian actor/director Joel Edgerton to the show to talk about his new psychological thriller and directorial debut, The Gift. Bernard is also joined by Dustin and Eli to talk about actors-turned-directors and share their Indie Picks of the Week. Plus, Bernard talks about how Edgerton creeped the hell out of his wife. All that and more on this week’s Way Too Indiecast!

This episode is sponsored by MUBI, an curated online cinema that brings its members a hand-picked selection of the best indie, foreign, and classic films. Try it for 30 days FREE by visiting www.mubi.com/waytooindie.

Topics

• Indie Picks of the Week (1:41)
• Actors-Turned-Directors (9:26)
• The Gift Review (29:15)
• Joel Edgerton Interview (34:45)

WTI Articles Referenced in the Podcast

Creep review
Tyrannosaur review
Unbroken review
Submarine review

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Back in 2006, when Arctic Monkeys rose to wider prominence with their highly acclaimed debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, only a handful of music enthusiasts would expect their haughty Sheffield frontman to release an acoustic solo EP in the next few years. Thankfully, at least some of contemporary musicians are still willing to step out of their comfort zone and continually provide us with exceptionally fresh music. Alex Turner proved to be one of them by writing a soundtrack for Richard Ayoade’s debut directorial feature, Submarine. In brief, it’s the precise opposite of everything associated with Arctic Monkeys.

The entire EP is narrowed down to the bare essentials – acoustic guitar, an occasional piano, mellow drumbeat and slightly stertorous vocals. If one were to pick the colossal peak of Submarine, then “Piledriver Waltz” would unerringly secure the laurel wreath. The aforementioned track is a mellifluous amalgam of mollifying guitar work and tenebrous lyricism, which has now evolved into an integral part of Turner’s songwriting. Startlingly, a version of the song was featured on Monkeys’ fourth album Suck It and See but hardly reached the eminence of its original.

Perhaps the most valuable result of Turner’s lyricism is the lingering “Hiding Tonight,” which narrates a story of a dawdling yet sanguine individual that could feasibly be found in each one of us – he/she will be stronger tomorrow but is ‘quite alright hiding tonight.’

Yet another sparkle of immensity is hidden in “Glass In The Park,” which acquires the listener to hold himself in suspense, perhaps even quieten his breathing in order to grasp the track in its full worthiness. As the case may be, the closest to a failure is the fourth song “It’s Hard To Get Around The Wind,” which proves to be slightly arid in comparison with the long sequence of true acoustic gems. Ultimately, the EP’s catchiest track “Stuck On The Puzzle” is presented in two renderings, a short one-minute intro and a blithely pleasant full version, the single most pop-sounding tune to be featured on the record.

Taking everything into account, Submarine is not quite turning the world of rock’n’roll on its axis, but in all honesty, that was far from its purpose. What Alex Turner inevitably proved with his first abundant solo project is his independence and versatility – two qualities that are deemed particularly useful when one is about to launch a solo career. Therefore, Mr Turner, we are eagerly awaiting you.

Blake and I list our top ten favorite films of 2011. Comparing films to one another is hard to do when they are often so different. Thus ranking other people’s artwork such as films is never easy but everyone likes a Top 10 list (which is the reason why I told Blake we should do a numbered list of 10 instead of just an alphabetical one). So without further ado, our list of Top 10 Films of 2011:

]]> http://waytooindie.com/features/top-10-films-of-2011/feed/ 0 http://waytooindie.com/review/movie/submarine/ http://waytooindie.com/review/movie/submarine/#comments Mon, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://waytooindie.com/?p=1803 Submarine is a Welsh film that director Richard Ayoade adapted a screenplay based off the novel by the same name, about an awkward teenage boy and his first real relationship with a girlfriend. It is an honest coming of age story about how relationships are formed and destroyed which the main character experiences on his […]]]>

Submarine is a Welsh film that director Richard Ayoade adapted a screenplay based off the novel by the same name, about an awkward teenage boy and his first real relationship with a girlfriend. It is an honest coming of age story about how relationships are formed and destroyed which the main character experiences on his own and through his parents at the same time. A storyline that is often told but rarely executed this well.

Like most boys at the age of 15, Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts) is trying to discover himself. He is not all that popular at school but the fact that he loves reading the dictionary and prefers to be alone most of the time does not help matters. The prologue gives us background into the oddball character that is Oliver Tate before introducing us to his new obsession, love.

Chapter one is labeled, “Jordana”, who is also an unpopular girl who recently became single. Oliver imagines himself with her and is willing to do what it takes to win her over even if it involves doing things he would not normally do. One day Jordana instructs Oliver to meet her under a bridge and to bring a camera. She kisses him and takes photographs for proof.

It is revealed that Oliver has only kissed one other girl before Jordana, so he was rather excited to have kissed her. They stood up for each other when a bully picks on them and held hands when walking together afterwards. However, when he asked her if they were going out together now, she responds with “I’ll think about it.”

His mother is shocked when Oliver tells her he now has a girlfriend and relieved that her son is not gay. His father supported him when he heard the news by making him a cassette tape with songs, including some break up songs near the end in case things did not work out. This is as much support his parents could give him.

Oliver informs Jordana that his parents will be gone from the house Thursday night and not so subtly hints to her she could come over to have sex with him. She tells him she will come by and this makes Oliver as excited as he ever has been. He goes out of this way to make sure everything is perfect; the lights at the right levels and candles lit in his room. After the two make love she reminds him, “Don’t get cocky.”

Part two is called, “Graham Purvis”, who is an ex-boyfriend of his mother which startles Oliver who has been monitoring his parent’s sex life by the use of a dimming light switch. He concludes that his parents have not had sex for seven months as the light has not been dimmed low. It is not long before Oliver discovers his mother is having an affair with Graham and becomes worried that his parents may get divorced.

Oliver finds himself alone with his father and tries to tell him about his mother having an affair with Graham. His father shrugs it off saying that the two are just old friends. He is clearly not worried about the relationship between the two.

After speaking to his father, he realizes why his father became a marine biologist. He has felt down in the dumps for nearly his entire life which he describes the feeling as being under water. This goes along with the overall theme of the film which almost always involves water.

He decides to tell Jordana about the situation regarding his parents. He finds out that her mother has cancer. Even he admits that cancer trumps parental fidelity and fixing either of them is hardly easy. Jordana’s mother is having an operation which Oliver said he would come to but ultimately skips out on in order to try solving his parent’s issues.

Part three is entitled, “Show down”, which is more or less Oliver’s world crumbling down. Oliver goes to the beach where his mother and Graham are together again and saw that Jordana was with someone else. He finds out that his mother gave Graham a handjob. Adding to his misery, he receives a letter from Jordana stating what he was afraid was true, that their relationship was over and that she found someone new.

Oliver states rather realistically that none of this will matter when he is 38. Which is him trying to be optimistic but no one forgets their first love, not even the sophisticated Oliver Tate. Though, he has not spoken to Jordana for two months. The epilogue tells the conclusion to the wonderful story and ends the film perfectly.

Submarine showed glimpses of similarities to the work of Wes Anderson. From the chapter based storyline to the quirky yet sophisticated characters and the general art style of the film. Even the soundtrack seems like something that Anderson would have picked out.

The soundtrack is one of the best I have heard in years and most of the time completely relevant with the scenes in the film. Comprised of original songs from Arctic Monkeys’ frontman Alex Turner, the soundtrack enhances the film instead of merely adding to it.

Not only was the soundtrack superb but so was the use of the camera and effects. Showing fantasy ideas and freeze frames the cinematography by Erik Wilson was splendid. At the same time the film was not too fancy and stayed true to its period with typewriters, cassette tapes and Polaroid cameras.

Craig Roberts plays the character of Oliver Tate appropriately, an awkward recluse that is far more mature for his age. His character is often compared to Holden Caulfield from “The Catcher in the Rye” and it is not hard to see the resemblance.

Jordana Bevan’s is a character every male has met before, a cute girl who forces you out of your comfort zone to which you going along with out of the sheer case of lust. She is bold which is visually present from her wearing a bright red coat always. Yasmin Paige was convincing as Jordana.

The story is not revolutionary by any means, in fact it is undoubtedly simple but it is told and executed marvelously. Submarine is not just for the artsy Wes Anderson crowd, who love quirky characters and whimsical cinematography, the film appeals to everyone with it’s genuine take on a coming of age story. A prime example of how romantic comedies should be.