I saw the premiere of Earth Day at one of the three sold-out showings at the DIVA
on Earth Day. Originally, the premiere was going to be held at the Bijou, but the powers-that-be canceled at the last minute because they found the movie too off-putting. This from a theater that featured Troma's Poultrygeist. I had to see the movie that disgusted the Bijou.
The film opens with four friends planting a tree in memory of their activist friend, Pixie; who died exactly one year earlier, on Earth Day, when her head was run over by rednecks sent to cut down the tree the friends were protecting. We learn that since then the friends have each tossed their ideals to the wayside. Cock-decapitating, hedge-clipping, bong-impaling, and toxic enema-ing usher these friends to their respective graves and leave us with mysteries. Meanwhile, Pixie's twin sister is dating a friendly, hair care-loving Muslim, who just happens to be the main police suspect (you know: because he's Muslim). The parents, over-protective after losing one daughter, don't care for the Muslim and go to great lengths to keep them apart. Their extreme measures make them the audience's prime suspects. But, of course, after receiving two black eyes for ruining the Sixth Sense for everyone I've ever known because I felt that knowing Bruce Willis is dead would enhance the enjoyment of that movie, I am willing to concede to these more narrow-minded folks and abstain from giving away Earth Day's ending.
That said, one should never go to movie premieres. The crowd is full of friends of the movie, and they'll laugh and cheer no matter what you toss up on the screen. It's hard to enjoy the work of art this way. Nonetheless, I could tell that this wasn't your typical support-your-local-art-despite-how-shitty-it-is movie. I was able to get a screener copy for private viewing.
Set entirely here in Lane County, Earth Day captures the local flavor perfectly: rebellious kids, weed everywhere, and long pizza delivery times. Borrowing from Brian De Palma's Sisters, Earth Day remains original and fresh. Unlike most low-budget films, we are treated to a cohesive and easy-to-follow work. The clichés (cops & donuts, "party foul") and over-the-top acting add to the comfortable campy feeling that fits the actors well. And, the themes of protecting our "Mother Gaia" and racial profiling bring a level of social responsibility rarely seen in gore films. And, somehow, I made an entertaining movie sound boring. I give this 29 out of 38 stars and take a seat across the table from the director and pick his brain: http://www.urinalgum.com/?p=645
