| Skills like This | |
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| Directed by | Monty Miranda |
| Written by | Spencer Berger |
| Starring | Spencer Berger Brian D. Phelan |
| Music by | Anthony Marinelli |
Production company | |
Release dates |
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Skills like This is a 2007comedy film directed byMonty Miranda, written by Spencer Berger and distributed by Shadow Distribution released theatrically on March 20, 2009. The DVD released on November 17, 2009 and the Premium Cable premiere onStarz and Starz On Demand 1.1. 2010. It stars Berger, Gabriel Tigerman, Kerry Knuppe andBrian D. Phelan.[1]
Spencer Berger both wrote and acts in the film. It was directed by first-time film directorMonty Miranda, who previously directed television commercials, short films and created a TV series[5]
The movie was shot in Denver, Colorado. Principal photography was completed in 17 days.
In addition to highlighting Denver, Colorado's eclectic music scene, Skills Like This is an entirelyColorado based production. Skills Like This is the first feature-length film produced in Colorado, by Coloradofilmmakers to be picked up for North American theatrical distribution.[6]
The film won the award for Best Narrative Feature at theSouth by Southwest film festival.The film won the "Best of Fest" distinction at theEdinburgh International Film Festival[3]The film won the "Jury Prize for Best USA Feature Film" atJacksonville Film Festival
Skills Like This screened worldwide on the film festival circuit prior to its American theatrical release by Shadow Distribution in 2009. The film received positive reviews from publications ranging fromThe New York Times andVariety toSalon.com. In her review forThe New York Times, Jeanette Catsoulis wrote, "the offbeat chemistry of the cast, along with Monty Miranda's eye-catching direction...make all the difference... Drawing much of its energy from an eclectic and fully integrated soundtrack, "Skills Like This" gazes indulgently on 20-something aimlessness and the comfort of assigned roles. In Mr. Miranda's hands sloth can be more appealing than you might think."[7]Variety further stated that the main characters ofSkills Like This showed "considerable intelligence and chemistry" in addition to calling the film "deftly directed"[8] and fromSalon Andrew O'Heir reviewed "Skills Like This" as, "Cheerfully anarchic...indescribably genuine."[9] The film screened in theatrical release for four months.