May 01, 2007

Method Fest Film Festival Rides Again

By Audrey Philpot

This year’s Method Fest, brought a bit of Hollywood glitz and glamour to Calabasas once again and featured a rich variety of films shorts and student films from an international group of actors, directors and producers.  The Festival is entitled Method Fest because these indie films all have breakout performances by an amazing array of actors.

I’m writing about a few of the films I found most enjoyable and hope you’ll get to see them when they reach your local theater.

Waitress starring Keri Russell won my heart.   Jenna’s (Russell) secret ambition is to escape from her extremely controlling husband wonderfully played by Jeremy Sisto (Six Feet Under).  Directed by the late Adrienne Shelley, who also plays one of the supporting roles along with Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm), this film is delightful story of the journey from dependence to autonomy told with a wonderful pinch of magical realism, Jenna’s unusual pies.  I especially enjoyed the sweet performance delivered by Andy Griffith as the town curmudgeon who Russell befriends.  Lots of twists and turns, laughs and heartwarming storytelling make this a film worth seeing.

The Man in the Chair starring Christopher Plummer and young up and coming actor Michael Angarano is another inspiring film.  Set in Los Angeles, with scenes filmed at the Motion Picture Home (where coincidentally many of the Method Fest screenings were held) and featuring a talented ensemble cast, this is a coming of age story about a teenage film student, Cameron Kincaid (Angarano) who is mentored by the reluctant hero of the film Flash (Plummer). In a brave and moving performance, Plummer brings life to this role of old, disillusioned and often drunk gaffer whose claim to fame is his work in the production of Citizen Kane.  Flash enrolls fellow residents of the Motion Picture Home, his former nemesis- a producer played by Robert Wagner and an old screenwriter now living in an abysmally decrepit residence for the elderly.   The result is a wonderful film they all make together about the plight of the elderly in this country, and the transformative power of friendship and understanding and the results it has for all the lives touched in the process.  This film is a must see with an award winning cast (Plummer won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Festival and Angarano won for yet another performance in another film in the festival).

I love seeing films where the characters learn and grow and where art informs life.  These two are certainly in this category.  In a world where so much of what is presented to us in the media is meaningless or worse deleterious to the viewer, it’s so refreshing to see films with great acting and great stories which create good feelings for the viewer.  Thanks to those at the Method Fest for bringing such high quality projects to the attention of the film community and to us all.    

Audrey Philpot is a Marketing Mentor and Coach and loves to promote positive messages and media. She can be reached via email at audioh@juno.com and on the web at www.transformarketing.com