Jose & Laura Show Films

Independent Lens: Audience Award Favorites

2008-02-13T08:10:00.000-08:00

www.pbs.org/independentlens/insideindies/shortsfest/

C. Beck

2008-02-13T08:09:00.002-08:00

“Nature is the best teacher,” says woodblock print artist Charles Beck. C.BECK, the short, is a poetically paced portrait of the artist, a native of Minnesota, who manages to discover beauty in obscure places. Whether it’s on a railroad track, a hiking trail or marsh, Beck finds and incorporates unusual materials, which provide the vision for his art. Throughout his process, Beck remains open to “accidents” that provide inspiration and new directions for his work.

Bullet Proof Vest

2008-02-13T08:09:00.001-08:00

Welcome to Richmond, California, the most dangerous city in the state—and the 11th most dangerous city in the U.S. With an average of one homicide every 10 days, many parents are afraid to let their children outside. Nine-year-old twins Mustapha and Jyeshria know they can’t go to the park unaccompanied. “Your parents need to be there with you, so they can block the bullet,” Jyeshria explains. In 2006, fed up with the gun violence decimating the city's young men, residents took over the four most dangerous parks, camping in tent cities in a desperate stand for peace.

Dry Clean Only

2008-02-13T08:08:00.000-08:00

One night, a couple shows up at a dry cleaners in a rush to have their clothes cleaned. The young clerk eyes their blood-spattered garments warily. As the clothes wash and the couple waits, an uneasy mood falls over the tiny shop. No one seems to know how this trip to the cleaners will end.

The Furniture

2008-02-13T07:59:00.000-08:00

In this short, dark comedy, a disturbed man confronts the demons of loneliness and the universal fear of… furniture? You’ll never look at your coffee table the same way again.

House of Elegance

2008-02-13T07:54:00.000-08:00

Step inside the House of Elegance, where women have been coming for beauty rejuvenation and good conversation for over 40 years. Meet one loyal customer who travels ten hours from Oklahoma to Austin, Texas to have her hair done. For the women of the House of Elegance, both beauticians and customers alike, the salon has been an integral part of life since Mrs. Ella Mae Pease opened her business in the 1960s.

L.A. Noir

2008-02-13T07:53:00.001-08:00

In this suspenseful tale, a working stiff poet chases after a beautiful but mysterious woman, only to find that he’s the one who's being stalked. Poetic and thought-provoking, L.A. NOIR blends Bukowski-inspired poetry, The Twilight Zone and film noir to deliver a hybrid that writer Ricardo Acuña calls “existential horror.”

The Metamorphosis

2008-02-13T07:52:00.000-08:00

It’s hard to say what came first—the pain, the pounding or the tiny growth on the back of Stan Leiber’s head. But, when Stan wakes up one morning to find that the growth has matured into a yarmulke, he decides to leave his home and face a buried past. With his yarmulke slowly growing, Stan journeys through a scenic countryside, isolated and afraid. When the pounding sound draws Stan to a synagogue, he finds himself confronted with a shared history. Told through the eyes of a Holocaust survivor, the story of Stan Leiber reminds us that we are all part of something bigger, no matter how much it may hurt.

Pin Point

2008-02-13T07:51:00.002-08:00

This decidedly creepy animated short takes audiences inside a gloomy orphanage where an evil caretaker seasons the children’s gruel with poison. A newly arrived little girl decides to take matters into her own hands—aided by an unlikely secret weapon.

Translate

2008-02-13T07:51:00.001-08:00

How would it feel to be born into the “wrong” body? TRANSLATE introduces viewers to “transgender,” a relatively new term in the lexicon. Meet four members of the transgender community who share their thoughts on gender identity and "passing” in society, coming out to friends and family and their struggle to find acceptance.

Waving the Flag

2008-02-13T07:50:00.000-08:00

Spoken word artist Harryette Mullen riffs on the Pledge of Allegiance in a poem that investigates the symbolism of the American flag and what it represents. As Mullen’s words comment on war, consumerism and fear of dissension, animator Sheila M. Sofian’s digitally created images and altered photographs interpret and illustrate the poem. The result: a thought-provoking and visceral critique of patriotism.

We Are Made As One

2008-02-13T07:49:00.000-08:00

Over 27,000 homeless veterans live in Los Angeles, many of them with substance abuse and mental health disorders. Against seemingly insurmountable odds, a group of formerly homeless veterans recovering from addiction have come together to form L.A.’s New Directions Choir. Together, they find healing through the power of song, reconstructing their lives, rebuilding families, forming new friendships and spreading joy and inspiration through the beauty of their voices.

BORN RICH

2007-12-04T12:57:00.000-08:00

In this movie we get an insiders look of young people whose inheritance means never having to work again in their life. What does it mean to be "cut off", and why is this a source of anxiety for the kids in the video? Do the kids in the video seem happy? Do you think that the kids in the video have a moral responsibility to use their money for a charitable cause?

NIGHTWATCH

2007-12-04T12:46:00.000-08:00

In this movie we watch the battle of the light forces and dark forces maintian a truce agreed to in the begining of the world. The "others" are humans with special powers sent in to keep the peace between the light and dark forces. Since this is a Rusian sci-fi write about any special effects you found interesting in the film. Also given the opportunity who would you join in this battle? (light, dark or other)

BORN into BROTHELS

2007-12-04T11:36:00.000-08:00

In this movie we meet 8 children born in the Red Light District of Calcutta living in brothels . What kind of opportunities are available to the kids from the "Red Light District"? What would you like to see happen to the children in the movie?

The BOYS of BARAKA

2007-12-03T07:46:00.000-08:00

In the Boys of Baraka we followed 4 young boys from Baltimore go to Kenya Africa to attend school. How did the boys view themselves before they go to Africa? Did their perceptions change after they returned? How do you think the boys view of education changed from when the movie began to their return from Kenya? Is this a movie you can recommend ?

INTACTO

2007-12-03T07:36:00.000-08:00

Intacto is a film about luck and the "touch" that each character has to give or take from each other. State your opinion about the "touch" in INATCTO do you think this could really happen? Which were the words that saved Anna from the plane crash and the detective from being killed in the car accident? What do you think was Federico's motive to seek revenge from el Don(old man)? Please remember to answer the questions in the order listed.

Lets Watch Films

2007-11-29T05:41:00.000-08:00

This website is dedicated to all of the hardworking students in Jose and Laura's family group at West Side High School. We are very proud to show our thoughts about the "other" underground films. We hope that you, the viewer, will enjoy our thoughts. FAMILY GROUP MEMBERS, MAKE SURE YOU ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE FILMS FOLLOWING THE POSTING.