A Lot to Talk About X

At this point in the game, I like everyone so no one’s departure is without pain. I was scared for Zach—his imperilment only goes to show that people vote according to the last film seen, not the totality of a filmmaker’s work. Can I just say, dopes!

So the theme this week was the American car. Thankfully no one tried to remake American Graffiti as I assumed they might.

Adam's Driving Under the Influence was a car chase AND a musical! While it was completely goofy it was also very funny, even if it fell somewhat flat at the end, losing the sort of gargantuan quality of musical number of that sort requires.

Sam's Backseat Driver Test was based on a hilarious, relatable concept but was imperfectly executed, a joke that couldn’t quite hold the attention of the time given it.

Zach did a sequel for to a film he regards as his worst showing — now that takes chutzpah! Did he find redemption? The Bonus Feature II really didn't go anywhere beyond a germ of a story and while it was technically fabulous, it was far from perfect (sword choreography anyone?). So why was I smiling so at the end? Perhaps because his films never take themselves too seriously and always leave with a wink.

The Move was a lot of buildup for next to nothing. While I understood it perfectly, despite the judges confusion, the third act was nothing more than a tag and didn’t justify the length set up.

Will has slowly but methodically shown himself not only a contender but a real threat to Zach. His films are innovative and charming and might just end up winning the race. No filmmaker has grown on me more in this competition. His spirit is infectious. Road Rage 101, about a car getting back at its owner, was easily the best of the night!

It’s interesting that even when they are not required to do so, the filmmakers inevitably turn to comedy. There hasn’t even been a dramatic requirement in the show. I can understand that comedies are crowd pleasers and stick around in voter’s minds, but there is a part of me that regrets the superficiality inherent in blockbuster-skewing light fare. Next week’s logline inspired story will only ensure this continues (a man wakes up in a dress…). Still it will be interesting to see all the filmmakers tackle the same storyline.