Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009
A Guide to What's Playing at M.B. Film Fest
All films featured during the 5th annual Myrtle Beach International Film Festival will be screened at Carmike Cinema Broadway 16 at Broadway at the Beach, Myrtle Beach, between noon and 11:40 p.m. each day, from Tuesday through Saturday, Dec. 5. Box office ticket prices range between $5.50 and $8.50 for a two-hour block. Also, $25 day passes and $75 event passes are available only by calling Dalton Picture and Entertainment Company at 497-0220.
Features are unrated (except the faith-based Dove Rated features) and some may not be suitable for children. Times are subject to minor revision. Many features have Web links to trailers, and extensive filmmaker interviews, and are available at myrtlebeachfilmfestival.com.
TUESDAY, DEC. 1
Block No. 1 (Noon- 2 p.m.)
› "Worth" (short, seven minutes) - The value, or worth of an item, like a violin that shows up at an auction, is relative. What's it really worth? Find out in the clever twist.
› "Yesterday's Dream" (feature, 95 minutes) - Yearning to meet a woman, settle down, and raise a family, a 40-year-old septic system cleaner, must deal with his abusive father first.
Block No. 2 (2:30-4:30 p.m.)
› "Marvin's Plan" (short, 25 minutes) - A nerdy middle-aged man concocts a shocking plan to find a woman and trick her into having his baby.
› "Blue Gold" (documentary, 90 minutes) - Global warming and the ever-growing value of fresh water is explored in this sobering look into the possible near future.
Block No. 3 (5-7 p.m.)
› "Pratt Brothers: Builders of Zion" (documentary, 115 minutes) - Follow the lives of a pioneer missionary family who helped build the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Faith-based.
Block No. 4 (7:30- 9:30 p.m.)
› "Pants on Fire" (short, seven minutes) - An eight-year-old Catholic girl catches her dad lying. She decides to seek revenge, leading to a comedic and violent turn of events.
› "Hollywood On Fire" (documentary, 107 minutes) - Explores the role of faith in early Hollywood-movie making and how Christians in the movie business strive to maintain their integrity.
Block No. 5 (9:40 -11:40 p.m.)
› "Chinese Antiques" (short, 17 minutes) - A bratty teenager is forced to work at a Chinese antique shop but undergoes a transformation as he learns about the artifacts.
› "Circle Unbroken" (short, 25 minutes) - Filmed in the South Carolina Lowcountry, this magical, heartwarming family film is the retelling of an acclaimed children's story.
› "High Heels" (short, 14 minutes) - A pair of red shoes and a trolley accident turn a man into one mortified by all shoes in this mildly dark comedy.
› "Full Signal" (documentary, 65 minutes) - Scientists from around the world discuss the health hazards of cell phone antennas and cellular towers. Filmed in 10 countries and six U.S. states.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2
Block No. 6 (Noon - 2 p.m.)
› "The Truth about Me" (short, 10 minutes) - A teenager decides his shallow classmates need a taste of their own medicine, but discovers that perhaps he's judged them too harshly.
› "A Voice from the Lantern" (short, 18 minutes) - An unusual story of a distraught, suicidal Japanese woman and her struggle for sanity and dignity with help from an equally unusual friend.
› "The Death of Alice Blue" (feature, 86 minutes) - Alice Blue discovers her workmates are vampires and she, along with a group of eccentrics, must prevent their evil schemes.
Block No. 7 (2:30-4:30 p.m.)
› "Old Grace" (short, 23 minutes) - An untimely death of a son, forces a father and his grandson on a road trip to deal with the tragedy.
› "Old Days" (short, 23 minutes) - A 74-year-old woman must find her place within a retirement home full of eccentrics and their social niches.
› "Children of All Ages" (documentary, 76 minutes) The Sailor Circus, a long-running children's circus, is explored and celebrated in this documentary filled with amazing feats.
Block No. 8 (5-7 p.m.)
› "Escrow: The Musical" (feature, 116 minutes) - Three up-and-coming actors have five days to mount a production that could effect their friendships and careers.
Block No. 9 (7:30-9:30 p.m.)
› "Lunatics, Lovers & Poets" (feature, 120 minutes) - This award-winning film by John Scoular features a struggling novelist, who finds himself on the verge of success when his homeless father, who loves to quote Shakespeare, returns home after a 20-year absence.
Block No. 10 (9:40-11:40 p.m.)
› "Werewolf Trouble" (short, 7 minutes) - Ryan is a werewolf with a problem - he wakes one morning partially transformed and finds his two best friends might not be on his side.
› "The Crimson Mask" (feature, 95 minutes) - Taking first place at several festivals, this crime-noir fantasy thriller pits two men from different worlds in a not-so-different struggle against greed, lust, pride and anger set in a timeless New York City.
THURSDAY, DEC. 3
Block No. 11 (Noon-2 p.m.)
› "One for Love" (short, 8 minutes) - A tale concerning second chances and the power of film to help an individual reflect the past and grasp the future.
› "Finale" (documentary, 52 minutes) - An historical look into the lives of five generations of the Wilson family's nomadic life in the circus.
› "The Lanza Sessions" (documentary, 56 minutes) - "This documentary celebrates the musical legacy of the most popular operatic singer of the 20th Century," according to "The Lanza Sessions'" Web site. Mario Lanza is featured, with archival footage and recreations and testimonials to his talent.
Block No. 12 (2:30-4:30 p.m.)
› "Ramblin' Round" (short, 22 minutes) - It's a bitter pill to swallow when you realize your imaginary life is no better than your real one.
› "Curse of the Sapphire Pendant" (short, 22 minutes) - Anthony is madly in love and can't see that his cousin is only pretending to like him to get her hands on the family heirloom: The Sapphire Pendant.
› "The Stoop" (short, 22 minutes) - An unlikely friendship tests the bonds within two traditional families.
› "The Thirty Thing" (short, 15 minutes) - Still living at home, Matt's thirtieth birthday approaches and life's stresses reach a critical mass.
› "29 Days, 12 Hours, 49 Minutes, 3 Seconds" (short, 18 minutes) - Albert is a taxi driver who refuses to acknowledge the death of his daughter 19-years prior, leaving her bedroom untouched.
Block No. 13 (5- 7 p.m.)
› "Butterscotch" (short, 18 minutes) - Starting in a suicide therapist's waiting room, this sobering, yet comical tale of three unlikely friends explores their plans for their own funerals.
› "My Sweet Misery" (feature, 107 minutes) - Written and directed by Myrtle Beach native Matthew William Jordan and shot along the Grand Strand, this dark comedy centers on Sam, and two interesting women who come into his life.
Block No. 14 (7:30-9:30 p.m.)
› "Without" (short, 4 minutes) - Trapped by a vicious Doberman, a woman tries to break free and discover who her captor really is.
› "Jalebi" (short, 7 minutes) - Jalebi (a fried Indian sweet), competes for the affections of a man.
› "Crescendo" (short, 7 minutes) - A cross-cultural relationship turns out altogether different than expected.
› "Mai Altri" (short, 13 minutes) - A seasoned photographer reflects on the passing of time in the course of one summer evening.
› "Daruber Hinaus" (short, 23 minutes) - Eighteen-year-old Fabian thinks he may be communing with his dead, older brother.
› "Little Lies" (feature, 53 minutes) - A young father repeats the mistakes his own father made.
Block No. 15 (9:40-11:40 p.m.)
› "Little Red Riding Hood" (short, 15 minutes) - A modernization of the iconic fairy tale, shot in the scenic South Shore area of Massachusetts.
› "Hop Holder Lane" (short, 15 minutes) - Set in Texas, an estranged father and son embark on a motorcycle road trip, hoping to bond. An act of violence becomes the turning point.
› "Route 30" (feature, 88 minutes) - A comedy that includes a Civil War tour guide, an Internet porn entrepreneur, a Christian Scientist, an irreverent Amish woman, and Bigfoot.
FRIDAY, DEC. 4
Block No. 16 (Noon - 2 p.m.)
› "Le Retour" (short, 20 minutes) - Finding it difficult to readjust, Katherine, after studying abroad in France, returns home to southern California.
› "The Rack" (short, 30 minutes) - A guilt-ridden man, a restless soul, and a veteran cop meet one night along the river at New York City's Battery Park.
› "Subprime" (documentary, 75 minutes) - An examination of the current world-wide economic meltdown, the bursting of the housing bubble, and the Wall Street leaders who allowed it to happen.
Block No. 17 (2:30-4:30 p.m.)
› "The Seventh Floor" (short, 26 minutes) - Set in 1940s San Francisco, this short film unites a gambling private detective and a cast of characters.
› "Wrench" (short, 14 minutes) - An employment ad turns Alan's world upside down.
› "Time Traveler" (short, 20 minutes) - In 1961 Carter Cartwright is recruited by the U.S. Air Force to be the first Time Pilot to fight the Soviet Union.
› "Pappy Boyington Field" (documentary, 65 minutes) - This documentary tells the story of the grass roots efforts to honor a WWII hero, Pappy Boyington, the commander of the famed Black Sheep Squadron.
Block No. 18 (5-7 p.m.)
› "Sweetie" (short, 12 minutes) - A father and his softball-playing daughter join forces in a comedy as they work together on her game skills and his priorities.
› "A Life Connected" (short, 14 minutes) - You are responsible for you...but your actions touch other people's lives, even those you've never met.
› "9th and Bay" (feature, 90 minutes) - Born in the inner city, a pro fighter struggles to provide for his family.
Block No. 19 (7:30-9:30 p.m.)
› "Couch Therapy" (commercial, 2 minutes) - A commercial that is not as it seems on the surface.
› "Reel Politics" (short, 4 minutes) - A politician attempts to spin the truth to a constituent.
› "Jeopardy" (short, 10 minutes) - A serial killer stalks a young woman in this cinema noir short.
› "Rounds" (feature, 102 minutes) - Three friends are on a private quest to find out what friendship means, through betrayals, and tests. Set in Hollywood's "rock 'n' roll nights and coffee house days," according to the movie's producers.
Block No. 20 (9:40-11:40 p.m.)
› "Take my Wife" (short, 22 minutes) - In a comedy of errors a married couple mistakenly hires a hit man instead of a gigolo.
› "Rust" (short, 20 minutes) - Hover Gill, an avid hunter, falls ill and agrees to be set up with Bette Goldstein. Things are fine until Gill realizes marriage is suddenly on the table.
› "Hotel Chelsea" (feature, 74 minutes) - A Japanese couple honeymoon in New York City, but murders turn this honeymoon tale into a horror flick, Japanese-style.
SATURDAY, DEC. 5
Block No. 21 (Noon-2 p.m.)
› "Charlie Thistle" (short, 15 minutes) - Charlie works in the Department of Normality, where change is not allowed, especially when Charlie suggests a world of indoor trees, and sidewalks made of grass.
› "Lawinda" (documentary, 29 minutes) - The mountains of South Carolina are the backdrop for this true account of a Walhalla family and their backyard golf course.
› "All for Liberty" (feature, 85 minutes) - Based on the true story of Captain Henry Felder and his resistance in South Carolina to revolution-era British tyranny.
Block No. 22 (2:30-4:30 p.m.) › "Valentines" (animation, 2 minutes) - Ben has to choose between Alice and Cindy. Only one can be his girlfriend.
› "Stephanie" (animation/art, 7 minutes) - Five-year-old Stephanie shares her world of family, friends and dreams in a monologue, that captures the essence of childhood. Combined live-action and animation.
› "Skylight" (animation, 5 minutes) An animated mockumentary about the plight of Antarctic penguins.
› "Artois the Goat" (feature, 110 minutes) - "One goat throws a young man's life into disorder as he struggles to reclaim his honor by crafting the finest cheese the world has ever known," according to the movie's Web site.
Block No. 23 (5-7 p.m.)
› "And What Remains" (short, 10 minutes) - A story of regret, reconciliation, and hope, a father and son attempt to reconnect. Set in eastern Kansas.
› "Single Drop of You" (music video, 5 minutes) - Two people fall magically in love in this timeless story.
› "Ignis Fatuus" (music video, 5 minutes) - Operatic hard rock 'n'roll band Autumn Tragedy's music video tells the story of a near-future world where too much freedom is frowned upon.
› "City of Noise" (music video, 5 minutes) - The Summerlads' song tells the story of a man competing against different realities bridging space and time.
› "Yeardly" (feature, 88 minutes) - A drama that explores the life of a married man, who is focused only on his sexual desires, thus short-changing his family.
Block No. 24 (7:30-9:30 p.m.)
› "Christopher Dispossessed" (short, 13 minutes) - Though he was too late to stop the wedding, he can still wreak havoc on the marriage.
› "Little Devil" (short, 21 minutes) - "The life and death of Republican political mastermind Lee Atwater," according to the movie's Web site.
› "Patrol" (short, 21 minutes) - Norm, a mall security guard, pretends to be a hardened cop to impress his visiting six-year-old son.
› "Head in the Sand" (short, 15 minutes) - Henry is disillusioned with what he finds in the Afghanistan War.
› "Carter" (short, 21 minutes) - A classic-styled 1880s Western, the story follows Carter, a wandering blind man who happens to also be an exceptional gunslinger.
› "Death's Door" (short, 12 minutes) - "One man, one curse, one stiff a day," according to the movie's Web site.
› "True Beauty this Night" (short, 10 minutes) - In this award-winning short, Rhett Somers must convince the love of his life that she's the only one, which will prove to be tricky.
- Compiled by Paul Grimshaw, for Weekly Surge
