I love looking forward to the movies. That’s why I always arrive at theaters in time to watch all of the previews and never skip the coming attractions on dvd. High on my list of this summer’s most promising pics is TALES FROM EARTHSEA. Are you as excited as I am for this union of Ursula K. Leguin and Studio Ghibli? Rated PG-13, TALES will open on August 13th. (In Seattle, it will screen exclusively at The Harvard Exit.) Here’s the official synopsis…

From famed Japanese animators Studio Ghibli [specifically, director Goro Miyazaki] comes TALES FROM EARTHSEA, a sweeping adventure set in a mythical world filled with magic and bewitchment. An epic tale of redemption and self-discovery, the story follows the journey of Lord Archmage Sparrowhawk (voice of Timothy Dalton), the master wizard, as he searches for the force behind a mysterious disturbance that has caused an imbalance in the land of Earthsea—suddenly crops and livestock are dwindling, dragons have reappeared and humanity is giving way to chaos. Along the way he rescues Arren (voice of Matt Levin), a troubled young prince who has fled his home and is being pursued by an enigmatic shadow. Arren joins Sparrowhawk on the quest and, moving closer to their intertwined destinies, they cross paths with Tenar (voice of Mariska Hargitay), a former priestess, and her disfigured adopted daughter, Therru. With Sparrowhawk’s magical powers dissipating, all of them must band together to defeat the evil Cob (voice of Willem Dafoe) and his henchman Hare (voice of Cheech Marin) before Cob’s mania to find immortality destroys Earthsea.

Suicide isn’t painless. It brings on many changes… more, likely, for the survivors of the dead than the actual victims. Yet despite its societal impact — more than twice as many Americans kill themselves as are murdered — we rarely speak of the act: its rationale, its ramifications, its prevention.

After making a flip comment on Facebook that I intended to be provocative, author/radio personality John Moe took me to task for my alleged insensitivity. In light of his remarks and to honor my goal of getting others to truly think about issues rather than simply pay them lip service, I suggested I discuss the subject on air with Jeannie Yandel on KUOW Presents. I am glad she agreed, I am glad we did. Using three movies as touchstones, we examined Suicide from multiple perspectives, from motive to mourning. Click here for the piece that aired over the weekend. Then, draw your own conclusions and share your thoughts here on The Warren Report.

Also, stay tuned for an announcement about an upcoming episode of my new tv series, The High Bar, spotlighting Suicide with guest Brendan Kiley of The Stranger.

One person, one vote is an equation meant to ensure our democracy. Only problem is, we assume that each vote is equal, a noble ideal scuttle by gerrymandering, the very questionable practice of reconfiguring voting districts in response to census-sussed population shifts. The process is politically charged and tainted; both parties delight in rigging the system and will bend the rules for the privilege of doing so.

Many voters are unaware of the Constitution-blessed process of reapportionment, thankfully, Jeff Reichert has completed GERRYMANDERING, an engaging documentary that colorfully and carefully explains the title’s history, its role in present-day campaigns and efforts nationwide to alter its future impact.

After I published a summary of the movie, critical of some aspects, I exchanged (congenial) messages with Mr. Reichert, who kindly agreed to be interviewed for The Warren Report so that we encourage you to consider the machinations that disempower voters by diluting the significance of their ballots and question the quality of our choices before we even step up to the voting booths.

Once you’re read through our conversation, visit endgerrymandering.com and learn how you can make a change. Draw your own conclusions. You’ve got my vote. And, The Warren Report serves as an open-minded forum for your feedback.

WARREN: Your documentary explains the origins of the term, gerrymandering. In your research, was the process of redistricting essentially, unilaterally, corrupt from the outset? Or, were there exceptions as you suggest Iowa serves as today?

JEFF: I think instead of “corruption,” it may be better in the redistricting context to talk about “fairness.” The idea to elect representatives from geographically defined areas was borne from a certain conception of what “fair representation” would look like.  The problem with an idea like “fair” is that it’s fluid, and no one’s going to agree on what that actually means.  The Founding Fathers took a good stab at setting up a workable system within the context of a nation that allowed only white landowners to vote, but we’re now a few hundred years later electing representatives based on a modified and expanded idea of their “fair.”  So, some of the corruption of redistricting is intrinsic to the way we’ve decided to hold elections, and is really not the fault of any specific party or agent.  The real problems come when the weaknesses of the system are exploited even further, and this is what my film is largely about.

WARREN: There is an implication in the movie that Barack Obama’s district was redrawn to increase the likelihood of his state-level election and that, in turn, dramatically improved his odds of winning on a national stage. Who do you believe was manipulating the process in Obama’s favor?  

Developing your Documentary Project for ITVS: Workshop and Pitch Session
Join Documentary Northwest for this all day event with Richard Saiz, Senior Programming Manager for ITVS.

During the morning Saiz will provide case studies, video samples, and valuable handouts to walk you through the basic steps towards making your project more competitive with this organization. In the afternoon, there will be an informal pitch session where attendees will get an opportunity to watch as twelve people present their proposals and Saiz provides feedback.

As the single biggest funder of independent documentaries on television, the Independent Television Service (ITVS) has become indispensable for filmmakers seeking major funding for their projects. This all day event is a rare opportunity for independent producers to meet Richard and grasp the essential concepts and principles of how to make your documentary more competitive when applying for ITVS funds.

When: July 10, 9am – 5pm (followed by a reception in West Seattle)
Where: Youngstown Cultural Art Center, Thelma Dewitty Theater
4408 Delridge Way SW, Seattle, WA 98106  

I’m a fan of righteous indignation aka reasonable venting. Lately, however, I have encountered more and more indignation that hasn’t earned the modifier that makes it acceptable. Too many rage without noting their latent narcissism or blatant hypocrisy, whether ranting about parking passes, appellations or… supposed censorship.

Last week, three theaters in Japan canceled screenings of THE COVE, the alleged Sino-baiting, graphic dolphin-bashing, Oscar®-winning documentary. The exhibitors’ excused their decisions citing fear of reprisals from nationalists who have been vocal in their disapproval of the Louie Psihoyos film. Maybe their fears are legitimate, maybe not. Regardless, it must be noted that THE COVE did screen at the Tokyo International Film Festival and was just shown at a civic hall in the capital city and featured a hearty post-show discussion (though, apparently, that talk veered more towards issues of censorship than the depicted animal cruelty).

While it is dismaying that broader audiences in Japan will have very limited opportunities to see THE COVE — and then, to draw their own conclusions — before we condemn them, consider America’s own similar, “silent” censorship practices. Have you seen THE END OF THE LINE or KING CORN on network tv? The former film warns of the depletion of our oceans’ resources, the latter clarifies the nefarious implications of our nation’s addiction to commercial corn. Strangely, none of the Big Four (and a half) networks have slated them to air. Like FOOD, INC., KING CORN has received a slot on PBS, but really, does anyone over 6 and under 60 watch public television? Is it crazy to suspect that corporate interests that support free tv with their ads have influenced the decisions to steer clear of these controversial docs that beg viewers to reconsider the entire infrastructure, sense and health of our nation’s industrial(ized) food system? Somehow,I don’t foresee McDonald’s underwriting an uninterrupted broadcast of FAST FOOD NATION, Richard Linklater’s uneven, yet still potent adaptation of Eric Schlosser’s investigative return to The Jungle.  

I’ve never been a nature boy. That’s one of the reasons the Rainier Independent Film Festival (RIFF) so appeals to me: I can exceptionally close to the majestic outdoors, while tucked in the  familiar, womb-like safety of a movie theater (or screening yurt). I have attended and participated in RIFF since its inception and am proud to return this weekend, to host the the Closing Night Film (THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF LITTLE DIZZLE), the Awards Ceremony and my own master class, HOW TO GRILL A STAR. Won’t you join me?

Below, RIFF’s official press release from its delightful curators, Win and Sarah Whittaker…

Heroic, Shocking And Revealing Films Highlight This Year’s Rainier Independent Film Festival Lineup

Screenings, workshops and gatherings will be held in unique venues in Mt. Rainier’s Ashford Valley from June 11 to 13, 2010

ASHFORD, Washington – June 2, 2010 – An eclectic blend of 28 poignant short and feature length narratives and documentaries will be screened at the Rainier Independent Film Festival (RIFF) on June 11 to 13, 2010 in the Ashford Valley. In addition to screenings, the festival, in its fourth year, offers a workshop, audience-voted awards, an awards ceremony, social gatherings, and the rare opportunity to mix and mingle with the many filmmakers and actors in attendance.

“What sets this film festival apart is the great opportunity it provides to meet and mingle with film industry people,” remarked RIFF Festival Director Win Whittaker. “The relaxed atmosphere and intimate venues are a world away from the hustle and bustle associated with the film business.”

The festival’s opening night film will be Calvin Marshall, directed by Gary Lundgren and starring Steve Zahn, Michelle Lombardo and Alex Frost. This heartfelt, baseball-centric feature-length comedy will be shown at the Mineral Lake Event Center on Friday, June 11, at 6:15PM, followed by the Opening Night Gala, at 8PM.

A block of four war/conflict-based short films – Letter Home, Hidden in Time, Juche Rules, and Sedako’s Cranes — ranging from Hiroshima to Viet Nam/Iraqi similarities to North Korea relations will be screened at Nisqually Lodge, from 11AM to 12:30PM on Saturday, May 3. Other films will take the audience from hippie farms in Washington (Back to the Garden) to the ancient ways of the Salish peoples with Canoe Way and on to Burma: Reflections on a Hidden Land. Woman’s courage and feats will be celebrated with Rise and Shine, The Lady & The Outlaw Horse, and Wings of Silver. Viewers will be taken into an imaginative world with Plant Girl and kept on the edge of their seats with the emotionally charged, student film Clemency.

The ever-popular Warren Etheridge Workshop — “The Art of the Interview or How to Grill a Star” – will take place at the Media Center at Whittaker’s Bunkhouse on Sunday, June 13, from 1 to 2:30PM.  

Growing up in Manhattan, it was tough for me to be the first kid on the block on to do anything. The competition was immense. However, Seattle and the city’s amazing film festival have increased my odds — and yours! This weekend, we can all be the first to see to new wonderful American independent films and meet their makes and stars. Thank you, Kathleen McInnis, for providing the details below.

MISS NOBODY

A mild-mannered secretary discovers that she has a talent for murder during her unlikely climb up the corporate ladder at Judge Pharmaceuticals…and love soon follows.

In attendance: Star and Executive Producer, LESLIE BIBB (Iron Man I & II, Wristcutters: A Love Story), ADAM GOLDBERG (Saving Private Ryan, A Beautiful Mind, Entourage, Friends), MISSI PLYLE (2 ½ Men, Sarah Silverman Program, Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, etc) and BRANDON ROUTH (Chuck, Superman Returns, Zack and Miri Make a Porno) and Director TIM COX.

Screenings:

Thursday, June 10, 9:15pm Harvard Exit

Saturday, June 12, 1:15pm SIFF Cinema

THE FAMILY TREE

In the seemingly perfect American suburb of Serenity, Ohio, the dysfunctional Burnett family is coming apart at the seams. When a tryst gone wrong leaves Mrs. Burnett’s with short term amnesia, the result is a whacky series of events that will either bring the family together or ruin them for good.

In attendance: Director Vivi Friedman, Writer/Producer Mark Lisson (Bainbridge Island resident), stars John Patrick Amedori (Gossip Girl) and Madeline Zime (Californication, The Nanny)

Screenings:

Saturday, June 12, 6:30pm SIFF Cinema

Sunday, June 13, 1:30pm SIFF Cinema

I can channel outrage faster than Dionne Warwick’s friends can channel the late relatives of gullible callers to their psychic hotline. Little can get me frothier and more indignant than a good, political documentary. GERRYMANDERING has all the necessary ingredients to cause me to stew, and yet, I left yesterday’s screening at the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) merely, mildly annoyed… with the presentation. In ascending order, here are my top three grievances.

1) The SIFF programmer introducing the movie and questioning director Jeff Reichert was as intelligible as Bronson Pinchot’s Balki and as intelligent as Dan Quayle’s Dan Quayle. (Is it too much to ask, SIFF, that your programming team show filmmakers a little respect?)

2) GERRYMANDERING may be the first political documentary I have ever seen to offer absolutely no solutions to the problem it details. I don’t expect filmmakers to cure all our ills, but the meager end credit prompts to “Know Your District” and to visit a website (www.endgerrymandering.com) seem under-instructive. (I don’t know how many slacktivists it takes to change a light bulb, but I do know that giving audiences achievable action items beats having no INCONVENIENT alternatives.)

3) Gerrymandering — i.e. the redistricting of voting communities in service of political hackery — is clearly a problem and, possibly, a great threat to our democracy. (Sorry, Texas Board of Education, I will continue to call America a “democracy” even if you propose textbooks redefine our nation as a “Constitutional Republic.”) But, is gerrymandering the sickness or is it rather, simply, a symptom of a more insidious disease?

Frankly, I don’t know what to do about the first issue I’ve raised and I can only wish GERRYMANDERING had been clearer what to do about the second. However, I’ll take a crack at the last. There is no doubt that if legislators can reapportion voters to increase the likelihood of incumbents’ re-election, there exists a conflict of interest that will, invariably, favor the powers-that-shall-always-be rather than their constituents. Yet, it is these very demographic calisthenics that suggest the problem runs far deeper, to the very heart of the politicians and the soullessness of the parties they represent. They indicate that self-perpetuation, influence-peddling and partisanship have overtaken true public service as the primary raison d’etre of our elected officials. This may not be news to many, but let us not become so jaded as to disregard this egocentrism as the cancer that must be removed in order to have any hope of recovery. It just could be that commissioners appointed by elected Republicans and  Democrats might be more efficient overseeing redistricting than California’s pending citizens committee (as voted in with the state’s Prop 11 in 2008), if the former were guided solely by the notion of good government instead of the self-serving maintenance of the status quo.  

Eric Liu & Warren Etheredge

Kim Doyel: Just caught your interview with Eric Liu on Seattle Voices…I want a College of Warren sweatshirt! But that wasn’t all… your little mug popped up in a cameo for Sip & Ship! I thought I was hallucinating. When are you gonna get that 24 hour All Warren All the Time channel deal through?

WARREN: Just working out the details with CNN, Kim. Although I cannot yet report around-the-clock coverage , I am proud to announce that next month will see the launch of my new tv series, The High Bar, on SCANtv. It’s a genre-redefining program — a reverse(!) interview show — on which my irreverent cultural conversations with filmmakers, authors, artists and activists will encourage us all to reconsider our beliefs and challenge our standards… while laughing and getting drunk. Keep an eye on The Warren Report for further details.

And, for those who missed my appearance on Seattle Voices, visit their website and suggest they add it to The Seattle Channel’s video player. Eric Liu is a solid interviewer, a charming individual and the whip-smart (co-) author of several significant books including Imagination First and The True Patriot.

As for College of Warren merchandise, I’m unhappy to report that, currently, supply is meeting demand.    ;  )

Now, dear readers, draw your own conclusions: Is it time for a new, educational forum? Should The Warren Report begin matriculating students? Is it too early for our first kegger?

Paul Ringo: Hi, Warren. I wonder if you can help me with this. I am remembering a scene in a movie (probably from the eighties, or possibly even earlier) where the main character (s) go through a drive-thru ordering food and they order the “orange drink”. It’s a comic moment, but i can’t remember anything else about it. I tried googling “orange drink, movie” etc…. but got only other oblique connections (like CLOCKWORK ORANGE). Does it ring a bell at all for you? It seems like it’s a pop culture moment, but i suppose for most people it has faded into oblivion. If you know anything about this, please let me know. Thanks, and thanks for all your reports!

WARREN: From my years of teaching, I’ve learned one of the most important lessons to share with kids is that it’s okay to say: I don’t know. No one can know it all. (Even Einstein couldn’t color-coordinate. That’s why he invented Garanimals®!) Well, Paul, in this case, I just don’t know. You’ve stumped me. However, the other lesson is to ask for help when you need it. So, I turn to you, cherished readers of The Warren Report, to put a title to Paul’s obscure film reference. Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?!?

Devin Hermanson: I’m sure you hear this all the time, but I was watching IRON MAN the other night, thinking “No one else could play Tony Stark but [Robert Downey Jr.]“, but then I thought, “Wait a minute – Warren is totally RDJ’s doppelganger!”

WARREN: Thanks, Devin. Sadly, I wasn’t even considered for RDJ’s stand-in despite my looking so much like his half-witted, less-attractive brother. I think of my kinship to Robert Downey Jr much like Clint Howard’s to Ron. Granted, this a huge step up from the days folks compared me to Wallace Shawn and Gilbert Gottfried.

Devin Hermanson: So, just curious, when you screen a movie like [The Warren Report's free preview of GET HIM TO THE GREEK], is it essentially an endorsement? Is this a big thumbs up from Warren?

WARREN: Nope. Sorry, Devin. That’s not to say it’s a thumbs down, either. The free previews offered through The Warren Report are thanks to my relationships with the studios and their regional publicists. They contact me knowing that The Warren Report’s readership is comprised of savvy and connected movie-lovers. By sharing seats at these WOM (word-of-mouth) screenings, they hope to  build buzz for their films. Often, I am seeing the movies for the first time alongside you. (I am just as hopeful that the pairing of  Jonah Hill and Russell Brand will be hilarious but can be no more certain than you that it will be.)

However, when I feature a film in one of The Warren Report’s special screening series (Distinguishing Features, ACT NOW! or Film Rap) this is an indication of my strong, informed support of the title. Special event presentation is my stamp of approval. For instance, keep an eye out for SIXTY SIX, starring Eddie Marsan and Helena Bonham Carter, which I hope to showcase this summer.