On August 19th through August 21st, you can join hundreds of filmmakers and make a movie in 48 hours!  That's right - write, shoot, edit and score a short film in 48 hours.  Then see it premiered up on the big screen! 

The 48 Hour Film Project is going to 100 cities spanning all six continents this year.  Which one of you will make the best short film to represent Kansas City against teams from around the world vying for the title of "The Best 48 Hour Film of 2011"?

CALLING ALL FILMMAKERS!

The 48 Hour Film Project, the largest filmmaking competition in the world, is coming to Kansas City!

In a wild, sleepless weekend, you and your team will make a short movie from scratch in only 48 hours.  On Friday, August 19th, you'll get a character, a prop, a line of dialogue and a genre, all to include in your movie.  By Sunday, August 21st, the movie must be complete. Each completed film is guaranteed a screening at Screenland Crown Center on August 23rd and 24th.

To be part of the 48HFP, register online at:
http://www.48hourfilm.com/kansascity

Regular registration costs $160 per team, unless you register before August 1st, in which case it's $140.  Space is limited, so register today!

For more information, contact Vickie Rocco & Matt Thomas at: kansascity@48hourfilm.com


UPCOMING MEET & GREET

Want to learn more about the 48HFP?  Join us at The Brick on August 4th at 5:30 to mix and mingle it up with other local filmmakers.  We will be on hand to answer any questions you have about the project.

The Brick
1727 McGee
Kansas City, MO 64111

August 4, 5:30pm

Meet other Kansas City area filmmakers, spend 48 hours in intense movie making, have your film screened at Screenland Crown Center, and compete to represent Kansas City against the other 48HFP cities around the world!  The top films from around the world screen each year at the Cannes Film Festival.

Come on out and make a movie!

Vickie Rocco, Matt Thomas
Kansas City Producer
48 Hour Film Project
http://www.48hourfilm.com/kansascity

Join us on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/48-Hour-Film-Project-Kansas-City/127437507347223

There has always been a strange love affair between mass audiences and the “Planet of the Apes” film franchise. Ever since Charlton Heston first uttered the words, “Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!” – Hollywood, sci-fi lovers and America has been intrigued by the idea of a world dominated by apes. A world where the human species has become irrelevant and the once beastly apes now reign supreme. From that one idea (based on the 1963 novel “La planète des singes” by Pierre Boulle) and the original film in 1968, the “Apes” franchise has grown to include, now, 7 feature films, a few television series and a merchandising blitz that have made hairy faced primates a regular conversation starter for pop culture fun. Apes became cool.

And luckily, they still are.

Sadly, the humans are not … but the apes sure are

“Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” directed by Rupert Wyatt (“The Escapist) is a slick, modern day telling of how we humans begin our fall down the evolutionary social ladder. Focusing more on the dangers of animal testing for antibody developments versus the various reasons for Ape domination in the previous films, movie-goers watch as science and technology become our mankind’s greatest achievement and complete downfall. The film follows brilliant scientist (of course) Will Rodman (an, as usual, grinning, cardboard James Franco) who is trying to find a cure for his Alzheimer’s suffering father Charles (John Lithgow.) As in all movies like this, the experiment goes astray, several times in fact giving rise to death, greed, more experiments and finally a new potential for man’s demise.

Just a quick spoiler – well not really, since it’s kind of in the title … this does not end well for us humans.

Like legos, the human actors throughout the film are so interchangeable, that anyone could have played them and the effect would be the same. Franco is his usual charming self for part of the film, but ends up becoming a pouting child who loses his favorite toy. At the same time, Freida Pinto (“Slumdog Millionaire”) is gorgeous and is believable, at first, as a friendly zoologist, but quickly becomes a stereotypical accessory that honestly adds nothing but a little hottness to the film. Lithgow is okay since he already looks a little demented and drastically, Tom Felton (“Harry Potter” films – you know, Draco Malfoy) is given the role as the over the top, evil animal torturer and completely misses his mark when asked to say the famous Heston line already mentioned above.

Truthfully, I could go into further detail about the goods and bads of the acting, but honestly, it just doesn’t matter. When compared to Caesar, everyone else in the film pales in comparison. Digitally developed by the pixel pushers at Weta Digital and brought to life by character actor Andy Serkis, Caeser shines in every way. Believable facial features, nearly seamless integration into the physical world and realistic movement are just the beginning to the depth that this character presents. While the human actors are the base, Caesar’s story is the core and truly the strongest aspect for the film. From birth, the audience is allowed to follow his development and he becomes the character you want to root for. Even when he is fighting against the humans, you end up disliking some of the flesh and blood characters so much, that you just want the apes to win. Intelligent, crafty and strategic, Serkis’ portrayal is so believable that you quickly forget that Caesar is a pixilated prop and that he is in fact real. There may be grumblings for the truly nit-picky that everything was not perfect, and to be fair, it was not, but I have to applaud the technical masters behind this character because, when combined with the abilities of Serkis, Caesar goes from two-dimensional design, to being more three-dimensional than his physical counterparts.

While not the scientific epic that original films became, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” is an interesting addition the franchise mythos. More cautionary tale and far superior to the 2001 “Planet of the Apes,” “Rise” is a good diversion from the hot and humid climate outside. Stereotypical characters and a running time that is just a bit too long keep this one from being great, but excellent computer animation, good animal characterization and a potentially award-winning performance by Andy Serkis keep this one from becoming mediocre. Longtime fans may be disappointed since there are not that many fun callbacks to the original films and they will definitely not like Malfoy’s painfully delivered famous line, but mass audiences love animals and this one brings much power to the primates.

3 out 5 Canisters of Potentially Deadly Viral Strains at Home in the Refrigerator

Let’s begin this on a negative shall we … I do not like the graphic novel “Cowboys & Aliens.” There I said it. I have read it. Twice. I am not a fan. Too many times, underground material, whether it is movies, comic books, music, whatever - get deemed cool because no one knows about them. Like they are in on some inside joke that only the geekiest of geeks have viewed or know about.

“What, you don’t know about “such-and-such? It’s so awesome.”

Meh.

Of course not everything is like that. Books like “The Crow,” “Road to Perdition” and “History of Violence” are just a few examples where the off stream source material turned into very well done films. Unfortunately, I was just not as confident with this one.

Luckily, I was wrong.

Director John Favreau (“Iron Man.” “Made”) was ready for the gunfight at the OK Constellation and with a six shooter full of action and a saddle made for summer riding, he has made, possibly the finest movie experience yet this summer.

Starring a cavalcade of solid acting, Daniel Craig takes the reins of Jake Lonergan, a leading man with a strange attraction for trouble, some memory issues and a cool bracelet. Along his side, Harrison Ford takes aim as his adversary while Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell and Adam Beach all fill out the intergalactic battling posse.

The story … well, the title really says it all. There are cowboys. There are aliens. There you go. A little deeper you find out that Jake has caused some trouble for a very rich cattle baron – Ford’s Woodrow Dolarhyde. Along with that, some baddies from another planet have come to town, looking for gold and snatching up all the good people in a quaint New Mexican town and it’s surrounding areas. Let the action commence.

Excellent special effects combine with a fun story that actually entertains from start to finish. Yeah, it’s extremely silly, but as far as movie diversions go, you can’t help but get caught up in the expansive landscape of the America’s wild west. Honestly, the story, while not the verbatim retelling of the graphic novel (Thank God), is truly just a straight forward “B” movie kind of tale, is only held together by the wonderful characters and actors that populate it. Daniel Craig as the main man is a tough rogue that fits perfectly in the environment around him. Slender and as solid as rock, his reserved tough-guy portrayal gives heft to a story that could easily have floated off into space. At the same time and to my great joy – Harrison Ford finally plays a new part where he doesn’t look high on dementia medicine. Clear in the eyes, mean in his actions, Ford plays a man who has had to make a living from the scratch of the southwest. With flashes of that savory side-wise smile, several moments flash back to his Indiana Jones days helping give his older, gruff exterior a validation. Together, as adversaries and later as companions, Craig and Ford truly give their characters a refreshing depth that, again, helps make the movie successful.

In terms of a leading lady, Wilde is hypnotic with her wide eyes and tough demeanor that is interestingly sexy and believable all at the same time. This film, like the last film I reviewed, is proof that you don’t have to be nearly naked to make the guys go wild. Wilde, dressed in the usual western fair, is covered from neck to toe, but is still able to captivate her leading man with ease.

Yum-mo!

But, not everything is sunsets and saloons. A few saddle sores quickly stop this one from being great. The aliens, while interesting at the beginning, quickly turn into raging beasts that are both puzzling and disappointing. Clearly these outer world baddies are super smart with all kinds of killer technology, yet, they walk around, basically naked and attack like hungry bears. Hmmm. Also, while it was interesting to see the humans climb the into the alien ship/tower that was reminiscent of “Krull,” the final battle quickly unwound into silly chaos that was a little hard to watch and even less to care about. To be fair there are a few cool moments with Ford and Beach, but other than that it’s just kind of everywhere. Interestingly enough, immediately my colleague Joe Hagen and I realized that the end battle will make a great drinking game as the number of people killed far out weighs the number that originally rode in. Just saying.

With that said, nothing is ever truly perfect and even with the silliness, I believe audiences are going to eat this up. So, as I started this with a negative, lets end on a positive. As said, Craig and Ford are great together and the Wild West never looked so good. The beautiful landscape and heavy action keep the audience engaged while several tense moments keep you on the edge of your seat. Just don’t go in looking for more because you’re looking for too much and it ain’t there. So strap on your boots, oil up the saddle and hang on, because this is one summer rodeo, you will not want to miss.

3.75 out 5 Gooping, Upward Flowing, Gobs of Gold

Reviewed by Jason Gregg

A stranger wakens in the Arizona desert in the late 1800s. He has no recollection of how he arrived there, nor what his name is, nor why he has a mysterious shackle on his left wrist.  He is just as baffled as the audience.  The stranger in this case is Jake Lonergan (played by Daniel Craig), did you notice his name has the word “loner” in it?  That should tell you something about the character.  After awaking, Lonergan fights his way to acquire a horse then finds his way to the town of Absolution, Ariz.  

Soon we discover that Jake is a wanted man and he finds himself landed in the nearest jail cell.  Still Jake and the audience do not know why he is a wanted man.   Meanwhile, a herd of cattle has been evaporated by a fire that came from the night sky.  Now, this would not have been such a bad deal but the cattle belonged to Col. Woodrow Dolarhyde (played by Harrison Ford).  Dolarhyde is a Civil War veteran with the personality of sandpaper.  He has a tough but (somewhat) fair attitude with his cowhands and the people of Absolution.

Word quickly gets back to Dolarhyde  that his son Percy (played by Paul Dano) is in jail for shooting a deputy.  The elder Dolarhyde rides into town to take his son home and here we are introduced to the aliens for the first time.  We also learn the purpose of the shackle on Lonergan’s wrist.   It’s for shooting back at the aliens and blowing crap up.  For a guy in the 1800s, he adapts quickly to new technology (I wonder what would have happened if he woke up with an iPhone in is his hand.  He probably would have figured how to “check-in” on Facebook and send a few texts).   

Dolarhyde and Lonergan start a posse to find the townsfolk who were nabbed by the aliens.  The film started taking on a darker feel to it similar to the John Wayne film  “The Searchers.”  A small posse sets out on abducted person crusade.   They soon run into Jake’s old gang (think Hole in the Wall Gang), however Jake doesn’t remember who the gang is or what he used to with them.   

Yet again, the aliens attack at the most inopportune time for the posse.  Jake and his love interest Ella (played by Olivia Wilde) end up on the back of one the complicated looking flying objects and they zoom over the Arizona desert.  Still, Jake seems comfortable with this new technology.  He was the first human to experience flight at a high rate of speed and blew things up along the way.  Because of it all he makes one smart comment.  

The posse soon joins forces with a local Navajo tribe to attack the aliens and send them back to which ever planet they came from.  We never do find out what planet they did come from. We only know that the aliens are here scoping up humans for some devilish alien plan that involves dissections and stealing gold from the cowboys.  

Should you see this movie? Sure, it’s a good popcorn flick for the summer.  If you like the Western genre or the alien genre there is enough action, whiskey drinkin’ and laser blasts to hold a story together.  It also has some decent performances from, Col. Sandpaper (Ford) and “the man with no name,” who’s real name is Jake (Craig).  You will see some homages to the Westerns of old.

But the area where the director (Jon Favreau, “Iron Man” “Elf”) didn’t spend much time on was the actual aliens.  I feel that we only knew of these creatures as advanced savages that were attacking the human race for gold or to run experiments on cowboys.  I compare the film somewhat to “Aliens” or “Predators” or even “Aliens vs. Predators.” At least in those alien films the creatures had some personality.

Reviewed by Jason Gregg

If you grew up in the 1980s, you probably know of the Smurfs. You probably know about the little blue men (and creepily enough the only blue woman) living in an enchanted forest. Remember, the band of brothers who spend all day harvesting berries and singing an annoying tune over and over again until it is scorched into your memory for life. And (here it comes) they interject the word for their species - “Smurf” into every possible word they can; be it an adjective, adverb or noun they will find a use for it. They are, in a the eyes of a child and possibly in several adults’ memories, a “smurf-tacular” creature (I can’t believe I typed that).

Now, after years of lying dormant, the Smurfs are back on the big screen and in animated digital 3D. Luckily they came back with Narrator Smurf who brings both long-time fans and the new generation up to speed.

We find our little blue creatures living a life of carefree luxury in their mushroom homes, preparing themselves for the Blue Moon Festival where the moon actually turns blue. Meanwhile, the sorcerer Gargamel (played by Hank Azaria, who is using a similar enunciation that he uses to voice Moe in “The Simpsons”) is preparing himself to hunt down the Smurfs to steal their essence. I was confused quickly on why Gargamel needed the essence of a blue creature that stands three apples high but the story moved on quickly.

Papa Smurf (voiced by Jonathan Winter), the village elder and visionary for the Smurfs, is in his lab seeing visions of things to come. He foresees that Clumsy Smurf (voiced by Anton Yelchin) is about to inadvertently place the town in trouble. While trying to divert Clumsy from his fate, Papa Smurf starts another chain reaction where he and five other smurfs end up in a vortex that leads them straight to New York City. Don’t ask why a vortex from an enchanted mushroom village leads straight into one of the largest cities on the planet.

While in the Big Apple the Smurfs befriend a young couple, Patrick and Grace Winslow (played by Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays). Patrick has just been promoted to VP of Marketing for a cosmetic company and they have a baby on the way. The Smurfs need to find a way back home while Gargamel is hot on their trail. Conveniently, in a city of millions, the adversaries keeping running into each other. These little blue creatures fresh out of the mushroom patch can navigate around NYC easier than any cabbie with 30 years experience.

The story does take the viewer down the typical kiddie flick path where each Smurf finds that they have special abilities and can find courage when they need it the most. Brainy Smurf (voiced by Fred Armisen) finds that he can be a sorcerer just like Papa Smurf. Grouchy Smurf (voiced by George Lopez) finds that he doesn't have to be a jerk all of the time. Smurfette (voiced by Katy Perry) finds that she doesn’t have to wear the same dress everyday.

Should you see this movie? If you grew up with the cartoon series or the comic book and have kids aged 4-12, this would be a good film for you. It gives a good introduction to a newer generation of Smurf-mania. The writers did allow some room for the series to poke fun at itself, asking questions such as - why is there is only one girl smurf for every 75 boy smurfs? They also have fun with how each Smurf obtains their name based on each individual's personality trait. There is also a delightful connection back to Peyo, the the creator of the Smurfs.

The standout character among the more than 70 CGI Smurfs, real life actors and the city of New York would have to be the cat, Azrael (played by Mr. Krinkle). Azrael, Gargamel’s side kick, is a real cat with CGI added in for additional body gestures and facial expressions. Every time that feline was on the screen, he was able to deliver the jokes with impeccable timing. He did give something that both parents and kids could enjoy.

Summer movies are interesting. There’s a wide gamut of what they could be. However, for the most part, a majority of summer blockbusters fall into two categories. Category one is a substance-free, popcorn chomping, exploding, eye-candy fun while category two is a substance-free, over-priced pile of product placement poop that makes you regret opening your wallet. That’s the majority.

Then there is a third category. A category so elusive, that only the smallest percent of summer films make it even close.

I am happy to say that “Captain America: The First Avenger,” is that movie. Or as close as one can get.

Directed by Joe Johnston (“The Rocketeer,” “Jumanji,” “The Wolfman”) “Captain America” brings the nostalgic world of 1940s America back to life through the heart and soul of one of Marvel Comics’ beloved super heroes. Told throughout the frantic era of World War II, “Captain” becomes a symbol of hope, a hero to cheer for and final step in the marketing juggernaut that will be “The Avengers.”

As all hero origin films go, we meet our hero first as a normal, everyday individual, living his life, hoping to be more, and filled with the desire to be great when others treat the as worthless. Through a near flawless display of computer generation, hunky heartthrob Chris Evans is reduced to the pint-sized patriot Steve Rogers – a young man doing everything he can to join the Army and serve his country when seemingly they need him the most. Unfortunately, Steve’s lack of physical prowess stops him at every turn. Until, that is, he meets a very smart man in a time where smart men were the most dangerous. Now part of a super secret government experiment, Steve is given the opportunity to be great and become the first in a series of super soldiers fighting for America. At the same time, a Nazi scientist by the name of Johann Schmidt (aka The Red Skull, aka Agent Smith, aka Elrond, aka Hugo Weaving) is out grabbing up trinkets with “magic” capabilities in an attempt to bring a new found power to Hitler’s army … or is he?

Originally created in 1941 by Joe Simon, Captain America has become the symbol of heroism in the every changing world of comic books. Leader, soldier, patriot … just a few terms that have consistently helped keep the legend relevant throughout the years and luckily, Johnston and his writing crew observed the most important aspects of the man and give us one hell of a summer thrill ride.

As the title character, Evans has some very large shoes to fill. While quickly becoming a big name over the last few years, and already taking on the role of a different Marvel superhero, early speculation was unsure whether or not he could do the red, white and blue justice. Sure, he looks the part, but can he pull it off. Hell yeah he can! Likeable, larger than life and an actual good actor all combine to give us the perfect specimen to wield the shield.

At the same time, British operative and love interest Peggy Carter (an extremely beautiful Hayley Atwell) is so well cast that she puts classy back into our everyday vocabulary. Not reserved to just be the good looking girl on the sidelines, Atwell is tough, smart and more than just the “lady character.” Together, there is an innocence that echoes the feel of the era, that is both refreshing, tragic and wonderful to watch unfold. Unlike other summer films where the hot chick is barely clothed – all Atwell needs is a red dress and some heels and you are hers. Gorgeous.

Also along for the ride is an extremely fun Tommy Lee Jones, Toby Jones and Dominic Cooper all adding to overall solid performances of the film.

The only place where acting was a bit lacking was with Weaving. Always one of my favorites to watch, Weaving at Schmidt/The Red Skull is excellent in the first half of the film. Menacing, mysterious and maniacal making him a great opposite for our new found symbol of freedom. However, half way through the film, something happens where all that kind of just slips away and instead of a nuanced performance, everything just kind of disappears into a stereotypical villain making you just kind of go, “meh.”

In terms of the story, while way too long, the story holds true and up to the great pillars of comic book lore. Fanboys, in my opinion, will be very pleased by the outcome as the film balances the grand idea of a hero and places him into the reality of a true historic war.

Of course there are a few places to nitpick. Tucci’s accent is a little funny and there is a montage of ass-kickery in the middle that while, stylistically I understand, kind of leaves you wanting more. At the same time, I believe the filmmakers are assuming that most people know the finer points of what happened during World War II and while we don’t need a full history lesson, there are a few moments where a little context would have helped. For example, at one point, Steve and some of men are in a pub in London. Alright. After a mission a few days or weeks later, Steve is back in that pub but it is destroyed to hell. Now, I know what happened (Great Britain was bombed to hell by the Luftwaffe) but, in asking around to few of less seasoned co-workers, they had no idea. Just a little context would have done wonders to keeping Steve’s role in the war relevant and possibly how, he as a symbol, was inspiring soldiers to keep going to victory.

Also … the name. “Captain America: The First Avenger.” I get it. I understand. Of course I learned how to read on comic books, but I know what Captain America means for the Avengers team (look it up if you need to.) Yet, not once are the Avengers mentioned in the movie, save for one sentence at the very end of the credits. For most mass movie watchers, that means nothing. In my opinion, it kind of diminished the feel of the film because the whole time, comic fans may feel, “Wow, this is great, but the Avengers will be even better.” I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but if this movie was just a stepping stone, marketing like that will make it feel more like a step and less like a destination.

But other than that. I loved it.

Solid acting, strong storytelling and a skilled hand by the director all contribute to a excellent summer ride through the pages of an iconic comic book legend. Taken seriously and presented with style, Johnston has delivered a film that oozes the heroic nostalgia that make that time in America great. Chris Evans shines as America’s hero and while not perfect, is a fantastic example of a spectacular summer showcase.

4 our of 5 War Bonds

Reviewed by Jason Gregg

Does America need another hero?  Not a dark brooding hero like Batman.  Nor a cocky scientist like Iron Man.  Certainly not a weenie teenager like Spider Man.  But a hero who wants to be a hero because it is the noble thing to do, to sacrifice himself for God and Country.  I think we need someone like that to lift our spirits right now.  Is that hero going to be Steve Rogers?  

But who is Steve Rogers?  Rogers (played by Chris Evans) is a skinny, asthmatic kid from Brooklyn who is trying his hardest to enroll in the US Army during World War II to fight the Nazis.  His intentions are honest; he hates bullies and wants to help stop the Nazis.  He is discovered by Doctor Erksine (played by Stanley Tucci) who recruits him to be involved in an new experiment to make a super solider for the Army.  Rogers willing accepts.  Things aren’t easy for him in boot camp, although he has heart, he is still a weakling. Think of him as the Rudy of the super hero world.  He also has Col. Chester Phillips (played by Tommy Lee Jones) who doesn’t want him in his Army.  To fix all of this Rogers is injected with a serum to turn him from a bean pole to a mega man in literally minutes.

After the experiment Rogers doesn’t become the super hero Captain America we know today.  He is in a holding pattern,  the Army finds no use of him and he becomes a pitchman selling war bonds in musicals traveling across the US and war torn Italy.   

Meanwhile, in Nazi occupied Europe, Super Nazi Johann Schmidt (played by Hugo Weaving) is on his quest to find a blue cube of power so he can supersede from the Nazi army to take over the world himself.  He even started his own army, HYDRA, who has a strong belief in folklore and mystical powers.  

While in Italy Rogers finds out that his best friend is trapped behind enemy lines and soon he makes a  daring decision to save him from HYDRA.  It is here Rogers truly becomes Captain  America and leads his troops home.  It is also revealed that Schmidt has a secret similar to Captain America,  they both were experiments of Dr. Erskine.  While Rogers became Captain America, Schmidt’s experiment didn’t go as well and he became Red Skull (I think the name says it all).   

The director, Joe Johnston (Jumanji, The Rocketeer) takes a lazy approach to establish Captain America’s heroics by gluing together a montage of fight scenes with no real story to back them up.  We see a lot of action for a few minutes then go back to the rest of the story of Captain America on the hunt for Red Skull.  

Should you see this movie?  Sure, being part of the Avengers series makes it somewhat necessary to see it before next year when the Avengers movie is released.  

As with Iron Man and Thor, it is still a good stand alone movie (Note to Iron Man fans: we are introduced to Tony Stark’s father in this film). There is enough action, humor and romance to hold the story together.

Jones is the stand-out actor in this troupe with his stern but humorous delivery of his lines. He gives the film some pick up when Evans’ lines are falling flat.  

Spoiler alert: Unlike the other films in this series, don’t waste your time waiting for the secret clip after the credits role.

KANSAS CITY, MO – CinemaKC, a not-for-profit organization connecting film related groups in Kansas and Missouri, is hosting a premiere of “The Film Peddler” on Friday, July 22^nd at the Screenland Crown Center. The premiere is a benefit for the Women of the Motion Picture Industry (WOMPI) group.  There will be a mixer starting at 6pm followed by the screening at 7:30 p.m.

The film is brought to you by Distant Thunder Filmwerks, LLC, and The Brothers Kelley. The star of the film, John Shipp and co-stars Butch Rigby, Jack Poessiger, and Jerry Jones will be available for a Q&A following the screening. "The Film Peddler" offers a humorous and revealing glimpse into the life of John Shipp, a man who at one time with his associates controlled over half of independent film distribution in the country. “I made around 20 million dollars distributing independent films in the 70s,” says John Shipp. “Unfortunately, I spent 23…”

When not hobnobbing with celebrities like Clint Eastwood and George Burns, or making sure that Paul Newman had enough beer in his hotel suite, John was amassing a fortune while at the same time producing, in his own words, “Some of the worst movies ever put to film,” says Shipp. 

Enduring financial ruin and personal hardship, John later came out on top again in ways he never could have imagined.  And he did it all with a chuckle from his heart and a smile on his face, embarking on a remarkable and inspiring journey that spanned nearly 50 years in the film industry.

Tickets are $10 and may be purchased in advance from any WOMPI or CKC Board member or online at www.screenland.com. For more information about CinemaKC, visit online at cinemakc.com  or Facebook.com/CinemaKC.

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CinemaKC’s Strategic Partners: ArtsKC, Film Commission of Greater Kansas City, Blackberry Castle Productions, Film Society of Greater Kansas City, Independent Filmmaker’s Coalition, Kansas City Film Critics Circle, Kansas City FilmFest, Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee, Kansas City Fringe Festival, Kansas City Screenwriters, Kansas City Urban Film Festival, Kansas City Women in Film and TV, Kansas Film Commission, Kansas International Film Festival, Missouri Film Commission, Missouri Motion Media Association, Reel Spirit, Thank You Walt Disney, UMKC Film Department, United Motion Picture Association, University of Kansas Film and Media Studies, Variety the Children's Charity of Greater Kansas City, and Women of the Motion Picture Industry.

CinemaKC’s Business Alliances:  Allied Integrated Marketing, Allied Theatre Craft, American Heartland Theatre,  Haywood Marketing Communications, Kansas City Area Development Council, KC Stage Magazine, KC Studio, Prizm Productions, Screenland Armour, Screenland Crossroads, Screenland Crown Center, StagePort KC, Substream Music and Sound Design and T2.