"Skate or Die Bitch"

The title of this post may sound aggressive but in the film its said more in a jest like manner. I unexpededly fell in love with this film about friendship, growing up and of course the love of skating. I should emphasis the female friendship part as this is about a lonely Long Island skater Camile who finds her friends, her skate sqaud, her tribe in the city and she is no longer lonely. She needs to grow up fast and she does in ways but getting a job, taking some responsibility but as she was alone for a long time, she still needs to learn about friendship and the sometimes delicate balance of what you can do and what you should be maybe be more candid about. It's not simply the 'girl code' or 'friend code' or whatever you want to call it, it more about knowing your friends and being honest, first and formost.

Director Crystal Moselle has crafted a beautiful film. Its beauty lies not just in the way its shot but also in the way the stories unfold. Can't share this love for this film enough.

Previously published at My Film Club HERE.

Skate Kitchen, I believe is out in the UK later this week so go check it out!!!

Writer/director Crystal Moselle caught everyone’s attention with The Wolfpack, but with Skate Kitchen, she’s decided to try the fiction side of the film spectrum. Combining her keen eye for amazingly beautiful shots and the simplistic realistic dialogue, she creates a story, a film that seems effortless. It might be the many shots of the skaters freely skating through New York City, parks and trying tricks anywhere they possibly can, the summer setting makes it like its just a dream, but the characters deal with their own private and public issues. Nothing overbears the other, giving the film a perfect balance and you’re glued to the screen.

 
Refreshingly the story about lonely suburban teen skater Camille, is not set in high school or college. She is 18 years old, a fact that briefly comes up and never again, and likes to skate. She tries doing tricks in her local park where the boys of the neighbourhood outnumber her, but when she has a disturbingly painful accident (referred to credit carding later in the film) her mum forbids her from skating. But as this is who Camille is, she finds ways to sneak her board out of the house and over to the city to meet the Skate Kitchen crew who she follows on Instagram. A group of female skaters who film videos of their skating days around the skate parks in the city. Camille is gently initiated into the group who admires her talent and eventually embraces as a close friend. Camille is no longer lonely, she has found her tribe but at the cost of breaking her fragile bond with her mum.

 
The film both echoes documentary style filming and also feels nonlinear in its telling. The base line for the ‘plot’ is outsider finds her group, her standing in said group develop until she shatters their trust and she is exile but hope remains in the last sequence of the film. No spoilers here, this is the beauty of the story, its ongoing. As the girls skate together around the city, sometimes in slow motion, you feel how close they are as a group and as friends. Nothing feels forced, they all come across as, dare I say it, genuine. This is probably the documentary style coming through. The close ups and hand held shots of the girls’ faces when they are in pain or in ecstasy don’t seem intrusive, yet Crystal Moselle captures some very personal moments. The only time the film feels more conventional is when Devon, played by Jared Smith, becomes more prominent. At first its a distraction away from the solid female friendship but soon Camilie is skating with the guys. She’s a tomboy and fits right with the guys, helping they get out of trouble while taking on daring acts herself, she is accepted. But when you play well with girl and boys, being accepted by both comes a double-edged sword.

 
What might frustrate some and inspire others, the film doesn’t delve deep into characters’ feeling and emotions, there are scenes where truths are shared but everything else is played out through skating. The emotions of all the skaters can be captured in the parks, in the streets, even when the group is just sitting watching the sun go down. There is a genuine friendship that builds and ultimately stands the test of whether it is true or not. No words are spoken towards the end, just a text followed by a seamless shot at dusk and its perfect.

What's Your Damage Heather?

With the new restoration of the now cult classic satirical film set to be released in cinemas this week and the fancy new release on Blu-ray from Arrow Films, let us reflect on this surprisingly influential and relevant film.

You don’t know you’re making a cult classic in the making until its picked up later, still referenced, quoted and appears nowadays in pop culture art on Etsy, which is no bad thing when you’re a big fan and you need a card or stickers or patch to express your love for the film. The film had a preview at BFI this week and it was everything I had hoped for. Resisting the urge to rewatch it a few times just so I could savour the sweet moment when I could hear the words ‘Fuck me gentle with a chainsaw. Do I look like Mother Teresa?’ on the big screen. The preview audience, made up mostly of long time fans but had a good response from newcomers too as Lisanne Falk said in the Q & A. Joined by director Michael Lehmann the two talked enthusiastically and at ease about the making of the film, how its becomes a cult hit and offering anecdotes from the set. It was great to have the room laughing once again at some of the funny comments made by Falk and Lehmann.

Much of the credit for all the quirks of the film was passed to Daniel Waters who wrote the screenplay. The dialogue in particular is an aspect of the film that I’ve always loved. Words and phrases made up just for the characters that inhabit the world of Heathers. It reminds me of films that came later from Mean Girls (the more obvious) to Brick for the use of dialogue. The story is a perfect mix of reality, fantasy and dreams, paying homage to cult references such as the dream like funeral where everyone is wearing paper 3D glasses, similar to a famous 1950s photograph. Now the film itself is cult classic where other films pay homage to, whether its a quote (the film is very quotable) or a hint to an outfit or the same formation of characters appear.

A film like Heathers is rarely seen today. With its satirical wit and daring attitude, the film approaches teen suicide from the darkest realms of comedy. And even manages to stare murderous teenagers in the face. There would be little to no chance of making a film in the same vein no matter what your intentions are, except of course a remake. The misguided and not wanted or needed remake of Heathers was made into a TV show with a now cancelled broadcast date. It seems to have been ejected from the US and skipped the UK. But you never know, it might end up on E4 one late night. Remakes are a problem and this TV show reboot is no different. But a musical inspired by the film? That seemed even less unlikely, except its so very. A amazing soundtrack and a hit off broadway, it has now made its way to the UK to sold shows. This is the kind of show I can get behind.

With several questions about what would have happened after the credits rolled and was there anything cut from the film, I, like Lehmann had a regret. To not bring the original ending of a prom in heaven to the screen. This decision was made by the ‘money’ and with that there would be no film. But now knowing there was another end, I can’t help but wish we the fans had been given the gift in the form of an ‘extra’ but we can only dream.

Heathers is back in cinemas now, so if you haven’t booked your tickets yet, what’s your damage??

Blind Spot: Bagdad Cafe

This may be seen as using another post to pad this one out BUT before I was given the chance to review the 30th Anniversary edition of Bagdad Cafe, I had been waiting for the opportunity ever since I read Ruby Tandoh's piece in Filmme Fatales issue no8. An excellent zine may I add. I think this does deserve to be in my blind spot list as its not a film I'd accidentally stumble upon but it has the air of 'classic' about it. Its about friendship, the importance of magic and of course, coffee.That hauntingly beautiful song will follow me down any road I walk now.

Full review can be found over at VultureHound HERE.

To find out how it all started, head over to The Matinee and to see what's happening now, check out Returning Videotapes who is the new host of the Blind Spot Series.

Season of the Witch

I’ve never heard this song, or maybe I’ve heard a cover of it in the credits of season 4 of True Blood. I actually really liked the first two seasons of True Blood, stuck with it during season 3, as Alcide was a werewolf worth sticking around for. Season 4 was where I faltered or rather the series faltered which was disappointing as it featured witches. I had hoped that this would be an exploration into witchcraft as well as the series’ own spin on the this area of supernatural beings, but it wasn’t. Even the ever amazing Irish actress Fiona Shaw couldn’t save the season as the head of a coven who is eventually possessed by a witch from the past seeking revenge. This was a lost opportunity in eyes. I stopped watching True Blood after a few episodes in to season 5, it had lost its bite.

Witches have not been favoured in film, music, literature and anything really... unless you count Sabrina the Teenage Witch and oh gad, Harry Potter and friends. I should say now, I’m not a huge Potter fans. Sorry but not sorry. It’s not a requirement of a British film lover who also likes fantasy and science fiction to ‘like’ Harry Potter. I appreciate the films and the books in other ways but I don’t own the films or even the books anymore (1-5 were my sisters and my dad bought and read the others). The studio tour on the other hand was immense and THAT I did enjoy. I own the Marauder’s Map, yes, but its an amazing work of art. So, there will not be mention of J.K Rowling’s saga. Although I loved Winnie the Witch and devoured all the 'Worst Witch' books, there isn't mention of them either, both classics if you ask me.

I did and do love Sabrina the Teenage Witch, that 90s TV sitcom styled show about a girl who finds out she is half witch and goes to live with her eccentric aunts. That, I could watch again, and I did, when I bough the entire series box set. The magic in that was a mix of goofy kid’s show stuff and pretty dark and dismal such as, being turned into a candle of wax for breaking a rule or turning to stone if your true love leaves you. This was dark for anyone to experience let alone a teen girl. This lighter side to witchcraft, as I mentioned, came with rules that at times Sabrina broke. The amazing spell book she was gifted held spells, need to know info and warnings of magic being misused. As a predominantly kid’s show, it obviously didn’t delve deep into mythology and very little history. One episode I thought was brilliantly executed was where Sabrina went on a class trip to Salem where everyone is given a secret identity, one of which is a ‘witch’. Anyone is allowed to be accused of being a witch because for some reason that’s a fun thing to do? Sabrina is picked on by the mean girl and is even put on trial. She wins and is proved not to be a witch BUT at the end when she finally looks at her identity it is revealed that she had the ‘witch’ card all along. You can’t escape your true identity.

Witchcraft has always been at the back of mind, as well elements of other explanations, might be why I love sci-fi so much. Star signs was something I followed when I was younger then as a teenager I bought my first pack of Tarot cards, ones of which I picked carefully. I tried to learn the meanings behind the cards but it became a novelty when I found out every ‘emo’ owned a pack. I was intrigued by the history and what each card meant rather than being considered to be ‘just like everyone else’.  I brought them into school once where everyone got excited and started ‘playing’ with them. Someone suggested I use them to read people’s future at the next charity week, but my head of year promptly shut this down and told me not to bring them again. I should add, this was a catholic Covent school (hideous place).

Although, my knowledge of the cards decreased, witches and witch craft was still something I was fascinated with. When American Horror Story: Coven started, I was ecstatic. Even though it was the least favoured (until Freak Show started), I loved it, despite some problematic parts to it. A house full of witches, actual spells of all kinds, dark and light, Stevie Nicks singing ‘Seven Wonders’, a fantastic old fashioned demonstration of what the seven wonders where, all amazing and yes it was still scary to watch in some parts. When you mix in axe murdering ghosts, voodoo queens and horrific racism, its a series I can watch repeatedly.

My refreshed interest in witches came about when a favourite London based film collective, The Final Girls, presented two short documentaries about witches, specifically in the 70s, at the start of the year during the London Short Film Festival. I wrote a post about this screening at the time, but it stayed with me. Witchcraft holds a world of the weird and wonderful as well as the potential scary elements. Witches in film have usually been placed as the villain which to me, is a tired trope, plus, if its outright horror like the 2015 film ‘The Witch’ I can’t watch. But, I’m still absorbed into the story. All the fairytale witches are evil and cruel, some of them even with cannibal tendencies, which is an easy out. The person with magical powers is always going to be the ‘evil’ one. This might be fear of the unknown, people fear what they can’t explain. Curiosity of witchcraft is far more interesting to depict. I should also mention The Final Girls' previous witch-y themed film, The Love Witch, which they toured the country with.  I loved this film but I won't gush on about it in this post as I have already in another.

After going to Somerset House’s free exhibition, Tear it Up, about independent publishing and magazines in the UK, I discovered Sabat magazine, which focused over 4 issues, on witchcraft, the spiritual and supernatural. This beautifully printed magazine had me at the first page. Exploring the myth behind the culture renewal of the occult and witches in a contemporary fashion, Sabat is full of beautiful art, interviews and articles around the idea of Witches. My renewed interest in Tarot cards came from the exquisite hand crafted Tarot cards Sabat has on offer and from The Night Circus (which I can reading right now) as well as the secrets that that story holds.