The AWARD WINNING short film by us. Break Up was heavily inspired by John Carpenter’s student film “Dark Star” and of course “Moon” My goal with it was to create a sci-fi film for $20, which we did. This might the first film I made where I ended up actually making a profit from it. It was really nice to push myself with this film and at least sort of pull off the spaceship aspects. Also a line in this film is (pretty much) taken from my favorite film, can you find it?

Also it’s funny that I was accidentally politically up to date by releasing this film because they actually ARE cutting back the space program majorly, even though I did no research on that while I wrote the short. Magic.

Written and directed and blah blah by
Erik Button

Starring
Anna Rednour
Derrick Hines
Plants

Crew work
Matt Tyndall
Justin Ruckman
Matthew Willets
Carlos Espin

Thanks to
Brian James, WTVI, UNCC Film Fest, Carlos Espin, and everyone who came to my movie theater opening.

Thanks to all the Elon kids for helping out and of course Matt and Luke for walking around a college campus in there respective costumes. Many LOLs.

Can you count all the Batman references in this?

Get with it.

~Erik.

Enjoy!

-Matthew

Matthew’s view

Before I get into my reviews I’d like to give a little bit of information about my perspective and what I look for in a good movie.  To give examples I’ll list a couple of my favorite films along with short description of why it was chosen, each representing a different genre.

Comedy:  Thank You For Smoking

This movie is quick, smart, well written and well thought out.  The main character in the film has depth and faces moral dilemmas, all the while embarking on a personal journey to find what he really values in life.  The film is well acted and uses comedy a conduit to carry you through what really matters: its story.

Thriller:  Fight Club

Fight Club is a thought provoking film that keeps your mind engaged with beautiful shots and witty dialogue. All of the cast play wonderfully off one another and make this insane scenario seem close to home.  The lighting and textures are tied together by the narration of the film, providing a great overall tone for the movie.

Action:  Dirty Harry

Classic dialogue delivered by one of the greatest actors of our time.  Drama and tension take the reigns as a cop (who doesn’t always play by the rules) hunts one of the most psychopathic killers to hit the screen.  The film is accompanied by a soundtrack that truly captures the time and era in which it takes place.  The action isn’t huge, but that’s why it’s good.  It doesn’t overshadow the interplay between the character’s motives, struggles or feelings.  So while the plot isn’t deep it works on a more simplistic level.

Science Fiction:  The Empire Strikes Back

Although I’m using this movie as an example of science fiction, the wonderful thing about it is that it incorporates so many other elements into its story.  It’s an adventure movie, a love story and an action flick that is set in a wonderful universe that never once lets you think that you’re not in a galaxy far, far away.

My rating scale goes from one to five, accompanied by a facial expression to mark my personal feeling about the film. (For now the faces will be written out, in the future they will be illustrated)  With my star rating I will try to be as objective as possible.

Well gang, as you’re all well aware the year of 2009 has come to an end, and with it, its list of movies.  So here we are, a year in review from the best to the worst of em.

The Top Ten

1. A Serious Man 4 1/2   (Contemplative face)

A thought provoking film that still manages to make you laugh at some of life’s big questions.

2.  Up In the Air 4 ½       (Contemplative face)

A film about life and what we take personal stock in.

3.  Precious 4    (Pleasantly surprised face)

An engaging story that makes you care for the main character while bringing attention to a troublesome issue.

4.  500 Days of Summer 4   (Heartfelt face)

A hilarious love story presented in a fresh way.

5.  Up 4   (Enchanted face)

An encouraging film that tells you that it’s never too late to follow your dreams.

6.  Where the Wild Things Are   4  (Enchanted face)

A beautiful film about relationships and what it means to grow up.

7.  District 9 3 ½  (Pleasantly Surprised face)

A sci-fi film that has both action and depth.

8.  Coraline 3 ½  ( Enchanted face)

A terribly creepy story brought to life through excellent animation.

9.  Drag Me To Hell 3 ½  (Laughing face)

A film that does exactly what it sets out to do.  It manages both genuine laughs and scares without sacrificing one or the other.

10.  Inglorious Basterds 3 ½  (Satisfied face)

A movie that makes great use of tension and has one of the most satisfying endings I’ve ever seen.

The In-between

11.  Hurt Locker 3 ½  (Intense face)

One of the most intense and engaging films of the year.

12.  Avatar 3 ½  (Disappointed face)

Although undoubtedly one of the best looking films ever made, it falls short in plot and occasionally acting.

13.  Observe and Report 3 ½   (Laughing face)

Although silly, it does exactly what it sets out to do.

14.  Adventureland 3 ½  (Heartfelt face)

A heart-warming film about relationships and life goals.

15.  Paranormal Activity 3 ½  (Scared face)

It’s difficult to make a good horror movie but by getting you close to the characters and building tension the film sets you up for scares.

16.  Star Trek 3  (Entertained face)

A blockbuster with more than just bells and whistles.

17.  Watchmen 3  (Disappointed face)

An otherwise decent movie suffers from its soundtrack.

18.  Moon 3  (Enchanted face)

Great environments backed by great acting put you right in the space station.

19.  The Men Who Stare At Goats 3  (Smirking face)

20.  The Road 3  (Contemplative face)

A film that makes you consider humanity and what it means to live in a society.

21.  Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 3  (Entertained face)

22.  Fantastic Mr. Fox 3  (Smirking face)

23.  Zombieland 2 ½  (Entertained face)

A movie that sufficiently balances its comedy and drama but never really finds its tension or heart.

24.  Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 2 ½  (Puzzled as to why wizards are so lame face)

25.  The Hangover 2 ½  (Disappointed face)

While it’s true that this movie might make you laugh, it lacks heart and lasting value.

26.  9 2 ½   (Disappointed face)

A film with great animation and adventure that doesn’t seem quite complete.

27.  Orphan 2 ½   (Pleasantly surprised face)

A modern day horror film that gave a good twist to the “evil little child” story.

28.  Sherlock Holmes 2 ½  (Entertained face)

29.  Funny People 2 ½  (Disappointed face)

The film never seemed to find balance between its comedy and drama, subtracting from the film as a whole.

30.  Next Day Air 2 ½   (Laughing face)

31.  The Informant! 2 ½   (Disappointed face)

32.  The Box 2 ½   (Disappointed face)

What could have been a great film gets lost in its own bizarre little world.

33.  Terminator Salvation   2 ½  (Entertained face)

Bottom Ten

34.  The Invention of Lying   2 ½  (Disappointed face)

A hilarious idea and first half.  The second half of the film moves into a topic that I think just didn’t fit.  In short the movie was just as half as it could have been.

35.  Public Enemies   2  (Semi bored face)

Un-engaging and poorly paced.

36.  He’s Just Not That Into You   2  (Smirking face)

37.  The Proposal   2  (Entertained face)

38.  Friday the Thirteenth (2009) 2   (Entertained face)

While it was better than every movie in the series but the first it still suffered from standard slasher movie problems.

39.  Fast and Furious   1 ½  (Entertained face)

40.  The Collector   1 ½  (Laughing face)

41.  Dragonball Evolution   1 ½  (Laughing face)

42.  X-Men Origins : Wolverine  1  (Laughing face)

43.  Saw VI   0  (Depressed face)

This abomination has no actual characters and a very un-clever plot.  Instead of legitimate scares it attempts to make you cringe from special effects.  Is that really what we want from cinema?  Cop outs?  It’s hard for me to enjoy a film when the only reason it’s made is to get a quick buck.  I award Saw VI worst film of the year.

I step outside my cramped apartment, take a deep breath, and smile.  Spring has always been my favorite season, this sense of starting over permeates this time of year. Today there is something else in the air; it’s colorless, odorless, weightless, but most certainly present. I cannot describe this kind of atmosphere as humid, or sunny, or warm.  I call it “hopeful.” If it’s like this tomorrow I think I’ll go for a morning jog, yes, a jog is the best way to experience this kind of weather. Five kilometers out of town, sweat pouring from my skin, the electricity running through my body syncing with the world around me. Yes, I’ve been meaning to go on a jog for quite some time.  The bus arrives and I climb aboard.

I take a seat in one of the cold plastic buckets behind two older gentlemen. The chatter on the bus is much livelier today. The older men are talking about some kind of accident outside of town at the power plant. Some people seemed really nervous but most of us knew that if it was anything terrible we’d just follow the evacuation plan. My first reaction was one of almost happiness, that ugly power plant was always an eye sore on the bus ride home. One of the older men was rambling on about a cover up. I’ve heard quite a lot about conspiracies and other things lately. I’ve never really had any interest in politics. I just try to control my own little world, and besides that, what can I do? Although recently I have become dreadfully nervous about being asked my opinion of what I think of this head of state, or how I feel about this particular decree. Tomorrow, after my jog, I will go to the library and try and read up on these things. Hopefully one day I can be so well versed in my poli-sci that I can use it at those parties Yuri throws.  We pass by the gigantic Ferris wheel, a true testament to human achievement. Hopefully Alena and I can ride it together one day.

I pull the string at my stop and several of us evacuate the bus and file into the office.  Alena always arrives earlier than me and always greets me with a smile. She briefly talks about the explosion last night, but we both agree that such depressing conversation would only damper a beautiful day like this. She talks to me with a confidence and ease that I only pretend to have. Alena has the kind of beauty that seeps much deeper than her skin, it radiates from a place inside her soul. I bet her beauty could even be seen on X-rays. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, after my jog, and my trip to the library I am going to ask her out. We could go to the Palace of Culture and go dancing, then go over and ride that big Ferris wheel. I’d ask her today but it is such beautiful day, and I don’t want to ruin it if she rejects me.

On the bus ride home I could see the smoke from the explosion last night. I’ve always loved to look at smoke, the way it carelessly wisps and swirls.  It always seems so elemental and eloquent. I use to love watching my grandfather puff away on his hand rolled cigarettes. The bright white escaping from his mouth and dancing around his head. Each puff different like a signature. The steam from the reactor used to be white like my grandfathers cigarette smoke, but today it’s black like the pipe smoke of the men at the pub. The smoke off in the distant is the most impressive I’ve ever seen. It climbs higher and higher, fusing and fornicating with the clouds above. It’s times like this I wish I could paint. Tomorrow, after I jog, go to the library, and ask out Alena I will go to my sister have her teach me how to paint. I’ll probably start with painting fruit; I hear that’s pretty easy.

I climb off the bus and scurry into my home. I put my finest suit out for tomorrow. I also take out my lucky shoes. If I’m going to win Alena I need to look my best after all. Oh, I hope she reciprocates my feeling about her! I’ve never been good with women. One minute they’ll be powering my soul, and the next, unknowingly decaying it. I shake off this pessimistic thinking, she will say yes. She will say yes. I put out my old yellow and black high school tracksuit, it’s a bit faded and small but it’ll work for my morning jog. My records rock me to sleep.

It is April 27^th, 1986 and today is the first day of the rest of my life.

I get woken up at 0500 hours by my next door neighbor banging on my door. She’s a sweet old woman who cooks me dinner from time to time. She tells me to pack a bag and meet at the evacuation point at 1400 hours. She tells me the details, smirking sweetly and reassuringly. I don’t panic, and I even want to laugh at the silliness of the whole thing. Her voice has that kind of soothing in it that makes everything fine. She’s flashing some piece of paper and her teeth are clicking when she talks. Click, Click, Click. Adorable. When she leaves I go into the kitchen and open up the fridge. I throw away anything that’s already past its half-life. It wouldn’t be pleasant to come back to a smelly apartment.  I start packing my bag, she told me I’d only need enough stuff for three or four days. I put on my finest suit, just in case I see Alena at the evacuation center. I take out my biggest piece of luggage but quickly put it away because it’s not even close to matching my nice suit. I take out one that is considerably smaller but looks much more appealing. I pack some clothes and put my record collection in the rest of the suitcase. I wouldn’t want thieves taking my precious American music albums.

I walk down to the evacuation center. People are rushing here and there. In a small town like this people get all riled up over every little thing. It’s just for a few days, a mild inconvenience, nothing more. The only sad part about it is I won’t be able to hold hands with Alena for almost another week. Some men in uniforms are shouting, but most of us have more sense than this and are just filing onto the buses.  The only difference between today and most other days is the luggage and a bit of confusion. It’s certainly a kind of feeling I’m not accustomed to. Today there is something else in the air; it’s colorless, odorless, weightless, but certainly present. I’m not sure what to call it. As the buses roll away I lean back in my chair and look out the window. It’s almost as beautiful as yesterday.

First day out in wilderness and it’s gorgeous. I already feel this real connection with the world around me. Why didn’t I think of this sooner? Fuck society with its greed-based economic system, its utter reliance on slothfulness, its rape of the environment, the way we throw away just so we can consume more. Thank you Emerson. Thank you Thorough. Thank you for liberating me. I came out to this woods with nothing more than an ax and this journal.  This is the first time in my life I’ve ever heard real silence. When I finally turned off my Blackberry, escaped the noisy cities and freeways, and turned down my iPod  I could finally listen for the first time.  In this kind of silence I can hear the earth pulsating, whisperings to me private messages that only I can hear. From here on out it’s just me and the world. For the first time in my life I am an individual and self sufficient.

November 3^rd

Birds make such lovely noises; I think I can hear what they are talking about. I think they’re saying it’s going to be a mild winter. 

November 14^th

Sorry it’s been so tough keeping up with this journal, the first few days have been a bit difficult. Didn’t realize the kind of work it would take to actually build a log cabin. Every muscle in my body is on fire, and my current residence I would barely consider a home, or even a shanty. Food has also been problematic.  Being a vegan and someone who only ate organic back in the plastic world I thought I’d easily be able to make the transition into just eating berries and things.   This is not so.  I’ve gotten food poisoning from nearly everything I’ve eaten. Why is this so difficult, why won’t nature let me bond with it?

November 27^th

I think today is thanksgiving. It is thanksgiving and I have nothing to eat.  I tried to kill an animal today.  I’m so hungry, I tried to kill a poor little dear. I had the bow and the arrows and it was right in my sights.  It moseyed right up to me, like it wanted me to kill it. “Go ahead, just shoot me right here, you can nibble on me, no one’s watching.” I had in my sight and I just couldn’t release the bow.  Damn my dogma, damn my karma, damn my empathy, damn all of it. I wish I could’ve dropped that forest rat but in the end I knew I couldn’t. I love animals. Animals are the only things I’ve ever related to and I can’t kill my brothers. It’s society I don’t feel relation to. In fact I’d feel more comfortable eating a person. Yea, a nice fat republican bastard. Anne Coulter is probably a bit to skinny so I’d have to stick with a nice sized Glenn Beck. I wonder if neo-conservatives cook like tufu?

1. Heat a non-stick frying pan on medium with olive oil, or your favorite cooking oil
2. Add a pinch of asefetida (hing) or a crushed garlic clove to the oil for extra flavor
3. Cut Glenn Beck into 1 inch chunks, and add to food processor
4. If you don’t have one, mash by hand or with a potato masher, and finely chop the parsley or basil first
5. Throw in everything else and mix well by hand, or on low in the food processor just until it all clumps up
6. Form into eight 3 – 4 inch patties
7. Fry in small amount of oil, on medium heat, 5-7 minutes on each side, or until golden brown

I always used this for Tufu burgers. And I’m just kidding about the cannibalism. HAHA! …right?

December 4^th

I’m a fucking dead man. My parents were right, my boss was right, my ex-girlfriend was right. I wasn’t ready. I just want to go home. Fuck nature with its food chain, and it’s dirt, and it’s fucking bears, and it’s destructive storms, and it’s lack of compassion. I used to protest global warming, now all I want is a little heat so I won’t freeze to death.  I used look down on meat eaters, now I would laugh at every last cow in factory farms for just one slice of steak. I used to drive my hybrid past every Exxon and yell “Fuck you!” now I would suck every dick at Halliburton so just an ounce of fuel for a fire.  I’m so sorry McDonalds, my apologies Walmart, Starbucks, no hard feelings ma’am.

December 9^th

I noticed something, everyone goes up in arms when animals get hurt at a lab or whatever but no one gives a shit if an animal get’s killed or injured in nature. Nature is just as much of an asshole as a scientist. At least scientists have purpose.

December 15^th

Fuckers. I came out here to transcend. They said I’d become enlightened. They said I’d find myself.  Is this who I am? A man starving to death in the woods during a blizzard? Those Fuckers.

December 23^rd

My stomach is eating itself. I swear I can hear it. No. Listen. CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP. My small intestines are crying like babies. Cheer up babies, it’s almost Christmas and SANTA CLAUS is coming! But only if you’re good. Haha, we’ve been really good. Haven’t we digestive track. Haven’t we?

December 25^th

Merry Christmas.  I’m walking out of here.  Happy Holidays. I think I can make it. Yes it can’t be that far! Have a good 4^th of July! I’m sure I hear a town out in the distance! Happy Columbus Day! Presidents day! Three day weekend! I can eat some of this. I can eat some of this. Yes some of this will be good.

(The page is torn here.)

Every snowflake is different
Unique in its own special way
all the same color
composed of the same frozen liquid
moving downward in the same way

Everyone is unique
Just like a snowflake.

Poems are manly.

Itchy, itchy, itchy.  It’s a suit that’s probably a year to late to fit. My grandmother says how much I’ve grown, which I know already because my suit doesn’t fit.  We all pile into the old church that my parents say they got married in.  We drove a long way just to go to mass, but it’s a Friday and it’s not Easter so I’m not sure why we’re in church.  I lean over to my Mom and ask why we drove so far to go to the church they got married in on a Friday while wearing my Easter suit that’s too small.  She tells me to be quiet and stop fidgeting.  My brother elbows me hard in that playful way that still hurts but I try not flinch.  He says I’m too young to understand. I’m only 2 years younger than him and I get more gold stars in class than anyone else so what does he know?  I pinch him, playful but hopefully hard enough to hurt. He doesn’t flinch and says something about a funeral.  I put on a sad face and ask him who died.  He isn’t sure, maybe my dad’s great aunt or great cousin or someone else. I feel bad for not crying but I look over at my dad and he’s not crying so I think its O.K.  I ask my brother if I knew this person. He says she met us once but we were really little so I probably wouldn’t remember.

I wonder if she remembered me. I wonder how little I was.  I wonder why I can’t remember when I was a baby. My first memory was my third birthday; I see my presents under my parent’s bed, wrapped in Aladdin wrapping paper.  It’s weird how well I remember everything about that day but nothing a day before it.  I guess you learn how to remember on your third birthday. My little cousin is here, he’s only five, I wonder if he remembers anything before his third birthday. Maybe you can’t remember anything before then because you don’t really do much.  Crawl around on your stomach; look at colorful things for hours, cry and other stuff I would call dull even on a rainy day.  My mom slaps my leg to pay attention.

I try and get as comfortable as possible in the old wooden chairs.  What is even more difficult is trying to convince the hundred-year-old holy bench not to screech or cry out.  The priest is talking on and on and on and on about life and death and I can’t help but daydream.  I find a little niche in the wood and start rubbing it with my finger like it’s one of those stress rocks my dad’s started to use.  I look over at people to my right and some of them are crying and some of them aren’t.  It’s weird how everyone is wearing the same color, like we’re all those seals I saw when we went to California.  One lady is balling her eyes out like that time I rode my bike into that ditch and flew into that big tree. I look back over at my dad to make sure it’s still O.K. that I’m not crying.  He isn’t still, just looking down and staying hunched over, rubbing his little smooth rock and glistening a little like after he goes on his morning walk.

People are standing up in front of us now and getting into a long line that’s headed for the front of the church.  The line is much straighter than the line that waits for recess everyday at my school, but they look just as anxious as we do when we’re about to run out to the playground. Everyone is waddling slowly towards the front like penguins ready to slide on their bellies into arctic water. My mom asks me and my brother to stay here but we both complain and after a few seconds she gives in.  We stand up and start to make our way down the line very slowly. I look at the colorful windows that line both sides of the church.  The pictures on them are shooting colors out and making the people in front me change into different bright colors like chameleons.  The most beautiful of all these windows was the one behind the box and the Altar.  It was a picture of Easter and it made shapes that danced and danced on flowers that were right below it.  Daisies and tulips swirled and sparkled like the Pacific Ocean. Did you know that the Pacific Ocean has gold flakes in it? It’s true, my teacher said so.

I nearly run into my brother who is standing in front of me in line but has finally stopped at the box.  His facial expression turns much graver and at first I can’t see what he sees.  Then I stand on my tip-toes and see what’s inside the big elaborate wooden box. I see a shriveled old woman who looks peaceful but is much stiller than any of my G.I. Joes at home. The woman who is my dad’s aunt or great cousin or someone else stands out from everyone else because she is wearing an eloquent white dress that looks almost like a wedding dress. Almost.  Her eyes are softly closed like the way Sleeping Beauty’s eyes are closed in that story book my grandmother used to read to me. My mother nudges me to keep walking so I leave the woman who looks like she’s almost Sleeping Beauty or almost getting married.  I go back to my seat and continue to play with the little wooden indent and think about the Pacific Ocean. I have to let my dad squeeze by me. I see my dad’s red blushing face and for the first time in my life I see him almost cry. Almost.

We sit there for a long time while everyone else walks up to the front.  Organ music echoes through the church that my parents got married in while everyone takes turns crying or kneeling or sitting up very straight. I lift my head up as high as I can to get another view of the beautiful window behind the box and the Altar so I can see the flowers dance in wonderful colors to the people dressed in all black, but clouds are blocking the sun’s shine so the flowers stay as still as the woman who was my dad’s aunt or great cousin or someone else.

Speaking of which, we are filming next week a short Matt wrote featuring Matt, Kristi, and myself (I know I know, me acting…).  It’s a pretty short romantic comedy we’ll be filming at UNCC and we need extra’s so hit us up if you interested and bored next Friday evening!

Thanks for stopping by and have a look around!

~Erik

P.S. We’re taking suggestions for the site so if you think of something cool/logical hit us up!

NOTES:

This film stars an actual, real-life, professional actor we found on the internet. WOW. It was really great working with a professional, especially when we are working with equipment I built out of roller skate wheels and PVC pipe. Besides a few eyerolls and A LOT of strange looks from the residents of Hillsbourgh this shoot was a lot of fun.