Two of the cutest little girls I've ever seen on film are Lily and Violet Collins, the daughters of filmmaker (and former Austinite) Steve Collins, who included them in his 2011 feature You Hurt My Feelings. They are unscripted and adorable onscreen. Now you can watch them too, because Oscilloscope Films has just made You Hurt My Feelings available to rent or buy as streaming video on iTunes and Amazon. Read Elizabeth's review from the movie's Austin Film Festival screening last year.
The above photo is from a recent weeklong run of the movie at reRun Theater in Brooklyn (I've been there! It's a very cool place to watch movies). That's Steve Collins next to his daughters, and actors John Merriman and Courtney Davis on the right. Merriman told me this photo is the girls introducing the film and telling the audience to stay around for the Q&A afterward.
My...
The above photo is from a recent weeklong run of the movie at reRun Theater in Brooklyn (I've been there! It's a very cool place to watch movies). That's Steve Collins next to his daughters, and actors John Merriman and Courtney Davis on the right. Merriman told me this photo is the girls introducing the film and telling the audience to stay around for the Q&A afterward.
My...
- 5/14/2012
- by Jette Kernion
- Slackerwood
Steve Collins’ You Hurt My Feelings is the story of emotionally remote and unavailable people, a trio of wounded individuals who fail to connect with one another. Though Collins’ film deals with familiar subject matter, its tale is told with such clever minimalism and discernible sweetness that it goes down rather smoothly. While the characters may not be able to express themselves emotionally, Collins and his director of photography, Jeremy Saulnier (Septien, Putty Hill), find real poetry in the changing of the New England seasons, the passage of time providing an even greater window in the the failed lives on display.
John (John Merriman), a bearded Zach Galifianakis lookalike, has to be paid to spend time caring for his two young children by his eternally angry ex-girlfriend, Courtney (Courtney Davis) while he maintains an often strange kinship with Courtney’s current beau, Macon (Macon Blair), a surly and awkward man...
John (John Merriman), a bearded Zach Galifianakis lookalike, has to be paid to spend time caring for his two young children by his eternally angry ex-girlfriend, Courtney (Courtney Davis) while he maintains an often strange kinship with Courtney’s current beau, Macon (Macon Blair), a surly and awkward man...
- 5/2/2012
- by Brandon Harris
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
"You hurt my feelings," a small girl tells her male nanny (manny?) in the opening segment of this slice-of-life, independent film. John (John Merriman) seems an odd choice of a babysitter; he passively lets the kids climb all over him and tends to stare out into space and lose himself in contemplation. What is he contemplating? Why his ex-girlfriend Courtney (Courtney Davis) would break up with him to date a guy named Macon (Macon Blair) who admits that he shares more than a passing resemblance to Johnny.
You Hurt My Feelings moves with the seasons, slowly letting us peek into elements of John's personal life. One of the suprising aspects of the movie is how like a silent film it seems. There are scenes where John and Courtney don't speak aloud, but their motions and facial expressions speak for them. Unlike a silent film, however, the only soundtrack to this...
You Hurt My Feelings moves with the seasons, slowly letting us peek into elements of John's personal life. One of the suprising aspects of the movie is how like a silent film it seems. There are scenes where John and Courtney don't speak aloud, but their motions and facial expressions speak for them. Unlike a silent film, however, the only soundtrack to this...
- 10/24/2011
- by Elizabeth Stoddard
- Slackerwood
The 18th Austin Film Festival is almost here. To help celebrate all the locally connected movies at this year's fest, we've reached out to a number of filmmakers to find out about their Austin and Texas-tied films screening at Aff, and to hear about what they're looking forward to doing during the festival.
Former Austinite Steve Collins has written and directed You Hurt My Feelings, which had its world premiere at Los Angeles Film Festival this summer. You may have seen his last feature, Gretchen, which also starred Courtney Davis and John Merriman. Collins may be living in Connecticut these days but you can tell he sure misses Austin. And he has some ideas about the Stevie Ray Vaughan statue.
Slackerwood: Describe your film for us, in a quick and dirty paragraph.
Steve Collins: It's about a damaged guy who uses his job as a nanny to prove to...
Former Austinite Steve Collins has written and directed You Hurt My Feelings, which had its world premiere at Los Angeles Film Festival this summer. You may have seen his last feature, Gretchen, which also starred Courtney Davis and John Merriman. Collins may be living in Connecticut these days but you can tell he sure misses Austin. And he has some ideas about the Stevie Ray Vaughan statue.
Slackerwood: Describe your film for us, in a quick and dirty paragraph.
Steve Collins: It's about a damaged guy who uses his job as a nanny to prove to...
- 10/20/2011
- by Jenn Brown
- Slackerwood
Director: Steve Collins Writer: Steve Collins Starring: John Merriman, Courtney Davis, Macon Blair, Lily Collins, Violet Collins Writer-director Steve Collins’ (Gretchen) You Hurt My Feelings begins in the winter as John (John Merriman) takes care of two young girls -- Lily (Lily Collins) and Violet (Violet Collins). John’s rapport with the toddlers is not quite fatherly. It is more like that of a favorite uncle -- someone with whom the girls can climb all over and play doctor, someone who is willing to make compromises with the girls in the hope that they will listen to his commands when necessary. As it turns out, John is a male nanny, a job that serves two purposes for him: a source of income in a dire economic environment and a desperate ploy to win his ex-girlfriend Courtney (Courtney Davis) back. Courtney -- a disgruntled waitress with some seemingly hefty emotional baggage...
- 7/18/2011
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
Reviewed by Khia Beauchesne
(from the 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival)
Directed/Written by: Steve Collins
Starring: John Merriman, Courtney Davis and Macon Blair
In a distorted sense, part of “You Hurt My Feelings” can be compared to the story line of “Big Daddy.” The depressed and quiet protagonist John (John Merriman) takes a nanny position to show his recent ex-girlfriend that he’s ready to have kids. But unlike Adam Sandler’s film, this one isn’t funny — rather, it’s brooding and, because it leaves so much open to interpretation, confusing.
The film opens looking down on John’s passive face as one of the young girls he cares for busies herself playing doctor and he accepts numerous imaginative treatments. This cute scene, without any dialogue from John but with great vintage color and lighting, pretty much sets the ambiguous, yet well-filmed tone for the rest of the movie.
(from the 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival)
Directed/Written by: Steve Collins
Starring: John Merriman, Courtney Davis and Macon Blair
In a distorted sense, part of “You Hurt My Feelings” can be compared to the story line of “Big Daddy.” The depressed and quiet protagonist John (John Merriman) takes a nanny position to show his recent ex-girlfriend that he’s ready to have kids. But unlike Adam Sandler’s film, this one isn’t funny — rather, it’s brooding and, because it leaves so much open to interpretation, confusing.
The film opens looking down on John’s passive face as one of the young girls he cares for busies herself playing doctor and he accepts numerous imaginative treatments. This cute scene, without any dialogue from John but with great vintage color and lighting, pretty much sets the ambiguous, yet well-filmed tone for the rest of the movie.
- 6/28/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Network
Reviewed by Khia Beauchesne
(from the 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival)
Directed/Written by: Steve Collins
Starring: John Merriman, Courtney Davis and Macon Blair
In a distorted sense, part of “You Hurt My Feelings” can be compared to the story line of “Big Daddy.” The depressed and quiet protagonist John (John Merriman) takes a nanny position to show his recent ex-girlfriend that he’s ready to have kids. But unlike Adam Sandler’s film, this one isn’t funny — rather, it’s brooding and, because it leaves so much open to interpretation, confusing.
The film opens looking down on John’s passive face as one of the young girls he cares for busies herself playing doctor and he accepts numerous imaginative treatments. This cute scene, without any dialogue from John but with great vintage color and lighting, pretty much sets the ambiguous, yet well-filmed tone for the rest of the movie.
(from the 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival)
Directed/Written by: Steve Collins
Starring: John Merriman, Courtney Davis and Macon Blair
In a distorted sense, part of “You Hurt My Feelings” can be compared to the story line of “Big Daddy.” The depressed and quiet protagonist John (John Merriman) takes a nanny position to show his recent ex-girlfriend that he’s ready to have kids. But unlike Adam Sandler’s film, this one isn’t funny — rather, it’s brooding and, because it leaves so much open to interpretation, confusing.
The film opens looking down on John’s passive face as one of the young girls he cares for busies herself playing doctor and he accepts numerous imaginative treatments. This cute scene, without any dialogue from John but with great vintage color and lighting, pretty much sets the ambiguous, yet well-filmed tone for the rest of the movie.
- 6/28/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Magazine
Here's the latest Austin movie news.
The Austin/Texas films at Los Angeles Film Festival are gathering plenty of attention and critical acclaim. The opening-night film on Thursday was Richard Linklater's latest feature, Bernie, starring Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine and Matthew McConaughey, and based on a Texas Monthly article. Austin Movie Blog has a good roundup of reviews and responses, plus photos.Also at Laff, former Austinite Steve Collins' film You Hurt My Feelings premiered over the weekend. The cast includes Collins regulars John Merriman, Courtney Davis and Macon Blair. IndieWIRE has an email interview with Collins about the movie. Check out Paul Sbrizzi's thoughtful review at Hammer to Nail.And last night, Laff screened An Ordinary Family, from local filmmaker Mike Akel (Chalk), which has a local cast/crew including a brief appearance from Merriman. It's still early for reactions, but Moving Pictures Network has a review.
The Austin/Texas films at Los Angeles Film Festival are gathering plenty of attention and critical acclaim. The opening-night film on Thursday was Richard Linklater's latest feature, Bernie, starring Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine and Matthew McConaughey, and based on a Texas Monthly article. Austin Movie Blog has a good roundup of reviews and responses, plus photos.Also at Laff, former Austinite Steve Collins' film You Hurt My Feelings premiered over the weekend. The cast includes Collins regulars John Merriman, Courtney Davis and Macon Blair. IndieWIRE has an email interview with Collins about the movie. Check out Paul Sbrizzi's thoughtful review at Hammer to Nail.And last night, Laff screened An Ordinary Family, from local filmmaker Mike Akel (Chalk), which has a local cast/crew including a brief appearance from Merriman. It's still early for reactions, but Moving Pictures Network has a review.
- 6/20/2011
- by Jette Kernion
- Slackerwood
The Los Angeles Film Festival has announced the world premiere of Richard Linklater's Bernie as the opening night film for the 2011 festival.
The film will kick off the festival on June 16 at Regal Cinemas Stadium 14 at L.A. Live. It is written by Skip Hollandsworth and director Linklater and stars Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, and Matthew McConaughey.
The film follows a beloved mortician (Black) from a small Texas town, even winning over the town's richest, meanest widow (MacLaine). Even after Bernie commits a horrible crime, people still will not utter a bad word against him.
"We're thrilled to be opening the Festival with the world premiere of this delicious black comedy - a treat from one of the most original and exciting voices in independent film, Richard Linklater," said Festival director Rebecca Yeldham. "With its fabulous all-star cast, Bernie is a perfect stage setter for the incredible line-up of...
The film will kick off the festival on June 16 at Regal Cinemas Stadium 14 at L.A. Live. It is written by Skip Hollandsworth and director Linklater and stars Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, and Matthew McConaughey.
The film follows a beloved mortician (Black) from a small Texas town, even winning over the town's richest, meanest widow (MacLaine). Even after Bernie commits a horrible crime, people still will not utter a bad word against him.
"We're thrilled to be opening the Festival with the world premiere of this delicious black comedy - a treat from one of the most original and exciting voices in independent film, Richard Linklater," said Festival director Rebecca Yeldham. "With its fabulous all-star cast, Bernie is a perfect stage setter for the incredible line-up of...
- 5/30/2011
- by alyssa@mediavine.com (Alyssa Caverley)
- Reel Movie News
The Los Angeles Film Festival has a heavy dose of Austin in its lineup this year. Not only that, but I've counted at least three films involving local actor John Merriman (pictured above with Kerri Lendo at Aff 2010). Is there some sort of conspiracy afoot? Is he becoming the Austin version of Dick Miller? Along with the films playing at Laff, I've been on set visits this year for two upcoming movies with Merriman in them, and he was in one of the SXSW bumpers this year. I think someone needs to look into this before something tragic -- or very funny -- happens.
Merriman aside, here are the Austin-connected features and shorts popping up all over Laff in June:
In the narrative competition, the latest feature from Mike Akel (Chalk), An Ordinary Family, is premiering. The locally shot movie is set at a family reunion where one man shows up with his new boyfriend.
Merriman aside, here are the Austin-connected features and shorts popping up all over Laff in June:
In the narrative competition, the latest feature from Mike Akel (Chalk), An Ordinary Family, is premiering. The locally shot movie is set at a family reunion where one man shows up with his new boyfriend.
- 5/4/2011
- by Jette Kernion
- Slackerwood
DVDs may be sooner or later drummed out of existence -- by online downloads, at first, I'd guess, reducing movie "releases" to nothing more than press announcements of availability -- but for now they're still "things" you can buy or rent, physical manifestations of the art form, not just the opportunity for access. In the process, they're continuing as our default B-movie distribution stream, offering up indies and foreign films and unforeseen archivals that had a snowball's hellbound chance at finding theatrical screentime. These are still not eligible for any year-end toasts, absurdly enough, and so here's my list of the best of the year's straight-to-digi-vid, for which the only qualification is being entirely overlooked, this year or ever, by our theatrical distribution wimps, and being new to U.S. home video of any stripe.
15. "Absurdistan"
(Veit Helmer, Germany/Russia/Azerbaijan, 2008)
A bawdy Caucasus folktale, Helmer's nutty yarn visits a...
15. "Absurdistan"
(Veit Helmer, Germany/Russia/Azerbaijan, 2008)
A bawdy Caucasus folktale, Helmer's nutty yarn visits a...
- 12/22/2009
- by Michael Atkinson
- ifc.com
Goodness gracious, this is turning into a big week of distribution news about films I've enjoyed at SXSW, some of which have Austin connections. Is it coincidence, or what? That's not the only news I have, but it's certainly news I'm happy to share.
Medicine for Melancholy, which played SXSW 2008, is now available on DVD. This lovely film is one of my top-ten films from that year, and as soon as I'm finished writing this paragraph, I'm buying a copy. Seriously, this is a lovely film about two people who meet in San Francisco ... find a way to watch it, this weekend. One of the film's stars is Wyatt Cenac, whom you might recognize from The Daily Show. Another favorite SXSW film of mine, Gretchen from 2006, has also been released on DVD this week. Gretchen was shot around Central Texas and while its director and stars may not live here now,...
Medicine for Melancholy, which played SXSW 2008, is now available on DVD. This lovely film is one of my top-ten films from that year, and as soon as I'm finished writing this paragraph, I'm buying a copy. Seriously, this is a lovely film about two people who meet in San Francisco ... find a way to watch it, this weekend. One of the film's stars is Wyatt Cenac, whom you might recognize from The Daily Show. Another favorite SXSW film of mine, Gretchen from 2006, has also been released on DVD this week. Gretchen was shot around Central Texas and while its director and stars may not live here now,...
- 10/29/2009
- by Jette Kernion
- Slackerwood
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