The 2010 Brisbane International Film Festival is underway.
The fact that I’m sitting at a desk writing this blog is somewhat of a relief. Since leaving work on Friday afternoon, I’ve seen 9 feature films and 7 short films. I believe that’s a record for me in terms of films seen over a single weekend.
Some may think I’m crazy for watching so many movies but when you’ve got such a good program being offered, it’s hard not to get caught up in the excitement of the Festival. This may be my one and only chance to see some of these movies and I don’t want to pass up the opportunity.
But yes, I am burned out. I found myself distracted while sitting through the war drama Lebanon (my 9th and final film of the weekend). The plan is to recharge the batteries over the next few days (where I’m only seeing one film each night) and gear myself up for the big closing weekend.
Those who’ve been following me on Twitter (@icestorm77) will have seen my random thoughts on the films I’ve seen. Now that I have a spare half-hour, I thought I’d go into a little more detail...
Jucy
I really enjoyed Jucy. It’s the tale of two twenty-something women living in Brisbane who are at a crossroads in their life. They both want to be actresses but how long can they keep this up before its time to get a “real job”?
I was surprised by the film’s sense of humour – there are some really good jokes which even had me laughing out loud. More importantly though, the film does a great job at exploring a number of issues which Gen Y folk will be able to relate (e.g. relying on our parents, growing up, independence).
Grade: A-
The American
This film is released in cinemas this week and is about a hitman (George Clooney) now laying low in Italy following a job that didn't quite go to plan. The film has been stylishly shot by director Anton Corbjin but I found the story hard to believe. I can’t say much more without spoiling the ending.
I spoke to two other people on leaving the cinema who both liked the film so take my opinion for what it’s worth. It’s not what people might expect from Clooney (like his role in Solaris) and it’s likely to divide audiences.
Grade: B-
Short Film Competition
Early Saturday afternoon, I checked out a collection of 7 short films from Queensland filmmakers as part of a competition. I had a small vested interest as well – someone I follow on Twitter (@barnes_alex) was one of the entries.
I don’t see enough short films but this special event once again proved that it’s often better to tell a story in 10 minutes as opposed to 90 minutes. They were excellent.
Megamind
If you saw someone walking briskly down Roma Street on Saturday afternoon, then perhaps that was me en route to Megamind. It is a little frustrating this year not having all the screenings at one central location (the Regent). I had to shoot from the short film festival at the Tribal and only made it to the Barracks with a minute to spare.
Sadly, the exercise wasn’t worth it. Megamind was all over the place – a superhero spoof that seems to be just a vehicle for Will Ferrell to yell a lot. This won’t be fondly remembered in this great year of animation.
Grade: C+
Kaboom
It was back to the Tribal on Saturday night for Kaboom. It’s the latest film from Gregg Araki (director of Mysterious Skin). It’s a bizarre tale centring on a college student experiencing some weird hallucinations. But are they hallucinations?
The film gets stranger and stranger as it goes on. A friend told me “not to take it too seriously” and if you had that attitude, you’d get a kick out of it. I don’t really know to encapsulate my thoughts but suffice to say – I’m glad I saw it but I don’t think I’ll see it again.
Grade: B
Wasted On The Young
This film is an Australian drama about a teenage girl who is drugged and raped at a school party. Some of her fellow students know the truth but will they come forward?
What’s interesting about this film is there isn’t a single adult. All we see are these kids and their world. I admire the director’s attempt to distinguish his film in this way but the lack of adults is a distraction. We don’t see the headmaster and what he has to say. We don’t see the parents and their reactions. We don’t see the police and their investigations.
The movie still has style and I grew to really hate some characters (which is a good thing). I hope this gets a chance at a cinema release.
Grade: B+
Rubber
A few months ago at work, I remember reading about a horror film that is wholly about a killer tyre that goes on a murderous rampage. It sounded like such a nutty idea.
I saw it at 11:30pm at the Tribal on Saturday night and sadly, it’s a joke that runs very thin, very quickly. Maybe I was tired from a long day but there wasn’t much of a reaction from the audience and no applause at the end. A let down.
Grade: C+
Freakonomics
After a night’s rest, I was back at it on Sunday afternoon with an excellent documentary called Freakonomics. It’s basically a bunch of short stories which challenge conventional thinking. Does what you name a child really affect their future? Do real estate agents really hold out for the best price when selling your home? Can you bribe a 9th grader to study by offering cash incentives?
This is probably the best film I’ve seen so far at the Festival. I am biased with my love of documentaries but this movie has a lot to offer and I have many friends who would feel the same way.
Grade: A-
Enter The Void
If you’re seeing any film from director Gaspar Noe (Irreversible), you should know to expect anything. It was pretty much a sold out crowd (mostly young people) and we were taken on a pretty wild ride. It’s about a drug dealer who is killed and returns as some kind of ghost – reflecting on his life and seeing what happens after.
This will be the strangest film I’ll see at the Festival. When I walked out of the cinema, I called it beautiful, hypnotic, bizarre and incomprehensible. It clocks in at almost two and a half hours and I left the theatre completely mind-f***ed. I have no idea what the point of the movie was but I won’t forget it in a hurry.
Grade: B-
Lebanon
Looking somewhat confused and distressed after Enter The Void, I backed up for Lebanon on Sunday night – the Golden Lion winner at the recent Venice Film Festival. It’s about a group of four soldiers who become stuck in a tank in enemy territory. It’s shot entirely within the tank – to help build the intensity and create a sense of claustrophobia.
My mind wasn’t fully on the job and I don’t think I appreciated this film as much as I should have. I’ll make sure I see it again if it gets a cinema release. On the whole, I liked it but I wasn’t emotionally affected.
Grade: B+
GasLand
I saw this film a few months ago but it screened at BIFF tonight so I’ll throw in a quick mention. It’s another quality documentary which looks at energy companies who have been extracting natural gas in America… and the dirty secrets they have left behind.
Director Josh Fox is in Brisbane at the moment and I look forward to speaking to him tomorrow about his great film.
Grade: A-
That’s it from me. Don’t forget, you can get your BIFF tickets at http://www.stgeorgebiff.com.au. With 6 days left to go, there are still plenty of great films to see!