The Michigan Daily - michigancaily.com
Monday, January 30, 2012 - 5A
Missing 'Community'
The premiering fil, "For a Good Time, Call ..." was offered a $2 million distribution deal from Focus Features.
Sun dance delivers
Independent film
festival brought
raunchy fun to A2
By ADITI MISHRA
Daily Arts Writer
The streets surrounding East
Liberty were swarmed late
Thursday night as the Michigan
Theater played host to a little
piece of Sundance Film Festival.
The lines streaming out of the
theater - though bested by those
filled with hopeful attendees of
* President Obama's speech out-
side the Union earlier the same
day - illustrated the amount
of support and curiosity for the
independent cinema hosted at the
theater.
Inside, the usually noticeable
staircase and chandelier were
lost in a sea of heads. All who
entered were greeted by gigantic,
golden snowflakes projected onto
the opulent ceiling.
When executive director Russ
Collins finally walked out to
introduce the premiering film,
"For a Good Time, Call ...," he was
greeted by deafening applause.
Attendees sent a loud and clear
message - they were there for an
event, not just a movie.
The film's director, Jamie
Travis, aroused the expectant
crowd's attention by saying: "I
know you're here for something
raunchy ... I hope you're satisfied."
Judging by the laughter echo-
ing through the theater's main
hall in the hour-and-a-half that
followed, Travis's wish may very
well have come true. The audi-
ence viewed a "Bridesmaids"-
esque female comedy revolving
around two college enemies
united after graduation by their
mutual friend Jesse (Justin Long,
"Funny People"). Katie (Ari
Graynor, "The Sitter") needs a
roommate to help pay her apart-
ment's steep rent and Lauren
(Lauren Miller, "50/50") needs
somewhere to live after getting
dumped by her egocentric boy-
friend Charlie (James Wolk, "You
Again").
When Lauren loses her job, she
joins Katie as a business partner
in her secret night-time business:
a phone sex hotline. According
to first-time screenwriter Katie
Anne Naylon, this premise wasn't
just a figment of her imagination.
"I briefly had a phone sex line
in my college dorm," said the
Florida State alum.
Producers Naylon and Miller
found the initial funding to create
the project from Miller's brother,
investment banker Dan Miller.
Naylon later contacted Travis
after reading a New York Times
profile on him, and he was on
board within a matter of weeks.
"I loved how 'estrogenic' this
was. I loved how daring this was.
We automatically formed this
great group of four at Lauren's
table and created the film," Tra-
vis recalled.
It seems Dan Miller wasn't
the only one who valued the
script's bravado. Twenty-four
hours after premiering in Sun-
dance, the film was offered a
$2 million distribution deal by
Focus Features, joining a group
of 11 other Sundance films that
garnered distributors.
But Thursday night wasn't
about distribution deals for the
individuals behind "For a Good
Time, Call ..." - it was about the
people in the audience.
"Although we've already had
our world premiere, this feels
more like one because the people
(who) are watching this film (are)
the people we made this film for,"
Travis said.
He added: "The response was
great ... I kept thinking, 'You guys
are missing all the jokes, stop
laughing!"'
The audience also heard sexy
jokes told by members of the
film's crew present for the event,
including Miller, Naylon, Travis
and 'U' alum Wolk. At one point,
Miller dished about the only
statement co-star Mimi Rog-
ers made about ex-husband Tom
Cruise during filming - "He real-
ly likes riding motorcycles."
For Travis, the night ended on
a hopeful note: "I'm going to Can-
ada tomorrow to do a KFC com-
mercial, but if the film continues
to do so well, hopefully I'll be
back in the movie business really
soon."
Fifty-three days have
passed since the most
recent episode of "Com-
munity" aired. In those 53 days,
Liz Lemon got a boyfriend, "Jus-
tified" returned and "Homeland"
won a Golden
Globe. But
none of these
successes
can make me
forget about
the blatant
lack of Green-
dale in my KAYLA
life. I can't UPADHYAVA
stop thinking
about all of
the unreal-
ized Jeff Winger speeches, Troy
and Abed shenanigans, and
Britta leather jackets that we've
been denied.
This past November, NBC omi-
nously announced a midseason
schedule devoid of "Community,"
the oft-experimental and most
innovative sitcom you're appar-
ently not watching. Instantly,
Twitter and Facebook erupted
in a fury of expletives and witty
references. I'm still pumping out
tweets ending with "#savecom-
munity" and urging my friends to
kidnap their unfriendly neighbor-
hood NBC execs or occupy Rob-
ert Greenblatt's office.
NBC has assured distressed
fans that the show will finish
filming and air at least the rest
of the season (Troy and Abed in
the ... TBD). But it's clear "Com-
munity" hasn't brought in the
revenue necessary to keep the
big bad network execs satisfied,
and there's little we Human
Beings can do to stop them from
huffing and puffing and blow-
ing Greendale all the way to the
Dark Timeline. Not even Abed as
Batman can save us.
The Legion of Mainstream
Awards Shows was our only hope,
and now it might be too late. I've
been following red carpet events
long enough to know that when it
comes to television, nomination
committees just can't seem to get
it right. I'm still not convinced
that the Hollywood Foreign Press
Association actually watches
television.
As much as I hate giving so
much power to awards shows,
they do affect television ratings.
The viewership of "Mad Men"
increased significantly after the
show raked in several consecu-
tive awards, and "Modern Fam-
ily" became Wednesday night's
highest rated program after win-
ning its Emmy.
After years of my favorite
shows getting snubbed, you'd
think I wouldn't get too worked
up during nomination announce-
ments. But the fact that people
aren't throwing all the awards at
"Community" continues to baffle
me.
It all comes down to the eccen-
tricity of "Community." It's a
show about a community college
study group, but it's also a show
about alternate realities, apoca-
lyptic paintball battles, space
buses and secret-air-conditioner-
repairman societies. The scruffy
and sassy genius Dan Harmon
created "Community" for an odd-
ball audience made up of people
who wear costumes to midnight
releases of comic-book-based
films, speak in puns and still
haven't recovered from the can-
cellation of "Freaks and Geeks"
or "Arrested Development."
Unfortunately, though we
make up about 90 percent of
Twitter users, we're a small
demographic of inter-nerds and
TV junkies who have many a
limited-edition collector's lunch
box but nary a Nielson box. But
the value of a fresh and daring
show like "Community" isn't
something a Nielson box can
calculate.
And while the Golden Globes
are always trying to be "edgy"
and "new" in order to attract a
younger and more diverse audi-
ence, they are about as cutting-
edge as an episode of "The Big
Bang Theory," CBS's time-slot
competitor to "Community."
Some of the best comedies
are those that break the sitcom
mold and take risks, but these
shows don't necessarily bring in
awards. "30 Rock," which can
be as bizarre as "Community,"
is an obvious exception, as it has
received countless awards. But
one of its huge pulls is the popu-
larity of its stars, Tina Fey and
Alec Baldwin. "Community" has
comedy veteran Chevy Chase
and Joel McHale of "The Soup,"
but they aren't the focus - it's an
ensemble show, and many of its
actors are still newbies by Hol-
lywood standards.
Awards shons also love com-
edies that mix feel-good comedy
with social issues. "Glee" caters
to this notion, dedicating epi-
sodes to issues like homophobia
or teen drinking, resolving prob-
lems quickly and then dropping
the issue or watering it down
with a song and dance. The seri-
ous moments are obvious and
trite, making it mindless comedy.
"Modern Family" is sometimes
guilty of this, too.
Too good for
the red carpet.
"Community" makes us
think. At the surface level, it's a
whirlwind of pop culture refer-
ences and absurdity. But these
characters are real people with
real problems - problems that
can't be resolved in one episode
or even a whole season. Jeff has
been dealing with his compli-
cated feelings toward Annie
since season one, Abed's familial
issues are a recurring theme and
Britta is always struggling to
balance her abrasive personality
with a desire to fit in.
No other sitcom can pull off
a Christmas claymation episode
crafted with equal parts wit and
character development, or an
episode about a normal gather-
ing of friends and pizza that
turns into an ingeniously spun
web of six alternate timelines.
This show wasn't designed for
the masses or for mainstream-
awards attention, but if the
all-powerful peacock decides to
make "Community" join Horse-
bot 3000 in its grave, NBC won't
just be forcing us to say goodbye
to the best ensemble on televi-
sion - they'll be setting back
comedy and condemning uncon-
ventionality in sitcoms. Let's be
real, they'll be Britta-ing televi-
sion for the rest of us.
Upadhyaya is stalking
Alison Brie. To intervene,
e-mail kaylau@umich.edu.
Alluring 'Lost Girl'
combines sexy, sci-fi
Neeson prevails in 'Grey'
By KAYLA UPADHYAYA
Senior Arts Editor
In the world of genre tele-
vision, there seems to be an
assumption that a bigger budget
4 makes a better
show. In some
ways, this holds
true - despite Lost Girl
the obvious lack
of character Pilot
development Mondays at
and inconsis-
tent writing in 10P.m.
"True Blood," Syy
millions of
viewers tune in every week to
see the fantastic, heavily stylized
visual effects. But some of the
best genre shows of all time, such
as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and
its spinoff "Angel," operated on
modest budgets, relying instead
on the abilities of their casts and
strength of their stories to craft
spellbinding, evolving shows.
"Lost Girl" - a supernatu-
ral crime drama that debuted
in Canada in 2010 before being
picked up by Syfy this year - has
low production value, but that
hardly detracts from the show.
Yes, the makeup and costumes
are sometimes hideous, and the
special effects are painstakingly
'90s-esque. And of course itwould
be nice for all genre shows to have
the production value of "Game of
Thrones," "The Vampire Diaries"
or "The Walking Dead." But "Lost
Girl" has plenty going for it, and to
simply write it off because it looks
cheap would be unfair.
The show follows Bo (Anna
Silk, "Being Erica"), a stunningly
beautiful bartender who is irre-
sistible to just about everyone.
But Bo can't get physically close to This isn't Sunnydale, where most
anyone --everyoneshe kisses ends humans were completely oblivi-
up dead, an eerie smile plastered pus to supernatural activity. The
across their lifeless face. After Fae are discreet, but they work
rescuing a girl by killing a sexual in the human world. Human-Fae
predator in an elevator, Bo decides relationships are frowned upon
she has to start her life over again. by both sides, but they still hap-
Before she has a chance to go on pen. When Bo and her human
the run, two detectives show up at sidekick Kenzi (Ksenia Solo, "Life
the crime scene and deduce that Unexpected") start freelancing
the murderer could not have been as private investigators in super-
human. Surprise! The detectives natural mysteries, they become
aren't human either, and they a bridge between both worlds,
quickly find Bo and kidnap her for saving innocent Fae and humans
interrogation. alike.
Creating a complex world is
one thing, but "Lost Girl" also
succeeds in populating its world
with powerful, captivating char-
high returns. acters played by an adept cast.
Its leading ladies are particularly
outstanding, and their lack of act-
ing experience goes completely
Bo discovers she is a Fae - a unnoticed - Silk plays Bo with
group of supernaturals divided precision, selling the oft-cheesy
into two factions: the Light and one-liners and nailing the emo-
the Dark. After a steamy scene tional complexities that come
with the Light Fae leader's human with the character's identity cri-
doctor Lauren (Zoie Palmer, ses. And Solo transforms seam-
"The Guard"), Bo learns that she lessly into the best part of this
belongs to the succubi species show, Kenzi: a sassy, bouncy day
specifically. The two detectives drinker. Solo and Silk's chemistry
who brought her in - Dyson (Kris makes Kenzi and Bo's sister-like
Holden-Ried, "The Tudors") and closeness even more engaging
Hale (K.C. Collins, "Blue Mur- than the succubus-werewolf-
der") - are a werewolf and a male doctor love triangle that forms
siren, and it turns out there are between Bo, Dyson and Lauren.
endless species of Fae, all with The effects might make you
ranging abilities. When presented wince, and the show can reach
with the choice ofchoosingtojoin laughable levels of camp, but
the Light or the Dark, she dramat- the characters in "Lost Girl" are
ically chooses neither. Bo wants to instantly lovable, and the writers
live her own life, unbound by the take impressive storytelling risks,
Fae social contract. giving the show speedy, enthrall-
The supernatural world of ing pacing. It's fun, it's sexy, it's
"Lost Girl" is expertly crafted, a show about a bisexual, crime-
mainly because it is so inter- fighting succubus - what's not to
twined with the human world. love?
By AKSHAY SETH
Daily Arts Writer
Liam Neeson punching the
shit out of a rabid pack of man-
eating wolves - the teenage
boy in all of us
could ask for
nothing more
out of two The Grey
hours spent in
a dirty multi- At Quality 16
plex seat. And and Rave
"The Grey," Open Road
despite the
slightly heavy
"true nature of man" philosophy
it tries to peddle, doesn't disap-
point. The story is at least origi-
nal (if not believable), the action
is nail-bitingly good, and best
of all, there's not a single idiotic
pun anywhere.
Writer-director Joe Carna-
han ("The A-Team"), known for
a particularly irritating brand
of overblown and over-directed
adventure flicks, somehow man-
ages to avoid the trap of making
set pieces a higher priority than
actors. The effects are felt clear-
ly at every gripping turn. Each
character is properly fleshed out
and has a distinctive voice that
adds to the rather somber base of
morality the film has been built
around. But Carnahan and new-
comer Ian MacKenzie Jeffers,
who wrote the short story that
inspired the film, don't give us
much of a chance to get too lost
in the bleakness, creating raw
tension through their surpris-
ingly original script.
It's obvious from the get-go
that Neeson is the driving force
behind this film and he adopts
the role well, letting his perfor-
mance maintain a sense of sub-
dued reality in a highly unlikely
situation. The character he
plays, John Ottoway, is a wolf
hunter hired by a large petro-
"Take that, Hugh Jackman."
OPEN ROAD
leum c
protect
from t
quickly
way is
conflic
behind
It
the
But
him an
crashes
northe
old ma
leader:
it's the
son pt
the me
interes
a pack
trackin
Before
ompany. Even though he in the theater is silently cheer-
s his unsavory colleagues ing as our favorite new wolf
he bloodthirsty beasts, it hunter straps sharp glass onto
'becomes clear that Otto- his knuckles to take one of the
a very sad man, deeply fiends head-on.
ted about the meaning Looking beyond the badass
his work. action scenes, it's easy to see
that the filmmakers are trying
to address deep topics, includ-
get ing the meaning of God and how
powerless humans are in the
lore badass wild. It's all very Jack London,
touching nerve with the primi-
an punching tve nature of our existence. And
to a certain extent, it actually
wolves. works, helping us see the more
"human" side of the charac-
ters being examined. But as the
film rolls on, it gets to the point
when the plane carrying where we really don't see the
id his friends back home reasoning behind Ottoway recit-
s into the frigid tundra of ing poetry before killing a wolf.
rn Alaska, the conflicted Nevertheless, there's no hon-
n takes a back seat and a esty in denying that this is a
is born. Cheesy? Yeah, but surprisingly well-made and
type of character Nee- entertaining film. Even if he
rtrays well. Of course, does take himself a tad too seri-
vie really starts getting ously, Liam Neeson will always
ting when Ottoway spots have a special place in our heart
of hungry wolves silently if he's willing to beat things up
ig his impromptu posse. onscreen. "The Grey" is a shin-
you know it, everyone ing example of why.