About Cherry (2012)

About Cherry (2012)

Available at Amazon.

About Cherry is a 2012 drama film and the directorial debut of Stephen Elliott. It is based on a script penned by Elliott and porn industry veteran, Lorelei Lee. It stars Ashley Hinshaw, James Franco, Heather Graham and Dev Patel. The project was filmed in San Francisco and premiered at 2012 Berlin International Film Festival.

Angelina (Hinshaw) is an 18-year-old girl not far from graduating from high school. Her boyfriend (Weston) suggests that she take naked pictures of herself and sell them. She is initially hesitant, but does the photo shoot and uses the money to run away to San Francisco with her best friend Andrew (Patel). At a strip club party in the city, Angelina meets a wealthy lawyer, Francis (Franco) who offers to introduce her to a glamorous world of expensive dresses and lavish parties. Angelina also meets Margaret (Graham), a former porn star turned adult film director. Margaret offers Angelina, now using the porn name Cherry, direction in her entry into the San Francisco porn industry. Angelina makes several soft pornography films before deciding to do a hardcore film. After Angelina shoots the film, an angry Francis chastises her before getting them in a car accident. Angelina returns home to find Andrew watching one of her films. After an argument, she decides to leave and meets Margaret at a bar. They kiss before returning to Margaret's apartment. The final scene is of Angelina some time afterward, having moved in with Margaret and taken on a new job as a porn director.'

Detropia (2012)

Detropia (2012)

Available at Amazon.

Detropia is a 2012 documentary film, directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, about the city of Detroit, Michigan. It focuses on the decline of the economy of Detroit due to long-term changes in the automobile industry, and the effects that the decline has had on the city's residents and infrastructure.

The film's name came from a portmanteau of the words "Detroit" and "utopia", and was inspired by an abandoned auto parts store, where the letter "A" in "AUTO" and the letters "R", "T", and "S" in "PARTS" were missing from the store's sign. The letter "I" had been painted into the appropriate part of the store front to make the sign read "UTO PIA".

The film does not feature any narration or spoken comments from the filmmakers. Instead, it primarily follows three residents of Detroit in various situations around the city, circa 2010. Interspersed is contemporary footage of different areas of Detroit shot by the filmmakers, and clips of historic footage. Segments of performances at the Detroit Opera House are incorporated as well.

The three Detroiters who are profiled are video blogger Crystal Starr, nightclub owner Tommy Stephens, and United Auto Workers local President George McGregor, each of whom reflect on their own experiences and share their observations about the city, its problems, and its opportunities. Also featured are portions of Mayor Dave Bing's discussions with city officials and residents about the possibility of geographically consolidating Detroit residents as a cost-saving measure. A group of artists, mostly newcomers to Detroit, are shown as well, particularly Steve and Dorota Coy. The Coys, who are performance artists, are featured on the poster and DVD cover for the film.

Locations that are shown or commented on include the Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly, where the Chevy Volt is assembled; the defunct Detroit Cadillac facility; and the abandoned Michigan Central Station.