Matt Shea
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David O'Connell
Mountain Fog
Morning Theft by Shaun Katz
August 24th 2008 22:39
Shaun Katz is a young, emerging filmmaker, and he's both blessed and cursed with the vagaries of youth - he doesn't know where he'll end up, but he understands, perhaps fearsomely, that the events in his life are bound to shape him.
Indeed, "Morning Theft" dwells on this concept, depicting an average love triangle between a young girl, Teagan, and two brothers, Rob and Peter. While this may seem pedestrian, where the movie aims to climb is the ambiguity of the characters. Katz's leads are wondefully tangible, suffering from the same indecision and heartbreaks that we face, without descending into the cliched stereotypes that curse most modern films.
Morning Theft Trailer
Katz first came to my attention when he did a series of guest posts for JohnDoe on jdmfilmreviews.com, focusing on several of John Cassavetes' films. Cassavetes' is the American patron saint of independent cinema, eschewing big studio money and financing his movies himself, maintaining complete creative control.
I reviewed "A Woman Under the Influence" and found it to be haunting, poignant cinema. This is a movie that would never get studio approval, and one that would flounder in mass distribution - yet it is one of the most heartbreaking stories captured on film, despite its flaws.
Similarly, Katz's "Morning Theft" is not a movie that begs to be made, which is exactly what makes it fascinating. While some filmmakers would have glorified their Australian film with shiny shots of the Harbour or endless beaches, Katz gives us the urban settings that strike as familiar. We've walked on his streets, and passed his scenes, talked to his actors. The two male leads, especially, played by Stephen Peacocke and Greg Johnson, are incredible, tiptoeing the edge of near lunacy.
And while the movie is deeply flawed, mainly due to microbudget constraints, it's these flaws that give the film a heady sense of relentless desire. Katz's blood and sweat are evident, and the tears are one step away from forming, each scene meticulously constructed and lit To make the most of a fractional budget, the characters are filmed in close, in interiors, alone and with each other, giving the film a sense of personal space.
I never had an experience like the one depicted in "Morning Theft" - no, wait, that's an outright lie. I had many experiences like this, each one leaving a mark on my cerebral cortex, each one shaving the spurs off my personality until I became the foul, cruel being you see before you. The beauty of "Morning Theft" is that it brings this memory of youth back to us.
"Morning Theft" is opening next week in Melbourne!
Start Time: Monday, September 1, 2008 at 9:00pm
Location: Glitch Bar and Cinema
Street: 318 St Georges Road
City/Town: Fitzroy, Melbourne
Film duration: 60 mins.
Tickets: $7.50 at the door (be there early!)
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Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Really Long Link
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Will keep eye out.
Good luck with the festivals.
I recently did some test screenings for a group of people and they ended up getting picked up by Tribeca.
Comment by Jason Turley
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Far from it - it's precisely this feature of "Morning Theft" that makes it appreciable and relevant.
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Comment by Cheryl J
Rhythmatism
Budget Centsability
Nice review Cib
This quote definitely piqued my interest. Sometimes they are the films that we should go out of our way to see.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I hope it does come to Sydney...