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Box Elder (film)
Encyclopedia
Box Elder is an American independent film
. It was written and directed by Todd Sklar, his first feature film
. The film stars Alex Rennie, Nick Renkoski, Chad Haas, as well as Sklar.
. The loose narrative structure is anchored by John's breakup with his girlfriend Laura (Hina Abdullah). The four dudes party, eat sandwiches
, and repeatedly ignore their scholastic responsibilities.
During the film's engagement at the Gene Siskel Film Center
in Chicago
, Time Out Chicago gave the film 3 stars and said it, "plays like a cross between Richard Linklater’s
Slacker
and TV’s Seinfeld
." The Chicago Reader gave a brief review, praising, "the dialogue has actual wit in addition to the usual ironic gloss and Sklar's vision of college is the fond fiction we all like to remember in adulthood."
A review by MyMissourian.com found the film to be humorous at times, but that otherwise the film was "flat and chaotic".
"Metromix"http://chicago.metromix.com/movies/movie_review/box-elder/419017/content/ also reviewed Box Elder and gave it four out of five stars. The film was praised for its painstaking efforts to accurately portray a believable college lifestyle.
"Charm School" by Bishop Allen
"Untitled" by Hockey Night
"Mazatlan" by The Plastic Constellations
"This Western Lot" by The Plastic Constellations
"I Need You" by The Rationals (The Kinks cover)
"Stand Up (Let's Get Murdered)" by P.O.S
"Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Pickett
"Bad Kids" by The Black Lips
"It's Us" by The Plastic Constellations
"Gusto" by Ha Ha Tonka
"Manpark" by Lifter Puller
"Cold Hands" by The Black Lips
"Set You Free" by The Black Keys
"Back to the Lake" by Guided by Voices
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
. It was written and directed by Todd Sklar, his first feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
. The film stars Alex Rennie, Nick Renkoski, Chad Haas, as well as Sklar.
Plot synopsis
Box Elder follows best friends and roommates, John Scott (Sklar) Alex, Nick, and Chad (Haas) through their final years of college at the University of MissouriUniversity of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
. The loose narrative structure is anchored by John's breakup with his girlfriend Laura (Hina Abdullah). The four dudes party, eat sandwiches
Sandwiches
"Sandwiches" is a song by American electronic band Detroit Grand Pubahs. It reached number 29 in the Hot Dance Club Songs chart.- Track listing :...
, and repeatedly ignore their scholastic responsibilities.
Self-Distribution
In the Spring of 2008, Sklar and a number of cast and crew from the film toured the film from city to city, mostly focusing on college campuses and art-house cinemas. Sklar, via his distribution company, Range Life Entertainment, entered into direct 50-50 revenue-sharing deals with the majority of the theaters at which Box Elder screened. According to the filmmaker at numerous post-screening Q&A sessions, Sklar will be bringing Box Elder, along with a number of other films, back on the road and into theaters in the fall of 2008.Critical reception
A review on film blog, Row Three, provides an analysis and review of the film, giving it 4 out of 5 stars and calling it, "a witty and funny story that exceeds expectations."During the film's engagement at the Gene Siskel Film Center
Gene Siskel Film Center
"The Film Center" redirects here. Not to be confused with the Film Center Building in New York CityThe Gene Siskel Film Center, formerly The Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and commonly referred to as The Film Center or The Gene Siskel, is the cinematheque attached to The...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Time Out Chicago gave the film 3 stars and said it, "plays like a cross between Richard Linklater’s
Richard Linklater
-Early life:Linklater was born in Houston, Texas. He studied at Sam Houston State University and left midway through his stint in college to work on an off-shore oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. While working on the rig he read a lot of literature, but on land he developed a love of film through...
Slacker
Slacker (film)
Slacker is an American independent film written and directed by Richard Linklater, who also appears in the film. Slacker was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize - Dramatic at the Sundance Film Festival in 1991.-Plot summary:...
and TV’s Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
." The Chicago Reader gave a brief review, praising, "the dialogue has actual wit in addition to the usual ironic gloss and Sklar's vision of college is the fond fiction we all like to remember in adulthood."
A review by MyMissourian.com found the film to be humorous at times, but that otherwise the film was "flat and chaotic".
"Metromix"http://chicago.metromix.com/movies/movie_review/box-elder/419017/content/ also reviewed Box Elder and gave it four out of five stars. The film was praised for its painstaking efforts to accurately portray a believable college lifestyle.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Alex Rennie | Rennie |
| Nicholas Renkoski | Nick Becker |
| Chad Haas | Bradley Fletcher |
| Todd Sklar | John Scott |
| Hina Abdullah | Laura Glaser |
| James Ponsoldt James Ponsoldt James Adam Ponsoldt is an American film director, actor and screenwriter from Athens, Georgia, now based in New York City.-History:Ponsoldt grew up in Athens and attended Cedar Shoals High School... |
Robby "Couv" McGouven |
| Brian Sturgill | Matt Vaggey |
| John Morgan John Morgan -Arts and entertainment:*John Morgan , British painter*John Morgan , Welsh clergyman, scholar and poet*John Morgan , American broadcaster and television producer... |
Prof. Widmark |
Soundtrack
"Get Real" by Hockey Night"Charm School" by Bishop Allen
Bishop Allen
Bishop Allen is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York. The band's core members are Justin Rice and Christian Rudder, who are supported both on stage and in the studio by a rotating cast of musical collaborators...
"Untitled" by Hockey Night
Free Energy (band)
Free Energy is an American rock band based out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The members include Scott Wells, Paul Sprangers, Evan Wells, and Nicholas Shuminsky.-History:...
"Mazatlan" by The Plastic Constellations
The Plastic Constellations
The Plastic Constellations were a Minneapolis-based band. Formed in 1995 when they met as students at Hopkins High School, they played their first shows in 1996 at the well-known First Avenue venue when they were just 15 years old...
"This Western Lot" by The Plastic Constellations
The Plastic Constellations
The Plastic Constellations were a Minneapolis-based band. Formed in 1995 when they met as students at Hopkins High School, they played their first shows in 1996 at the well-known First Avenue venue when they were just 15 years old...
"I Need You" by The Rationals (The Kinks cover)
"Stand Up (Let's Get Murdered)" by P.O.S
"Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Pickett
"Bad Kids" by The Black Lips
"It's Us" by The Plastic Constellations
The Plastic Constellations
The Plastic Constellations were a Minneapolis-based band. Formed in 1995 when they met as students at Hopkins High School, they played their first shows in 1996 at the well-known First Avenue venue when they were just 15 years old...
"Gusto" by Ha Ha Tonka
Ha Ha Tonka
Ha Ha Tonka is a band originally formed in Springfield, Missouri and currently signed to Bloodshot Records out of Chicago, Illinois. Named after Ha Ha Tonka state park in southern Missouri, their music is steeped in Ozark folk, bringing the passion, spirituality, hardships, and roots of the people...
"Manpark" by Lifter Puller
Lifter Puller
Lifter Puller, or LFTR PLLR, was an American indie rock band from the Twin Cities and the Boston area between 1994 and 2000. Their music is considered innovative, with its angular riffs and a synth-infused sound that predated the 80's revival fads of the early 2000s...
"Cold Hands" by The Black Lips
"Set You Free" by The Black Keys
The Black Keys
The Black Keys are an American rock duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney. The band was formed in Akron, Ohio, in 2001. As of October 2011, the band has sold over 2 million albums in the U.S....
"Back to the Lake" by Guided by Voices
Guided by Voices
Guided by Voices is an American indie rock band originating from Dayton, Ohio. Beginning with the band's formation in 1983, it made frequent personnel changes but always maintained the presence of principal songwriter Robert Pollard...