SCAD presents aTVFest: Day 2
The second day of the first annual aTVFest in Atlanta was hosted within the university’s Atlanta campus; the festival has hosted everything from the screening of Cinemax’s new series “Banshee,” to a panel on tax incentives for filming in Georgia. District got the inside scoop on three unique premieres hailing from HBO and Fox.
Fall to Grace
[rating: 4/5]
Jim McGreevy is a name most likely unknown to those outside the world of politics. In 2004, one simple statement changed his popularity from successful New Jersey governor to a pop culture phenomenon: “I am a gay American.”
In this HBO documentary written, produced and directed by Alexandra Pelosi, McGreevy’s life post-affair scandal and office resignation surrounds one thing: redemption. After coming out and coming clean to the public about his affair with another man, McGreevy was forced to take a sobering look at his fraudulent, former life. Pelosi, a former news correspondent for NBC, uses her journalism background to tackle a variety of hard topics; how does one redeem themselves to the public? To the ones they have shamed? But most importantly, how do find redemption for our own selves.
“Everyone deserves a second chance,” states McGreevy. “No one should be defined by [his or her] addiction.”
Pelosi’s documentary, filmed entirely on a handheld camcorder, is a simplified look into a complicated past. The audience gets a full insider look into McGreevy’s personal life and inner-struggles, taking you straight to the true soul of who the man is. With an honest, simple message of being true to one’s own self, this documentary is an uplifting and spiritually driven look into someone simply finding his own grace.
Love, Marilyn
[rating: 5/5]
Possibly one of the most publicized, yet complex talents of the 20th century, Marilyn Monroe is a name well-known across the globe. Nearly 50 years after her death, two boxes of her private writings and musings were discovered in the home of her acting coach, Paula Strasberg.
These newly discovered documents are the subject of Liz Garbus’ new HBO documentary entitled “Love, Marilyn.”
Brought to life by 12 contemporary icons and stars such as Viola Davis and Uma Thurman, the documentary is an in-depth look at Monroe’s rise to fame, highly coveted career, and ultimate demise. Plagued by a deep-seeded insecurity throughout her entire career, the film is both fascinating and disheartening. Despite her death over five decades ago, we can’t help but long for the success and happiness of Norma Jean that she so desperately craved, yet never received.
The director explores both the viewpoint of Monroe in the eyes of public and from own eyes. With access to her personal letters, the audience gets a deeper look into the world’s biggest star, making this both a unique and intimate film.
Bones
[rating: 4/5]
With the procedural drama “Bones” currently in its eighth season of filming, the show has managed to reinvent itself by presenting new plot lines and character relationships.
The lead character, Temperance Brennan, or “Bones,” has finally let her guard down to partner Seely Booth, and the two have a child together. With such a long standing run on Fox, aTVFest brought in executive producer Stephen Nathan to screen the latest episode and talk about the last seven years on the show.
The episode, entitled “The Friend in Need,” tackles the murder of a 17-year-old boy, date rape, and the drug special K. No stranger to bizarre deaths, “Bones” has managed to remain inventive in their plot lines without stepping into cheap thrills. Nathan credits this strong point to the show’s team of writers.
“It’s a think-tank of sorts. We just kind of lock them all in a room together with around 15 medical correspondents on hand to assist in the process of writing good, new material,” Nathan said.
The show, which has the largest standing set of any hour drama in existence, has just been green-lighted for a ninth season. With such innovative crew and fresh plots, it is easy to see why.
