I just got back from the Stony Brook Film Festival , in which "Man in the Chair" , made it's New York premiere .
Excellent Oscar worthy performances turned in by Christopher Plummer [ Best Actor ] in the role of Flash , a former gaffer for Orson Welles and M. Emmet Walsh [ Best Supporting Actor ] in the role of Mickey , a forgotten , award winning screen writer . Both roles revolved around the young high school movie enthusiast and budding filmmaker, Cameron Kincaid [ played by Michael Angarano ] .
The evolving plot(s) not only take you into his world of a teen-aged student and "peer-pressured" lower class adolescent , but weave into our current societal "maladies" of throwaway , and discard-able "living remnants" all around us . The "remnants" to include the elderly (their abuse and sad state of being forgotten and being "discounted" among family , and society - at - large ), dogs ( and pets ) in general , that are abandoned by humans ( and their fate amongst the heap of "the remnant pile" ) , and "old Hollywood" memories , personal pictures , cameras , equipment , "secret gathering places" with loads of history and nostalgia ( lost to modern methods , means , and maniacal quests for mega-money ) .
You leave the theater with these topics in mind , forever floating as the "tapestry" of them has been woven right before you . As with the elderly , for anyone who has seen Micheal Moore's "Sicko" , this movie ties nicely into the bigger aspect on not only health care , but the elderly's forgotten "value" and skills and attributes , that one day shone brightly in the world , and may be tapped into again , if only asked . Most importantly , we ALL will be elderly , ... someday !
Pets were linked to the throwaway theme , and screams loudly at other "items" that we once care for and may care and love us , unconditionally back .
Sadly , noting the many , many "little people" that so profoundly produced the celluloid epics we have loved on the silver screen for generations . That they "may" have been listed in the flashing credits at the end of every movie , but yet played an everlasting part to bring us memorable film magic . Their stories, their memories , their memorabilia , mostly discarded and forgotten . Yet , just as integral a role as the finest Actor and best Director on a memorable film . As Flash put it in the film , " we "others" who didn't socialize with the "uppers" , but took just as much pride in the wrap ! " .
I leave it to you and your experiencing the film ,to encounter who THAT man in the chair IS , and what responsibilities , sacrifices , and amounts of time and love are required , to be , there . As a society , we are : the rising younger generation , and please ponder , with this film , their ties ( our ties )to the declining , enriched generations , we will someday become .
Good luck to Micheal Schroeder and his ensemble in an award worthy winning film .
Excellent Oscar worthy performances turned in by Christopher Plummer [ Best Actor ] in the role of Flash , a former gaffer for Orson Welles and M. Emmet Walsh [ Best Supporting Actor ] in the role of Mickey , a forgotten , award winning screen writer . Both roles revolved around the young high school movie enthusiast and budding filmmaker, Cameron Kincaid [ played by Michael Angarano ] .
The evolving plot(s) not only take you into his world of a teen-aged student and "peer-pressured" lower class adolescent , but weave into our current societal "maladies" of throwaway , and discard-able "living remnants" all around us . The "remnants" to include the elderly (their abuse and sad state of being forgotten and being "discounted" among family , and society - at - large ), dogs ( and pets ) in general , that are abandoned by humans ( and their fate amongst the heap of "the remnant pile" ) , and "old Hollywood" memories , personal pictures , cameras , equipment , "secret gathering places" with loads of history and nostalgia ( lost to modern methods , means , and maniacal quests for mega-money ) .
You leave the theater with these topics in mind , forever floating as the "tapestry" of them has been woven right before you . As with the elderly , for anyone who has seen Micheal Moore's "Sicko" , this movie ties nicely into the bigger aspect on not only health care , but the elderly's forgotten "value" and skills and attributes , that one day shone brightly in the world , and may be tapped into again , if only asked . Most importantly , we ALL will be elderly , ... someday !
Pets were linked to the throwaway theme , and screams loudly at other "items" that we once care for and may care and love us , unconditionally back .
Sadly , noting the many , many "little people" that so profoundly produced the celluloid epics we have loved on the silver screen for generations . That they "may" have been listed in the flashing credits at the end of every movie , but yet played an everlasting part to bring us memorable film magic . Their stories, their memories , their memorabilia , mostly discarded and forgotten . Yet , just as integral a role as the finest Actor and best Director on a memorable film . As Flash put it in the film , " we "others" who didn't socialize with the "uppers" , but took just as much pride in the wrap ! " .
I leave it to you and your experiencing the film ,to encounter who THAT man in the chair IS , and what responsibilities , sacrifices , and amounts of time and love are required , to be , there . As a society , we are : the rising younger generation , and please ponder , with this film , their ties ( our ties )to the declining , enriched generations , we will someday become .
Good luck to Micheal Schroeder and his ensemble in an award worthy winning film .