Film Review: The Handmaiden

In 1930s Korea, a young Korean girl, Sook-Hee, is sent to work as the handmaiden to a Japanese heiress, Lady Hideko, who lives in a secluded mansion with her Uncle Kouzuki. We soon find out that all is not as it seems because Sook-Hee turns out to be a skilled pick pocket aiding a con man, Count Fujiwara, in courting Lady Hideko in order to gain control of her fortune. It also is revealed that the uncle runs a lucrative series of readings and auctions of rare fiction, which he is actually forging. Count Fujiwara intends to wed Lady Hideko and then have her committed to an asylum in order to control her wealth, but when Sook-Hee and lady Hideko become closer, events become more complicated.

Chan-wook Park has long been considered a master filmmaker and The Handmaiden is no exception. The story is dense with layers and character, which gets both more intriguing and shocking as the story unfolds. The three lead actors are all fantastic while Tae-ri Kim and Min-hee Kim as Sook-hee and Lady Hideko respectively stand out, especially when in a scene together. And these scenes look amazing due to cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung, who has worked with Park many times before; he photographs The Handmaiden in a manner that is both lush and lurid while maintaining a fantastic sense of classical frame composition.

The Handmaiden is a fantastic piece of cinema that is worth seeing theatrically as it was truly crafted for that experience. Chan-wook Park has made many great films and can add this period piece, love story, thriller to the list of future classics. The Handmaiden opens at the Cable Car Cinema on Friday November 18.

The Handmaiden (2016); Director: Chan-wook Park; Starring: Tae-ri Kim, Min-hee Kim, and Jung-woo Ha

Bleed for This Is a Knock-Out

On November 18, Bleed for This will open on 2,500 screens nationwide. In anticipation, Open Road (the distributor) and Verdi Productions (the production company) staged a press screening/RI premiere on November 10. Stars of the film from both sides of the camera were in attendance, including (); (Paz trainer Kevin Rooney); writer/ director Ben Younger; RI actress Amanda Clayton (Paz’s sister Doreen Pazienza); producers Chad A. Verdi, Joshua Sason, Michele Verdi, Pamela Thur and Bruce Cohen; and the inspiration himself, Vinny Paz.

There was a special magic in watching the film in a theater packed with Rhode Islanders. If you’ve been in the state long enough, you’ve either met or heard of the boxer and his legendary career. Certainly, everyone in the theater knew the story and was eager to see it come to life. And the two-hour film inspired numerous laughs, as well as moans and gasps of empathy during the part of the story that focused on Vinny’s accident and early recovery.

This film is distinctly Rhode Island. I don’t just mean the accents – which are delightfully authentic – or the fact that everything was shot in RI, often in the actual locations where they happened over 20 years ago. But the spirit of the film shows its Rhode Island nature over and over. In one early scene, a rival boxer trash talks Vinny, threatening to “Beat your pizza-faced, Liberacedressing son back to Boston.” Vinny’s father, Angelo Pazienza, replies, insulted, “We’re from Providence!!”

The story, referred to by producers as the greatest comeback in sports history, is touching and inspiring.

Younger described his fascination with a character who could say, “I don’t care if I can walk again, if I can’t box,” and that spirit is captured on the screen. The writing is crisp and often witty – a tone reminiscent of Younger’s cult hit Boiler Room. The overall tone is gritty and real. We don’t go into nasty salacious territory, but Paz’s appreciation for strip clubs and gambling is duly represented. Without apologies, it becomes another lovable eccentricity of a larger-than-life character. The cinematography and editing work well together, innovative and effective without taking you out of the movie.

But what really stands out are the performances. Every performer rises to the challenge, turning in performances that portray often over-thetop characters without ever seeming unrealistic or cartoonish. Miles Teller turns in a command performance, creating a devil-may-care Vinny Paz whose bombastic nature can also yield to thoughtful and introspective moments. Teller can hold the camera enthralled with a single, intense gaze from within his neck-bracing halo apparatus. Eckhart brings a vulnerability to “ready for pasture” trainer Kevin Rooney, also a dramatic and successful departure from his other work. I was worried that Paz’s story could veer into melodrama. It gets intense, but it never over indulges, often opting for expressive acting over dialog.

Both actors manage to completely inhabit their roles without seeming artificial. Teller prepared by listening to countless hours of Vinny interviews on YouTube and imitating the voice and attitude. “He still comes out once in a while,” Teller, who did all his own fight scenes without a double, told Motif. “Vinny is still in there.” When he asked Vinny how he did it – enduring the halo non-stop for months. Teller was told, “Suck it up, twatcakes.” His other advice from Paz: a note before shooting a scene in which Paz is in his underwear. The note said, “Miles, stuff a banana in your undies if you have to make it look bigger. You have to protect my reputation. Seriously. Much love, Paz.”

“You are a warrior,” Teller told Paz on stage. “I feel like I could do anything after playing you.”

It’s a little grueling watching Vinny begin to recover from his accident, and subsequently wage an internal war between depression, denial and hope. But the film manages to be touching without losing momentum. The medical scenes are particularly effective, producing a mix of wincing fascination. It will be interesting to see what the rest of the country makes of this distinctly Rhode Island story. “Rhode Island is such a character in this movie,” Eckhart acknowledges, “And such a part of Vinny’s life. I don’t think this movie could have been made anywhere else,” said Younger at the post-screening Q & A, “and I don’t know if this story could have happened anywhere else. The RI fans and crowds and the personality of the Rhode Island community really supported Vinny.” Younger visited RI and hung out here while working on the script.

When asked what it was like to see his story unfold, Vinny said, “I can’t imagine a better cast or script. These actors did such an amazing job. My only regret is that my ma and pop aren’t around to see it. They would have loved this.” So if you want to relive the ’80s; if you want a solid boxing film; if you want a story about persistence, courage and the bonds formed by boxing; or if you just want to immerse yourself in a retelling of the Vinny Paz story, Bleed for This will deliver.

Other articles on this topic:

http://motifri.com/paz-mans-latest-comeback/ http://motifri.com/vinnypaz/ http://motifri.com/chadverdiinterview/ http://motifri.com/pjnovii16/ http://motifri.com/christineevangelista/ http://motifri.com/scene-and-heard-chad-verdi-fly-low-soar-high/ The Smart Studios Story Screens at The Greenwich Odeum on November 11

When you delve into music history, you’ll find that a majority of the most important and influential music ever created was only recorded at a few places. Places like Sun Studio in Memphis, Electrical Audio in Chicago, Electric Lady Studios in New York City and FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, are sacred ground. It’s where landmark albums came to be, legendary musicians stepped foot and brilliance shined. Another place was Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin, owned by acclaimed producers Butch Vig and Steve Marker who are also part of the alternative rock act Garbage. At the Greenwich Odeum in East Greenwich on Friday, November 11, there will be a screening of the documentary on the recording studio titled The Smart Studios Story.

Parts of Nirvana’s masterpiece Nevermind, The Smashing Pumpkins’ debut Gish, The Con by Teagan and Sara, L7’s Bricks Are Heavy and a plethora of spectacular albums were recorded and produced at Smart Studios. It was a place for independent and underground rock acts to get recordings made from the studio’s infancy in the ‘80s right up to its closing in 2010. The documentary, directed by Wendy Schneider, examines the studio’s existence and origin. The film also features interviews with Vig, Marker, Laura Jane Grace from Against Me!, Dave Grohl from Nirvana and the Foo Fighters, Garbage frontwoman Shirley Manson, Jimmy Chamberlin and Billy Corgan from The Smashing Pumpkins and many others. It promises to provide an in-depth look at an historic space located within a building mistaken for being a crack house in the place known as Mad City.

After the screening there will be a Q&A with Schneider and it’ll be the only time and place in Rhode Island The Smart Studios Story will be shown. The Odeum is a wonderful venue to see any kind of performance either live on stage or on the big screen. At the time of this writing, it’s not sold out yet,, so grab a ticket and enjoy a bit of music history on Friday.

Tickets to see The Smart Studios Story @ The Greenwich Odeum on November 11: sa1.seatadvisor.com/sabo/servlets/TicketRequest;jsessionid=887CC2F2DE688CF6F574FD0B19EC062B ?eventId=1103053&presenter=ODEUM&venue=&event=&version=

The Smart Studios Story’s Website: thesmartstudiosstory.com; The Greenwich Odeum’s Website: greenwichodeum.com

Films Across the 401

From October 21 through 23, the 401 Film Fest ran its second event at The Arctic Playhouse in West Warwick. Organized and hosted by Adam Theroux, a local filmmaker and camera operator for The Rhode Show, the 401 Film Fest showcased a variety of short films, documentaries, music videos and even a feature film to over 300 audience members in six showcases over the course of three days. More than 50% of the films that were screened were made by Rhode Islanders. The featured filmmakers ranged from middle schoolers to local and international professionals.

Beyond his love of film, Adam Theroux is also a Big Brother, and his support for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ocean State formed the backbone of the 401 Film Fest. While admittance to the festival was completely free, $1 raffle tickets were sold at the event with all proceeds going to Big Brothers Big Sisters. The Arctic Playhouse was also given to Theroux for free, allowing all of the revenue that would have gone to the venue to go straight to Big Brothers Big Sisters. Last year’s 401 Film Fest raised over $1,000 for the charity. “I wished to match that this year and we friggin’ doubled it!” Theroux said about the $2,000 that the festival allowed him to donate this year.

Adam sees the causes that the festival supports as being twofold. The first, of course, is Big Brothers Big Sisters. The other cause that benefits from the festival is the independent filmmakers who have their work screened. Friends and family members pack the venue in anticipation of seeing what their loved ones have created, but many people also attend just to check out the local independent filmmaking scene. One woman in particular showed up on Friday evening after hearing about the event online despite not knowing a single filmmaker. She was there solely to support the Rhode Island artists, and, “She had so much fun she came all of Saturday and all of Sunday,” Adam said.

Our local filmmakers greatly appreciate the connections that they were able to form at the festival and the opportunity that it provided them to show their films to the community. “I hadn’t realized the local community of filmmakers was so large, so diverse or so interconnected,” stated filmmaker Charlie Hatton. “Most people I spoke with were working on multiple projects, often in various combinations with other creators represented in the fest.” Charlie and partner Jenn Dlugos submitted an episode of their web series “Magicland” to the festival. Since “Magicland” usually releases online “We don’t usually have the opportunity to watch it with an audience,” Jenn said. “401 gave us the opportunity to do that.” Jenn also collaborated with filmmaker Andrea Henry on the comedy short Weekend Getaway. Of the selection of films, Andrea stated that “They ranged from good-natured comedy to thought- provoking social commentary. It felt like a truly independent film fest.” “I’ve known Adam for years now,” stated Holly Mello, writer and director of The Person You Could Have Become, “and it’s amazing to see him create this festival from scratch. I’ve had films of my own screen both years and it’s great to be a part of the local community of independent filmmakers.” Tim Labonte, who worked on “Magicland” as well as the music videos Cast My Vote and Only One You, stated, “This was my second year at 401 Film Fest as a filmmaker and attendee, and it’s because of Adam’s passion for film and the community. It’s amazing how he uses both to help what he believes in, and he’s just an incredible human being. I’m looking forward to next year already.”

Next year is already a work in progress, as Adam tirelessly works on planning for the upcoming third installment of the 401 Film Fest in 2017, with submissions opening up on January 1 and running straight through July 31.

An Interview with Chad Verdi, Bleed for This Producer

Bleed for This, the story of RI boxing legend Vinny “Paz” Pazienza is a film that many on the filmmaking side figuratively bled for as well. Producer Chad Verdi, of Verdi Productions and founder of Woodhaven Films, was driven to enter the industry by his interest in this film. Now the result is receiving Oscar buzz and due to open nationwide on the big screen November 18.

We talked with Mr. Verdi about the story’s journey to the big screen and about his experience on set.

Motif: Tell us a little about the history of this project.

Chad Verdi: I acquired the rights in 2009 from Vinny. He’d been going to New York to try to sell the rights to his story, but it wasn’t working out. I knew nothing about the business, but I knew this was an amazing story and one that really deserved to be told. So my wife and I acquired the rights. Then we needed to develop the story and learn the industry.

To gain experience, we formed a production company and made a little movie called Inkubus. We knew that any mistakes we were going to make, we didn’t want to make on Bleed for This. We wanted to make them on other films first. We went from one movie to the next, and we made another horror film and a couple of romantic comedies and learned from each one.

At the same time, we never stopped developing the script. [Producer] Noah Kraft set up 12 meetings in Hollywood, and one of them was with Ben Younger. After we met with Ben, we didn’t need to do any more meetings – he understood what I wanted to say.

Along the way, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse heard about what we were trying to do. Of course, he’s a great supporter of economic and artistic activity in the state. He said, “I want to introduce you to .”

Our 12-minute meeting turned into a two-hour meeting, and he said, “This is one of the greatest stories that’s never been told – I want to be involved.” He understood that this was my passion project.

Once we had Martin Scorsese involved, a lot of doors opened and things really started to fall into place. Of course, it didn’t hurt that he made probably the greatest boxing movie of all time [Raging Bull]… So having Marty be kind of like my Godfather helped a lot … financing. We met with Miles Teller – he was our first choice. I think pretty much everyone was our first choice.

Motif: What was it like finally making the film?

CV: Our original budget was $22 million, but that’s not a fit for an independent film like this. We were able to get the budget to $7 million without diminishing the film. We shot in 24 days, which is a really full schedule for a feature film. We gave the people involved a piece of the back end and they worked with us. And we were able to shoot everything in Rhode Island.

We went to Cannes with only 12 minutes of footage, but it was strong and we sold the film to Open Road [a film distribution company].

While we were filming, we heard about [The Rocky sequel] Creed, and another boxing movie named Southpaw, and we decided, “Let’s hold this.”

Motif: Has it been hard to hold off?

CV: It has. We’ve made this wonderful thing, and we can’t wait to show it to everybody.

Motif: There’s even been some buzz about Oscars.

CV: It’s pretty insane. But it deserves it.

Motif: Coming from a non-Hollywood background, you take a different approach to the business of filmmaking. In what ways, would you say?

CV: I think the biggest thing we’ve been doing differently is saying no. Every single time we say we’re going to do something, we do it. And if it’s not realistic or not something we can do, we say so. Hollywood is full of yeses. They just don’t say no in Hollywood. So if you say no in a yes town, with actors and writers and financers, you gain their respect.

Motif: Do you have any favorite on-set stories? Were you on set a lot?

CV: When I put my name on anything I’m on set every minute. There’s not one shot I missed. Vinny was there a few days. I knew every detail of the real-life story, since I knew Vinny back in the day. Ben leaned on me a lot for authentic details. Bruce Kelly was also there every day. We knew, with the aggressive schedule and tight budget,one big mess-up and this was all over.

I really enjoyed picking out all the locations. We went to most of the actual locations – the Civic Center. We went to the actual road where Vinny had his accident, and recreated it there. Except Vegas – we couldn’t go there, we didn’t have the budget. But it’s amazing how much Twin Rivers can look like Vegas.

Motif: What was your favorite moment?

CV: When it ended. At the end of the last fight scene, I just laid down in the middle of the ring. I couldn’t believe we’d pulled it off.

It’s also bittersweet – with filmmaking, you become really close for an intense period of time, and then you may never see most of these people again in your life. That’s always tough.

I think my favorite moments in the film were the ones between Miles Teller and Aaron Eckhardt. Vinny is such a big personality. But Kevin [trainor x played by Eckhardt] was the boss in the gym, and Vinny accepted that. They have some incredible scenes together.

Motif: Are you in the film?

CV: I am – I actually play myself. I walk Vinny into the ring, which is what I actually did in real life – I was there for the Duran fight. It was actually Ben’s idea to have me do that. There are a few Rhode Islanders who have roles (see interview with Tommy DiNucci at Motifri.com/xxx). I love mixing Hollywood a-list actors with local RI guys.

Motif: Now that the passion project that got you into the business is about to go out into the world, what are you doing next?

CV: I’ve been working on Silence, which is Marty’s passion project. You’d think a guy like Marty could get anything done, but he’s been trying to line up this film for 28 years, and it’s finally come together with a budget of $52 million. The original budget was $100 million – that’s an example of something someone had to say “no” to. It was my first experience shooting internationally – we made it in Taiwan. That’ll come out on December 23.

This is not my day job [Mr. Verdi is a co-owner of the Gregg’s chain of restaurants and works in mergers and acquisitions]. As long as it’s fun I’ll keep doing it. Right now, I’m in LA lining up a project, Marty’s in NY editing another one, and we have things happening all over. It’s exciting. There are always more passion projects.

For example, it looks like we’re going to make The Irishman with Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci. It hasn’t been finalized, but that would be a big budget film about Jimmy Hoffa. [Spoiler!] They claim to know where he’s actually buried. That’s DeNiro’s passion project.

So many projects take so long, and you have these legendary talents that want to get their most passionate work done before they close the book on a career. It’s just like Vinny – late in his career, he could have lined some easy fights. But he didn’t want to fight a bum. He still wanted a challenge. That’s how he wanted to close the book on his boxing career.

Bleed for This, the Vinny Paz story, opens nationwide, including most local Showcase Cinemas, on November 18. Look for a review in our next issue.

An Interview with Boxing Great Vinny Paz

Bleed for This, a film documenting local boxer Vinny Paz’s recovery from a neck injury, premieres next month. In advance of the premiere, Motif contributor and friend of the Pazman, Mike Messier, interviewed him. Mike Messier: A Vinny Paz feature film has been speculated about for years. The general movie goer does not realize the money, patience and time needed to get a feature film actually produced. So when Verdi Productions went into collaboration with Martin Scorsese, how did you feel? And when the movie actually started filming, how did that feel? Vinny Paz: When they got Scorsese involved, everything started happening. It was a domino effect — Scorsese started knocking down everything. We have the greatest actors, one of the greatest directors, Ben Younger — he’s a tremendous director, and the best producers in the business of all time: Scorsese, Bruce Cohen, Pamela Tur-Weir. It’s amazing, what type of people are involved in my movie. MM: You and I saw Whiplash together, a film that starred Miles Teller, that was a big hit. When you saw Whiplash, how did that make you feel about Miles playing you? VP: That iced it, I knew he could do it. Miles is without a doubt the best on the block today. MM: As your friend, I have experienced that people in the community will come up to you quite a bit and share a memory of your career or of having met you before. I’ve been amazed that you remember quite a bit about each person’s own life, including his or her name, profession and where you’ve met. This ability is in sharp contrast to many other athletes who are having problems with concussions with brain trauma after their careers in hard-hitting sports. Is this just good fortune, or is their any method or precautions you’ve taken to keep your mind steady? VP: Mike, it’s good fortune, and I’m amazed, too. MM: From what I understand, Bleed for This is very accurate to your history, but due to time constraints, like all films, there may be some editing of events to tell your whole life story in just a two- hour film. Is there any part of your life that you’d like to see more of, in a possible Bleed for This sequel, if there were ever to be one? VP: I think there’s going to be a sequel because I think there’s going to be a great reaction. It’s so good; everybody did a great job. I just think it’s incredible. I’m really happy with what happened. Chad Verdi ended up getting Scorsese involved through an introduction from Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. You can only do so much in a two-hour movie about somebody; there’s so many years of crazy things that happened to me. I was the Pazmanian Devil and that comes with a lot of wild stuff on the side.

Film Review: Trinity

Michael is a troubled artist whose fragile psyche begins to crack after a chance run-in with the priest who abused him as a child. What follows is a walking dream state in which Michael attempts to rationalize and cope with his trauma, his emotions and his actions.

Skip Shea’s Trinity is a powerful drama with psychological horror overtones and is filled with a tense anxiety and strong performances. The cast overall holds their own while Sean Carmichael really stands out as Michael; his performance has a believable nervous confusion about it that adds an unexpected energy to the film.

Trinity is a very effective film in the way that it takes the viewer along Michael’s quest for inner peace and closure. The film’s intentionally awkward pacing and repetition of scenes and dialogue within scenes solidifies the surreal feeling that Shea accomplishes so well.

If you were looking for a stand-out independent feature that tackles some tough subjects, then I’d highly recommend Trinity. Trinity can be seen this Sunday, October 16, at 6:15pm at the Pawtucket Film Festival. For more info on screening time check out Pawtucketfilmfest.com.

Trinity (2016); Director: Skip Shea; Starring: Sean Carmichael, David Graziano, Lynn Lowry

Film Review: The Accountant

A socially awkward math savant accountant specializes in sorting out the finances of the world’s most dangerous criminal empires. Unfortunately, when he figures out the source of a new client’s financial irregularities, a string of people connected to the company begin to die. It is now up to the accountant, Chris Wolf, to protect himself and the young woman who assisted him.

The Accountant could easily have been yet another run-of-the-mill action movie, but sets itself apart by having Affleck’s character be on the autism spectrum, which is an unusual but interesting choice for an American action film. Affleck does a good job in the lead role and the supporting cast as a whole is wonderful, even if some of them are a bit typecast. The film’s story works well and makes clever use of some well-worn tropes of the action thriller and shoots both the accounting and the action in a fun, kinetic style.

The Accountant is a fast-paced action thriller, which is one part corporate espionage and one part Punisher-savant and should entertain any action fan. The Accountant opens nationwide on October 14. The Accountant (2016); Director: Gavin O’Connor; Starring: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons

Bleed for This Hits the Big Screen Next Month

Paz has rightfully become the stuff of Rhode Island legend, a topic of constant local – and national – discussion in the ’80s and ’90s. Soon, that legend will be reborn on the big screen.

Bleed For This, a biopic about RI native Vincenzo Pazienza, aka The Pazmanian Devil, will be released on 3,000 movie screens nationwide in early November. The film was produced by, among others, local film producer Chad Verdi (Woodhaven Production Co., Almost Mercy, Loosies). Executive producers include Martin Scorsese, and it’s directed by Ben Younger (Boiler Room). Miles Teller (Divergent) stars as Paz, alongside Katey Sagal (“Sons of Anarchy”) as his mom and Aaron Eckhart (Olympus Has Fallen) as his trainer.

Motif will have more on the film as its release date approaches. This week, we caught up with Tommy DeNucci, local film producer, director, actor and writer (Army of the Damned, Self Storage), who made the behind-the-scenes documentary for Bleed for This.

“I play one of Vinny’s support team – I’m a sparring partner, walk him to the ring, that sort of thing. Vinny was known for having an entourage that would go where he went, and that carries over a bit to the film. So I probably only have a couple of lines, but I was on set all the time. On a big set, there can be a lot of downtime for actors. Since I’m also a filmmaker, [co-producer] Bruce Cohen (Silver Linings Playbook, American Beauty) offered me the chance to take on the behind-the-scenes,” explains DeNucci.

Like Paz himself, the film seems to be blowing up bigger than almost anyone expected. In addition to wide release, the film is generating early Oscar buzz in the LA Times, especially for its star performances. Not bad for a film from Rhode Island. “You can say that about Vinny too,” points out DeNucci. “He was definitely an underdog story.”

Over years on the boxing circuit in lightweight, light middleweight and super middleweight, Paz proved a reliable performer, picking up four world championship titles. But it was his fifth title that made him a legend, coming as it did after a spinal injury that had doctors telling him he might never walk again, let alone box. No one thought he had any chance at a comeback from that.

“When you’re working on a film, no one’s thinking about Oscars or awards – you’re just trying to do your best on the day-to-day,” says DeNucci. “So to find out that the film’s acquired all this gravity a couple of years after you did the work is kind of strange and really exciting.”

Also like Paz, the film did not follow a straight or easy course. Various drafts of the script have been circulating since Vinny won/reclaimed his fifth title in 1993. Any number of filmmakers have been attached over the 20 years since, and it’s been considered for everything from a Lifetime movie to a raunchy comedy. “I remember reading a draft of the script when I was a 22-year-old intern on one of [Verdi’s] sets. Ten years later, it’s remarkable to see how it evolved,” Says DeNucci.

Motif: How involved was Martin Scorsese in the film?

Tommy DeNucci: He was heavily involved in the beginning and end of the process. He had a lot of impact on the casting and notes on the script. And once we had a rough cut, I know he gave a lot of notes that made it through to final cut. It was exciting to have him involved – he added a lot of class and weight to the production.

Motif: Was Vinny on set a lot?

TD: Vinny was there regularly and was involved. He’s an amazing character in his own right. And it had to be really surreal for him. I got some footage of him basically watching other people recreate his childhood. They recreated his childhood house, and he was reliving his life, but watching other people do it.

I’ve known Vinny for a long time, and Miles would do the Vinny voice and I’d look over my shoulder thinking it was the real thing. He really had it down.

Motif: How did Miles Teller prepare for the role?

TD: He met Vinny of course, but from what I understand, he did a lot of his preparation from video footage. From age 18 till today, Vinny really always had a camera in his face. He was a sports commentator, and there are hundreds of hours of footage and interviews. [Teller] said he would have that material playing on his computer constantly, no matter what else he was doing, and just immersing himself.

Physically, he trained his ass off for the boxing. He could really kick some legit ass in the ring at this point. He got really ripped. He could probably knock you out. You have to get pretty shredded to play Vinny – you can’t look like Turtle from “Entourage.”

Motif: How much Rhode Island culture / heritage is in this film? Does it show where Almacs used to be?

TD: There are enough background elements included that I think it will make Rhode Islanders smile. It doesn’t go too far, it’s not comical. But you’ll see landmarks, and there’s a very authentic recreation of the old Civic Center, before it was the Dunk, with vintage logos from the old days.

Motif: What else do you personally have coming up as a filmmaker?

TD: Today I’m starting preproduction on Anders Manor – it’s a co-production with local company 2 Cousins Productions. It’s taking me back to my horror roots, sort of like “Stranger Things” but with an 18-year-old and set in modern times. It stars Christina Robinson, who played the daughter on “Dexter.” She’s all grown up now, and her character has just checked herself out of an asylum and moved into the family bed and breakfast. Which doesn’t go so well. It’s also an opportunity for me to work with Sully Erna, lead singer for Godsmack (Army of the Damned) again.

On November 15 a kids’ comedy I directed called Arlo: The Burping Pig is being released. It’s a fun family movie about a little girl whose family moves to a place where she doesn’t know anyone. She meets this tiny pig and learns that animals can be friends too. It was a little different for me, but I was excited to work in LA, and I’ve always been a fan of John Candy and John Hughes movies, so it was a chance to do something in that spirit.

Bleed For This releases nationwide in early November. Fb.com/bleedforthis

Film Review: SEED, the Untold Story

SEED, the Untold Story would be worth watching if only for the lush beauty of its visuals; the opening sequence is pure art, glowing and smoldering with fecund life. Jewel-like ovules and whirligigs pour into the viewer’s eyes in a hypnotizing swirl. But behind the colors lurks a dark cloud, and this story, like the germ of a seed, carries a truth that is being played out behind our backs while we sleep: Something valuable is being taken away from us that we may never get back.

Until watching this film, I was blithely unaware that in 2016 we have the largest seed shortage in known history. We’ve lost at least 94% of Earth’s original seed varieties. Why does this matter? Because, as much as we have developed our technology, electronics and communication satellites are not something we can eat. Genetic diversity in plants is the only thing that stands between us and global famine; and when the seeds of a plant are lost to history, they are gone forever.

SEED introduces us to a subculture of souls who work to keep the biodiversity of seeds alive. These people do not stare into their handheld devices or media screens. They are watching something else: the earth, the sky, the corn that grows and the seeds that can, from a single kernel, unfurl a tree that takes root, living through generations of men who are born and die. A single seed can produce a plant that multiplies and feeds a village. Far behind the stage of high-tech life, these dedicated guardians hold a line that most of us don’t know exists, against the forces that are quietly moving to corral and control the very resources of life.

What disturbed me while watching this film is that I know this is not some dramatization of a conspiracy theory. Every fact presented checks out as true. Dow Chemical really did knowingly test poisonous chemicals next to children’s schools in Hawaii, Monsanto actually did run farmers out of business who would not knuckle under and buy their genetically modified seeds. It is a dark awakening. While consumers across the planet are preoccupied with the drama of war, politics and violence on the streets, behind the scenes, an erosion far more insidious is taking place. Today, in 2016, chemical corporations have literally taken control of the future of our world.

SEED makes itself a lucid voice that brings to light the true weight and meaning of the corporate manipulations of land and chemicals. These companies are now meddling with the very hands of creation: Welcome to the world of GMOs (genetically modified organisms).

If you go on the internet, you can find hundreds of testimonies from corporations lauding the virtues of GMO products — they produce bigger crops, use less water, feed more people. It is not coincidence that these businesses stand to profit most generously from the GMO industry. But the actions of the chemical conglomerates speak clearly of their hidden motives; this film need not exaggerate to prove a point. Rather, SEED seeks to reconnect us with a side of life that we in America have all but forgotten — our heritage, our authentic origins and the people who unassumingly go about the business of saving the world without fanfare or special effects.

Fortunately, the importance of preserving of heirloom seeds is not entirely unrecognized. There are global banks, in England, India, Norway, Russia and other countries. One of the least known but most irreversible atrocities committed by the US in the Iraq war was when we destroyed their National Seed Bank, a collective that had been gathered to benefit not just Iraq, but all of mankind. This film is a wake-up call on American’s priorities.

Currently, 64 countries around the world require labeling of genetically modified foods. Unlike most other developed nations, the US has no laws requiring such measures. In fact, in 2015 the US House of Representatives passed a bill that prevents any mandatory GMO food labeling. Legislature does, however, have measures in place to assure the public that it is safe for them to consume these foods. It gives one pause.

Last week, workers in Hungary, in defiance of the biotech monolith, Monsanto, set fire to thousands of acres of corn. Why? Hungary is one of the few countries that has an outright ban against GMOs and the crops had been grown with contaminated seeds. In May of this year, the people of South Africa united as part of the March Against Monsanto, a campaign that stretches around the globe. Why is the United States, a self-proclaimed leader in the world, making such a weak showing against a danger that so many others see quite clearly?

Watch this movie, please. It will open your eyes and leave them aching.

SEED: The Untold Story will premiere at the Cable Car Cinema in Providence on Sunday, September 25.