I'm not a big fan of long winded reviews, technical blathering, unabashed praise for "breaking new ground" or endlessly cheering another cinematic innovation when these elements disguise a weak story.
Thankfully, BURNING ANNIE is anything but that. It's a somber, somwhat bipolar view of what it's like at College for THE REST OF US. You know, the one's who didn't have that AMERICAN PIE experience in the "best years of our lives", the one's who, more often than not, didn't get the girl, and ultimatly, the ones who still examine our lives, wondering what more we can get from it. That said, BURNING ANNIE holds more in tune with THE RULES OF ATTRACTION than VAN WILDER or any recent college film in memory. It's not entirely uplifting, but it's true to life, and it's humor is found through these moments, the ones we all can relate to. While the copy of BURNING ANNIE I saw wasn't 100% complete, and the festival venue was less than stellar, it was truly one of the gems out there. Few times have I heard more people discussing it over a post-film cigarette.
Will BURNING ANNIE be a smashing success like AMERICAN PIE? Probably not.
Does BURNING ANNIE break new ground? Not exactly.
Are it's characters rich, fully fleshed out, with real flaws and real pains? Yes, yes and YES!
And that's it's strongest point. Everything else, from the moody rag-tag indie label music, to the subdued somber lighting, paints a beautiful portrait of REAL people struggling with REAL problems trying to find their places in the REAL world. From the direction to the acting and everything in between, it's a solid, consistent production that, despite a few minute hiccups, has earned a place among my favorites.
But it's not a movie for everyone, and if it doesn't get distribution (which would be a shame) few will have a chance to disagree with me. In an age of target marketing and mindless gross out targeted at the village idiots, it's a breath of fresh. And to those who like thoughtful well paced character studies about the transitions in life and the prices we pay, this is a film for you!
As a first time movie, few films rival it, so it's with great excitement that I look foreward to another production by the same cast and crew.
Thankfully, BURNING ANNIE is anything but that. It's a somber, somwhat bipolar view of what it's like at College for THE REST OF US. You know, the one's who didn't have that AMERICAN PIE experience in the "best years of our lives", the one's who, more often than not, didn't get the girl, and ultimatly, the ones who still examine our lives, wondering what more we can get from it. That said, BURNING ANNIE holds more in tune with THE RULES OF ATTRACTION than VAN WILDER or any recent college film in memory. It's not entirely uplifting, but it's true to life, and it's humor is found through these moments, the ones we all can relate to. While the copy of BURNING ANNIE I saw wasn't 100% complete, and the festival venue was less than stellar, it was truly one of the gems out there. Few times have I heard more people discussing it over a post-film cigarette.
Will BURNING ANNIE be a smashing success like AMERICAN PIE? Probably not.
Does BURNING ANNIE break new ground? Not exactly.
Are it's characters rich, fully fleshed out, with real flaws and real pains? Yes, yes and YES!
And that's it's strongest point. Everything else, from the moody rag-tag indie label music, to the subdued somber lighting, paints a beautiful portrait of REAL people struggling with REAL problems trying to find their places in the REAL world. From the direction to the acting and everything in between, it's a solid, consistent production that, despite a few minute hiccups, has earned a place among my favorites.
But it's not a movie for everyone, and if it doesn't get distribution (which would be a shame) few will have a chance to disagree with me. In an age of target marketing and mindless gross out targeted at the village idiots, it's a breath of fresh. And to those who like thoughtful well paced character studies about the transitions in life and the prices we pay, this is a film for you!
As a first time movie, few films rival it, so it's with great excitement that I look foreward to another production by the same cast and crew.