One of the tidbits to come out of the Traverse City Film Festival this past week is that Michael Moore and cohort Jeff Garlin (pictured) are organizing the Traverse City Comedy Arts Festival. That sounds like a blast, and a good next step in Traverse City’s festival phase.
Garlin is no stranger to comedy, having executive produced HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and been involved in many other projects. He said the festival will likely take place next spring and span a week, including movies, stand-up, sketch comedy and other entertainment.
Moore said if the festival goes well, he’ll start … [Read More]

That’s a wrap for the 5th Annual Traverse City Film Festival, and it featured a great selection of films and some surprise guests, as well. I didn’t expect to see Patton Oswalt at the screening of "Big Fan," so that was fun. He’s a very funny guy.
Day Five was a mixed bag. First, my son and I saw "In the Loop," a BBC film directed by Armando Iannucci, whose credits include assorted TV shows, including "I’m Alan Partridge," "Lab Rats," "Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle," and "Genius."
"In the Loop" is a political comedy told in a documentary-style format. The … [Read More]

I’m taking a little breather from the Traverse City Film Festival today to get caught up on a few things, like writing up reviews and notes for the movies I’ve seen so far.
Yesterday, I saw “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice,” and it was such a thrill to be in the presence of the great Paul Mazursky, who directed that film, as well as many other greats, including “An Unmarried Woman,” “Down and Out in Beverly Hills,” and “Enemies: A Love Story.” Read some of Mazursky’s thoughts on filmmaking and working with stars like Natalie Wood  and … [Read More]

I saw “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice” at the Traverse City Film Festival yesterday. It’s the 40th anniversary of the Oscar-nominated film, released in 1969, and director Paul Mazursky was on hand to answer a few questions after the screening.
What strikes me about the film is that most movies in the 1960s focused on the younger generation – the Woodstock generation. But this film concentrated on two wealthy, upper middle-class couples living in L.A. I was coveting their homes and cars and swimming pools, but of course, under the facade are  bunch of issues – sexual … [Read More]

Tonight was ultra-fun, because my husband and I attended a screening of “Woodstock: Three Days of Peace & Music, The Director’s Cut” (available on DVD and Blu-ray).
This Oscar-winning film isn’t a movie you watch, it’s a movie you absorb and let wash over you, like the rains that fell on all those concertgoers 40 years ago. I swear, after four hours with this film, you’ll feel like you were actually AT Woodstock. The digital restoration helps a lot, too.
The audience was a lot of fun, from aging hipsters wearing tie-dyed shirts to youngsters who weren’t even born when … [Read More]

Movie: Troubled Water * Official Site
In Theaters: Making the rounds at film festivals

Runtime: 115 minutes
Director: Erik Poppe

MPAA Rating: Not rated
Gecko Rating:

The opening night movie of the Traverse City Film Festival was "Troubled Water." A Norwegian film with English subtitles, it tells the story of a young man just released from prison after serving eight years for a terrible crime.
A gifted organist, Jan (Pål Sverre Valheim Hagen) is a quiet young man who’s doing his best to move on with his life after serving prison time. He takes a job at a church and befriends the female … [Read More]

The Traverse City Film Festival is in full swing this week. I drove downtown last night to attend the opening night film and was greeted with a street party boasting balloon sculptures (yes, people dressed up in  balloons of various animals and such), music, food, and just good fun.
I attended the opening night movie, "Troubled Water," a thoughtful film on redemption and forgiveness, Norwegian with subtitles. It tells the story of a young man just released from prison after serving eight years for a terrible crime. A gifted organist, Jan (Pål Sverre Valheim Hagen) is on a quiet … [Read More]

The Fifth Annual Traverse City Film Festival is coming up in a few weeks and will be held July 28 to August 2, 2009 in Traverse City, Michigan.
Looks like a great lineup of films and special guests. There will be daily morning panel discussions with film industry guests, and free movies shown at the Open Space at night. Paul Mazursky will be on hand for this year’s Tribute to a filmmaking legend. His films include "Down and Out in Beverly Hills," "An Unmarried Woman," and "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice."
Tickets go on sale to Friends … [Read More]

The film "Moon" is out in limited release this week, but has been on the film festival circuit since January. Just the title alone wouldn’t make me go see this movie, but after reading more about it and watching clips, I’m definitely interested. If I don’t see it beforehand, maybe it’ll play at the Traverse City Film Festival in August.
It’s directed and written by Duncan Jones, son of the legendary David Bowie, and follows an astronaut (Sam Rockwell) who pursues his own departure from a futuristic lunar mining base. "Moon" is rated R for language, and also stars Kevin … [Read More]

Regular Film Gecko readers know I’m big on free movies! While most of my free-movie posts involve online movies, today I’ve got spectacular news about free movies on a big screen in an actual theater!
If you’re in the area of Traverse City, Michigan, catch a free film or two or three at the State Theatre in downtown Traverse City. My kids and I saw “Meet the Parents” this afternoon, and it’s a thrill to see old favorites on the big screen. Plus, it’s a fun thing to do on their spring break.
Consider supporting the State Theatre in Traverse City … [Read More]