Pavilion (2012) User Reviews

Hyper realism portraying moments of modern youth...

[brooksmurphy-1 · 5/10 · 5 March 2013]

...turns out to somehow lack any emotional significance for the viewer. I usually love minimal films like this. Gerry and especially Paranoid Park by Gus Van Sant, along with La Vie De Jesus, were obvious influences.

The framing of every otherwise trivial action (the film is just a series of moments) is so precise and beautiful and paced very well with the editing, but lacks any character development so in the end left me careless. I know this is supposed to represent the feeling of youth, but it's too melancholy in a way. Where are the moments of flaw. I hated Gummo, but it seems like an ultra realism marriage between this film and Gummo would be amazing.

A very stylistic and experimental first feature. I enjoyed watching it in an outdoor gay bar in Austin, Texas as well.

Do you like watching paint dry?

[golfers_r_me · 4/10 · 25 February 2018]

Director's journal of this movie:

Day #1 - Posted ad on Craigslist for teenage actors. 19 show up. Most of them were fat and ugly. I picked the two best looking ones.

Day #2 - Film them riding their bikes.

Day #3 - Film them riding their bikes.

Day #4 - Film them riding their bikes.

Day #5 - Film them getting smoked out by an older kid.

Day #6 - Two original kids stopped showing up. Post another ad on Craigslist. 17 show up. Most of them are fat and ugly. I pick the three best looking ones.

Day #7 - Film them riding their bikes.

Day #8 - Film them riding their bikes.

Day #9 - Where the hell are we? Florida? Texas? Louisiana?

Day #10 - Too many dudes. Need some chicks. Post ad on Craigslist. 32 girls show up. Most of them are fat and ugly. I pick the 4 best looking ones.

Day #11 - Film them swimming.

Day #12 - Two of the three original boys stop showing up. Thru battle of attrition I have my main character.

Day #13 - Film girl and boy wondering thru the woods. I try to get them to make out. Dude's totally into it. Girl says no. I try bribing her with a Boones Farm. She says no. I try giving her $40. She says no. Finally, I give her a major guilt trip about how she'll never make it in this industry. Still says no. I think she's a lesbian.

Day #14 - Girl says she's quitting. At least she's giving me a heads up. Have to write her out of the movie. Film them swimming. I nervously ask her to get into a bikini. She goes for it!

Day #15 - Now we're in Arizona. Film kid riding his bike.

Day #16 - Film kid riding his bike.

Day #17 - Post ad on Craigslist for more kids as well as his dad.

Day #18 - To make this movie seem really deep I write in that they live in a motel.

Day #19 - Have kid stare out motel window like he's Norman Bates at other kids riding their bikes.

Day #20 - Film kids riding their bikes.

Day #21 - Film kids riding their bikes.

Day #22 - Main character befriends new kids.

Day #23 - Film palpably homoerotic scene between the two best looking kids underneath a tree. I try to get them to kiss. They're not having it. I explain to them that this doesn't make you gay. They're still not having it. I ask them if they've ever seen brokeback mountain. They're still not having it.

Day #24 - Film kids riding their bikes.

Day #25 - Film kids riding their bikes.

Day #26 - Crap! Main character has disappeared. Have to finish film without him. Luckily the other good looking kid is still around. We'll surround him with a bunch of girls. Try to talk them into a final make out scene. Dude's totally into it. Girls say no way. I beat my head against a wall trying to talk them into it. Oh! The hell with it.

Day #27 - The end.