19 October 2012
Fuckload of Scotch Tape (Julian Grant, 2012, USA)
16 October 2012
Black Pond (Will Sharpe & Tom Kingsley, 2011, UK)
A-
15 October 2012
The Land of Hope / Kibô no kuni (Shion Sono, 2012, Japan) CIFF
In reality though, this movie is all about relationships that sustain us in difficult situations. As this movie was nearing its ending, I found myself thinking it worked so well as a metaphor for the human condition. If you're as cynical as I probably am, you'll probably agree with me. At the center of the film is an elderly pair living at the edge of the city. In fact, their property is steps from the line of evacuation, which means pretty much that everyone leaves except for them. The film also follows the story of their son and his wife, as well as a few of the neighbors who were evacuated.
This is one of those movies where you find yourself halfway through feeling a little bored, but by the last fifteen minutes you're so moved you can't believe you ever thought it was plodding. I imagine that some people won't respond to the way the film wraps up like I did, which may be why it has a relatively low score on IMDB. I almost didn't go see this movie because of the mixed reviews, but now I'm really glad I did. I found myself desperate to see it again the next day, but I can't imagine when it will be possible. It's such a beautifully made film. All these moments of whimsy I don't want to describe here and some really phenomenal performances, especially by the actors playing the elderly couple. So beautiful.
A
General Note (read: kvetch) About the Chicago Film Festival
I confess I've been getting a little frustrated with how disorganized the whole thing always is. Mostly though, I can't believe how poor the communication is. Each day before heading downtown, I've checked the Twitter feed, Facebook page, and News section of the website for news of cancelations and schedule changes and still, I had no idea that Reality had been canceled Friday night. (I was disappointed but I swapped my ticket for Black Pond, which I enjoyed, so it wasn't the worst thing in the world/)
Then on Saturday, I was stunned as at the very last minute we were told that they had been having technical difficulties with the digital film but "fortunately" they had a backup DVD. We were warned that there was a watermark on the film, the world's most prominent watermark in the world, it turned out. They didn't mention, however, that the sound was abysmal and the image quality was so poor that you could mostly not see people's faces or read subtitles. I couldn't believe they didn't just cancel the show. I wish I had left, since I basically payed full prince to see a movie in substantially worse quality than you'd find in a bad bootleg copy.
And then yesterday, on Sunday, the sound was all f*cked up on Paradise: Love. Nobody ever acknowledged it, but it seemed to be playing without one of the audio tracks or something. It was like when I got my fancy worldwide DVD player and I didn't have enough speakers for all the jacks so sometimes I wouldn't get certain parts of the audio track. Exactly like that. I kept asking myself if maybe that's how it's supposed to be, but since those scenes frequently had inaudible dialogue which was subtitled, I'm pretty sure all those scenes where all the ambient sound cut out and there seemed to be music missing from the film, that it was just a technical problem.
I've been to film festivals before and I know that things happen with shipping and so forth and things get canceled. I know that sometimes the cuts are a little rough and the subtitles can be even rougher, but I'm really hoping that I'm not going to spend the next week and half dealing with this kind of ineptitude since the $400+ I've spent on these tickets is not exactly small change for me.
It was smart of me to buy tickets in advance this year, but it can backfire. I'm glad I'm not standing in the ticket line all the time like I was in the past. One of the films that was sold out when I went to buy tickets last week, Something in the Air was suddenly available on Ticketmaster yesterday. It ended up costing me $20.90. The member price is $11, but you can only buy them either 24 hours in advance (on a weekday) over the phone or in person. Knowing it would surely be sold out by the time I got down there, I bought them from Ticketmaster in a moment of reckless abandon. It's insane how they rack up the fees there. $14 base price. Plus $4.50 in fees. Plus, oh yeah, another $2.50 in fees. Plus it would have been another two dollars for the privelege of printing my own tickets. How freaking outrageous is that? And why can Fandango do the exact same service for a dollar? It's really tacky in this day and age to use Ticketmaster, in my opinion. It's such an affront to your guests. Why not use something like Fandango or Brownpapertickets?
I won't go into the ineptitude of the lethargic AMC staff and the absurdly long and slow moving concession lines because it sort of goes without saying that AMC clearly undervalues and undertrains its consistently demoralized staff. It's really nothing new. But why in the hell is one of their down escalators still out of commission during the damned film festival. It often seems dangeous to exit the place because the escalators get so backed up with clueless suburbanites and so forth.
/kvetch
Then on Saturday, I was stunned as at the very last minute we were told that they had been having technical difficulties with the digital film but "fortunately" they had a backup DVD. We were warned that there was a watermark on the film, the world's most prominent watermark in the world, it turned out. They didn't mention, however, that the sound was abysmal and the image quality was so poor that you could mostly not see people's faces or read subtitles. I couldn't believe they didn't just cancel the show. I wish I had left, since I basically payed full prince to see a movie in substantially worse quality than you'd find in a bad bootleg copy.
And then yesterday, on Sunday, the sound was all f*cked up on Paradise: Love. Nobody ever acknowledged it, but it seemed to be playing without one of the audio tracks or something. It was like when I got my fancy worldwide DVD player and I didn't have enough speakers for all the jacks so sometimes I wouldn't get certain parts of the audio track. Exactly like that. I kept asking myself if maybe that's how it's supposed to be, but since those scenes frequently had inaudible dialogue which was subtitled, I'm pretty sure all those scenes where all the ambient sound cut out and there seemed to be music missing from the film, that it was just a technical problem.
I've been to film festivals before and I know that things happen with shipping and so forth and things get canceled. I know that sometimes the cuts are a little rough and the subtitles can be even rougher, but I'm really hoping that I'm not going to spend the next week and half dealing with this kind of ineptitude since the $400+ I've spent on these tickets is not exactly small change for me.
It was smart of me to buy tickets in advance this year, but it can backfire. I'm glad I'm not standing in the ticket line all the time like I was in the past. One of the films that was sold out when I went to buy tickets last week, Something in the Air was suddenly available on Ticketmaster yesterday. It ended up costing me $20.90. The member price is $11, but you can only buy them either 24 hours in advance (on a weekday) over the phone or in person. Knowing it would surely be sold out by the time I got down there, I bought them from Ticketmaster in a moment of reckless abandon. It's insane how they rack up the fees there. $14 base price. Plus $4.50 in fees. Plus, oh yeah, another $2.50 in fees. Plus it would have been another two dollars for the privelege of printing my own tickets. How freaking outrageous is that? And why can Fandango do the exact same service for a dollar? It's really tacky in this day and age to use Ticketmaster, in my opinion. It's such an affront to your guests. Why not use something like Fandango or Brownpapertickets?
I won't go into the ineptitude of the lethargic AMC staff and the absurdly long and slow moving concession lines because it sort of goes without saying that AMC clearly undervalues and undertrains its consistently demoralized staff. It's really nothing new. But why in the hell is one of their down escalators still out of commission during the damned film festival. It often seems dangeous to exit the place because the escalators get so backed up with clueless suburbanites and so forth.
/kvetch
Stand Up Guys (Fisher Stevens, 2012, USA)
In any event, I was a little surprised at how silly these actors are in different scenes, particularly in scenes involving "dick pills" and a scene where Al Pacino makes an ass of himself in a bar. It's kind of a funny movie, but most of the humor seems centered on the crotch, so if that's not your thing, then maybe this loose collection of dick jokes isn't really for you.
Honestly though, although I liked a number of things about the movie, such as Walken's relationship with the waitress in the diner, I felt like there were serious problems with the cause and effect relations in the movie. It's really a series of strange coincidences that don't ring particularly true, especially the way they just magically end up running into Juliana Margulies all of a sudden and finding out where this old man is being held up in a nursing home. And following from that arc, it's pretty unlikely that a nursing home in a major city like LA would have no desk staff or security staff. Really, I'd have probably forgiven a lot of this film's weaknesses if I had found it more interesting, but it didn't strike me as a particularly special movie, except as a curiosity piece that seems to scream "strange end of acting career film choices."
Having seen the film, I wasn't too surprised that it was the writer's first screenplay. What surprised me though was how amateurishly the experienced cast and director brought it all together. I liked some of the moments and some of the performances though. I was weirdly drawn the madam of the brothel that appears in the film. C-
I'm really beginning to question even going to these opening night films anymore. I enjoyed The Last Rites of Joe May last year and it's a cool, rare experience to see a film in the Harris Theatre, but for what it costs to see them, I feel like the films are pretty weak more often than not. Additionally, I understand the point is they want you to shell out $150 for the gala as well, but I feel like there should be a Q&A or something if you're spending anywhere form $35 to $50 to see a film. I mean, I can see that people may enjoy watching Al Pacino and Christopher Walken walk the red carpet, but if they don't have anything to say, I'm not really too interested. Maybe it's just not for me.
26 September 2012
Chicago Film Fest Slate: Trailers A-F
Trailers for the films showing at the Chicago International Film Festival. Click here for more information about the films.
08 September 2012
The Avengers (Joss Whedon, 2012, USA)
A few weeks ago I was listening to a movie show on Chicago public radio and heard a discussion where two of the three hosts said that The Avengers was, in their opinion, the best movie of the summer. They really layed it on, too, like this thing was ripe for Oscar season or something. I was skeptical, but I ended up seeing it last night. Weirdly, I've actually seen a few of the movies that could claim it as a sequel and I found it most similar to Captain America, although it certainly pulled from all the previous films. I don't know; it was certainly better than Transformers, but these movies all seem the same to me. I liked the cast, especially Scarlet Johansson. Even though I hated The Hurt Locker, I also confess to feeling that Jeremy Renner generally adds gravity and respectability to unlikely films. I am also convinced that the guy who plays Loki in this film and Thor is secretly that annoying fur-wearing figure skater Johnny Weir.
I'm not really sure what I can say about the film. It was mostly exactly what you'd expect. The explanation for the absence of Natalie Portman wasn't very convincing, which was a little surprising. I was also pleasantly surprised that they slipped in a little political content wherein they talked about how stupid it was for everyone to be loading up on nuclear weapons. There were scenes in the film that really felt like reading a comic book, which for me wasn't a good thing. What's believable in a comic book pane isn't necessarily that believable in a more three dimensional space. The whole New York City thing was kind of odd in that the damage being done to the city would have killed thousands of people, but I guess the aliens came when all of Manhattan, tourists and all, were out on Long Island re-enacting all those media representations of weekends in the Hamptons we've been inundated with these past several years. Thank god for jitneys, I guess. Anyway, this seemed silliest when they made a big thing about getting all these people out of a city bus. And I'm like, girl, if you're having this much trouble liberating a city bus, I don't know how I can trust you to save the city from an alien invasion. And what about the thousands of people dying or being injured all around you. Anyway, it wasn't bad, was probably better than a lot of these movies, but, again, they're kind of all the same. B-
I'm not really sure what I can say about the film. It was mostly exactly what you'd expect. The explanation for the absence of Natalie Portman wasn't very convincing, which was a little surprising. I was also pleasantly surprised that they slipped in a little political content wherein they talked about how stupid it was for everyone to be loading up on nuclear weapons. There were scenes in the film that really felt like reading a comic book, which for me wasn't a good thing. What's believable in a comic book pane isn't necessarily that believable in a more three dimensional space. The whole New York City thing was kind of odd in that the damage being done to the city would have killed thousands of people, but I guess the aliens came when all of Manhattan, tourists and all, were out on Long Island re-enacting all those media representations of weekends in the Hamptons we've been inundated with these past several years. Thank god for jitneys, I guess. Anyway, this seemed silliest when they made a big thing about getting all these people out of a city bus. And I'm like, girl, if you're having this much trouble liberating a city bus, I don't know how I can trust you to save the city from an alien invasion. And what about the thousands of people dying or being injured all around you. Anyway, it wasn't bad, was probably better than a lot of these movies, but, again, they're kind of all the same. B-
06 September 2012
A Diary of Two or More Snow Whites
In the past few days I finally got around to watching the two Snow White films that came out earlier this year. They're both mildly entertaining and more or less inoffensive, but personally I favored the darker Snow White and the Huntsman to the silly Mirror Mirror. What I found most intriguing about the films is how much they had in common.
Both feature a cast of adult actors hamming it up and actresses in the Snow White role who seem peculiarly miscast. Generally, I don't like to pick on an actress's looks, but in this particular role where so much is made of the character's beauty, it was weird to see the Show White in Mirror Mirror ruined by poor makeup and in SWatH, well, I don't find that Kristen Stewart has the kind of traditional beauty that one would associate with Snow White. As much as I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of her performance, I was distracted by her thin lips and angular features. I also felt that she came across as too contemporary to work in that role, although I'm sure the intent was for her to be more relatable to the modern viewers. I think this is the first time I've ever seen her onscreen and to me she came across as though she were Keira Knightley's little sister who everyone tries to pretend for a while is as talented and as pretty as the older sister. Lily Collins was also likable in her performance as Snow White, but the I also found her incredibly forgettable.
In fact, I guess I found Mirror Mirror forgettable as a whole. Julia Roberts is sometimes fun to watch. Nathan Lane does what Nathan Lane does, which some people seem to like. I think the main thing I'll actually remember is the way the Stepmother goes through the mirror into another world. In general, I'd probably sum it up by saying it's an intermittently bland adaptation spruced up by the presence of Julia Roberts and some Burtonesque touches. I also thought Armie Hammer was good as the prince even though his name is Armie Hammer and he's an Arm & Hammer heir who made his start in a Billy Graham biopic (oh brother).
I found the other film more imaginative, overall, although I preferred Mirror Mirror's handling of the mirror. I found the prince to be bland, but I liked the Huntsman even though he's that goofball from Thor. In general I like that they mixed things up and seemed to have her fall in love with the commoner even though there's no clear indication of what happens with them. That change aside, if I hadn't read Snow White (aka, Schneewittchen) in a German class many years ago I'd have thought that maybe they went back to the original material or something, but in fact the original is relatively spare and lacks many of the details we come to associate from the story. Therefore it's really strange to me that the films so share many common plot elements that weren't in the original story. (one thing I didn't care for in Snow White and the Huntsman was the bit about the fairy land or whatever. It could have been interesting, but I don't think it was executed very well.)
In the original story the father is never really discussed again after he marries the Stepmother. He doesn't fall victim to any enchantments or murder plots, he's just a nonentity who supposedly loves his daughter but clearly doesn't seem too interested in her disappearance. Even at the end when Snow White marries the prince they go to the prince's kingdom and though the evil queen shows up at the end for her just desserts, the king does not. There is no discussion of everything dying after the queen takes over or of the dwarves becoming thieves. There's no mention of her exploiting or otherwise affecting her subjects. The enchanted forest we remember from the Disney film is not in the book. Hell, there's not even a kiss that breaks the spell (the coffin gets knocked over and the apple chunk gets dislodged from her mouth!), though of course that's clearly part of the cultural understanding of the story by now. It's also interesting that both stories invoke this idea that the evil queen's magic sucks the youth out of her and brings about downfall.
I don't know, I guess my point is that I can't say how interesting I'd have found the films on their own, but it was fun to wonder about the weird similarities and so forth...
Both feature a cast of adult actors hamming it up and actresses in the Snow White role who seem peculiarly miscast. Generally, I don't like to pick on an actress's looks, but in this particular role where so much is made of the character's beauty, it was weird to see the Show White in Mirror Mirror ruined by poor makeup and in SWatH, well, I don't find that Kristen Stewart has the kind of traditional beauty that one would associate with Snow White. As much as I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of her performance, I was distracted by her thin lips and angular features. I also felt that she came across as too contemporary to work in that role, although I'm sure the intent was for her to be more relatable to the modern viewers. I think this is the first time I've ever seen her onscreen and to me she came across as though she were Keira Knightley's little sister who everyone tries to pretend for a while is as talented and as pretty as the older sister. Lily Collins was also likable in her performance as Snow White, but the I also found her incredibly forgettable.
In the original story the father is never really discussed again after he marries the Stepmother. He doesn't fall victim to any enchantments or murder plots, he's just a nonentity who supposedly loves his daughter but clearly doesn't seem too interested in her disappearance. Even at the end when Snow White marries the prince they go to the prince's kingdom and though the evil queen shows up at the end for her just desserts, the king does not. There is no discussion of everything dying after the queen takes over or of the dwarves becoming thieves. There's no mention of her exploiting or otherwise affecting her subjects. The enchanted forest we remember from the Disney film is not in the book. Hell, there's not even a kiss that breaks the spell (the coffin gets knocked over and the apple chunk gets dislodged from her mouth!), though of course that's clearly part of the cultural understanding of the story by now. It's also interesting that both stories invoke this idea that the evil queen's magic sucks the youth out of her and brings about downfall.
I don't know, I guess my point is that I can't say how interesting I'd have found the films on their own, but it was fun to wonder about the weird similarities and so forth...
04 September 2012
Chicago International Film Festival: Thoughts on the films that have already been announced.
Benji (USA)
Directors: Coodie & Chike
In 1984, all eyes were on Ben Wilson, one of Chicago's top high school basketball prospects. But in his senior year, Benji's story was suddenly cut short. Interviews with family and friends give fresh insight into Benji's life and untimely end, illuminating one of sport's most tragic "what ifs."
Yet another documentary about the redemptive power of sports on the mean streets of urban America, except this one is more like the "another dream deferred" side of that coin, I gather.
Marie Krøyer (Denmark)
Director: Bille August
Married to one of Denmark's most celebrated 19th century painters, Marie Krøyer's life is both privileged and fraught. Struggling to discover her own identity while managing her husband's increasingly erratic behavior, Marie begins to look outside of her marriage for affirmation and autonomy. But at what cost?
I like movies about ladies, but usually don't like movies about painters. We'll see. The trailer looks like a kind of nutty melodrama, and I like nutty, so I may see it if I happen to see some good reviews or something.
http://www.sfinternational.se/film/marie-kroyer
Beyond The Hills (Romania)
Director: Cristian Mungiu
Mungiu (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days) returns to feature filmmaking with this gripping existential drama. Inspired by the real-life horror of a modern-day exorcism-gone-wrong, the film follows two women, close friends whose lives have taken them down drastically different paths: one into a convent, the other much further astray.
Wow, a gripping existentialist drama about a botched exorcism from one of the leaders of the Romanian New Wave? This movie may have it all.
http://youtu.be/zbCdgUiXBIA
Like Someone In Love (France, Japan)
Director: Abbas Kiarostami
Iran's greatest living filmmaker travels to Tokyo for this understated, enigmatic romantic drama. Unbeknownst to her boyfriend, the enchanting university student Akiko secretly moonlights as an escort. An encounter with a client – a shy, elderly academic – leads to an unconventional, unexpectedly intimate relationship in which nothing is quite as it seems.
This looks enchanting and the unsatisfying ending I just read about indicates that it might be a perfect film to take in at a film festival.
http://youtu.be/7pldnaSGSyY
In Their Skin (Canada)
Director: Jeremy Power Regimbal
A relaxing trip to the country takes a dark and disturbing turn when a seemingly friendly visit from the neighbors turns into a terrifying and potentially deadly situation. Skillfully building the claustrophobic atmosphere with masterful control over mood and pacing, In Their Skin is a chilling, sophisticated slice of terror.
The trailer looks a little too intense for me, but I'm kind of weirdly drawn to Selma Blair so I'm not sure if I'll make myself sit through this. I'm not sure how original or revelatory it looks, and I like film festival films to feel revelatory, btw fyi
http://youtu.be/gXMNkv6txLI
A Modest Reception (Iran)
Director: Mani Haghighi
Tasked with giving away huge sums of money by whatever means possible, Kaveh and Layla drive through the remote, war-torn mountains of Iran with a trunkful of cash. What begins as a seemingly harmless game soon reveals itself to be a twisted bout of charity as the power, humiliation, and shame inherent in their act plays out between the privileged couple and the impoverished villagers.
This one could go either way, I think. The reviews seem to indicate that it's compelling, engaging, sometimes hard to watch, and not altogether satisfying. It seems like the keywords are moral ambiguity, which in general is something I like in films. We shall see.
The Jeffrey Dahmer Files (USA)
Director: Chris James Thompson
By the time he was arrested, Jeffrey Dahmer had killed and dismembered 17 victims, mostly in his nondescript Milwaukee apartment. Using a mixture of archival footage, new interviews and recreations, this documentary paints a complex, intimate portrait of one of America's most notorious serial killers.
After all the movies and TV specials I've seen about Jeffrey Dahmer, I'm really not sure I need to see a documentary about the subject. I might watch this some day if I could stream it online for free. The only way I could see myself paying to see this movie is if the reviews were ecstatic or something.
Don't Click (South Korea)
Director: Kim Tae-Kyeong
When cyber junkie Jung-mi learns of a sinister new "forbidden" internet video, she'll stop at nothing to find it. However, the morbid video has strange effects on its viewers, and soon Jung-mi and her sister seem to be under a bizarre and terrifying curse in this disturbing take on 21st-century technology, surveillance, and internet fame.
The description makes it sounds like a remake of The Ring or something, but it looks different enough. It sort of looks like a grab bag of a whole bunch of teen horror movies that already exist. Not really my genre, but it might be right for a Saturday night or something.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsXTaBBEZsI
Coming Of Age (Austria)
Directors: Sabine Hiebler & Gerhart Ertl
In their 80s, Rosa and Bruno meet and are suddenly reminded what it means to love and live fully. The two – knowing that their time is limited – run off together, leaving much and many in their wake. This unconventional romantic drama paints a powerful portrait of love by turns stark, passion-filled, and heartbreaking.
It looks totally schmaltzy, but it's good to have something easy and goofy in the middle of all the artsy angsty ambiguities you tend to encounter in film festival films. I wouldn't rule it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVv5ULkNybE
The Sessions (USA)
Director: Ben Lewin
Based on the poignantly optimistic autobiographical writings of California-based journalist and poet Mark O'Brien, The Sessions tells the story of a man confined to an iron lung who is determined - at age 38 – to lose his virginity. With the help of his therapists and the guidance of his priest, he sets out to make his dream a reality.
When I first read the description, I thought it sounded grotesque and oppressive. The trailer makes it look like a silly crowd-pleaser I'd probably be annoyed by.
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/thesessions/
The Cleaner (Peru)
Director: Adrian Saba
In the midst of a mysterious, devastating epidemic, Eusebio – a forensic cleaner who sterilizes the apartments of the dead – discovers an eight-year-old boy hiding in an uninhabited house. A grizzled loner all his life, Eusebio suddenly finds that he must care for this young boy as civilization crumbles around them in this quietly compelling dystopian drama.
The concept seems like a cliche. It could be a good movie, though, it's hard to tell. These things can come of so schmaltzy but sometimes they're actually pretty good.
http://www.indiegogo.com/El-Limpiador
The Scapegoat (UK)
Director: Charles Sturridge
The Scapegoat tells the story of two very different men who have one thing in common: a face. Near exact replicas, these doppelgangers meet by chance, each at a major crossroads in his life in this adaption of Daphne Du Maurier's novel, which recalls the productions of Merchant-Ivory at their finest.
Well, this version doesn't have Bette Davis or Alec Guinness, but it seems sort of intriguing with its reported re-imagined final twist. It looks like this is airing on TV in England and is also the only English film on the CIFF's slate this year, according to the production company's website.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AbfgNNrmss
Consuming Spirits (USA)
Director: Chris Sullivan
A melancholic, mesmerizing vision of backwoods gothic Americana that was 15 years in the making, Consuming Spirits weaves together a spell-binding blend of animation techniques. Folksy storytelling tinged with the dark surrealism of David Lynch, this atmospheric, multi-layered tale of outcasts and misfits is haunting, funny and occasionally heart-breaking.
This could either be splendid and mesmerizing, or it could put me to sleep.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xXAPZ7Hybo
Holy Motors (France, Germany)
Director: Leos Carax
Several lifetimes pass in the span of a few hours for Monsieur Oscar, a shadowy character who effortlessly transitions from one realm to the next. He is, in turn, captain of industry, assassin, beggar, monster, family man. This mysterious, hallucinatory epic has ignited passions around the world for its bold, euphoric virtuosity
This is supposed to be really good, but I'm probably just going to see it when it plays at the Music Box starting on September 9.
http://www.wildbunch.biz/films/holly_motors
Out In The Dark (Israel, USA)
Director: Michael Mayer
Nimer, a Palestinian student, dreams of a better life abroad. One fateful night he meets Roy, an Israeli lawyer. As their relationship deepens, Nimer is confronted with the harsh realities of a Palestinian society that refuses to accept his sexual identity, and an Israeli society that rejects his nationality.
Once again, Israel's domestic troubles are illustrated in the context of a forbidden gay love story. This one looks good. I might see it, just because there aren't usually that many good gay movies at the festival or anywhere else.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0p-Jj7Djc0
Caesar Must Die (Italy)
Directors: Paolo & Vittorio Taviani
The top prizewinner in Berlin, this docudrama from the legendary Taviani brothers depicts the preparations for a staging of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar by inmates in Rome's Rebibbia Prison. The performers, many of whom are in jail for violent crimes, bring powerful new layers of meaning and emotion to the canonical play.
Shakespeare in prison seems to be an emerging subgenre. I fell asleep during that other Shakespeare in prison documentary I saw, but perhaps all the Italian sturm und drang will keep me awake here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0p-Jj7Djc0
Shameless (Poland)
Director: Filip Marczewski
In an incendiary story of love, desire, and betrayal between siblings, the rebellious young Tadek returns to sister Anka's home in search of solace and affection. Bound together by a painful shared family history, brother and sister must find a way to break free in order to survive.
Based on the two trailers I've seen of this movie (the subtitled one doesn't look very representative of the film) and what I've read of it, this description is also not very representative of the film. It sounds scandalous and explosive, so I guess I'll have to see it. Bring on the gypsies, incest, and neo-nazis, I guess.
Tey (Senegal)
Director: Alain Gomis
What would you do if you knew today was your last? A joyous, impressionistic celebration of life and death, Tey follows Satché from the moment he wakes, with full knowledge of his imminent passing. Wandering through the streets of his hometown, Satché reflects on the choices he has made and their consequences.
This seems to be a slow moving, story-less movie about life. I seems like something I'd have to be in a particular mood to watch. I can't find a trailer for it, but it seems like it might be interesting, particularly as Reuters refers to it as a modern day fairytale.
Keep The Lights On (USA)
Director: Ira Sachs
A one-night stand between Erik and Paul quickly grows into something more, but their differences – along with Paul's struggles with addiction – soon chip away at their relationship. This sensitive, subtle account of an intense, nine-year on-off relationship tenderly reminds us that love is not always enough.
Like Holy Motors, this movie has gotten a lot of buzz. Also like Holy Motors, this film will be playing at the Music Box Theatre this fall (10/26). It could be super good, yo. It's also distributed by Music Box films, which is pretty cool.
http://keepthelightsonfilm.com/
Valley Of Saints (India, USA)
Director: Musa Syeed
Gulzar, a boatman on Kashmir's gorgeous, peaceful Dal Lake, plans to leave for the city when a military curfew forces him to remain in his hometown. When Gulzar meets Asifa, a pretty young scientist studying the lake, a romance develops against a backdrop of jealousy, competition, and ongoing political turmoil.
I've often found Indian films to be heavy handed and bluntly warped along political lines, but this one has good reviews and the trailer looks somewhat promising so I'm hoping for the best...
http://www.valleyofsaints.com/
As Goes Janesville (USA)
Director: Brad Lichtenstein
The recession hits home in Janesville, WI, where the shutdown of a GM plant has devastated the town. Following laid-off employees struggling to make ends meet and local business owners trying to lure back investors, this intimate verité-style documentary supplies refreshingly human insight into America's economic crisis.
I don't know how much Janesville I can take. I guess it's playing on PBS on October 8, so maybe I'll try to watch it then.
http://asgoesjanesville.com/
Short Films
Highlights of this year's programs include: Paraíso, in which three Chicago window cleaners wax philosophical as they work on a high-rise; the animated Oh Willy..., in which the hero returns to the naturist community where he spent his youth; and Yardbird, in which a young girl uses special powers against bullies.
I've honestly never been to a shorts program other than a couple of those Oscar nominated shorts things they have every year right before the Oscars. I like short films, but they never seem as compelling to me as the giant catalog of feature films.
I can't wait for the full catalog to come out!
Directors: Coodie & Chike
In 1984, all eyes were on Ben Wilson, one of Chicago's top high school basketball prospects. But in his senior year, Benji's story was suddenly cut short. Interviews with family and friends give fresh insight into Benji's life and untimely end, illuminating one of sport's most tragic "what ifs."
Yet another documentary about the redemptive power of sports on the mean streets of urban America, except this one is more like the "another dream deferred" side of that coin, I gather.
Marie Krøyer (Denmark)
Director: Bille August
Married to one of Denmark's most celebrated 19th century painters, Marie Krøyer's life is both privileged and fraught. Struggling to discover her own identity while managing her husband's increasingly erratic behavior, Marie begins to look outside of her marriage for affirmation and autonomy. But at what cost?
I like movies about ladies, but usually don't like movies about painters. We'll see. The trailer looks like a kind of nutty melodrama, and I like nutty, so I may see it if I happen to see some good reviews or something.
http://www.sfinternational.se/film/marie-kroyer
Beyond The Hills (Romania)
Director: Cristian Mungiu
Mungiu (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days) returns to feature filmmaking with this gripping existential drama. Inspired by the real-life horror of a modern-day exorcism-gone-wrong, the film follows two women, close friends whose lives have taken them down drastically different paths: one into a convent, the other much further astray.
Wow, a gripping existentialist drama about a botched exorcism from one of the leaders of the Romanian New Wave? This movie may have it all.
http://youtu.be/zbCdgUiXBIA
Like Someone In Love (France, Japan)
Director: Abbas Kiarostami
Iran's greatest living filmmaker travels to Tokyo for this understated, enigmatic romantic drama. Unbeknownst to her boyfriend, the enchanting university student Akiko secretly moonlights as an escort. An encounter with a client – a shy, elderly academic – leads to an unconventional, unexpectedly intimate relationship in which nothing is quite as it seems.
This looks enchanting and the unsatisfying ending I just read about indicates that it might be a perfect film to take in at a film festival.
http://youtu.be/7pldnaSGSyY
In Their Skin (Canada)
Director: Jeremy Power Regimbal
A relaxing trip to the country takes a dark and disturbing turn when a seemingly friendly visit from the neighbors turns into a terrifying and potentially deadly situation. Skillfully building the claustrophobic atmosphere with masterful control over mood and pacing, In Their Skin is a chilling, sophisticated slice of terror.
The trailer looks a little too intense for me, but I'm kind of weirdly drawn to Selma Blair so I'm not sure if I'll make myself sit through this. I'm not sure how original or revelatory it looks, and I like film festival films to feel revelatory, btw fyi
http://youtu.be/gXMNkv6txLI
A Modest Reception (Iran)
Director: Mani Haghighi
Tasked with giving away huge sums of money by whatever means possible, Kaveh and Layla drive through the remote, war-torn mountains of Iran with a trunkful of cash. What begins as a seemingly harmless game soon reveals itself to be a twisted bout of charity as the power, humiliation, and shame inherent in their act plays out between the privileged couple and the impoverished villagers.
This one could go either way, I think. The reviews seem to indicate that it's compelling, engaging, sometimes hard to watch, and not altogether satisfying. It seems like the keywords are moral ambiguity, which in general is something I like in films. We shall see.
The Jeffrey Dahmer Files (USA)
Director: Chris James Thompson
By the time he was arrested, Jeffrey Dahmer had killed and dismembered 17 victims, mostly in his nondescript Milwaukee apartment. Using a mixture of archival footage, new interviews and recreations, this documentary paints a complex, intimate portrait of one of America's most notorious serial killers.
After all the movies and TV specials I've seen about Jeffrey Dahmer, I'm really not sure I need to see a documentary about the subject. I might watch this some day if I could stream it online for free. The only way I could see myself paying to see this movie is if the reviews were ecstatic or something.
Don't Click (South Korea)
Director: Kim Tae-Kyeong
When cyber junkie Jung-mi learns of a sinister new "forbidden" internet video, she'll stop at nothing to find it. However, the morbid video has strange effects on its viewers, and soon Jung-mi and her sister seem to be under a bizarre and terrifying curse in this disturbing take on 21st-century technology, surveillance, and internet fame.
The description makes it sounds like a remake of The Ring or something, but it looks different enough. It sort of looks like a grab bag of a whole bunch of teen horror movies that already exist. Not really my genre, but it might be right for a Saturday night or something.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsXTaBBEZsI
Coming Of Age (Austria)
Directors: Sabine Hiebler & Gerhart Ertl
In their 80s, Rosa and Bruno meet and are suddenly reminded what it means to love and live fully. The two – knowing that their time is limited – run off together, leaving much and many in their wake. This unconventional romantic drama paints a powerful portrait of love by turns stark, passion-filled, and heartbreaking.
It looks totally schmaltzy, but it's good to have something easy and goofy in the middle of all the artsy angsty ambiguities you tend to encounter in film festival films. I wouldn't rule it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVv5ULkNybE
The Sessions (USA)
Director: Ben Lewin
Based on the poignantly optimistic autobiographical writings of California-based journalist and poet Mark O'Brien, The Sessions tells the story of a man confined to an iron lung who is determined - at age 38 – to lose his virginity. With the help of his therapists and the guidance of his priest, he sets out to make his dream a reality.
When I first read the description, I thought it sounded grotesque and oppressive. The trailer makes it look like a silly crowd-pleaser I'd probably be annoyed by.
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/thesessions/
The Cleaner (Peru)
Director: Adrian Saba
In the midst of a mysterious, devastating epidemic, Eusebio – a forensic cleaner who sterilizes the apartments of the dead – discovers an eight-year-old boy hiding in an uninhabited house. A grizzled loner all his life, Eusebio suddenly finds that he must care for this young boy as civilization crumbles around them in this quietly compelling dystopian drama.
The concept seems like a cliche. It could be a good movie, though, it's hard to tell. These things can come of so schmaltzy but sometimes they're actually pretty good.
http://www.indiegogo.com/El-Limpiador
The Scapegoat (UK)
Director: Charles Sturridge
The Scapegoat tells the story of two very different men who have one thing in common: a face. Near exact replicas, these doppelgangers meet by chance, each at a major crossroads in his life in this adaption of Daphne Du Maurier's novel, which recalls the productions of Merchant-Ivory at their finest.
Well, this version doesn't have Bette Davis or Alec Guinness, but it seems sort of intriguing with its reported re-imagined final twist. It looks like this is airing on TV in England and is also the only English film on the CIFF's slate this year, according to the production company's website.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AbfgNNrmss
Consuming Spirits (USA)
Director: Chris Sullivan
A melancholic, mesmerizing vision of backwoods gothic Americana that was 15 years in the making, Consuming Spirits weaves together a spell-binding blend of animation techniques. Folksy storytelling tinged with the dark surrealism of David Lynch, this atmospheric, multi-layered tale of outcasts and misfits is haunting, funny and occasionally heart-breaking.
This could either be splendid and mesmerizing, or it could put me to sleep.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xXAPZ7Hybo
Holy Motors (France, Germany)
Director: Leos Carax
Several lifetimes pass in the span of a few hours for Monsieur Oscar, a shadowy character who effortlessly transitions from one realm to the next. He is, in turn, captain of industry, assassin, beggar, monster, family man. This mysterious, hallucinatory epic has ignited passions around the world for its bold, euphoric virtuosity
This is supposed to be really good, but I'm probably just going to see it when it plays at the Music Box starting on September 9.
http://www.wildbunch.biz/films/holly_motors
Out In The Dark (Israel, USA)
Director: Michael Mayer
Nimer, a Palestinian student, dreams of a better life abroad. One fateful night he meets Roy, an Israeli lawyer. As their relationship deepens, Nimer is confronted with the harsh realities of a Palestinian society that refuses to accept his sexual identity, and an Israeli society that rejects his nationality.
Once again, Israel's domestic troubles are illustrated in the context of a forbidden gay love story. This one looks good. I might see it, just because there aren't usually that many good gay movies at the festival or anywhere else.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0p-Jj7Djc0
Caesar Must Die (Italy)
Directors: Paolo & Vittorio Taviani
The top prizewinner in Berlin, this docudrama from the legendary Taviani brothers depicts the preparations for a staging of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar by inmates in Rome's Rebibbia Prison. The performers, many of whom are in jail for violent crimes, bring powerful new layers of meaning and emotion to the canonical play.
Shakespeare in prison seems to be an emerging subgenre. I fell asleep during that other Shakespeare in prison documentary I saw, but perhaps all the Italian sturm und drang will keep me awake here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0p-Jj7Djc0
Shameless (Poland)
Director: Filip Marczewski
In an incendiary story of love, desire, and betrayal between siblings, the rebellious young Tadek returns to sister Anka's home in search of solace and affection. Bound together by a painful shared family history, brother and sister must find a way to break free in order to survive.
Based on the two trailers I've seen of this movie (the subtitled one doesn't look very representative of the film) and what I've read of it, this description is also not very representative of the film. It sounds scandalous and explosive, so I guess I'll have to see it. Bring on the gypsies, incest, and neo-nazis, I guess.
Tey (Senegal)
Director: Alain Gomis
What would you do if you knew today was your last? A joyous, impressionistic celebration of life and death, Tey follows Satché from the moment he wakes, with full knowledge of his imminent passing. Wandering through the streets of his hometown, Satché reflects on the choices he has made and their consequences.
This seems to be a slow moving, story-less movie about life. I seems like something I'd have to be in a particular mood to watch. I can't find a trailer for it, but it seems like it might be interesting, particularly as Reuters refers to it as a modern day fairytale.
Keep The Lights On (USA)
Director: Ira Sachs
A one-night stand between Erik and Paul quickly grows into something more, but their differences – along with Paul's struggles with addiction – soon chip away at their relationship. This sensitive, subtle account of an intense, nine-year on-off relationship tenderly reminds us that love is not always enough.
Like Holy Motors, this movie has gotten a lot of buzz. Also like Holy Motors, this film will be playing at the Music Box Theatre this fall (10/26). It could be super good, yo. It's also distributed by Music Box films, which is pretty cool.
http://keepthelightsonfilm.com/
Valley Of Saints (India, USA)
Director: Musa Syeed
Gulzar, a boatman on Kashmir's gorgeous, peaceful Dal Lake, plans to leave for the city when a military curfew forces him to remain in his hometown. When Gulzar meets Asifa, a pretty young scientist studying the lake, a romance develops against a backdrop of jealousy, competition, and ongoing political turmoil.
I've often found Indian films to be heavy handed and bluntly warped along political lines, but this one has good reviews and the trailer looks somewhat promising so I'm hoping for the best...
http://www.valleyofsaints.com/
As Goes Janesville (USA)
Director: Brad Lichtenstein
The recession hits home in Janesville, WI, where the shutdown of a GM plant has devastated the town. Following laid-off employees struggling to make ends meet and local business owners trying to lure back investors, this intimate verité-style documentary supplies refreshingly human insight into America's economic crisis.
I don't know how much Janesville I can take. I guess it's playing on PBS on October 8, so maybe I'll try to watch it then.
http://asgoesjanesville.com/
Short Films
Highlights of this year's programs include: Paraíso, in which three Chicago window cleaners wax philosophical as they work on a high-rise; the animated Oh Willy..., in which the hero returns to the naturist community where he spent his youth; and Yardbird, in which a young girl uses special powers against bullies.
I've honestly never been to a shorts program other than a couple of those Oscar nominated shorts things they have every year right before the Oscars. I like short films, but they never seem as compelling to me as the giant catalog of feature films.
I can't wait for the full catalog to come out!
24 April 2011
Intro to Fassbinder post, originally posted to Facebook
Instead of writing my applied sociolinguistics paper, I'm obsessing over Rainer Werner Fassbinder, who still manages to be my all-time favorite filmmaker. Many people around me remain unfamiliar with his work despite my obsession, which is really unfortunate because most of them are pretty much his target audience.
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