November 29, 2005
I really want to write a review of Stephen Gaghan's Syriana, but I feel like I need to do some serious research before I can even get into the specifics of the plot. I do know that it made me feel very guilty for consuming the gasoline needed to drive home from the theater; and also that I agree very much with David Denby's New Yorker review (he says it is "a major film, without being a great one")
The film was produced by Section 8 and all the usual suspects involved with that shingle, one of whom is named Jennifer Fox. I just realized the other day that she was one of the three filmmakers profiled in Doug Block's 1991 documentary The Heck With Hollywood, which I saw on PBS back when I first began to gravitate towards independent filmmaking in '94 or '95. Made before the Miramax/Sundance monopoly on the indie scene, Block chronicled the trials and tribulations of three first-time directors; Fox, with her documentary Beirut: The Last Home Movie, was the only one who seemed to come out on top at the end, and it's very satisfying to see that she's now producing films for Soderbergh and Clooney.
I remember watching it with my parents; afterwards, they asked me if I found it discouraging to see these filmmakers work so hard for such minimal returns (something I was still several years away from experiencing firsthand). I think I said something about how it was actually encouraging, simply because these filmmakers were actually making their movies. That, to the 13 year old me, was all the success one could ask for. That, and maybe a date with Natalie Portman.
The 24 year old me is now starting to have dreams about the production that's sneaking up in the next two weeks - the familiar nightmares, where I show up on set with no idea what I'm doing. Of course, we're currently doing what we can to preclude that possibility: James is currently finalizing the shooting schedule and trying to get the film commission to let us shoot at the airport for free. Tomorrow the rest of the film stock arrives, as does the lead actor (he's been in Hawaii for the past few weeks). Rehearsals will finally begin this weekend (or thereabouts).
As Nick and James and I toured our locations the other night, taking light readings and discussing what sort of additional illumination we'll be needing, I suddenly realized exactly how cold it's going to be during our two exterior night shoots...
Posted by David Lowery at November 29, 2005 10:27 PM
Comments
please write a review, for my sake if nothing else ;)
i was really excited to see it a few weeks back, but as i read more about it i'm slightly less excited. but i'll still be seeing it, nevertheless.
Posted by: brad at November 30, 2005 9:25 AM