CHILDREN
3/10
Disclaimer: I fell asleep for a few minutes about 15 minutes into this film. This black and white film from Iceland had a couple of good songs in the soundtrack. I think it was Sigur Ros, but didn't stick around to check the credits. Anyway, it appeared to be about a boy and his (single) mother, his (reformed?) thug father who is trying to re-connect with him, and his friend, an adult with mental issues, who plays the part of a gentle giant of sorts. It was all very confusing, and I found it hard to follow the story - this may have been because of my brief catnap earlier on the film, but ultimately it didn't grab me, and if I wasn't sitting two people away from the aisle seat, I'd have left early. (Tip to readers: get an aisle seat, you never know when you'll want to escape the cinema!). Apparently this is the first of two films - the next called 'Parents'. Unsure if I'll bother with the sequel.
INTERVIEW
7.5/10
I enjoyed this small film well enough - It basically is the story of a political journalist (Steve Buscemi) who has been subjected to interviewing a throwaway b-grade bit of fluff (played by Sienna Miller) who in his opinion is best known for who she sleeps with rather than what she does. He doesn't care for her, doesn't want to be there and it shows in his lack of preparation for the Interview. It's a fairly simple film with only two or three locations, and is entertaining. There's a slight twist towards the end, but it was somewhat predictable, and I found it a bit hard to believe as the evening wears on in the film that they continue to stick around talking to each other when there are points that cause obvious distress to either party. Ultimately, you want them to stay talking to each other and getting through their points, but the likelihood of it happening in real life is somewhat questionable. If you liked 'Tape' by Richard Linklater you'll probably like this too. Worth renting on DVD, but I probably wouldn't pay full price to see it in a cinema.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Sunday, July 29, 2007
EAGLE VS SHARK
7.5/10
Don't mean to bore you with yet another 7.5/10 rating, but them's the breaks. This NZ comedy was a great little flick, reminiscent in parts of Napolean Dynamite, but probably a little better. I never got the hype about Napolean Dynamite actually - I enjoyed it and all, but think the cult status it received was probably overdone. Anyway, this film's about nerdy chick Lily and how she's got the hots for the nerdy boy Jarrod (One half of New Zealand's fourth most popular folk-parody duo, Flight of the Conchords). Jarrod's obviously very self conscious about himself and displays that externally in trying to come off as a winner, when it's really so obvious that he's not. A particularly funny scene with Jarrod's friend Mason acting as the 'computer hacker' makes the film worth seeing alone. See it if you like off-beat indie comedies.
7.5/10
Don't mean to bore you with yet another 7.5/10 rating, but them's the breaks. This NZ comedy was a great little flick, reminiscent in parts of Napolean Dynamite, but probably a little better. I never got the hype about Napolean Dynamite actually - I enjoyed it and all, but think the cult status it received was probably overdone. Anyway, this film's about nerdy chick Lily and how she's got the hots for the nerdy boy Jarrod (One half of New Zealand's fourth most popular folk-parody duo, Flight of the Conchords). Jarrod's obviously very self conscious about himself and displays that externally in trying to come off as a winner, when it's really so obvious that he's not. A particularly funny scene with Jarrod's friend Mason acting as the 'computer hacker' makes the film worth seeing alone. See it if you like off-beat indie comedies.
Maybe I'm easily pleased but not easily enraptured as every film gets the same rating today. Overall a pretty good day
COMRADES IN DREAMS
7.5/10
This was a documentary about cinema owners in unusual/unlikely places. It would cycle between four different cinemas and their respective owners, talking not just about cinema necessarily but the lives of those who run them. One was in Africa where three men run an outdoor cinema with the hope of one day owning their own. You could see how passionate these guys were, even at the expense of a decent work/life balance. Another was in India where a 25 year old man runs a cinema in a large tent that goes from town to town. His dream is to have a proper cinema - oh, and to find a wife. Peggy is an American who runs a cinema in a small town somewhere in the USA, and appears to be using the cinema to escape from loneliness and boredom. And finally there was the woman from North Korea - this was a little disturbing in that her whole persona on screen looked forced. She was always smiling (but not naturally) and would always try and lead conversations into the hard work that needs to be done for the good of the 'collective' - Either she's really drinking the kool-aid or she was so mindful of her government that she didn't want to put a foot wrong when talking about the glory of North Korea and how showing films helped build a better nation, etc. Worth checking if it shows up on SBS.
YEAR OF THE DOG
7.5/10
I walked into this session knowing the name of the film, but not having remembered anything more about it. I was expecting an asian sub-titled film, but immediately remembered at opening credits that this was an American comedy starring Molly Shannon (from Saturday Night Live). However, this wasn't a run of the mill summer vehicle, but a more intense look at a woman who is a dog-lady (think cat-lady but with dogs). It's an interesting story of how she deals with grief and her relationships with a variety of interesting characters that are a part of her life. Having several relatively serious moments, I think it did a good job keeping a sensible balance between overboard/unlikely situations while maintaining several amusing scenes, usually from her brother & sister-in-law.
LIGHTS IN THE DUSK
7.5/10
This film was about a security guard with hopes and dreams for a better future who's path is obstructed by manipulation of others. It was very beautifully filmed with vivid colours and shadows - several times I was impressed by the imagery used for what might have otherwise been considered a simple shot (like sitting in a cafe). It had an almost timeless feel to it. It was a pleasure to sit through and if it weren't for a couple of niggly points with the character, this would have been my top film at MIFF so far. The problem really comes down the lead character - he has hopes and dreams, and can be seen to try and attempt realising them - however, he is also manipulated, and when that happens, seems to do very little to attempt to stop it. I thought these were conflicting characteristics, which confused me. Nevertheless, it was worth seeing and I'll have to try and track down some of the Aki Kaurismäki's other films (none of which I've seen, but include 'The Man Without a Past', 'Drifting Clouds' and 'Leningrad Cowboys'.
SNOW ANGELS
7.5/10
This is a canadian drama filmed in Halifax (but am unsure if it was set there). Definitely not an uplifting film, but I really liked it. Shot in a snowy town it tells the story of relationships between several interconnected people, largely between a separated couple who have a small daughter, both of whom seem to have lost their way and don't appear to be managing well at getting back on track. I found it interesting how prevalant guns in the home were in this one - it's not something I associate with the typical canadian home. Good to see Kate Beckinsale choosing a decent film for a pleasant change after several poor choices in many of her recent roles.
COMRADES IN DREAMS
7.5/10
This was a documentary about cinema owners in unusual/unlikely places. It would cycle between four different cinemas and their respective owners, talking not just about cinema necessarily but the lives of those who run them. One was in Africa where three men run an outdoor cinema with the hope of one day owning their own. You could see how passionate these guys were, even at the expense of a decent work/life balance. Another was in India where a 25 year old man runs a cinema in a large tent that goes from town to town. His dream is to have a proper cinema - oh, and to find a wife. Peggy is an American who runs a cinema in a small town somewhere in the USA, and appears to be using the cinema to escape from loneliness and boredom. And finally there was the woman from North Korea - this was a little disturbing in that her whole persona on screen looked forced. She was always smiling (but not naturally) and would always try and lead conversations into the hard work that needs to be done for the good of the 'collective' - Either she's really drinking the kool-aid or she was so mindful of her government that she didn't want to put a foot wrong when talking about the glory of North Korea and how showing films helped build a better nation, etc. Worth checking if it shows up on SBS.
YEAR OF THE DOG
7.5/10
I walked into this session knowing the name of the film, but not having remembered anything more about it. I was expecting an asian sub-titled film, but immediately remembered at opening credits that this was an American comedy starring Molly Shannon (from Saturday Night Live). However, this wasn't a run of the mill summer vehicle, but a more intense look at a woman who is a dog-lady (think cat-lady but with dogs). It's an interesting story of how she deals with grief and her relationships with a variety of interesting characters that are a part of her life. Having several relatively serious moments, I think it did a good job keeping a sensible balance between overboard/unlikely situations while maintaining several amusing scenes, usually from her brother & sister-in-law.
LIGHTS IN THE DUSK
7.5/10
This film was about a security guard with hopes and dreams for a better future who's path is obstructed by manipulation of others. It was very beautifully filmed with vivid colours and shadows - several times I was impressed by the imagery used for what might have otherwise been considered a simple shot (like sitting in a cafe). It had an almost timeless feel to it. It was a pleasure to sit through and if it weren't for a couple of niggly points with the character, this would have been my top film at MIFF so far. The problem really comes down the lead character - he has hopes and dreams, and can be seen to try and attempt realising them - however, he is also manipulated, and when that happens, seems to do very little to attempt to stop it. I thought these were conflicting characteristics, which confused me. Nevertheless, it was worth seeing and I'll have to try and track down some of the Aki Kaurismäki's other films (none of which I've seen, but include 'The Man Without a Past', 'Drifting Clouds' and 'Leningrad Cowboys'.
SNOW ANGELS
7.5/10
This is a canadian drama filmed in Halifax (but am unsure if it was set there). Definitely not an uplifting film, but I really liked it. Shot in a snowy town it tells the story of relationships between several interconnected people, largely between a separated couple who have a small daughter, both of whom seem to have lost their way and don't appear to be managing well at getting back on track. I found it interesting how prevalant guns in the home were in this one - it's not something I associate with the typical canadian home. Good to see Kate Beckinsale choosing a decent film for a pleasant change after several poor choices in many of her recent roles.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
I missed the first film I'd intended to see today, 'Glue' from Argentina. If you went, let me know what you thought of it. I added an extra film at the end, though, so still on track to see way too many films in a short period of time.
TIMES AND WINDS
5/10
This Turkish film is set in a village, and is a slow film showing the life of three young guys who are old enough to be gaining responsibilities. I was disappointed, but it's not necessarily a bad film, it just wasn't for me. Several long and drawn out shots of scenery, watched kids walk down the alleyways of the villages so many times, that it began to feel like you knew the layout of the roads like a local, and maybe that was the point. Ultimately though, it didn't really talk to me, but I'm glad I got to see a snapshot of what life might be like for Turkish villagers.
TEETH
7/10
An american comedy horror about a teenage girl who's taken a vow of chastity, and lucky for her, cause she's got teeth down there in her whatswhosits. Lots of good sarcastic humour, and some fairly explicitly gross scenes for effect there too. Was nice to see Moles from Electric Dreams (aka the recluse from Twin Peaks) getting a visible role. I think it was a bit that just about every male character in this film is portrayed as a sex-hungry asshole who apparently can't help but violate the lead character. But, it's not exactly a documentary and isn't there to win high art awards. Worth catching if you like your comedy with a bit of bite. (ha, ha).
JOE STRUMMER: THE FUTURE IS UNWRITTEN
7/10
So Joe Strummer is this guy who was in a band called The Clash who did that song "Rock the Casbah". Okay, maybe that's obvious to some, but not all. I like the Clash well enough, but like the Ramones, I think they're a bit overrated. I know that everyone'll be spitting their teas out at that, but I can appreciate their music, and enjoy listening to it, but I'm not about to base my entire wardrobe around it. Anyway, this film started off on slightly shaky footing - I was getting a pretty lacklustre impression of Joe, but around 1/3 of the way in it grabbed hold and had me till the end. And that's not too bad for a 2+ hour music doco about a musician that I'm only casually interested in. Why, oh why did they need to let Bono in on this thing though? I've just gone through IMDB to try and count the number of music documentaries he's been in that weren't about U2, and I believe it's .. oh look, I got up to 16 and we're only up to 2002. Geez Bono, do you honestly love all these various people, or are you so in love with the camera you'll say anything for a bit of screen time? Anyway, back to this documentary - definitely worth seeing if you like Joe's work. Probably worth seeing if you like music docos.
TIMES AND WINDS
5/10
This Turkish film is set in a village, and is a slow film showing the life of three young guys who are old enough to be gaining responsibilities. I was disappointed, but it's not necessarily a bad film, it just wasn't for me. Several long and drawn out shots of scenery, watched kids walk down the alleyways of the villages so many times, that it began to feel like you knew the layout of the roads like a local, and maybe that was the point. Ultimately though, it didn't really talk to me, but I'm glad I got to see a snapshot of what life might be like for Turkish villagers.
TEETH
7/10
An american comedy horror about a teenage girl who's taken a vow of chastity, and lucky for her, cause she's got teeth down there in her whatswhosits. Lots of good sarcastic humour, and some fairly explicitly gross scenes for effect there too. Was nice to see Moles from Electric Dreams (aka the recluse from Twin Peaks) getting a visible role. I think it was a bit that just about every male character in this film is portrayed as a sex-hungry asshole who apparently can't help but violate the lead character. But, it's not exactly a documentary and isn't there to win high art awards. Worth catching if you like your comedy with a bit of bite. (ha, ha).
JOE STRUMMER: THE FUTURE IS UNWRITTEN
7/10
So Joe Strummer is this guy who was in a band called The Clash who did that song "Rock the Casbah". Okay, maybe that's obvious to some, but not all. I like the Clash well enough, but like the Ramones, I think they're a bit overrated. I know that everyone'll be spitting their teas out at that, but I can appreciate their music, and enjoy listening to it, but I'm not about to base my entire wardrobe around it. Anyway, this film started off on slightly shaky footing - I was getting a pretty lacklustre impression of Joe, but around 1/3 of the way in it grabbed hold and had me till the end. And that's not too bad for a 2+ hour music doco about a musician that I'm only casually interested in. Why, oh why did they need to let Bono in on this thing though? I've just gone through IMDB to try and count the number of music documentaries he's been in that weren't about U2, and I believe it's .. oh look, I got up to 16 and we're only up to 2002. Geez Bono, do you honestly love all these various people, or are you so in love with the camera you'll say anything for a bit of screen time? Anyway, back to this documentary - definitely worth seeing if you like Joe's work. Probably worth seeing if you like music docos.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
REPRISE
7.5/10
Best film of the festival (so far!). Admittedly, it's my first day of film watching so there's plenty more to come. This is a norwegian film set in Oslo about two friends who have written their respective first novels and the story that follows. Lots of great musical references throughout, from Joy Division and Le Tigre in the soundtrack to Blur and Joy Division t-shirts worn by the characters (and more than one Fred Perry too I might add). Lots of great interaction between a group of 20-something male friends and had some good moments as well as some serious, but overall a good fun film. Recommended!
BEAUTY IN TROUBLE
4/10
A film about Kenny Rogers getting taken for a ride by eastern euro-trash. Okay, maybe not. It's a story about a family in Prague who is trying to get by after a flood caused them financial ruin. The husband is doing what he can to get by, but the relationship with his wife doesn't appear to be particularly strong, and the ensuing story leaves you with very little care for any of them. Except maybe the rich older gent that the wife shacks up with (who looks a bit like Kenny Rogers). Not the worst film I've seen, but I wouldn't bother. Some good performances by the aforementioned Kenny Rogers lookalike and also the slimy and despicable uncle.
BREATH
7/10
I might have mentioned how much I enjoyed Kim Ki-Duk's '3-Iron' at MIFF a couple of years ago, and so I was highly anticipating this film (as well his other MIFF offering this year, 'Time'). It's definitely got whatever it is that made me like 3-Iron. The funny thing is, walking out, I couldn't really understand why I liked it so much - and, for that matter, how he ever pitched the film successfully. But I did, and so did he, and that's a good thing. The story is about a couple with a small daughter whose marriage is going through a rocky period, and how the wife goes about visiting a convicted murderer in prison. Anyway, throw away thoughts about the plot and just watch - this was a really enjoyable film and I recommend seeing it. I like 3-Iron more, but this is still worthwhile. And remember, never leave inmates loose with toothbrushes.
SCOTT WALKER: 30 CENTURY MAN
6/10
I'm not sure how I discovered Scott Walker, but it was most likely because I really like The Divine Comedy's albums and Neil Hannon from the band is definitely influenced by the music of The Walker Brothers and Scott Walker's early solo material. So, I have a couple of their older albums and really like them. 'It's Raining Today' off 'Scott 3' is probably my favourite song amongst that collection. This film is a documentary about Scott Walker and was done by Stephen Kijak who did another great doco called Cinemania at MIFF a few years ago. I guess the thing for me is that I know of a certain Scott Walker, and that's the guy responsible for some popular music recorded in the 60s/70s. I didn't realise he was still making records, (althogh only one every 10 or so years) and that he'd certainly taken a more 'creative' turn since the 80s. If you're into haunted house/experimental/goth/clanging dischorded/meat punching fusion, then I highly suggest checking out his later efforts. But, I think I'll stick with the old cliche, 'I like your old stuff better than your new stuff'. Anyway this documentary did a good job at getting Scott to talk about his life and had some great interviews with the likes of Jarvis Cocker, David Bowie, etc, and surprisingly no sign of Bono who seems to whore himself around every music doco ever made. It was interesting to see what this artist chose as his musical direction when he didn't need to care about money or popularity anymore. But I think you'll probably want to be a fan of his to make it worthwhile.
7.5/10
Best film of the festival (so far!). Admittedly, it's my first day of film watching so there's plenty more to come. This is a norwegian film set in Oslo about two friends who have written their respective first novels and the story that follows. Lots of great musical references throughout, from Joy Division and Le Tigre in the soundtrack to Blur and Joy Division t-shirts worn by the characters (and more than one Fred Perry too I might add). Lots of great interaction between a group of 20-something male friends and had some good moments as well as some serious, but overall a good fun film. Recommended!
BEAUTY IN TROUBLE
4/10
A film about Kenny Rogers getting taken for a ride by eastern euro-trash. Okay, maybe not. It's a story about a family in Prague who is trying to get by after a flood caused them financial ruin. The husband is doing what he can to get by, but the relationship with his wife doesn't appear to be particularly strong, and the ensuing story leaves you with very little care for any of them. Except maybe the rich older gent that the wife shacks up with (who looks a bit like Kenny Rogers). Not the worst film I've seen, but I wouldn't bother. Some good performances by the aforementioned Kenny Rogers lookalike and also the slimy and despicable uncle.
BREATH
7/10
I might have mentioned how much I enjoyed Kim Ki-Duk's '3-Iron' at MIFF a couple of years ago, and so I was highly anticipating this film (as well his other MIFF offering this year, 'Time'). It's definitely got whatever it is that made me like 3-Iron. The funny thing is, walking out, I couldn't really understand why I liked it so much - and, for that matter, how he ever pitched the film successfully. But I did, and so did he, and that's a good thing. The story is about a couple with a small daughter whose marriage is going through a rocky period, and how the wife goes about visiting a convicted murderer in prison. Anyway, throw away thoughts about the plot and just watch - this was a really enjoyable film and I recommend seeing it. I like 3-Iron more, but this is still worthwhile. And remember, never leave inmates loose with toothbrushes.
SCOTT WALKER: 30 CENTURY MAN
6/10
I'm not sure how I discovered Scott Walker, but it was most likely because I really like The Divine Comedy's albums and Neil Hannon from the band is definitely influenced by the music of The Walker Brothers and Scott Walker's early solo material. So, I have a couple of their older albums and really like them. 'It's Raining Today' off 'Scott 3' is probably my favourite song amongst that collection. This film is a documentary about Scott Walker and was done by Stephen Kijak who did another great doco called Cinemania at MIFF a few years ago. I guess the thing for me is that I know of a certain Scott Walker, and that's the guy responsible for some popular music recorded in the 60s/70s. I didn't realise he was still making records, (althogh only one every 10 or so years) and that he'd certainly taken a more 'creative' turn since the 80s. If you're into haunted house/experimental/goth/clanging dischorded/meat punching fusion, then I highly suggest checking out his later efforts. But, I think I'll stick with the old cliche, 'I like your old stuff better than your new stuff'. Anyway this documentary did a good job at getting Scott to talk about his life and had some great interviews with the likes of Jarvis Cocker, David Bowie, etc, and surprisingly no sign of Bono who seems to whore himself around every music doco ever made. It was interesting to see what this artist chose as his musical direction when he didn't need to care about money or popularity anymore. But I think you'll probably want to be a fan of his to make it worthwhile.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
I've posted all the sessions I currently plan to see - we'll see how I go, as I've picked quite a few this year, and there's a couple of marathon days in there. I probably won't make it through David Lynch's 'Inland Empire' for example, but I'm sure it'll come out in the cinemas here at some point...
If I know you and you're coming to any sessions that I'm going to, let me know so we can save seats etc.
See you at MIFF!
If I know you and you're coming to any sessions that I'm going to, let me know so we can save seats etc.
See you at MIFF!
Saturday, July 14, 2007
So, how does one choose what films to see at MIFF? There are many different ways - some people I know turn up on the day and wander into whatever takes their fancy. Others pick a theatre and stick to that venue for a stretch to avoid the uphill sprint to a new venue between films.
I don't really do either. I plan, plan and then do more planning. It's not very wild or exciting, I know, but my time is limited, and I don't want to miss a gem due to lack of proper analysis.
So, here's what I do, in case you're looking for a system yourself.
1. Get a copy of the Melbourne International Film Festival program guide.
2. In the middle is a Film & Screening Index. I tear this out as it will be with me for the entire festival
3. In the Index, I hunt down all the lower-case titles and cross them off. They're short films, and I don't dislike them, but I'm not going to go and see a main feature based on what short film is showing before it
4. Now comes the long and arduous task of ranking the films on offer. For each film, I look at the description to get a sense of whether I'd like it or not. I will also search the film on imdb.com, and watch a trailer if possible. If I've seen something by the director that I enjoyed at a previous MIFF it's more likely to rank highly. There are also some things I keep an eye out for, which I went into more detail in a post from my 2005 MIFF blog, but in essense:
* ACMI only session means it may be a low quality film (very low budget, or shot on video)
* Be wary of words like experimental, dream-like, visual code. There are definitely people into these types of films, but I still like to have some kind of plot (even if not excessive).
* If it's a South Korean film, it may well be brilliant (some of my fave films in previous year are from there), but if it's some kind of futuristic police drama where the guide's entry is a confused outline of the plot points rather than a description of the film, it probably means it is not worth the time.
5. I rank each film from 1 to 4. '1' means 'must see, can't miss, no matter what'. There are usually around 4-10 of these each year for me. '2' means 'definitely want to see it'. '3' is 'won't see it unless someone really persuades me that it's worthwhile'. And, '4' is a very special rating to signify a film that I won't see. A '4' is the rarest rating of the lot, as usually I'll keep an open mind about films. But, I've seen enough Guy Maddin films to last me a lifetime, so he'll get a '4' from me this year. Sorry Guy. I mark the rating I give next to every film in the Film & Screening Index so that I can quickly tell what I suspected a film might be like when I'm trooping around the city and talking to others about their highlights.
6. Once I've ranked all the films, it's time to start planning the timetable. I fill in timeslots for the '1's first, and then the '2's. This is a fine art, as there are usually only two sessions for each film, and there are always some conflicts. Sometimes a film needs to be dropped. I'll give a preference to seeing films on weekdays at the 1pm or 3pm session where possible, since the cinemas are a little quieter then. I'll choose the Capitol or Regent over ACMI or Forum, and choose all of those before Greater Union. For films that are likely to be popular, I try and see the session before it as well, so I can get a good seat for potential sell-out sessions. I try and be mindful to give a couple of breaks during the festival to avoid burning out in week two. And, I try to plan any social/family commitments before this step to avoid conflicts. Oh, and I consult with my wife and my friends who are going to see if any of us have chosen the same films, so we can try and see them together.
7. Finally, when the grid looks like it's in place, I book all the tickets using MIFF's fantastic (and it really is!) online booking system.
Easy, huh?
Note that while I do plan all of the above, the original plan isn't always right. One year I forgot that I had a commitment on a saturday afternoon/evening, which put my schedule into disarray. I also lose energy at some point during the festival and tend to start skipping days or late sessions. Or, I might get a burst of energy, or hear of a film that is meant to be brilliant, and then add a couple more. So, yeah, I'm not entirely inflexible. :-)
I don't really do either. I plan, plan and then do more planning. It's not very wild or exciting, I know, but my time is limited, and I don't want to miss a gem due to lack of proper analysis.
So, here's what I do, in case you're looking for a system yourself.
1. Get a copy of the Melbourne International Film Festival program guide.
2. In the middle is a Film & Screening Index. I tear this out as it will be with me for the entire festival
3. In the Index, I hunt down all the lower-case titles and cross them off. They're short films, and I don't dislike them, but I'm not going to go and see a main feature based on what short film is showing before it
4. Now comes the long and arduous task of ranking the films on offer. For each film, I look at the description to get a sense of whether I'd like it or not. I will also search the film on imdb.com, and watch a trailer if possible. If I've seen something by the director that I enjoyed at a previous MIFF it's more likely to rank highly. There are also some things I keep an eye out for, which I went into more detail in a post from my 2005 MIFF blog, but in essense:
* ACMI only session means it may be a low quality film (very low budget, or shot on video)
* Be wary of words like experimental, dream-like, visual code. There are definitely people into these types of films, but I still like to have some kind of plot (even if not excessive).
* If it's a South Korean film, it may well be brilliant (some of my fave films in previous year are from there), but if it's some kind of futuristic police drama where the guide's entry is a confused outline of the plot points rather than a description of the film, it probably means it is not worth the time.
5. I rank each film from 1 to 4. '1' means 'must see, can't miss, no matter what'. There are usually around 4-10 of these each year for me. '2' means 'definitely want to see it'. '3' is 'won't see it unless someone really persuades me that it's worthwhile'. And, '4' is a very special rating to signify a film that I won't see. A '4' is the rarest rating of the lot, as usually I'll keep an open mind about films. But, I've seen enough Guy Maddin films to last me a lifetime, so he'll get a '4' from me this year. Sorry Guy. I mark the rating I give next to every film in the Film & Screening Index so that I can quickly tell what I suspected a film might be like when I'm trooping around the city and talking to others about their highlights.
6. Once I've ranked all the films, it's time to start planning the timetable. I fill in timeslots for the '1's first, and then the '2's. This is a fine art, as there are usually only two sessions for each film, and there are always some conflicts. Sometimes a film needs to be dropped. I'll give a preference to seeing films on weekdays at the 1pm or 3pm session where possible, since the cinemas are a little quieter then. I'll choose the Capitol or Regent over ACMI or Forum, and choose all of those before Greater Union. For films that are likely to be popular, I try and see the session before it as well, so I can get a good seat for potential sell-out sessions. I try and be mindful to give a couple of breaks during the festival to avoid burning out in week two. And, I try to plan any social/family commitments before this step to avoid conflicts. Oh, and I consult with my wife and my friends who are going to see if any of us have chosen the same films, so we can try and see them together.
7. Finally, when the grid looks like it's in place, I book all the tickets using MIFF's fantastic (and it really is!) online booking system.
Easy, huh?
Note that while I do plan all of the above, the original plan isn't always right. One year I forgot that I had a commitment on a saturday afternoon/evening, which put my schedule into disarray. I also lose energy at some point during the festival and tend to start skipping days or late sessions. Or, I might get a burst of energy, or hear of a film that is meant to be brilliant, and then add a couple more. So, yeah, I'm not entirely inflexible. :-)
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Welcome to my MIFF Blog for 2007!
Hello again. For the third year running, I'll be blogging about my experiences at the Melbourne International Film Festival. If you'd like to see the previous blogs, check out http://miff05.blogspot.com and http://miff06.blogspot.com
This year, I've bought a Passport ticket again and am excited to see what will be happening, since there's a new festival director. In mere hours the 2007 Festival Guide will be available to the public, and as per previous years, I'll be reading through it over the following day or so, trying to pick which films I'll be seeing.
If you're running a MIFF blog too, feel free to get in touch and let me know so I can link to it from here.
See you at MIFF!
This year, I've bought a Passport ticket again and am excited to see what will be happening, since there's a new festival director. In mere hours the 2007 Festival Guide will be available to the public, and as per previous years, I'll be reading through it over the following day or so, trying to pick which films I'll be seeing.
If you're running a MIFF blog too, feel free to get in touch and let me know so I can link to it from here.
See you at MIFF!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)