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Re: Reviews & Ratings
The Sweet Hereafter (Second Viewing)
American Cinematheque continued the Atom Egoyan tribute in Santa Monica with Egoyan' Oscar nominated film The Sweet Hereafter and his early feature film Family Viewing. I had previously seen The Sweet Hereafter once last year so I was definitely excited to see it on the big screen.
I had formed a stronger bond with Exotica as opposed to The Sweet Hereafter , primarily because of Egoyan's risks as a filmmaker. I did, however, adore the narrative throughout The Sweet Hereafter and its simplicity. The film is quite effective, elaborating on the process of grief and the difficulties that follow death. Egoyan beautifully explores these themes with solid performances by his actors; Ian Holm, Bruce Greenwood and Sarah Polley all enhance the already powerful story.
Once again, Atom Egoyan uses his longtime composer Mychael Danna, who brilliantly adds depth to the picture with his score. The opening sequence in the car wash is undoubtely one of my favorite Egoyan scenes; the music alone puts us in the backseat of the car. More importantly, Egoyan proves a film can be as powerful as the novel it was adpated from, and this is the perfect example of why he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Family Viewing
I was particularly excited to see Family Viewing, Atom Egoyan's second feature film which was completed when he was only 27. I had heard many comparisons to his latest film, Adoration, because of Egoyan's exploration with technology from that given time. In essence, both films follow a young boy who explores with video and learns about his family history through viewing film.
Family Viewing is an excellent attempt at filmmaking showing just why Atom Egoyan is a great storyteller. The film is just as complex as his others, using a non-linear structure to tell a narrative. The title sequence at the opening of this film is perhaps one of the best I've seen from a then young filmmaker.
The River Ran Red (Documentary)
My sister told me of an e-mail she received about a documentary screening at UCLA on Sunday, April 26. I did a little research on the filmmaker and, to my surprise, became inspired by the man. The River Ran Red is J. Michael Hagopian's final documentary film exploring the Armenian Genocide within a trilogy. Dr. Haogpian was to be present at the screening of his film and was scheduled to do a Q&A immediately afterward. Now 95, Dr. Hagopian was the first Armenian to receive his PhD from Harvard University. His biography was so inspirational that as an Armenian, I felt like I had to take this opportunity.
It was quite an honor to watch the film with Dr. Hagopian, even though I wasn't particularly interested in his body of work. After seeing the film and hearing him speak, I felt like I knew exactly who he was. The River Ran Red is as emotional as you can imagine; it includes 40 years of research, solely interviewing survivors of the genocide. These interviews were conducted by Dr. Hagopian himself during the 70s-90s.
The first half of the film will tear you apart; the film features stories you have never heard and can't even imagine hearing. Dr. Hagopian brilliantly constructed a powerful story within this documentary, and at times, explored a narrative quite common in feature film. His approach to filmmaking is inspirational as he provides a clear story alongside historical facts. When the film ended, the credits began to roll and not a single person applauded. It wasn't until the curtains closed and the lights came on when people began to bring their hands together. It was because they were all in tears, too emotional to applaud.
Fortunently, my girlfriend and I met J. Michael Hagopian after the screening. He is truly an incredible man and answered every single question every person had. There was not a single moment Dr. Hagopian showed his age; you would swear he wasn't a day older than 80. His energy and work ethic is unbelievable; he is a living genius. Dr. Hagopian was extremely kind as I told him my dreams of becoming a filmmaker. "Oh, there's a lot of work to do," he said, smiling at me. He then gently dug into his jacket and handed me his personal business card and softly said, "Call me if anything ever comes up."
The Sweet Hereafter (Second Viewing)
American Cinematheque continued the Atom Egoyan tribute in Santa Monica with Egoyan' Oscar nominated film The Sweet Hereafter and his early feature film Family Viewing. I had previously seen The Sweet Hereafter once last year so I was definitely excited to see it on the big screen.
I had formed a stronger bond with Exotica as opposed to The Sweet Hereafter , primarily because of Egoyan's risks as a filmmaker. I did, however, adore the narrative throughout The Sweet Hereafter and its simplicity. The film is quite effective, elaborating on the process of grief and the difficulties that follow death. Egoyan beautifully explores these themes with solid performances by his actors; Ian Holm, Bruce Greenwood and Sarah Polley all enhance the already powerful story.
Once again, Atom Egoyan uses his longtime composer Mychael Danna, who brilliantly adds depth to the picture with his score. The opening sequence in the car wash is undoubtely one of my favorite Egoyan scenes; the music alone puts us in the backseat of the car. More importantly, Egoyan proves a film can be as powerful as the novel it was adpated from, and this is the perfect example of why he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Family Viewing
I was particularly excited to see Family Viewing, Atom Egoyan's second feature film which was completed when he was only 27. I had heard many comparisons to his latest film, Adoration, because of Egoyan's exploration with technology from that given time. In essence, both films follow a young boy who explores with video and learns about his family history through viewing film.
Family Viewing is an excellent attempt at filmmaking showing just why Atom Egoyan is a great storyteller. The film is just as complex as his others, using a non-linear structure to tell a narrative. The title sequence at the opening of this film is perhaps one of the best I've seen from a then young filmmaker.
The River Ran Red (Documentary)
My sister told me of an e-mail she received about a documentary screening at UCLA on Sunday, April 26. I did a little research on the filmmaker and, to my surprise, became inspired by the man. The River Ran Red is J. Michael Hagopian's final documentary film exploring the Armenian Genocide within a trilogy. Dr. Haogpian was to be present at the screening of his film and was scheduled to do a Q&A immediately afterward. Now 95, Dr. Hagopian was the first Armenian to receive his PhD from Harvard University. His biography was so inspirational that as an Armenian, I felt like I had to take this opportunity.
It was quite an honor to watch the film with Dr. Hagopian, even though I wasn't particularly interested in his body of work. After seeing the film and hearing him speak, I felt like I knew exactly who he was. The River Ran Red is as emotional as you can imagine; it includes 40 years of research, solely interviewing survivors of the genocide. These interviews were conducted by Dr. Hagopian himself during the 70s-90s.
The first half of the film will tear you apart; the film features stories you have never heard and can't even imagine hearing. Dr. Hagopian brilliantly constructed a powerful story within this documentary, and at times, explored a narrative quite common in feature film. His approach to filmmaking is inspirational as he provides a clear story alongside historical facts. When the film ended, the credits began to roll and not a single person applauded. It wasn't until the curtains closed and the lights came on when people began to bring their hands together. It was because they were all in tears, too emotional to applaud.
Fortunently, my girlfriend and I met J. Michael Hagopian after the screening. He is truly an incredible man and answered every single question every person had. There was not a single moment Dr. Hagopian showed his age; you would swear he wasn't a day older than 80. His energy and work ethic is unbelievable; he is a living genius. Dr. Hagopian was extremely kind as I told him my dreams of becoming a filmmaker. "Oh, there's a lot of work to do," he said, smiling at me. He then gently dug into his jacket and handed me his personal business card and softly said, "Call me if anything ever comes up."
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