55Flash Fiction Friday

You are just out
from a four year stay
at the big house.

Now if you could only escape
the Detective determined
to send you back...

Everywhere you turn is trouble
people, places, even memories.

You have a gun
been drinking
hanging with the wrong crowd

Only bad things can be headed your way now

Last night I went to a screening of a new movie, an independent movie called Fairview St. Don’t go looking for this movie to appear at your local theater however. It was shot entirely in Lansing Michigan and so far has only shown at Celebration Cinema. Next they hope to show the movie in Grand Rapids Michigan at another Celebration Cinema location. Eventually the director hopes to get the movie to some film festivals.

Luckily for the movie maker a place like Celebration Cinema exists. From the very beginning Celebration Cinema has always said they would make room for the up and coming movies, the independents, the artsy films and they have made good on their word. More recently the entire chain of theaters has went digital meaning no more film ever. This also allowed so many more things to happen including making it easier for an independent film to be displayed there. The digital equipment used allows a film to come alive on the large screen.

Fairview St is about a man who just got out from spending 4 years in prison and his struggles to not go back. From the very beginning the company he kept was pulling him back to prison, the detective that was so sure he still belonged in prison that he was willing to frame him to see justice is served, the strained relationships between him and his Dad and also his most understanding young wife.

At some point I will have to go out to lunch or something with Jon who, among other things, did a lot of the editing of the movie. I have questions about certain things they did in the movie. Some things I am curious what they were trying to do. Some things I wonder if they were done on purpose. Some comments on things that I thought just could have been done slightly different. But mostly about how great a job they did in this film.

It was really fun to see all the different scenes showing off Lansing. I sat and wondered where are they shooting now? Than at another part, especially outside the walls of the prison, I wondered where on earth that was shot. It was obvious this was shot at least a year ago as some of the backdrop of the movie no longer exists. The Verlinden automotive plant was in process being torn down in the movie where as now almost all that is left is an open field.

I thought I was not going to like the movie. It was entirely in black and white and that just did not feel right but in the end I loved that about the movie. The characters were great. I so got into the main character and his choices and unfortunate circumstances. Then there was the dick ... I mean detective who I just hated. Add to that the best friend who was such a bad influence. The sweet wife, the Dad who was never a Dad to him, the owner of a local restaurant who was more his Dad... Yep, I thought it was a wonderful movie. Kudos to the producer, editor, actors and all the business involved in the production and showing of this movie.

UPDATE: I found out a couple of interesting things about the movie. First one came from the editor of the film. Now granted this was showing at a 100-120 seat theater (not sure of exact size) but they actually had a sellout on the last night. The other three nights in the small theater were between 65 and 80 people. The second thing I got from a person that handles advertising for Celebration Cinema where the movie was showing. The film actually was 5th in revenue for several nights. Considering this is a 20 screen threater (not including iMax) with most showing hollywood shows I think this is a pretty good accomplishment.