"Repetition is a form of change," said Brian Eno, a pivotal figure in the development of electronic music. David Wexler quotes this at the start of his documentary about composer William Basinski. Twice. By this time the original Disintegration Loops album is already playing and we are reminded that it is 63 minutes long. Some viewers will find this funny, some relaxing. If you're in the latter group, don't worry. Wexler quickly drops the imitation in favour of analysis and conversation. The Loops resurface at strategic intervals in a more complex soundtrack, just as Basinski's story ebbs and flows within a wider reaching portrait of New York City.
Basinski's life is every inch a New York story. Years spent on the breadline, eking a living as an electronic musician, much admired by his small community but with no means of breaking through into the mainstream. Going from party to party, always.
Basinski's life is every inch a New York story. Years spent on the breadline, eking a living as an electronic musician, much admired by his small community but with no means of breaking through into the mainstream. Going from party to party, always.
- 3/28/2021
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
"Trying to make something from nothing..." An early festival promo trailer has debuted for a documentary film titled Disintegration Loops, which is premiering at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival this week. The film is a 45-minute doc, directed by David Wexler, about the "avant-garde composer" William Basinski. It was made while they were quarantined in the midst of Covid-19. All of the interviews are shot on Zoom, interspersed with dramatically eerie shots of an almost empty NYC at the outset of the pandemic. Along with tons of archival footage. As the 20th anniversary of 9/11 looms near, Basinski contemplates the enduring legacy of his album "The Disintegration Loops" (his elegy to the 2001 Attacks) during the 2020 pandemic. This is yet another "made during the pandemic" creation, but I'm intrigued. Seems poetic and philosophical. Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for David Wexler's Disintegration Loops, from YouTube: As the 20th anniversary of 9/11 looms near,...
- 3/15/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
A year after its in-person 2020 edition was canceled due to the pandemic, the SXSW Film Festival is bellying up for yet another virtual edition. But with a year of learning and innovating behind them — not to mention the lessons of a variety of other festivals that have gone the virtual route over the past 365 days — the SXSW team is preparing to offer up a multi-faceted event with ease. One major change: a single-serving pass that will get you into everything. (Learn more about that process right here.)
With reservations for film and episodics screenings open this afternoon, allow us to guide you toward a dozen of our most-anticipated picks for this year’s festival. Some of these titles have appeared at other events, but are just landing on U.S. shores (and screens now), while at least one is a holdover from last year’s truncated SXSW festival. All of...
With reservations for film and episodics screenings open this afternoon, allow us to guide you toward a dozen of our most-anticipated picks for this year’s festival. Some of these titles have appeared at other events, but are just landing on U.S. shores (and screens now), while at least one is a holdover from last year’s truncated SXSW festival. All of...
- 3/9/2021
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
The SXSW Film Festival has today announced its full 2021 feature film lineup, in addition to a variety of episodic offerings and special events. The program will be available entirely online to passholders, along with the other components of the festival. As previously announced, the festival will open with “Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil,” director Michael D. Ratner’s multi-part YouTube Originals look at the singer’s efforts to rebuild her life after a 2018 drug overdose. Its closing night selection is “Alone Together,” Bradley Pell and Pablo Jones-Soler’s look at pop star Charli Xcx, who produced an album in quarantine. Seventy-five feature films were selected for the festival from a three-week submission period last October, including 57 world premieres.
The festival finds SXSW returning to the festival circuit one year after the gathering was canceled by Austin mayor as the coronavirus pandemic spread throughout the United States. SXSW film head...
The festival finds SXSW returning to the festival circuit one year after the gathering was canceled by Austin mayor as the coronavirus pandemic spread throughout the United States. SXSW film head...
- 2/10/2021
- by Eric Kohn and Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
28th edition of Texas festival will run online-only from March 16-20.
SXSW Online 2021 has unveiled its full film line-up of 75 features as well as shorts, episodics and special events, and announced Charli Xcx documentary Alone Together from Bradley Bell and Pablo Jones-Soler as the closing film.
The Headliners selection about quarantined pop star Charli Xcx making an album that unifies a community appears in that section alongside Mary Wharton’s documentary Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free, and previously announced SXSW opener Demi Lovato: Dancing With The Devil.
The 28th edition of SXSW will run from March 16-20. Seven films...
SXSW Online 2021 has unveiled its full film line-up of 75 features as well as shorts, episodics and special events, and announced Charli Xcx documentary Alone Together from Bradley Bell and Pablo Jones-Soler as the closing film.
The Headliners selection about quarantined pop star Charli Xcx making an album that unifies a community appears in that section alongside Mary Wharton’s documentary Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free, and previously announced SXSW opener Demi Lovato: Dancing With The Devil.
The 28th edition of SXSW will run from March 16-20. Seven films...
- 2/10/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
At the virtual Burning Man festival this year was an electronic artist named Xen — an emerging act who gave a trippy digital DJ set while dark, metallic tendrils surrounded the booth. The show wasn’t out of the norm for Edm. But Xen herself is — because she isn’t alive.
Xen is an animated character created by Spirit Bomb, a new “virtual artist label” born out of media production company Strangeloop Studios. Inspired in part by artists who use virtual personas like Hatsune Miku and the Gorillaz, and also by...
Xen is an animated character created by Spirit Bomb, a new “virtual artist label” born out of media production company Strangeloop Studios. Inspired in part by artists who use virtual personas like Hatsune Miku and the Gorillaz, and also by...
- 10/15/2020
- by Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
A documentary short film about Third Eye Blind will premiere at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival, screening in New York City on April 17th. Titled Motorcycle Drive By, the film will focus on the band’s song by the same name.
Released on their 1997 self-titled debut — which included the hits “Semi-Charmed Life” and “How’s It Going to Be” — “Motorcycle Drive By” almost wasn’t included on the record due to label concerns.
Directed by David Wexler, the short film will trace the backstory of the song and highlight how it miraculously became a fan favorite,...
Released on their 1997 self-titled debut — which included the hits “Semi-Charmed Life” and “How’s It Going to Be” — “Motorcycle Drive By” almost wasn’t included on the record due to label concerns.
Directed by David Wexler, the short film will trace the backstory of the song and highlight how it miraculously became a fan favorite,...
- 3/5/2020
- by Angie Martoccio
- Rollingstone.com
Embodying every cliché of the working class New York City loudmouth is long-time local legend Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, an organization of do-gooders who formed in 1977 in a McDonalds on Fordham Road in the Bronx. His new documentary Vigilante: The Incredible True Story of Curits Sliwa and the Guardian Angels, directed by David Wexler, is an entertaining yet one-sided look at the organization told mostly through an extended interview with Sliwa and archival footage of New York in the Ed Koch, David Dinkins, and Rudy Giuliani eras. The lattermost mayor would finally give credit to the Guardian Angels while Koch and the NYPD fought against the collective, which initially was founded as a neighborhood watch. Only later as crack rock hit the poorest neighborhoods of color would the Angels become more proactive, robbing crack dealers, throwing the product in the sewer, and giving the cash proceeds to soup kitchens.
- 11/25/2017
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
Director: David Wexler Writer: David Wexler Starring: Jonathan Sollis, Margarita Levieva, Aidan Quinn, Jonathan Reed Wexler, Arija Bareikis Zoe (Jonathan Sollis) is a stand up comedian who is desperately in love with his beautiful girlfriend Miranda (Julia Dennis). Miranda dies suddenly, slingshotting Zoe into a bitter and jaded state of depression. Then, after one year of being "Mr. Doom and Gloom", Zoe finds himself forced to...ummm...teach kindergarten? That is right! But, luckily there is a super cute fellow kindergarten teacher, Veronica (Margarita Levieva). And, well, I think we all know exactly where the story goes from here... But it is how it gets there that is pretty darn fantastic. Jonathan Sollis, for one, is excellent as Zoe. Not only does he have a great rapport with the kindergarteners, but he plays the formulaic role with utmost sincerity and naturalism. It also helps that Sollis is not your typical...
- 10/18/2011
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: A handful of stellar titles with Oscar aspirations have been programmed into this year’s Austin Film Festival schedule, which begins on Oct. 20 with an as-yet-unnamed Opening Night selection.
In between, Aff audiences will get their first looks at Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants,” Steve McQueen’s “Shame,” Lynne Ramsay’s “We Need to Talk About Kevin,” Rodrigo Garcia’s “Albert Nobbs” and Sean Durkin’s “Martha Marcy May Marlene” – all films with awards hopes that will screen as part of the festival’s Marquee category.
“We’re proud to be taking our program in some exciting new directions while maintaining our focus on strong writing and engaging stories,” said new Film Programmers Stephen Jannise and Stephen Belyeu.
In addition, the fest has set up special screenings of “Toy Story” (presented by John Lasseter), an “Edward Scissorhands” screening, and a tribute to Polly Platt...
Hollywoodnews.com: A handful of stellar titles with Oscar aspirations have been programmed into this year’s Austin Film Festival schedule, which begins on Oct. 20 with an as-yet-unnamed Opening Night selection.
In between, Aff audiences will get their first looks at Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants,” Steve McQueen’s “Shame,” Lynne Ramsay’s “We Need to Talk About Kevin,” Rodrigo Garcia’s “Albert Nobbs” and Sean Durkin’s “Martha Marcy May Marlene” – all films with awards hopes that will screen as part of the festival’s Marquee category.
“We’re proud to be taking our program in some exciting new directions while maintaining our focus on strong writing and engaging stories,” said new Film Programmers Stephen Jannise and Stephen Belyeu.
In addition, the fest has set up special screenings of “Toy Story” (presented by John Lasseter), an “Edward Scissorhands” screening, and a tribute to Polly Platt...
- 9/20/2011
- by Sean O'Connell
- Hollywoodnews.com
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