Aimy In A Cage is set in an offbeat world in which rebellious kids are put through Wolworth Surgery, a mind-altering operation that prevents misbehavior. In the backdrop of the film, a plague is spreading through the world and worsening. Aimy's family remains oblivious in their hedonistic lifestyle as things get more and more dire, and Aimy's behavior more out of control.
Written and Directed by Hooroo Jackson
Starring Allisyn Ashley Arm, Terry Moore, Michael William Hunter
Featuring Crispin Glover and Paz De La Huerta
Release date: TBD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhnJHOEjm3U
Very exciting trailer! This recently premiered at The Portland Film Festival and is creating quite the buzz. My favorite description of it so far is "Looks like Brazil, Alejandro Jodorowsky, and the sitcom scene from Natural born killers met up and had a baby."
read more about the Director's unique approach to funding the film here:
http://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2014/06/02/bitbeat-bitcoin-helps-filmmaker-create-celluloid-heroes/ (http://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2014/06/02/bitbeat-bitcoin-helps-filmmaker-create-celluloid-heroes/)
This is definitely up my alley. Although I'm not sure I like the movie being described as "a Hooroo Jackson trip."
To be distributed by Osiris entertainment for release early next year!!
I made this!! :shock:
The cool part about it... The girl that stars in it, Allisyn, is a disney channel star. it's got to be the craziest role ever for a kid. that this 17-yr old girl goes from wacky disney sitcoms to this
I wrote this movie when I was that age... and had no filter on it because I never expected it would ever get made. so it's balls to the wall rage, emotion, hysteria from beginning to end.
All the freak cinema Lynch, Noe, Ken Russell, I was inspired by... It's a challenging movie that splits people for sure, but I think it fits a certain tradition
Actually some members on this site advised me a little through it... including, alexandro, ghost. and reelist !
We just premiered in the portland film festival and won the 'directors prize' there.
xx
Greetings and welcome to the site!
Congrats on your director's prize! I can't wait to see this movie. Please share teasers and whatever promotional stuff you'd like as those become available.
I could only find one review (from the Portland festival), but it definitely bodes well:
http://letterboxd.com/mikescholtz/film/aimy-in-a-cage/
congrats man!
I didn't know about the award.
Yeah, I was lucky to see a couple of different versions of this movie while in post, although I don't think I have seen the final cut. Nevertheless I've seen enough to say is a fucking blast, crazy from start to finish. The word "trip" is actually pretty accurate.
There are a bunch of great performances and the staging, cinematography, music and art direction, trust me, are something else. Will love to see it sometime on the big screen and to read all those xixax opinions on it. it's a one of a kind film :)
(https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/12196334_1129003587129418_6033251277278068327_n.jpg?oh=df3fd61fee8609742771d7c057eed60c&oe=56B98971)
Reviews beginning to pour in! we are about 70 % fresh
Positive
http://www.thespinningimage.co.uk/cultfilms/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=10053
http://filmint.nu/?p=16871
Negative
http://twodollarcinema.blogspot.com/2015/11/amy-i-need-you-to-stop-being-so-crazy.html
The negatives seem to think that Aimy isn't likeable enough and it grates on them. While the positives see it as kind of a punk rock anti-hero type of thing.
The 'wannabe Gilliam'! Ouch. The rottentomatoes score will be interesting. The negative guy said:
"Imagine an extended episode of "Pee-wee's Playhouse" with the volume cranked to 11. That's this celluloid version of "Aimy Micry."
Thats the thing, both positive and negs are saying the same thing but yet the score is different. it is both thrilling and horrifying to get reviews, as your fate is pretty much in the critics hands.
Quote from: hooroo on November 15, 2015, 10:27:53 PM
Thats the thing, both positive and negs are saying the same thing but yet the score is different.
quoted
awesome.
Now available on iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/aimy-in-a-cage/id1052988704), Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Aimy-Cage-Crispin-Glover/dp/B01A8GH0DA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1452276582&sr=8-2&keywords=aimy+in+a+cage), Google Play (https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Aimy_in_a_cage?id=2MiuEj7BVRg&hl=en), and VUDU (http://www.vudu.com/movies/#!content/728039/Aimy-in-a-Cage)
CONGRATULATIONS HOOROO!!! :multi: :splat: :rofl: :hammer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zo6NKQ3gEg
I just watched it on Vudu. Yeah, wow, that's pretty much what I expected from the trailer. It's bonkers.
The performance by Allisyn Ashley Arm is remarkable. Worth watching for that alone. It's a good thing she's the lead, because she steals every scene, even when she's quiet.
Also, Aimy's grandmother was completely amazing. Not just the performance, but basically everything she says. For example, during a fleeting moment when Aimy is dancing for her: "Oh no, that won't do, but I appreciate the effort." (Correct me if I got that wrong.) I laughed a fair amount during those scenes.
The movie has a real soul and has a lot to say. There's a lot going on, visually, aurally, but also thematically. I think it's about ADD. And family dysfunction. And apocalypse. And eating disorders? I don't know, there's so much to chew on.
SPOILERS
I preferred the first half to the second. It's more dense and diverse, and there's more grandma. The second half (or the last third?) has a lot of yelling and is pretty bleak. The end was quite beautiful, though.
If I had to offer some constructive criticism — There were problems with the sound syncing, and Steve could have been miked better. Otherwise, the production value was top notch.
I had a BLAST watching this! it is an entirely unique experience. There are so many moments where this world feels like such a real thing. Above all, I have to give credit to the set design. Everything is so intricately laid out in this small place, there's so much to look at and the color schemes are always changing to give it a different hue whenever we revisit them. I'm really proud of Hooroo for accomplishing such a bold vision. I found myself smiling ear to ear at times and truly horrified at others. It's a very interesting feat that will gain you a lot of recognition. I'm so impressed with what you achieved on such a small budget! I'm sure it will be an inspiration for many to come.
Thank you guys!! You know one key of it is based on the Graphic Novel, and it is the kind of adaptation that kind of throws the book out the window, and mines it for the stuff I found cool. Like once I got these sitcom actors in it, and this pee-wee herman set, our fates were in motion. As much as it has the auteur influences, it is also Ren & Stimpy or Pee Wee like those truly twisted cartoons.
edit: Oh yeah, Crispin promoted the film on WTF Maron, and Adam Carolla show this week! Carolla is the funniest thing ever becauseit is so jarring. You know the scene in the film where he and Aimy are watching TV, that scene had a lot of debate around it.
That is the exact kind of take you get allowing CG to improvise (which you shouldn't do, because it leads to one big improv competition)
Another funny thing that happened is he wanted that his character die in a sword fight. so we ended up filming it, at midnight and I let them work out the details on their own, and it was so bad. We already had a knife fight at the end of the film, we did not need him to die in a sword fight on top of that. It was funny. I ended up using how his character leaves the film which I ended up with, where he gives Aimy one last look, that you can read in different ways. I thought they built up this strange bond through the film that makes his last scene powerful.
Wow, thanks for that. Exactly what I hoped it was like behind the scenes.
Quote from: hooroo on January 24, 2016, 06:11:25 PMThe movie, we all got carried away, it was like whenever they screamed it hit the sweet spot of my directorial filter. Because my tone filter may be malfunctioned, because I listen to a lot of death metal and punk rock. That said though, the audio is definitely too shrill, and we are fixing it for the DC.
I enjoyed the first part more, but I didn't think the screaming was bad... it worked and does make sense in the movie. The audio issue I would look at is that it often doesn't sync up to the video. Would you still be able to adjust that?
The story of the 'making of' might overshadow the film one day because it is intense full on method actors, and everyone is seeing this as a shot to prove what they've got, it made the entire thing intense. At some points I had to hide because things were getting too heated.
re: screaming I don't know for some reason a certain segment of people can't tolerate screaming, but I am glad for most it is not an issue. The 'restored' cut I want to bring to bluray definitely has fixed the synch, audio levels, and has a few tweaks of pace and color.
Quote from: hooroo on January 24, 2016, 06:11:25 PM
If I had just followed the comic straight up it would be a more conventional indie film about a girl, and her grandma. Like people who say it's a scream fest, the comic has very little of that. It is more like spirited debate.
Yeah, I remember reading the script that the first dinner table scene was much more philosophical with a lot of different characters weighing in on Aimy's dilemma, but once the actors have learned their lines and see your improvisational spirit on set it gives them room to cut right to the heart of it. So, intense and funny line deliveries must have done a lot of your editing work for you. You hear the words coming out a certain way and it seems to explain an entire passage of dialogue, IN THAT INSTANT. I think it's important that you trusted the actors to find the characters themselves, and let that guide you in telling the story.
Quote from: hooroo on January 24, 2016, 06:11:25 PMI already love how his character leaves the film which I ended up with, where he gives Aimy one last look, that you can read in different ways. I thought they built up this strange bond through the film that makes his last scene powerful.
everyone wishes there was more of Crispin Glover, but he serves the movie in such a gracefully sleazy way. You can't take your eyes off him when he's onscreen, then he vanishes and reappears. He brings so much discomfort that we kind of want him out of the picture, anyway. I like his mischievousness, he brings an entirely bad element into that apartment and we still hold out hope that he could be Aimy's savior. Anyone disappointed in him not having more screen time just needs to come around to the fact that that's how these indie deals work. You've gotta milk this thing for all it's worth, and his name has a lot of credibility attached for this sort of film. I think any fan of his will be pleasantly surprised by the work of the ensemble, but particularly Ashley's pure lunacy. There's no way Claude could've topped that!
Quote from: hooroo on January 25, 2016, 05:32:23 PM
Like fights over why Aimy can't destroy the dolls because the dolls are so beautiful, was the real headache for me moreso than people raging, quitting, and un-quitting every other scene.
I have to say, that's one thing I've been thrown off by both times: How Aimy starts to bash the CABINET with a hammer instead of the DOLLS, and you get the sense she's being much to precious with these antiques when we want to see VISCERAL GLASS SHATTERING DESTRUCTION!!
Quote from: hooroo on January 25, 2016, 05:32:23 PM
re: screaming I don't know for some reason a certain segment of people can't tolerate screaming, but I am glad for most it is not an issue. The 'restored' cut I want to bring to bluray definitely has fixed the synch, audio levels, and has a few tweaks of pace and color.
There were a few times when I knew I couldn't watch this movie because I was too hungover. When I finally did, it wasn't that the yelling offended me aurally, just that the actors get to such a high register that you can't understand the dialogue, or really don't
believe it. It's a necessary device to convey how dire the circumstances they're dealing with are, though. I listened to this on my surround sound system and didn't notice any audio syncing issues, the only thing that was out of place was some excessive room tone but it seemed like that was intentional after all.
Quote from: reelist on January 24, 2016, 06:11:25 PMI already
everyone wishes there was more of Crispin Glover, but he serves the movie in such a gracefully sleazy way. You can't take your eyes off him when he's onscreen, then he vanishes and reappears. He brings so much discomfort that we kind of want him out of the picture, anyway. I like his mischievousness, he brings an entirely bad element into that apartment and we still hold out hope that he could be Aimy's savior. Anyone disappointed in him not having more screen time just needs to come around to the fact that that's how these indie deals work. You've gotta milk this thing for all it's worth, and his name has a lot of credibility attached for this sort of film. I think any fan of his will be pleasantly surprised by the work of the ensemble, but particularly Ashley's pure lunacy. There's no way Claude could've topped that!
It is funny because some review said he must have stopped by for a weekend, but he was there for 80 % of the shoot. He was often in the corner studying the material, and mentoring me because he recognized it is my first film. He has directed four films now, and gave me tips and every single tip ended up being right and ended up saving my ass in the editing room. What happened is in the script he was in every scene and I usually give him some funny background thing to do, like in the scene when he kept tapping Aimy's helmet after the operation, is a lot more in line with how he functioned in the story. How I originally viewed him was more like a Hugh Grant social climber that is always in the background taunting Aimy, but our collaborative effort led to this dangerous vampire who is out for the papers.
I just can't stress enough that we LOVE your transparency with filling us in about all of this. By all means, don't stop!
If anyone is new to the group or still hasn't seen Hooroo Jackson's "Aimy in A Cage" it's now free on his youtube channel
Seemz to have been taken off youtube BUT;
Aimy In A Cage iz streaming free on Amazon Prime (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B071DX4Z74/ref=atv_sr_def_c_unkc_1_1_1?sr=1-1&pageTypeIdSource=ASIN&pageTypeId=B071DX4Z74&qid=1661463814), Tubi (https://tubitv.com/movies/327005?utm_source=justwatch-feed&tracking=justwatch-feed), and Pluto TV (https://pluto.tv/en/on-demand/movies/aimy-in-a-cage-2016-1-1?utm_medium=deeplink&utm_source=justwatch), in the states ~
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SL46ME0t6w
Quote from: WorldForgot on August 25, 2022, 04:46:52 PMSeemz to have been taken off youtube BUT;
Aimy In A Cage iz streaming free on Amazon Prime (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B071DX4Z74/ref=atv_sr_def_c_unkc_1_1_1?sr=1-1&pageTypeIdSource=ASIN&pageTypeId=B071DX4Z74&qid=1661463814), Tubi (https://tubitv.com/movies/327005?utm_source=justwatch-feed&tracking=justwatch-feed), and Pluto TV (https://pluto.tv/en/on-demand/movies/aimy-in-a-cage-2016-1-1?utm_medium=deeplink&utm_source=justwatch), in the states ~
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SL46ME0t6w
omg, this was fun. I think it works nicely at 3:38 because you are able to follow both sides at once. The woman on left, is Gabby tary, a stand-up comedian from LA. So she was cast as Grandma Micry first. I decided to cast bigger, and she got so angry sending me this big F U email, burning the whole bridge down, but I said you are still in it! you're the OTHER grandma. What other grandma? The... other one. So we put her in this big fellini makeup and gave her sesame street muppet hair. the only direction I gave her for her scenes was, whatever you do or say just scowl the whole time.
She has a whole life story that is interesting, she is from communist hungary and was a resistance fighter. She moved to the united states in the 60s where she worked as a makeup artist on SNL. being a stand up I let her just roll with it and she says the nasty granny things, then, starts yelling in hungarian