Kingdom Come (2012)

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Saw this last night on Showtime. As I'm watching, it occurred to me that everyone bitching about how hard the indie life are highly-successful industry people. Whenever I think of Illeana Douglas, I think of her grandfather, who left behind - aside from a great body of work - two Academy Awards. I imagine if she were really hard-up, she could pawn Grandpa's Oscars for a pretty penny.As for our "hero" Daniel Gillies (aka Whiny Bitch), he is a working actor whom, I presume, has an agent, whom, I presume, knows people, whom, I presume, can help Whiny Bitch get his vanity project off the ground! For the rest of us with no cash and even less connections, Kingdom Come tells you squat about how to get your little opus off the ground. And @ericdrumz was right about Gillies's "producer" -- talk about clueless!The other thing that bugged me was how everyone bitched about "the money people". Again, these people crap what you and I make in a year. I guess there are a few twits who get their jollies stringing aspiring filmmakers along, but, if you're asking me for x-amount of dollars, what guarantee do I have that you won't go to Vegas, and blow the whole wad?!The Colombia segment featured heart-breaking footage of stray dogs. When I realized Whiny Bitch did squat to help these poor creatures (I would have moved heaven and earth to bring them to the States or, at the very least, make sure they were off the streets and properly cared for!), he lost me.If they ever make a film about Michael Hutchence (INXS), Whiny Bitch would be perfect. Not only is he a dead ringer for Hutchence, he is also vain, self-absorbed, and a legend in his own mind!

Every film maker or anyone who wants to be a film maker needs to watch this documentary. The journey of these Characters is true to not only the people they portray but the industry in which they choose to be characters. Kingdom Come does a perfect job showcasing the struggle in the independent film world when it comes to making (funding) a movie. A large handful of brilliant and blunt interviews creates a wonderful and important story for all film students to study. This is also a good warning for anyone who are looking for Investors for your movie. The world is full of sociopaths and psychotic losers that lie in order to be apart of the "film" world. Viewers beware! The Journey of this film maker has been the same journey that thousands of others have and will make when wanting to film their dream. Watch it and learn.

I really enjoy independent films because they can be so refreshing as opposed to the formulaic drivel that comes out of Hollywood. I don't want to see the same thing (and actors) over and over again. That being said, about halfway through this documentary, I started to get a very unsettling feeling in my gut. I stopped feeling sorry for this guy and opposing thoughts started to come to mind: self-serving, elitist, spoiled, delusional, ...The guy has talent but he feels entitled and doesn't seem to have both of his feet on the ground. I became dismayed when I got the feeling that he feels that the world owes him something. I hope this is only unconscious, on his part, because if he is cognizant of this, well, that would be worse. I wanted him to succeed but with great reservations.

A lot of people (mostly non show-biz people, but some which are) think filmmaking is an easy enough job - a cozy, smooth, fun and carefree process done by people who are eternal children, people who refuse to grow up and get normal day jobs, people who live in a world of fantasy... mostly referred to as LalaLand. Although some of it may be somewhat true (about the filmmaking being young at heart), the reality of it is that filmmaking is one of the hardest, harshest and most non-gratifying of all occupations - artistic or non-artistic.As a freelance filmmaker with a bit of experience in trying to create my own films (in Israel and outside it), this movie has been a very empathetic-sympathetic story to which I could relate very easily. I think this documentary is a must for anyone who thinks movies are whipped out of one's sleeve, or get done by a mere shake of a magic wand. Anyone thinking about making a movie, as a client of filmmakers such as myself, should be educated about the hardships of the profession. If applied to animated movies - just multiply it by ten... Filmmaking is not only very time-consuming (and time is - as we all know - money), but it is also a form of art which is the work of many, rather than that of a single person, as each of the people working on a movie has his specific job. There are differences between independent movies and those of the film industry (especially funding-wise), but the process of making them is pretty much the same.The documentary is educational and emotional, and is recommended for anyone who's a movie fan, and wishes to learn more about the backstage struggles of independent filmmaking.