By Allen K. Lunde and Michelle MacEachern, Correspondents / POSTED: 05/13/15, 4:55 PM PDT
“The Spaceman”, a locally-made film by Josh Funk and friends, is about a man who builds a cardboard spaceship and travels to a distant planet to dispose of a mysterious object.
MICHELLE: I liked it better than the latest “Avengers.” It’s weird how a film that costs millions to make can be cloying, while a locally-made project with cardboard props can be enthralling. But that’s how I felt about it.
ALLEN: I had heard about the film, but hadn’t seen it yet. I was able to get a copy at the Art at the Matador event and I’m thrilled I did. You can actually watch the film at www.joshfunk.com. You should do that immediately.
MICHELLE: To be honest, I’ve seen some really good locally-made films, and some truly tacky stuff. Generally, (and as someone who has never directed anything in her life) you’d think it would be easier to make something in modern times — and you’d think science fiction was a genre to avoid with a low budget. But somehow, this Chico State grad put together a film that’s very worth watching.
ALLEN: Like Robert Rodriguez did in “El Mariachi”, Funk and his team makes a virtue of their limitations. The obviously cardboard sets and props somehow become completely believable. You should be laughing when star Jordan Funk puts on a cardboard helmet, but instead you are just intrigued. It was a wise choice to make the film in black and white. Josh Funk is an artist and the visuals in the film have real artistic merit.
MICHELLE: It’s a short, so I didn’t expect to get to know our hero terribly well. He’s a man on a mission, and that’s enough. There’s an obvious nod to Tim Burton here. But the director has his own style. And I’d be interested to see his next project, even if there were no local connection. It’s that good.
ALLEN: I felt the same way. I’m much more excited to see what Funk will make next than I am to take another trip into Marvel land.
MICHELLE: The movie is great on its own, but if you watch the “making of” section, you’ll be even more impressed, at what they accomplished with what they had.
ALLEN: Not to mention the “making of” video is pretty entertaining on its own.