07.29.2011 | By Ted Faraone |
Other than the accents, the thing that may most differentiate British sci-fi pic Attack the Block from its American counterparts is a relative lack of firearms. It was only a few years ago that the British copper began to carry a gun. Clubs were sufficient for generations. Read More
07.28.2011 | By Jack Rico |
Nice and humble are rarely two words used to describe any celebrity in Hollywood, but Jayma Mays might take the cake.
In an interview I did in New York City recently for ‘The Smurfs‘ movie, I had a chance to chat with Jayma Mays and ‘it’ guy, Neil Patrick Harris (yes, he’s still Doogie Howser M.D to me). I asked them both about their thoughts of their careers up to this moment. Mays began by saying that this film was “a big deal” to her. But later on she gave me an answer that not only floored me along the Columbia Pictures staff in the room, but also Neil, who could only riposte with a rib-hurting remark. Was she for real or did she yuk it up for the cameras? After all, they are actors. But no, she was for real and as sincere as you could possibly be.
My hats off to Jayna Mays for having the ‘gaul’ to be true to her modest and self-effacing self to answer, what must go down as, the most humble answer in the history of interviews. You’ll never hear another celebrity EVER say what she said. Take a look for yourself and be the judge.
07.28.2011 | By Ted Faraone |
Director Jon Favreau seems to have found his niche with high-concept genre mashups. While his shift toward big-budget spectacles has been lucrative, it leaves some audiences yearning for the character-driven work of his earlier career. His latest effort, Cowboys & Aliens, relies on bankable stars to navigate a tonally inconsistent landscape. Read More
07.21.2011 | By Ted Faraone |
It is sometimes amazing to see a well-worn Hollywood formula repackaged for the umpteenth time and still work. Such is the case of “Friends with Benefits,†a star vehicle for Justin Timberlake (art director Dylan) and Mila Kunis (headhunter Jamie). Before the opening titles there are two breakups: Dylan’s girl in LA dumps him and Jamie’s boyfriend in New York dumps her — just as both are dragging their tardy guys to their favorite chick flicks. Via a cute bit of editing (kudos to Tia Nolan) auds are led to believe briefly that it is one breakup — Dylan and Jamie — until the bi-coastal synchronicity sets in. Both battle scarred veterans retire from the field. No more romance for them.
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Jamie lures Dylan to New York for a job interview to be the new art director of GQ Magazine. He aces the interview. The pair become fast friends — as in we like each other but there’s no sex. That changes when Jamie utters, “God! I want sex.â€Â Can two great friends have a sexual relationship that is “no relationship, no emotions, just sex, whatever happens?â€Â Auds will quickly figure out the answer. As Stephen Sondheim wrote in one of the lyrics to A Little Night Music, eventually the nets descend. The questions for “Friends with Benefits†are “How long will the arrangement last?â€, “When will the nets descend?â€, and “What happens after the inevitable breakup?â€
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While skein is busy answering said questions, pic reveals itself as a valentine to New York City, which is as much a character as any of the cast. In the opening reel Jamie takes Dylan on a tour of New York to sell him on leaving LA. It’s full “fish out of water†Angelino in Gotham jokes, but it works — both cinematically and as a plot device. Dylan is sold. Good thing, too, because by the time they get to the “just sex†part, pic is on to its second reel.
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It’s nice to see Timberlake in a non-smarmy role, which he handles convincingly, but it is Kunis who steals her scenes as the tough, fast-talking, wisecracker. Supporting roles are notable. Patricia Clarkson does a star-turn as Jamie’s goofy, ex-hippie mom wherein there is a running gag about the nationality of Jamie’s dad. Woody Harrelson has the unenviable task of being comic relief in a comedy. His over-the-top gay sports editor sports more cliché gay jock jokes than your critic imagined exist. To his credit, he plays the role big, bold, and farcical — think of Zach Galifianakis minus the annoying aspects. Richard Jenkins as Dylan’s dad suffering the early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease and Jenna Elfman as sister Annie anchor pic’s serious scenes. Jenkins comes across as sympathetic rather than pathetic. Elfman has the least to work with but does well with what scribes Harley Peyton, David A. Newman, Keith Merryman and Will Gluck (who also directed) give her as the primary caregiver for dad and her son, a ten-year-old tuxedoed magician (Nolan Gould) whose trick failures are another one of pic’s myriad running gags. In this regard “Friends with Benefits†bares careful scrutiny. There are no loose ends. Everything that happens in the picture happens for a reason and will probably happen again to move the plot along — or at least leave auds saying, “I knew that was coming.â€Â Sharp-eyed viewers will notice Paul Mazursky’s 1969 sexual revolution comedy, “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice,†unspooling on a TV in the background of one scene. It is one of pic’s many inside-film references.
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Plot hinges on the overheard conversation, a truly shopworn device, but it gets the point across. Jamie, unseen by Annie and Dylan, listens to Dylan argue with his sister that there is no relationship between Jamie and him; that the girl is damaged goods. This leads to the inevitable breakup which takes place on Independence Day weekend at Dylan’s oceanfront boyhood home in what appears to be Santa Barbara.
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Rest of pic’s 109 minutes are spent keeping auds guessing whether it will end as a romantic comedy (“Before Sunsetâ€) or a weeper (“The Break-Upâ€). Dénouement’s impetus comes from two characters both unlikely given their backgrounds and at the same time very likely given Hollywood tradition: The parents. Jenkins’ Mr. Harper in a lucid moment, punctuated by a perfectly timed gag, clarifies Dylan’s thinking. Goofy, unreliable Lorna (Clarkson) does likewise for Jamie. This plot trick has been done to death, but here it enjoys a resurrection.
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“Friends with Benefits†is rated R. For once the R rating is right. There’s plenty of language and some pretty hot sex. Children won’t understand it. However, for adults it offers good lensing, adequate sound, and about a laugh a minute — even in the serious scenes.
07.21.2011 | By Jack Rico |
*Updated 2026
In 2026, with superhero fatigue now part of the conversation, Captain America: The First Avenger is easier to revisit as a clean origin story before Marvel got heavier.
07.13.2011 | By Jack Rico |
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is the final installment of the most profitable film series in history. It is not only the preeminent work of the saga, but it is also one of the top ten films I have seen so far in 2011. The film is so well crafted I had to see it twice. Read More
07.11.2011 | By Jack Rico |
New York, NY, July 7, 2011-The Film Society of Lincoln Center announced details for the 2011 Latinbeat Film Festival (August 10–24) including 23 films representing 15 countries. Screening at FSLC’s Walter Reade Theater (165 W. 65th Street), the 12th edition of the oldest (and first) Latin American film festival in New York City will feature 4 US Premieres. Those films include Lais Bodanzky’s THE BEST THINGS IN THE WORLD; Tristan Bauer’s CHE, A NEW MAN; Mariano Cohn’s and Gastón Duprat’s QUERIDA VOY A COMPRAR CIGARRILLOS Y VUELVO; and Marta Ferrer’s EL VARAL.
Featuring films from 11 different Latin American countries as well as France, Germany, Spain and the U.S. and just as abundant an array of genres and styles, Latinbeat continues to follow the latest trends of filmmaking in Latin America by showcasing both up-and-coming directors and internationally recognized filmmakers. Films range from romantic comedies, classic thrillers, coming of age stories, animation and documentaries.
Gustavo Taretto’s romantic comedy SIDEWALLS will make its East Coast Premiere as Latinbeat’s Opening Night selection. A crowd-pleasing hit at the Berlin Film Festival, Taretto’s feature film debut pays homage to Buenos Aires as it follows two people navigating through a sea of personal phobias as they (hopefully) head toward their eventual meeting and happy romantic destiny. A Sundance Selects release, SIDEWALLS opens the festival with a screening on Wednesday, Aug 10 at 7:00PM with Taretto, the film’s star, Pilar Lopez De Ayala and composer Gabriel Chwojnik in attendance.
Latinbeat will also feature a Special Filmmaker Panel Presentation entitled Central American Cinema Today. Co-presented with Casa Clementina and Cinema Tropical and sponsored by New York Women in Film and Television, the panel will feature the festival’s filmmakers discussing innovative forms of local film production in Central America, marking the first time the subject has been addressed at a NYC-based film festival. Offered free to the public with a purchased ticket to the 1:00PM screening of MARIMBAS FROM HELL, the panel takes place Sunday, August 14 at 11:00AM.
Latinbeat is also proud to present the screening of the Cuban film, LONG DISTANCE, by Esteban Insausti, who is considered one of the most prominent directors of the avant-garde movement in Cuba. Co-Presented with the New England Festival of Ibero American Cinema, LONG DISTANCE explores the emotional impact of the exodus of Cubans to the US over the last several years through the story of a single woman coming to terms with the loss of her friends. Insausti, a major exponent of the new generation of so-called “independent” Cuban filmmakers will be in attendance and will be joined by the film’s stars, Alexis Diaz de Villegas, Anna Biu and Zulema Clares for Q&As following the screenings.
Two special screenings will feature live musical accompaniment: THE STOESSEL EXPEDITION is a restored gem from 1928 about a car journey from Buenos Aires to New York that includes previously unseen footage of Latin American capitals at the time. The screening will feature live piano accompaniment by original score composer Donald Sosin. The Brazilian Coffin Joe horror cult classic THIS NIGHT I WILL POSSESS YOUR CORPSE will feature the original music score and performance by guitarist Gary Lucas.
Additional highlights include; Lais Bodanzky’s Brazilian coming-of-age story THE BEST THINGS IN THE WORLD, based on the “Mano” bestselling book series and starring teen-heartthrob Fiuk Pedro and Francisco Miguez; Marcel Rasquin’s drama, BROTHER, the Venezuelan submission for Best Foreign-Language Film Oscar consideration this year; Tristan Bauer’s documentary CHE, A NEW MAN, featuring rare footage not seen before today; renowned writer, Alberto Fuguet’s turn behind the camera for the Nashville-set, COUNTRY MUSIC; the return of New Directors/New Films alums Matias Bize with the Chilean love story, THE LIFE OF FISH and Mariano Cohn & Gastón Duprat with their black comedy QUERIDA VOY A COMPRAR CIGARRILLOS Y VUELVO; Jairo Carrillo’s beautiful 3D animated doc LITTLE VOICES, made from drawings and with voices of real characters whose lives it depicts; and Marcelo Cohan’s Argentinian thriller NO RETURN starring Leonardo Sbaraglia and Federico Luppi.
Additional filmmakers confirmed to attend Latinbeat include: Matias Bize (Director of THE LIFE OF FISH), Julio Hernandez Cordon and Pamela Guinea (Director and Producer of MARIMBAS FROM HELL), Alberto Fuguet (Writer/Director of COUNTRY MUSIC), Victoria Galardi (Director of MOUNT BAYO), Bettina Perut and Ivan Osnovikoff (Directors of THE DEATH OF PINOCHET), and Paula Siero (Director of THE WATER AT THE END OF THE WORLD).
“This year’s Latinbeat Film Festival captures a stunning variety of films – both commercial and independent currently coming out of Latin America, said Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Marcela Goglio. We are especially proud to spotlight the creative search for new forms of production in Central America and the Caribbean. The exploration of documentary/fiction boundaries that took such an exciting turn in Latin American cinema in the last few years has spread to this region and we are beginning to see the results of that now.”
Goglio added, “We are also thrilled to be able to share some great new films from traditionally underrepresented countries, like Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Uruguay and Venezuela. We believe it will all add up to make this one of our most vibrant film festivals yet.”
FILM DESCRIPTIONS FOR THE 2011 FSLC LATINBEAT FILM FESTIVAL
ACORAZADO (2010, 97min)
Director: Alvaro Curiel
Country: Mexico/Cuba
Curiel’s hilarious debut tells the story of Veracruz native Silveiro, whose buddies help him hatch an unusual emigration plan: turning his old taxi into an improvised raft.
ACORAZADO screens Thursday, August 11 at 4:45PM; and Friday, August 12 at 7:00PM.
ALL YOUR DEAD ONES (Todos tus muertos) (2011, 88min)
Director: Carlos Moreno
Country: Colombia
When a Colombian farmer stumbles upon a pile of corpses, he finds that the officials have other priorities in this searing attack on a culture of corruption, poverty, and violence. ALL YOUR DEAD ONES is a Shoreline Films release.
ALL YOUR DEAD ONES screens Saturday, August 20 at 2:45PM; Sunday, August 21 at 9:30PM; and Monday, August 22 at 6:30PM.
THE BEST THINGS IN THE WORLD (As Melhores Coisas do Mundo)
(2010, 100min)
Director: Lais Bodanzky
Country: Brazil
In this sweet, funny coming-of-age tale set in Sao Paolo (with a great soundtrack), a 15-year-old boy’s carefree life is complicated by a shocking revelation. The film is an Intra Movies release.
THE BEST THINGS IN THE WORLD screens Thursday, August 18 at 4:30PM; Saturday, August 20 at 9:30PM; and Tuesday, August 23 at 9:00PM.
BROTHER (Hermano) (2010, 96min)
Director: Marcel Rasquin
Country: Venezuela
Two futbol-playing brothers have their love and loyalty put to the test when a scout invites them to try out with the best team in Caracas in this inspiring family drama. BROTHER is a Musicbox Films release.
BROTHER screens Friday, August 12 at 5:00PM; Saturday, August 13 at 2:40PM; and Sunday, August 14 at 8:45PM.
***Special Filmmaker Panel Presentation***
Central American Cinema Today
Co-presented with Casa Clementina and Cinema Tropical
Sponsored by New York Women in Film and Television
Latin Beat filmmakers will discuss innovative forms of local film production.
Central American Cinema Today is free with ticket to the 1:00PM screening of MARIMBAS FROM HELL.
The Central American Cinema Today panel takes place Sunday, August 14 at 11:00AM.
CHE, A NEW MAN (Che, un hombre nuevo) (2010, 94min)
Director: Tristan Bauer
Country: Argentina
Twelve years in the making, Bauer’s intimate look at the larger-than-life Che Guevara demonstrates both his ideals and his passion, with never-before-seen private documents and recordings. CHE, A NEW MAN is a Match Factory release.
CHE, A NEW MAN screens Wednesday, August 10 at 4:30PM and 9:30PM; and Sunday, August 14 at 6:40PM.
COUNTRY MUSIC (Musica campesina) (2011, 100min)
Director: Alberto Fuguet
Country: Chile/U.S.
A Chilean man who loves country music roams through Nashville in this fresh take on immigrant stories, laced with funny dialogue and boasting a terrific soundtrack.
COUNTRY MUSIC screens Friday, August 19 at 6:30PM; Sunday, August 21 at 3:00PM; and Monday, August 22 at 4:15PM. (Alberto Fuguet will participate in Q&As following each screening.)
THE DEATH OF PINOCHET (La muerte de Pinochet) (2011, 70min)
Directors: Bettina Perut & Ivan Osnovikoff
Country: Chile
A raw yet intimate look at Chilean history, this provocative documentary takes to the streets on the day of Pinochet’s death, capturing intensely divided reactions.
THE DEATH OF PINOCHET screens Sunday, August 14 at 3:00PM; and August, 17 at 7:00PM. (Directors Bettina Perut and Ivan Osnovikoff will participate in Q&As following each screening.)
JEAN GENTIL (2010, 84min)
Directors: Laura Amelia Guzmán & Israel Cárdenas
Country: Mexico/Dominican Republic/Haiti
This poignant tale vividly captures the day-to-day life of an educated Haitian immigrant as he travels through the Dominican Republic in search of work and a meaning to his life.
JEAN GENTIL screens Saturday, August 13 at 4:45PM and Monday, August 15 at 4:15PM.
THE LIFE OF FISH (La vida de los peces) (2010, 84min)
Director: Matias Bize
Country: Chile
Returning to Chile after 11 years abroad, an expat writer meets old friends and is forced to confront his past in this insightful, emotionally intense love story.
THE LIFE OF FISH screens Friday, August 12 at 9:15PM, and Tuesday, August 16 at 6:30PM. (Matias Bize will participate in Q&As following each screening.)
LITTLE VOICES (Pequeñas voces) (2010, 75min)
Director: Jairo Carrillo
Country: Colombia
Beautifully animating their drawings, this extraordinary 3D documentary depicts the lives of displaced Colombian children who have grown up amidst guerrilla fighting. The film is a Films Boutique release.
LITTLE VOICES screens Wednesday, August 24 at 6:30PM.
LONG DISTANCE (Larga distancia) (2010, 93min)
Director: Esteban Insausti
Country: Cuba
Insausti explores the dramatic emotional impact of the mass exodus of Cubans to the US through the story of a woman who finds that she has lost all of her friends to this crisis.
Co-presented with The New England Festival of Ibero American Cinema. LONG DISTANCE screens Saturday, August 13 at 6:35PM; Tuesday, August 16 at 8:45PM; and Wednesday, August 17 at 5:00PM. (Esteban Insausti and the film’s stars, Alexis Diaz de Villegas, Anna Biu and Zulema Clares will attend and participate in Q&As following each screening).
MARIMBAS FROM HELL (Marimbas del infierno) (2010, 75min)
Director: Julio Hernández Cordón
Country: Guatemala/Mexico/France
This funny and moving story of an improbable artistic collaboration—between a homeless marimba player and a pioneer of Guatemalan heavy metal music—straddles documentary and fiction. The film is a FiGA Films release.
MARIMBAS FROM HELL screens Sunday, August 14 at 1:00PM; Monday, August 15 at 9:00PM; and Tuesday, August 16 at 4:45PM. (Julio Hernandez Cordon and producer Pamela Guinea will attend and participate in Q&As following each screening.)
MOUNT BAYO (Cerro Bayo) (2010, 86min)
Director: Victoria Galardi
Country: Argentina
On the cusp of ski season, a peaceful Patagonian village is tested by an incident that divides a local family, in Galardi’s funny and gentle dramatic comedy.
MOUNT BAYO screens Saturday, August 20 at 7:15PM; Monday, August 22 at 8:30PM; and Tuesday, August 23 at 5:00PM. (Victoria Galardi will attend and participate in Q&As following each screening.)
NORBERTO’S DEADLINE (Norberto apenas tarde) (2010, 89min)
Director: Daniel Hendler
Country: Uruguay
When a young man joins a theater group—following his boss’s orders—his life starts to change, in this tender and offbeat tale of personal reinvention. NORBERTO’S DEADLINE is an Outsider Pictures release.
NORBERTO’S DEADLINE screens Friday, August 19 at 4:30PM; Sunday, August 21 at 1:00PM; and Tuesday, August 23 at 7:00PM.
NO RETURN (Sin retorno) (2010, 100min)
Director: Marcelo Cohan
Country: Argentina
An intense, perfectly calibrated thriller with a twist ending, Cohan’s debut feature also engages sensitive issues of ethics and justice that will make spectators squirm in their seats. Starring Federico Luppi and Leonardo Sbaraglia. NO RETURN is a Latido Films release.
NO RETURN screens Friday, August 19 at 9:00PM and Wednesday, August 24 at 8:35PM.
QUERIDA VOY A COMPRAR CIGARRILLOS Y VUELVO (2011, 80min)
Directors: Mariano Cohn & Gastón Duprat
Country: Argentina
In this black comedy, a mediocre real estate agent enters a Faustian deal with a stranger who has superpowers. With great performances by Eusebio Poncela and Emilio Disi.
QUERIDA VOY A COMPRAR CIGARRILLOS Y VUELVO screens Wednesday, August 17 at 5:00PM; Sunday, August 21 at 7:30PM; and Wednesday, August 24 at 4:30PM.
***OPENING NIGHT PRESENTATION***
SIDEWALLS (Medianeras) (2011, 96min)
Director: Gustavo Taretto
Country: Argentina/Germany/Spain
Taretto’s clever romantic comedy pays homage to Buenos Aires as it follows two lonely souls who live on the same block but have somehow never met. SIDEWALLS is a Sundance Selects release.
SIDEWALLS screens Wednesday, Aug 10 at 7:00PM (with Gustavo Taretto, the film’s star, Pilar Lopez De Ayala and composer Gabriel Chwojnik in attendance); Thursday, August 11 at 7:00PM; and Saturday, August 13 at 9:10PM.
SOUTHERN DISTRICT (Zona Sur) (2009, 109min)
Director: Juan Carlos Valdivia
Country: Bolivia
Valdivia’s stylish, class-conscious feature envelops viewers in the insular world of an upper-crust Bolivian family in decline, through the eyes of two Aymara Indians who serve them. The film is a Shoreline Films release.
SOUTHERN DISTRICT screens Thursday, August 18 at 9:00PM and Saturday, August 20 at 12:30PM.
THE STOESSEL EXPEDITION (Expedición Argentina Stoessel: Raid Buenos Aires-Nueva York-1928) (1928, 60min)
Director: Adán & Andrés Stoessel
Country: Argentina
In 1928, two brothers began a two-year automotive journey from Buenos Aires all the way to New York, capturing their wide-ranging expedition on film. Copy restored by the Fundacion Cinemateca Argentina in cooperation with The Library of Congress of the United States.
The screening features live musical accompaniment by original score composer, Donald Sosin.
SCREENING WITH
FOR THE FIRST TIME (Por primera vez) (1965, 10min)
Director: Octavio Cortazar
Country: Cuba
The landmark Cuban documentary captures the reactions of isolated Cuban villagers to seeing films for the first time.
THE STOESSEL EXPEDITION/FOR THE FIRST TIME screens Sunday, August 21 at 5:45PM.
THIS NIGHT I’LL POSSESS YOUR CORPSE (Esta Noite Encarnarei no teu Cadáver) (1967, 108min)
Director: Jose Mojica Marins
Country: Brazil
Springing from the margins of Brazilian culture like a long-suppressed nightmare, Brazilian terror icon Coffin Joe returns, bent on his quest to father the perfect child.
The screening features live solo guitar accompaniment by composer Gary Lucas.
THIS NIGHT I’LL POSSESS YOUR CORPSE screens Thursday, August 11 at 9:30PM.
EL VARAL (2009, 75min)
Director: Marta Ferrer
Country: Mexico
Ferrer’s rueful documentary contrasts the fanfare of a village’s patron saint day with the post-celebration calm, haunted by the absence of families who have emigrated to the U.S.
EL VARAL screens Saturday, August 13 at 1:00PM and Sunday, August 14 at 5:00PM.
THE WATER AT THE END OF THE WORLD (El agua del fin del mundo) (2101, 85min)
Director: Paula Siero
Country: Argentina
Siero’s warm, intensely honest, and humane story of the real emotions between two sisters – one terminally ill, as they journey to the tip of South America. The film is an Outsider Pictures release.
THE WATER AT THE END OF THE WORLD screens Thursday, August 18 at 6:45PM and Saturday, August 20 at 5:00PM. (Paula Siero wll attend and participate in Q&As following each screening.)
PUBLIC SCREENING SCHEDULE FOR 2011 FSLC LATINBEAT FILM FESTIVAL:
Screening Venue:
The Film Society of Lincoln Center – Walter Reade Theater
165 West 65 Street, between Broadway & Amsterdam (upper level)
Wednesday, August 10
4:30PM CHE, A NEW MAN (94min)
7:00PM SIDEWALLS (96min)
9:30PM CHE, A NEW MAN (94min)
Thursday, August 11
4:45PM ACORAZADO (97min)
7:00PM SIDEWALLS (96min)
9:30PM THIS NIGHT I’LL POSSESS YOUR CORPSE (108min)
Friday, August 12
5:00PM BROTHER (96min)
7:00PM ACORAZADO (97min)
9:15PM THE LIFE OF FISH (84min)
Saturday, August 13
1:00PM EL VARAL (75min)
2:40PM BROTHER (96min)
4:45PM JEAN GENTIL (84min)
6:35PM LONG DISTANCE (93min)
9:10PM SIDEWALLS (96min)
Sunday, August 14
11:00AM Central American and Caribbean Cinema Today (**filmmaker panel is FREE with 1:00PM MARIMBAS FROM HELL ticket) (90min)
1:00PM MARIMBAS FROM HELL (75min)
3:00PM THE DEATH OF PINOCHET (70min)
5:00PM EL VARAL (75min)
6:40PM CHE, A NEW MAN (94min)
8:45PM BROTHER (96min)
Monday, August 15
4:15PM JEAN GENTIL (84min)
9:00PM MARIMBAS FROM HELL (75min)
Tuesday, August 16
4:45PM MARIMBAS FROM HELL (75min)
6:30PM THE LIFE OF FISH (84min)
8:45PM LONG DISTANCE (93min)
Wednesday, August 17
5:00PM LONG DISTANCE (93min)
7:00PM THE DEATH OF PINOCHET (70min)
9:10PM QUERIDA VOY A COMPRAR CIGARRILLOS Y VUELVO (80min)
Thursday, August 18
4:30PM THE BEST THINGS IN THE WORLD (100min)
6:45PM THE WATER AT THE END OF THE WORLD (85min)
9:00PM SOUTHERN DISTRICT (109min)
Friday, August 19
4:30PM NORBERTO’S DEADLINE (86min)
6:30PM COUNTRY MUSIC (100min)
9:00PM NO RETURN (100min)
Saturday, August 20
12:30PM SOUTHERN DISTRICT (109min)
2:45PM ALL YOUR DEAD ONES (88min)
5:00PM THE WATER AT THE END OF THE WORLD (85min)
7:15PM MOUNT BAYO (89min)
9:30PM THE BEST THINGS IN THE WORLD (100min)
Sunday, August 21
1:00PM NORBERTO’S DEADLINE (86min)
3:00PM COUNTRY MUSIC (100min)
5:45PM THE STOESSEL EXPEDITION/FOR THE FIRST TIME
7:30PM QUERIDA VOY A COMPRAR CIGARRILLOS Y VUELVO (80min)
9:30PM ALL YOUR DEAD ONES (88min)
Monday, August 22
4:15PM COUNTRY MUSIC (100min)
6:30PM ALL YOUR DEAD ONES (88min)
8:30PM MOUNT BAYO (89min)
Tuesday, August 23
5:00PM MOUNT BAYO (89min)
7:00PM NORBERTO’S DEADLINE (86min)
9:00PM THE BEST THINGS IN THE WORLD (100min)
Wednesday, August 24
4:30PM QUERIDA VOY A COMPRAR CIGARRILLOS Y VUELVO (80min)
6:30PM LITTLE VOICES (75min)
8:35PM NO RETURN (100min)
07.6.2011 | By Namreta Kumar |
Of all the nostalgia and young memories New York has to offer, for movie goers and movie lovers, Kauffman Studios is probably at the top of their list. No matter what location a movie is filmed at in New York, nothing says filmmaking like Kauffman Astoria Studios. So of course, in true escapist tradition, The Smurfs choose none other than Kauffman to invade as their and our window to the true blue adventure:
On the last day of filming, back in 2010, we were invited to join cast and crew on the sets of The Smurfs. One E train ride later I was standing in the front of historic Kauffman and about to partake on another “underground” journey.
The press trickles into the atrium of the studio and we all begin to wonder at the pictures and pros of past films around us. We are then greeted and escorted through a corridor on the left and upstairs through a set of cubicles, into which we shamelessly peer in for glimpses of what we are about to see and magic of filmmaking. We make it over to open space lined with chairs facing a stool in the front and center of the room.
As we sit idling checking our phones and tape recorders we start to piece together our memories of the Smurfs as we knew them, when we are greeted by the actor who, now, probably knows them best: Neil Patrick Harris (NPH).
Neil Patrick Harris (NPH): “I am done. My work wrapped yesterday. I came here to talk for a bit, watch a little dance.”
Press: Was it all done here, in New York?
NPH: “We were here. HERE, here for most of it. There was a chunk in the middle where we went to FAO Swartz, and Central Park a lot, Prospect Park… but most of it was here.
Press: Are you singing and dancing?
NPH: “None for me.”
Press: Aww…
NPH: “I am very average husband and father.”
Press: How tricky was it dealing with the Green Screen aspect of it?
NPH: “I thought there would be more Green Screen. I thought it was going to be… I was really looking forward to that. I have always really wanted to do one of those things where you stare at the tennis ball as much as much the sticks that chase you around; but this was not that. The technology now, it’s in actual sets. You rehearse it with sort of these gelatinous, like jelly mold, Smurfs that are on stands. So that when you are rehearsing it they set them up in various positions, so you know exactly were they would be, you know the exact height they are supposed to be, and then you rehearse it that way with voice over people. And then they just move them away right before you shoot, and you look at, sort of, were the eyes would be. So no, only Hank [Azaria] really did the Green Screen stuff, because of Smurf Village.
Press: Can you talk about the sensibility of the movie.
NPH: “This is a family movie, but skewed an awful lot towards the core audience of people that watched the Smurfs growing up. They go from happy, happy Smurf Village to Central Park, New York City, so there is a lot of juxtaposition between angry New Yorkers. So you will see them trying to make everyone pleased.
Our conversation digresses there into Neil Patrick Harris’ other projects and then back around to the Smurf Design. For which, we are told to consult with Jordan Kerner (Jordon), and then escorted to another conference room lined with artwork and storyboard. In front of us there is a TV, but the artwork around us takes center stage in our curious minds. After a short wait we are joined by Jordon Kerner, who talks us through the design and the technical aspects of the film.
Jordon: “I apologies we are in the midst of the very last, last scene of the movie. As you guys come down you’ll see, it’s Gargamel’s dream at the end of the movie, he sees himself in his own music video. Glen Boward and Dave Stewart wrote the song. Glen is actually downstairs with us right now. We are recording forty dancers. It’s really cool, so you’ll see it when you come down.”
He then proceeds to direct us through the artwork on the walls, of the East Side apartment, where Clumsy Smurf is first discovered, the Smurf Village, Gargamel’s Castle, Gargamel’s map, and an important* Cavern. Without giving away too much of the movie here, let’s just say that these very detailed and captivating pieces of artwork outline where the story begins to when they are discovered in NYC, and some little gems about Patrick (Neil Patrick Harris) and Grace’s (Jayma Mays) journey to come.
Jordon: “What you see here is what you will see in a moment, Belvedere Castle. We built an exact replica of Belvedere, virtually to scale. It’s scaled in certain ways in length, but not in width because we had a certain amount of limitation on us by the size of the stage. But this very large closet area in Belvedere is a lot of concrete, so it didn’t really look that great when we saw it so we built in it a grate that you’ll see being used when you come downstairs. We did two little inserts that are here on either side. These are usually flat walls in Belvedere, but we have added these in for architectural interest. The reason we did all that, we built this whole set because you have an excellent conservancy in New York. With the park they wouldn’t let us put anything on a tripod and we couldn’t use a dolly, or any of that stuff. We could much further away, and we could get our wide shots but we couldn’t really shoot in this area. So we had to build the castle, because we loved the idea of Gargamel taking over the Belvedere castle.
He then proceeds to explain the procedure and nature of the scene, which we will be viewing shortly. Jordon then introduces to the prop of interest, which I will introduce to again below when we head down towards the set and props. But before we get there we are introduced to some of the animation and “photo-real” CG techniques used to bring The Smurfs and Gargamel to life.
Jordon: “Can we hit the lights?”
When we make down the maze of studio corridors and elevators, we are greeted by props lining the walls and a tall back stage, from the corner of which we can here the scored music video that is currently filming and will air at the end of the film. A small area is set for us to sit between props and watch the AV feed as cuts are recorded and re-shot. It is reel Hollywood in its real setting. Two by two as we were instructed, upstairs, we each get to go behind the curtain and into the staged Belvedere Castle to view what only the Cast and Crew get to otherwise see. And it is the splendor of detailed design, a regulated choreography, and of course the fun of the misstep and the perfect shot.
For some native New Yorker seeing a shoot on location is like taking a morning stroll, but to be in the studio redesigned and refitted to New York is not the same thing. In the large closet within Belvedere Castle, there are multiple monitors set up and an angled view for the crew to keep watchful eye of what gets captured. Outside Belvedere Castle about forty dancers walk in sync to Gargamel’s dreams of capturing the Smurfs. Once your ten minutes of fame are up, we walk back around the curtain and curious eye the props, until the dreamer Gargamel, or Hank Azaria (Hank) arrives:
Hank: “Yeah he’s Gargamel, what else can you say about him. He hates Smurfs and wants to conquer the world. Don’t know what else there is to say. He’s a Virgo. Loves water sports…”
As Hank gets called to set, we engage ourselves, for the last time, with the Smurfalator.
Jordon: “The Smufalator is very important because as a notion Gargamel, when he sang, or when he talked about the Smurfs he often talked about them with the notion of eat, ‘I want to roost them and roost them, I want to eat them, I want to turn them into gold or Smurf soup.’ SO rather than taking that literally, we tried to take it allegorically because Gargamel is a really smart guy even though he isn’t a smart sorcerer. Then if he ate all the Smurfs and boiled them that would be the end of it and his magic would only increase for a moment and they are magical creatures which is why he wants to eat them and get them but it would only last for a limited period of time and the power would be gone. Instead we thought, slightly more deviously, that he is going to harvest them. What that means is that he is going to capture them, he is going to shave papa’s beard, he is going to cut Smurfete’s hair, he’s going to make them sweat and gather the sweat, he is going to make them cry and gather the tears. And you will see how the Smurfalator works with that. There is a conveyer belt and chair goes right in there and the doors close. You can see steam coming out and going into the system makes it into a Frankenstein’s lab.”
A prop’s crewmember showed us the Smurfalator in action, and then walked us through Gargamel’s lab props, while the tail end press invited watched the final scenes of the filming completed. And another E train ride later, the Queens studio seemed to be another young memory of New York movie magic.
07.6.2011 | By Jack Rico |
*Updated April 2026
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