Personal Velocity

Starring:Kyra Sedgwick, Parker Posey, Fairuza Balk, John Ventimiglia, Ron Leibman, Wallace Shawn, David Warshofsky, Leo Fitzpatrick, Tim Guinee, Patti D'Arbanville, Ben Shenkman (II), Joel de la Fuente, Marceline Hugot, Brian Tarantina, Seth Gilliam, Josh Phillip Weinstein, Lou Taylor Pucci, Mara Hobel, David Patrick Kelly, Nick Cubbler
Director: Rebecca Miller
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Personal Velocity is actually three short digital films, a trio of superb character portraits: Delia (Kyra Sedgwick, Something to Talk About, Singles), a former bad girl who musters the will to leave her abusive husband; Greta (Parker Posey, Party Girl, Best in Show), a book editor who finds that success in her career leaves her dissatisfied with her unambitious husband; and Paula (Fairuza Balk, The Craft, Gas Food Lodging), a young woman whose narrow escape from a car accident makes her question her life. With small, deft touches, writer-director Rebecca Miller (Angela) reveals a lot of about who these women are and how they live. Miller's gift for compression turns these short stories into rich examinations of contemporary culture, finding humor as well as pathos in the choices these women face. All three actresses turn in outstanding performances, clearly delighted to embody such well-drawn characters. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Three very different women. One daring leap of faith. Kyra Sedgwick (Something to Talk About), Parker Posey (Best in Show) and Fairuza Balk (Almost Famous) star in this completely compelling (The Hollywood Reporter) drama about three women who set out to change their lives. Winner of the 2002 Sundance Festival's Grand Jury Prize, this passionate, poignant and bracingfilm delivers a muscular punch (Screen International)! Delia (Sedgwick) escapes from an abusive husband. Greta (Posey) risks everything on a new career. And Paula (Balk) takes flight after a tragic accident. These women must overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles that confinethem. But are they really on their way to new livesor are they just making new versions of old mistakes?

Customer Reviews:

I've found me another wonderful segmented film........2007-04-12

I don't know why there are so many attempts at this sort of films: individual episodes that approach and overlap the same concept. Perhaps it is because it is easier to craft episodes with power rather than worry about an arc of 90 minutes or more.

But we do have them and some work amazingly well. This movie is the story of three woman, told in separate segments. Each of the characters has to some extent engaged in self-delusion as to who they really are as persons and each one finds herself in the midst of a major life crisis. As each character deals with their situation, they begin to find out who they really are as persons and to find a possible path to self liberation, happiness and fulfillment in their lives. Delia (Kyra Sedgwick) is an abused wife and mother, who finds personal liberation by finding the courage to finally leave her abusive husband, and then finds her personal dignity and power by rediscovering her sexuality. Greta (Parker Posey), is a wife and daughter, who has long suffered, first by being caught in the middle in a struggle between her powerful, ambitious father and her weaker, more fragile mother for her love and affection, then later in an act of rebellion against her father, ends up in a loving but passionless marriage in which she has suppressed all her own personal ambitions. An opportunity for success rekindles in her all her own passions and ambition, as she struggles to finally break free from the influence of her parents, to come to terms with her husband and marriage and to be who she really is as a person. Paula (Fairuza Balk) is a young woman, who finds herself pregnant and who after a terrible accident, in a state of shock starts out on a journey to try and escape and make sense of what is happening to her. An encounter with an abused runaway helps her refocus on her own plight and discover her own ability to care about others besides her self.

All the acting in the film is excellent, but Parker Posey as Greta really stands out. This is the first film that makes use of Parker's ability as an actress to convey emotion and internal conflict, without dialog, simply by the expression on her beautiful face, and it is absolutely stunning to watch. She turns Greta, who could have been very unsympathetic, into a character that one can care about. This is very intelligent and very complex film. One that makes the viewer think deeply. There are no tight, neatly wrapped up endings in this movie, you have no way of knowing if the characters have made the right choices in their lives. This makes it tough for audiences and critics to embrace this movie, but if you do look deeply at it, and think about it, you will come to appreciate and love it.

In their own direction, at their own speed.......2006-11-13

Each of the three stories of very different young women told in this film takes enough time to develop a character and show an arc of personal change that gives a sense of something significant having happened while still leaving the future open. The theme of personal development not only in a particular speed and direction, the "velocity" of the title, but also from a very particular place and in reaction to particular events, tie the stories together. In their way, the stories can be seen as a study of analogues to Newton's laws of motion in human life.

I agree with the other positive reviews. It's an unusual film, real, insightful, absorbing, raw, sophisticated but not pretentious, compelling, thought provoking. The film also looks unusual, incorporating some edgy photography, occasional freeze-frames and staccato editing of action and stills, but not so much as to become tedious or lose its freshness. The casting and direction are pitch perfect.

I see no reason men shouldn't appreciate this as much as women. The stories do require some degree of empathetic imagination for anyone who hasn't been like the characters. The main characters are portrayed, not judged, so those inclined to be judgmental may be frustrated. But for those who just want to see and understand, this is a rare opportunity.

Movie for Women But What A Movie!.......2006-02-03

*****
This is a rave review for an unusual movie. One of the previous reviewers said that the more she thought about the movie, the more she liked it. I feel the same way.

This is the story of three women at pivotal points of their lives. The three women are not linked except that the movie takes place at the same point in time for all of them. One woman is escaping a domestic violence situation from a man she loves. Another woman is very ambitious and sexual, trying to reconcile who she is with who she thinks she is supposed to be. The third woman is dealing with trauma and what she has made of her life. All three situations are thought-provoking and beautifully portrayed by the accomplished actresses in their roles.

I rented this movie, watched some of the Special Features, and then ordered it on Amazon. I truly loved this movie. I'm not sure how men might view this film; although some are reviewers, I have difficulty understanding how men might appreciate and empathize with the depth of this movie, which is exclusively from a female perspective. I think that most women will enjoy not only the depth of exploration of women's life situations, feelings, and complexity. I don't think that this film is appropriate in any way for children; I think children will find it dull and not understand its themes. In addition, there are adult situations (including abuse, masturbation, and violence) that make it inappropriate for children; none of these are gratuitous, however, and all contribute to make this movie as powerful as it is.

This is a haunting and beautiful movie for thinking and feeling women, and for those men that can appreciate powerful filmmaking even when it involves female themes.

At least 4 stars..........2006-02-02

This movie is really good. It's worth watching for the Kyra Sedgwick story alone, however, all three are very artistic, emotionally-stirring and thought-provoking. I don't know why some people gave this bad reviews but I definitely recommend it.

Ironic compelling drama.......2006-01-08

Three different women going through personal critical moments in their lives. Fantastic acting.
Delia tries to escape her abusive husband to later find herself doing what she has always liked: hooking up with guys. She hasn't become any better than she was, but she finds herself through liberation.
Greta, sublimely perfomed by Parker Posey is a young editor who has issues with her father. However, she ends up doing the same thing he did which is again pretty ironic.
Fairuza Balk plays a pregnant girl who has been in touch with death in many ways. She decides to go back to her prior life after visiting her mother upstate looking for an answer to her predicaments.
The three women try to change but in the end they stay the same.Except perhaps a little bit wiser.

Average customer rating:

Son seeks father's blessing
Fathers and Sons
MOVING
Therapy through film making - ought to have ANYONE exploring their own family dynamics
"Like father, like son" is a proposition fraught with peril for the Wexlers

Tell Them Who You Are
Starring: Verna Bloom , Jane Fonda , Julia Roberts , Studs Terkel , and Jonathan Winters
Manufacturer: Velocity Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000ARXG3Q
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Amazon.com

Haskell Wexler was one of the most important cinematographers of the '60s and '70s who continued to work into the new century (in his eighties, no less). Besides earning two Oscars, he directed Medium Cool, a landmark, uneasy mix of fiction and documentary, and was a visible liberal activist. He also looks to be a pain in the butt. That aspect is brought into focus with his son's Mark's curious, self-therapeutic documentary. Both a biography of the genius with the camera, and a warts-and-all portrait of his father, the film, narrated by Mark, is a cinematic way to deal with a challenging upbringing. The senior Wexler has not lost any of his vitality or gruffness--he openly challenges his son about setting up a scene or the importance of catching a sunset. Talk about reality TV! There are several famous faces interviewed about the craft of filmmaking, but the most interesting comments come from those who know very well about dealing with famous fathers (including Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas). Equal time is given for Wexler's greatest achievements (including Bound for Glory, and American Graffiti) as well as his failures (he was fired from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest). It's not the easiest film to watch, but filled with honest, raw emotion including how this grand cinematographer deals with his colorblindness. Genius may love company, but sympathy may be hard to find for a cameraman who states there's "never been a movie I thought I could direct it better" and a son who finds such a public way of dealing with his own demons. --Doug Thomas

Description

Mark Wexler's cinematic blend of biography and autobiography centers on his relationship with his father, legendary Oscar-winning cinematographer and filmmaker Haskell Wexler, whose long and illustrious career is a virtual catalogue of 20th-century classics. Haskell's collaborations with such world-class filmmakers as Elia Kazan, Milos Forman, George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola and Mike Nichols include such works as WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?, AMERICAN GRAFFITI, COMING HOME, BOUND FOR GLORY and ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST. The film features interviews with many of these artists, along with such luminaries as Jane Fonda, Michael Douglas and Sidney Poitier.

But the true "star" of TELL THEM WHO YOU ARE is Haskell himself, a controversial, larger-than-life character who challenges his son's filmmaking skills while announcing with complete conviction that he could have done a better job directing most of the movies he's shot. As these two men swap positions on camera and behind it - sometimes shooting one another simultaneously - the film looks with honesty and compassion at their attempts to reconcile before it's too late.

Customer Reviews:

Son seeks father's blessing.......2007-05-04

A son finds a way to form a relationship with his Dad - appeal to his vanity by making a movie about him and visit Julia Roberts together. Through the kindnesses of those interviewed we get to humanize our fathers from an Image to an ordinary man living in a time with less consciousness. More optimistic than My Architect and has left me feeling lighter about my own father.

Fathers and Sons.......2006-06-02

"Tell Them Who You Are" is an amazing film. I rented the DVD thinking that I might like it because I am a fan of "Cuckoo's Nest", "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", "Days of Heaven", and other movies photographed by Haskell Wexler. I ended up loving the movie because of the courageous journey Wexler's son (this film's director) embarks on--he uses the documentary as a means to break through his father's macho, gruff, prickly emotional armor. The director flatters his father's considerable ego by making him the subject of this documentary, but Haskel has no idea what he's agreed to. He parades his cocky, opinionated, arrogant self in front of his son's lens and is revealed as the insecure man he truly is. However, the director does not gratuitously exploit this fact. Rather, he continues to observe his father--the son is both cruel and kind. As he "exposes" his father, he also frees him from the emotional cage he has erected about himself (his legendary status in the film industry, for instance). The film is, finally, both a work of art and an act of love. I was moved by "Tell Them Who You Are." (Let me also recommend that you watch the special feature that shows Haskel Wexler's reaction once he has seen the film--it's an incredible thing to watch.)

MOVING.......2006-02-16

I had no idea who Haskell Wexler was before I started watching this highly entertaining and well made documentary. One is quickly informed about the movies he was DOP for, and what numerous actors, directors and producers think of him. Not all favourable by the way. The gist of the movie is the relationship between son Mark (who made the movie) and father Haskell. They are entirely different people with Mark being more conservative to the outspoken and liberal Haskell. But herein lies the universality of the movie - even though we would sometimes deny it, we all strive for the approval and acknowledgement of our parents. You havent finished the experience of "Tell Them Who You Are" until you have watched Haskell's reaction to the movie in the EXTRAS of the DVD. Very moving!

Therapy through film making - ought to have ANYONE exploring their own family dynamics.......2006-02-01

This is a curious and oddly entertaining little film. The son of a troubled but talented director makes a movie about his realtionship with his father, in the process exploring his father's life and work while also focusing on family dynamics. Should he have done such a public expose'? See what you think.

If you're looking for soap opera, this film really doesn't stoop to that level. It can be painful to watch at times but I always got the sense that Mark Wexler always strove for the truth (as best he could) in his father's life and the reasons for their confrontations.

I came away from this one thinking of how families affect each other - for better or worse- and how the son of someone famous may have a special cross to bear...since genius can come with its own set of idiosyncracies, not all of them pleasant. Fascinating!

"Like father, like son" is a proposition fraught with peril for the Wexlers.......2006-01-15

Haskell Wexler is one of a handful of cinematographers who have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, having won a pair of Oscars for filming "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" and "Bound for Glory." Other nominations came for "Matewan" and "Blaze." He was also nominated for "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" along with Bill Butler, because Wexler was fired during the shoot. Two minutes into this documentary, you will understand why that would happen. You will also quickly figure out that this 2004 documentary is not about a great cinematographer, but about the relationship between Wexler and his son Mark, who is the one making the documentary.

The title of the film comes from Haskell Wexler's advice to his son when Mark started getting involved in the business. What it meant was tell people your father is Haskell Wexler. Born into a privileged life, Wexler got into making documentaries and established a reputation as a first-rate cinematographer and as an outspoken liberal. The son of Wexler's second wife, Mark talks about the point in his life when he realized that the U.S. government was bigger than his father and became a conservative, more out of a need to tick off his father than out of profound ideological conviction. That becomes part of the inherent tension between the documentarian and his subject (Wexler refuses to sign the release form for the film despite Mark's plea to trust him), but there is also the fact that Wexler thinks he knows more about making a documentary than his son. He probably does, but the old man (Wexler is in his early 80s), has no compunctions about communicating his superiority.

There are some clips from Wexler's films, both well-known ones like "In the Heat of the Night" and "Coming Home," and his lesser known and more political efforts, such as "The Bus" and "Introduction to the Enemy," both of which he directed. There are interviews with actors (e.g., Julia Roberts, Ron Howard), directors (e.g., Norman Jewison, George Lucas), producers (e.g., Michael Douglas), writers (e.g., Studs Terkel), and a few cinematographers (e.g., Conrad L. Hall). But time and time again the emphasis is more on the man than on his work, and because of Mark's presence the conversations often turn to the topics of fathers and sons, although with no small degree of irony it is Jane Fonda who makes the most pointed comments on the topic of fear to both Wexlers.

What is probably the most amazing thing about "Tell Them Who You Are" is that Mark Wexler would attempt to finally get out of his father's shadow by making a documentary about him. But clearly this sort of public exorcism is what the younger Wexler required. However, the portends are not good when he ignores his father's advice and makes a big mistake early on when filming his father's 80th birthday party. Still, the fact that this could be the final nail in the coffin for the relationship between these two is what makes the present as important as the past in this documentary.

One thing you need to know is that the payoff for this documentary comes not at the end, when we find what Haskell Wexler is going to do next, but on one of the DVD special features when his son finally shows him the documentary we have just watched. If you have any doubts about what "Tell Them Who Your Are" is all about, what you see (and hear) there will settle the matter. There are also uncut interview clips with several of the actors and cinematographers who appear in the documentary, with the Martin Sheen one being the most fascinating of the bunch as he speaks eloquently about fathers and sons.

Average customer rating:

Watch this!
3 of hearts
Run - don't walk - and see this film!
Wonderful
Excellent Film

Three of Hearts
Starring: Samantha Singh , Sam Cagnina (II) , and Steven Margolin
Director: Susan Kaplan
Manufacturer: Velocity Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Lie With Me
Deliver Us from Evil
Children of Men (Widescreen Edition)
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ASIN: B000E1NXKY
Release Date: 2006-03-14

Product Description

Despite being totally in love with one another, Sam and Steven both long for the addition of a woman to their relationship. They find just what they're looking for in struggling actress Samantha. Between their cozy bed, their mutual desire to have a child, and their adventures in business, the three lovers redefine the boundaries of family.

System Requirements:

Running Time 95 Mins.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Watch this!.......2006-05-06

This film was a real, touching and beautiful look into an unusual, unconventional relationship, which pointed out the dynamics inherent in every relationship. Anyone who is in a relationship, or even in a human body for that matter, should take the opportunity to watch this heart-felt film. I expected to go see some random thing in which a old friend of mine had a creative hand, and found myself deeply touched, with my breath taken away. It is artfully and skillfully directed and produced, and stayed with me long after i left the theatre, and is with me even now.

3 of hearts.......2006-03-15

Ever feel like you need another parent in your family? Well they tried it. This is a film for our time which examines the personal aspects and the broader socio-political aspects of family living. It re-defines what makes-up a family. It is basically a well made film about human relationships which reflects upon our own lives and our family.

Run - don't walk - and see this film!.......2006-03-14

THREE OF HEARTS is a wonderful film. I went in expecting to be slightly titillated by the notion of 3 people living together. What I found was much more profound. Despite the unconventionality of their living situation, the threesome dealt with the same relationship problems that all couples go through. The core of the film is about love and commitment and parenting and trying to make a connection in this world. THREE OF HEARTS could have been a freak show - instead, it's a meditation on relationships in a modern world. I was especially impressed by the way the film was crafted. The credits say Toby Shimin was the editor - I will now make it a point to watch all her films - she clearly knows what she's doing.

Wonderful.......2006-03-14

I was immediately struck by the familiarity to this relationship. They had the same struggles, hopes and fears as anyone of my friends, gay or straight. I identified with all of their triumphs and tribulations. I went into this moving completely dumbfounded by how this trio could work, I walked away realizing it was no different than any other love story. Absolutely worth the ride.

Excellent Film.......2006-03-14

A wonderful story of three people making very difficult decisions about life with each other. A really well made film in that it cast no judgement on what the characters were choosing - it just layed it all out and let you, as the viewer, feel whatever you were feeling. Tormented characters, but very honest filmaking.

Great Film - Highly recommend!

Personal Velocity: Three Portraits [Region 2]

Average customer rating:

I've found me another wonderful segmented film.
In their own direction, at their own speed
Movie for Women But What A Movie!
At least 4 stars...
Ironic compelling drama

Personal Velocity: Three Portraits [Region 2]
Starring: Kyra Sedgwick , Parker Posey , Fairuza Balk , John Ventimiglia , and Ron Leibman
Director: Rebecca Miller
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Customer Reviews:

I've found me another wonderful segmented film........2007-04-12

In their own direction, at their own speed.......2006-11-13

Movie for Women But What A Movie!.......2006-02-03

At least 4 stars..........2006-02-02

Ironic compelling drama.......2006-01-08

Charlie Rose with Dr. Eric Lander; Rebecca Miller; John Feinstein (December 9, 2002)

Average customer rating:

Charlie Rose with Dr. Eric Lander; Rebecca Miller; John Feinstein (December 9, 2002)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Educational | Genres | DVD | Video

Description

An interview with Dr. Eric Lander, director of the Whitehead Institute's Genome Center, about the mouse genome and its relevance to human genetics. Then, writer-director Rebecca Miller talks about her new film, Personal Velocity. Finally, a conversation with sportswriter John Feinstein, on his new book, The Punch: One Night, Two Lives, and the Fight That Changed Basketball Forever, about a pivotal NBA game in 1977.

DVD:

DVD

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