Intel, ClickStar & THINKFilm, along with Landmark Theaters, are getting this small film (a small film with a big star & a director & a decent budget by indiewood standards, but looks like a primarily one location, whole-story-in-one-day film; which are low budget indie staples) out to theaters & on to broadband download & DVD (DVD 2 weeks after theatrical). It's day & date release version 2.0 people (or, this is no Bubble, content wise). Also, due to stars Freeman & Paz Vega, this film could appeal slightly more to minority audiences; slightly more than most of the US indies or indiewood projects that do not have minority actors in lead roles (this is one of my on-going concerns, lack of ethnic diversity in US indie film, which also means less dollars for indie film related businesses 'cause the movies are not appealing to many of the segments of the US & world population - exactly the groups that could be served well from indie films). Check out the LA Times article here. Even though this film has big Hollywood names involved, it is innovative & experimental & indie friendly (meaning I can see a real indie film imitating the 10 Items distribution strategy successfully) enough for me to mention in my New Distribution post at the end of this year. Thanks Filmmaker Magazine blog & Scott Kirsner for the links that led me to the LA Times article. Not sure if 10 Items was shot on DV, I may have to go read that article again. See also this AP article (thanks indieWIRE for the link).
By the stream review - from Lincoln Center, NYC viewing - no spoilers The hype is real - By the Stream is very good by Hong movies standards and also normal comedy-drama standards. There were like 30-40 people at Lincoln Center for the 1PM Fri 8/8/25 (opening day) screening of By the Stream. People in that neighborhood are serious about their foreign films. Cinematography is very simple, from a canon XA small sensor HD cam, I could see familiar details, how those cams film the moon, scenes at night - it’s like a 1980s or 1990s early indie cinematography style that we do not see much these days - works well for Hong’s movies. No color grading, very simple video/cinematography. A more fleshed out movie than some recent Hong movies. In the movie a skit is prepped, and we actually get to see it performed. A couple of serious issues are discussed. Some unexpected, light things happen. It’s a comedy-drama chill hangout movie w/ creative South Korean people - good times. Probably o...
