“Seeking a Friend for the End of the World” is a thoughtful apocalyptic ride

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We’ve seen apocalypse movies that focus on brave batches of humans trying to ward off Earth’s total annihilation in movies like Armageddon (1998) and Contagion (2011). In Armageddon the threat to humanity was an asteroid the size of Texas. In Contagion, infectious diseases were the destructive forces seeking to smother the lives of Earth’s inhabitants. With her directorial debut, Lorene Scafaria centers her story in an apocalyptic setting by way of Armageddon, but does something in that setting that neither Armageddon nor Contagion have done. She shows what the everyday, non-saving-the-world people on Earth do in their final days before the world’s end. It’s a fascinating new take on a popular genre that’s well worth your time. Continue Reading

ACTC Film Festival showcases Twin Cities college students

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“Local Motives,” a film by Macalester student James Christenson, won best in show at the Associated Colleges of the Twin Cites (ACTC)  inaugural film festival on November 16. The ACTC festival, held at the St. Anthony Main Theatre in Minneapolis, showcased films and other digital storytelling from students from five Twin City colleges as part of ACTC’s commitment to sustain urban communities through collaboration between local universities.Films and stories shown varied from serious to lighthearted; some were less than a minute long, others nearly reaching the maximum time limit of 10 minutes. Some films were even shot overseas, including Hamline University student Rachel Summer’s film “Parallels”, which was filmed in London during Summer’s study abroad in the United Kingdom.“Parallels” was a project Summer completed for a course at the American International University in London–Richmond. According to Summer, it was her first serious film“I had to write a script and eventually cast professional actors and actresses from London and audition them, scout locations, and do actual production,” Summers said. ACTC Film Festival entries (* indicates film nominated for Best in Show)Besti in Show: “Local Motives” by James Christenson (Macalester)*First runner-up: “Millionaire” by Tracy Sitterley (St. Continue Reading

The Power of Good and Bad Art

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There are some instances where great art has changed the way that I look at the world around me, and there are even rarer instances when said art instills within me not only a sense of change, but a sense of acting differently. But for every sense of positive and reflective change that occurs from interaction with art, there are moments of disbelief and sometimes rejection. Continue Reading

FREE SPEECH ZONE | Minneapolis Independent Filmmaker Uses Art to Heal From Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

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Inspired by his real life battle with civilian post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Minneapolis-based Independent filmmaker and freelance Creative Director Edd Blott uses film to tell the story of his first step to finding joy in suffering. The film, titled A Tale of Delight, premieres July 20th at the Trylon microcinema in Minneapolis.Local filmmaker Edd Blott pulls from life experience in his search for joy in suffering with his new film, A Tale of Delight. The 23 minute headline film premieres alongside a collection of other local filmmaker’s works on July 20th at the Trylon in Minneapolis.Free Speech ZoneThe Free Speech Zone offers a space for contributions from readers, without editing by the TC Daily Planet. This is an open forum for articles that otherwise might not find a place for publication, including news articles, opinion columns, announcements and even a few press releasesIn August 2009, Edd was witness to a young man hit and killed by the Minneapolis light rail. This sight affected him deeply with what a doctor eventually diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder. Continue Reading