Getting up close and personal

Blame Paris Hilton!

Robert Redford does and, quite frankly, so do I. Redford recently lamented the transition of his prized Sundance Film Festival from an independent showcase for filmmakers to one lengthy party catering to non-celebrities (unless you count amateur porn) like Hilton. Hilton and her ilk have deflected attention away from the festival’s main purpose, to give filmmakers and talent a venue to display their wares. When more people are in Sundance to be seen rather than to screen, you can understand Redford’s concerns.

Capturing the spirit and flavor of early Sundance is the Method Fest, celebrating its eighth anniversary March 31 through April 7. Once a staple of Pasadena, the Method Fest brings eight days of feature films, premieres, shorts and special events to the rolling hills of Calabasas.

The Method Fest is the only major festival in the United States focusing on acting. “Film submissions have increased spectacularly every year of the festival,” commented festival Executive Director Don Franken. More than 700 American and international films were submitted for the festival, including several world, U.S. and West Coast premieres.

As the festival continues to grow, so does interest from the film community. Many of the festival’s previous entries and award-winners have gone on to receive box office acclaim, while numerous directors, writers and actors have been able to transfer festival success into other gigs. After sitting through numerous entries, the most amazing aspect of this year’s lineup is the attention paid to honest, engaging performances.

While some festivals pay lip service to pretentious fare to appear important, the Method Fest encourages entries featuring strong performances, smart, literate scripts and sharp, focused direction. None of those annoying two-person, one-shot affairs where people drink coffee, smoke cigarettes and complain about how much their lives suck.

This year the festival bestows the Lifetime Achievement Award on legendary actresses Julie Harris and Ruby Dee, starring in the festival film The Way Back Home. Harris, whose career includes East of Eden and The Haunting, and Dee, star of The Jackie Robinson Story and Do The Right Thing, will be on hand to accept their award April 2 at 7 p.m.

“The Name Game,” on April 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., is an extensive panel discussion featuring numerous festival participants. Professional directors and actors discuss the difficulties of working in independent film and how to secure name talent without a budget. The event includes a free production expo with equipment demos.

This year’s festival kicks off with the premiere of director Jason Matzner’s Dreamland on March 31 at 7 p.m., followed by an opening night gala. Starring past festival award-winner Agnes Bruckner, Dreamland follows the dreams and aspirations of Audrey, resident of a mobile home park in New Mexico who finds satisfaction taking care of her numerous family members and friends. The arrival of a teenage boy on his way to college sparks a fire inside of Audrey, leading her down a path of personal discovery. Bruckner and co-star Kelli Garner plan to be on hand to accept the festival’s Rising Star Award.

Actor-turned-director D.B. Sweeney closes the festival with the world premiere of his buddy comedy, Dirt Nap, starring John C. McGinley, Ed Harris, Paul Hipp and Janet Jones. The April 6, 7 p.m. screening is followed by a closing-night party at the Country Inn and Suites at 9 p.m.

The festival’s popular Indie Music Night hits the stage of the Sagebrush Cantina on April 2 from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. This year’s eclectic lineup includes Soul Dogs, Silent Treatment, Chloe Day, Sleeping Masses, Cody Carpenter (son of director John Carpenter) and Diego Diego. Tickets for the evening are $10.

This year’s youth and teen workshops on April 1 include “Acting for the Camera,” noon-1:30 p.m.; “The Actor as Filmmaker: What’s New in Student Filmmaking,” 1:30-3:30 p.m.; a “Reality TV” workshop, 1:30-3:30 p.m.; and a screening of films for youth made by youth, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

An award ceremony, 7-10 p.m., and wrap party, 10 p.m.-midnight, cap the festival on April 7. Awards are presented for best of fest, including picture, actor and actress, among others.

Schedule

Friday, March 31

Dreamland, 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 1

Shorts Program 1 — Turning The Tables, 12 p.m.

Debating Robert Lee, 2 p.m.

Shorts Program 2 — Family Matters, 2:30 p.m.

Bangkok, 4:30 p.m.

Special Ed, 5 p.m.

Confess, 7 p.m.

Push, 7:30 p.m.

Nightmare, with the Knock, 9:15 p.m.

Shorts Program 3 — Rest in Peace, 10 p.m.

Sunday, April 2

Shorts Program 4 — Locals Gone Loco, 12 p.m.

Oh, Mr. Faulkner, Do You Write? with Affair Game, 12:45 p.m.

These Girls, 2:15 p.m.

Shorts Program 5 — Take My Advice, 3 p.m.

Halfway Decent with Shank 101, 4:30 p.m.

December Ends, 5:30 p.m.

The Way Back Home, 7 p.m.

Shorts Program 6 — Strange Days, 8:30pm

Monday, April 3

Ever Since the Word Ended, 5 p.m.

In A Day, 7 p.m.

Niagara Motel, 7:15 p.m.

The Cabin Movie with Oedipus, 9:15 p.m.

The Actress, 9:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 4

Student Shorts Program 1, 5 p.m.

Expiration Date, 7 p.m.

Eve of Understanding with The Christmas Tree, 7:15 p.m.

Tre, 9:15 p.m.

Turntable, 9:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 5

Student Shorts Program 2, 5 p.m.

The Gold Bracelet, 6 p.m., 11:59, 7:15 p.m.

Adan y Eva, 9:30 p.m.

Dark Heart, 9:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 6

Dirt Nap, 7 p.m.

Special events

Awards Ceremony, April 7, 7 p.m.

Viewpoint Carlson Family Theaters

Box office info

Individual Screenings: $8 adults; $6 seniors, students with I.D. and children under 12

Students with I.D. get 2-for-1 tickets for all screenings

Opening night film and gala: $55

Centerpiece film & reception: $35

Closing night film and reception: $35

Awards ceremony and wrap party: $35

Indie music night: $10

Weekend pass (all screenings, seminars, April 1-2): $75

Festival film pass (all screenings): $125

Festival VIP pass (screenings, galas, seminars): $195

Venues

Louis B. Mayer Theater, 23388 Mulholland Drive, Woodland Hills

Carlson Family Theater, Viewpoint School, 23620 Mulholland Highway, Calabasas

Sagebrush Cantina, 23527 Calabasas Road, Calabasas

Country Inn and Suite, 23627 Calabasas Road, Calabasas

Reviews

11:59

The festival presents the West Coast premiere of writer-director Jamin Winans’ intriguing drama about a news photojournalist, well-played by Raymond Andrew Bailey, on the verge of breaking the biggest story of his career. All eyes are on Aaron (Bailey) as he prepares to cover a national news story. Nothing is what it seems in Winans’ tricky timeline, which finds Aaron trying to make sense of his good fortune when something unusual happens. Aaron wakes up two days later in an empty field, the last 24 hours erased from his memory. Aaron’s attempt to piece together his missing day brings him face to face with a variety of characters, most of whom seem to be hiding something. Just as Aaron begins to question his sanity, he’s propelled back in time and given a peek into the future, and must decide what to do with the information. Winans carefully manipulates time and the audience to keep us on our toes. He keeps us as much in the dark as the protagonist, making his journey our journey. We want to know where the film is headed, how all of the pieces of the puzzle will fit together. The cast is excellent, actors capable of becoming part of the story. Bailey, with his earnest good looks, easily draws us into his dilemma. In this world of cutthroat journalists, Aaron seems to be the only soul worth saving.

Confess

I absolutely dug this relevant film about an ex-computer hacker who returns after a long absence. Revered by his peers and feared by the Feds, Terrell Lessor (Eugene Byrd) just wants to get on with his life. After touching base with his mother (Melissa Leo), Terrell takes on a series of humiliating and meaningless jobs to support himself. Knowing his talents lie elsewhere, Terrell eventually puts his old tricks to new use by secretly videotaping people committing personal, corporate and criminal acts, and then posting their misdeeds on the Internet. Writer-director Stefan Schaefer doesn’t just run with the idea, he fleshes it out into a thoughtful examination of race and perception. Since we don’t know anything about Terrell, we immediately think the worst about him. So when Terrell climbs through the window of a house to retrieve his belongings and a white woman comes home, we believe we’re in for a confrontation. Instead, the woman turns out to be Terrell’s mother. Bam! From that moment on, we put our prejudices and preconceptions on the back burner as we learn more about Terrell and what brought him to this juncture in his life. Ali Larter is quite good as a communications major doing her thesis on Internet hackers, who encourages Terrell to ratchet up his campaign. Byrd generates sympathy for Terrell, delivering a strong, soulful performance. It’s a fascinating exercise in character choices.

December Ends

The Festival’s Centerpiece film comes from Calabasas filmmaker Lee Toland Krieger, an effective drama about choices. Krieger’s vision is filled with potent performances, a compelling narrative and taut direction. Josh Janowicz is absolutely heartbreaking as Chris, a Brooklyn teenager forced to become a man when his mother dies and his father (Bill Buell) slips into a deep, drunken depression. Taking place just days before New Year’s Eve, December Ends follows Chris as he attempts to make ends meet. A minimum-wage job in a bookstore is fulfilling but doesn’t pay the bills, so Chris agrees to team up with cousin Brian (Barrett James) to run drugs for a local dealer. It doesn’t take long before Chris and Brian are living the good life, and their connection, a slimeball named Hayden (Justin Matthews), starts to self-destruct and become violent. Even though December Ends follows a familiar formula, Krieger is to be commended for making these moments matter. A lot of the credit goes to the cast, who approach their characters with complete conviction. Janowicz is a real find — young, vulnerable, good-looking and capable of delivering complex emotions. We really feel sorry for Chris, especially when his father slips deeper into depression, and find hope when he connects with a woman (a thoughtful Alex Thayer) who appreciates him. December Ends marks an assured debut for Krieger, who gives us plenty to think about and appreciate.