MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2010
MIFF runs from July 23rd until August 8th. The opening night film is The Wedding Party. As usual the Festival includes a wide array of films from around the world. There's a package of short films, and a retrospective on the films of Joe Dante (Gremlins, Gremlins 2, Small Soldiers, etc). There are new films from directors like Jean-Luc Godard, Manoel de Oliviera, the 101 year old Portugese director, Michael Winterbottom.
ADRIFT
AROUND A SMALL MOUNTAIN
BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK
BOY
BURNT BY THE SUN 2: EXODUS
CARLOS
CELL 211
CITIES ON SPEED
DESPICABLE ME
FOUR LIONS
HOME BY CHRISTMAS
I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS
LEAP YEAR
LEBANON
LSD
MACHETE MAIDENS UNLEASHED
MUMBAI DISCONNECTED
PEEPLI [LIVE]
RED HILL
SHANGHAI SPACE
SPLICE
SPINE TINGLER!
TETRO
TEENAGE PAPARAZZO
THE GENIUS AND THE BOYS
THE KILLER INSIDE ME
THE MESSENGER
THE MYTH OF THE AMERICAN SLEEPOVER
THE OATH
THE SILENT HOUSE
THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP
THE TREE
THE TROTSKY
WELCOME TO THE RILEYS
WINTER'S BONE
WORLD'S GREATEST DAD
THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP.
This drama depicts the strong friendship that developed between US President Bill Clinton and British Prime Minister Tony Blair. It was friendship based on political expediency, but throughout a tumultuous decade the pair supported each other, offering advice, and bolstering their flagging popularity when necessary. Written by playwright Peter Morgan (The Queen, Frost/Nixon, etc) The Special Relationship is a fascinating exploration of politics, power and personalities, and marks the third film in his trilogy following Blair's career. As usual, Morgan has done his research, and has drawn on historical records to put words in the mouths of his characters. But he has also created a number of fictional scenarios to add drama to the material. And director Richard Loncraine (Richard III, Wimbledon, etc) has incorporated plenty of archival footage to add context and texture to the drama and give it an almost documentary like resonance. The Special Relationship is a fascinating and intelligently crafted look at the politics and personalities that shaped the '90's and gives some insights into how they also shaped the events of the new millennium. It also suggests why Blair was able to develop such a strong relationship with Clinton's successor George Bush, even though his political orientation was vastly different. Much of the success of The Special Relationship lies in the casting of the main characters, which is spot on. This is the third time that Michael Sheen has played Tony Blair on screen, and he is intimately familiar with the character and brings instant credibility to his performance. Helen McCrory played Cherie Blair in The Queen, and reprises her role here. The couple instantly develops a rapport and their relationship seems warm and comfortable. The film draws a contrast and comparison between their more informal relationship and that of the Clintons, a powerful couple working together to shape their country. Hope Davis replacing Julianne Moore, is excellent as Hilary Clinton, and she perfectly captures her cold, calculating personality and her pragmatic style. While Dennis Quaid doesn't physically resemble Bill Clinton, he captures his essence through mannerisms, speech inflections and loads of charisma. (GK)
SPLICE
is an intriguing blend of horror and sci-fi drama about a couple of scientists who reap the consequences of their hubris. Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley play a couple of scientists involved in cutting edge gene research and cloning. But when the corporation funding their project wants to cut back on the research and start producing results the pair continue in secret. They successfully splice human DNA with animal DNA and produce a hybrid creature. Because of its origins it grows at a quick rate, and they can observe its development over a matter of weeks rather than years. The creature has a female body on animal legs. They christen it Dren, which is the reverse of the acronym of the company they work for. But in this contemporary variation of the Frankenstein story, their treatment of Dren eventually produces a monster. Newcomer Delphine Cheaneac, who has worked extensively in Canadian television, is perfect as Dren; she has an androgynous look, and is able to convey a range of emotions, including childlike innocence, curiosity, and rage. Canadian director Vincenzo Natali made the intriguing Cube a few years ago, and Splice continues his fascination with macabre fantasies and the darker side of human nature. Co-written by Natali, Antoinette Terry Bryant and Douglas Taylor, Splice raises some serious questions about scientific experimentation and what it means to be human, but it eventually cops out on following through with some serious warnings about genetic experimentation. Stylishly directed by Natali, Splice does morph into a more formulaic monster flick by the climax. (GK)
DESPICABLE ME is a wonderfully enjoyable family friendly animated film shot in 3D, about a spy named Gru (voiced by Steve Carell), who plans the heist of the century. He is going to steal the moon! But first he has to get his hands on a shrinking ray, which is in the clutches of a formidable rival supervillain. There's lots of Spy Vs Spy like antics and slapstick humour as the plot progresses. But Gru also reveals his softer side when he has to care for three orphan siblings. Spectacular animation is the key to the film's appealing visuals and winning humour. The vocal cast includes Carell, Jason Siegel, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews, Will Arnett and Kristen Wiig. (GK)
BOY.
"You could be happy here. We could grow up together." This epigraph from E.T. at the start of this quirky new Zealand comedy serves as a perfect introduction to the themes and central plot of Boy. Writer/director and former stand-up comedian Taika Waititi (Eagle Vs Shark, The Flight Of The Conchords, etc) has drawn upon his own experiences growing up in New Zealand in the 1980's to shape this poignant and quirky coming of age tale. Boy deals with themes of family, fatherhood, responsibility, hero worship, and the innocence and imagination of childhood that is lost when one grows up. Waititi further develops themes and ideas from his Oscar nominated short film Two Cars, One Night, and suffuses the material with subtle black humour, and plenty of his trade mark deadpan humour. New comer James Rolleston makes his film debut, and has an appealing and natural presence as the 11-year-old title character. When we first meet Boy he is fantasising about his absentee father, whom he envisages in a variety of heroic roles. But the reality is vastly different. Alamein (played by Waititi himself) has been released from jail, and returns home to the small dead end town of Waihau Bay. Dad turns out to be a drug addled loser, a petty crook who has come home, not to spend time with his children but to try and dig up some money he buried a couple of year earlier. Unfortunately he can't remember where he buried it, and is forced to hang around for a few days. Boy tries to bond with his father, but in the end he realises that Alamein is a failure as a parent, a father, a man, and a role model. Boy is a painfully personal film that deftly mixes black humour and sadness. The film is set in 1984, and Waititi also imbues the film with a strong sense of place and time, particularly through Boy's obsession with Michael Jackson. Boy has becomes one of the most successful films released in new Zealand, and its universal themes and quirky humour suggests that it could also have broad appeal in other territories. (GK)
WINTER'S BONE.
A chillingly atmospheric Southern Gothic tale set in the Ozark Mountain region of Missouri, Winter's Bone deals with a sort of hillbilly justice. Winter's Bone features a sensational performance from relative newcomer Jennifer Lawrence, who plays 17 year old Ree Dolly, who has to care for her sick mother and two younger siblings. Her absentee father is a methamphetamine dealer who has been released from prison on bail. But if he fails to show up to court in a week's time, then Ree and her family will lose the house, which was put up as collateral for his bond. Ree starts looking for him and asking questions in dangerous places. But there are a number of locals who don't want questions asked, and who are prepared to go to brutal lengths to stop her. Ree's quest leads her into the criminal subculture of this backwoods community filled with secrets and lies. Adapted from the novel by Daniel Woodrell, Winter's Bone is the second film from director Debra Granik (Down To The Bone). Granik has filmed in a semi-documentary, natural style. Granik makes good use of low budget by shooting on location in the Ozarks, which lends an authenticity to the film. Regular cinematographer Michael McDonough captures evocative and poetic images that beautifully enrich this stark wintry drama. Granik paints a grim portrait of this backwoods white trash community, which inherently distrusts outsiders, and views everyone, even family, with suspicion. The film captures the impoverished life style, and the back yards filled with junk. Granik also develops empathy for her tough, determined and resilient protagonist. A soundtrack of traditional country music is also deeply evocative of place. (GK)
TEENAGE PAPARAZZO
Playing to packed houses and sold out sessions at MIFF is TEENAGE PAPARAZZO, a documentary that marks the debut feature from Adrian Grenier, better known for his role on HBO's popular series Entourage. The film looks at Austin Visschedyk, a 14-year-old boy who ekes out a living as a paparazzi in LA, spending his nights chasing down celebrities instead of doing his homework. Grenier first spotted the adorable, slightly built teenage photographer at a photo shoot, where he was caught up in the frenzied jockeying for position hoping for the "money shot" that could earn him up to $1000. Grenier became intrigued by his presence, and tracked him down to find out why he would spend his spare time engaged in this pursuit. Grenier also talks to a number of professional paparazzi about the job and its risks and rewards. He also interviews a number of stars and celebrities, like Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Alec Baldwin, who have all had "issues" with the paparazzi in the past, to find out how they feel about this loss of privacy. But stars like Matt Damon offer a counterpoint, saying that he is "married and boring" and of little interest to photographers. Teenage Paparazzo also turns into an exploration of fame and the modern obsession with celebrity that enables the media feeding frenzy. But fame is also something of a double-edged sword, as Austin learns when he become something of a minor celebrity himself. Grenier has gained incredible personal access to Austin and his life, which allows him to give us an in depth and intimate insight into his personality. But the film also becomes a bit self-indulgent at times. (GK)
RED HILL
is a wonderful genre piece from local filmmaker Patrick Hughes. Part action thriller and part modern western, the film deals with themes of revenge, retribution and redemption. It has the lean, mean look of the traditional western and has a similar moral code. Filmed in Omeo, in Victoria's high country, the film is set in the small fictional town of Red Hill. Shane Cooper (played by True Blood's Ryan Kwanten) is a young constable newly arrived in town, looking for some peace and quiet for his pregnant wife. But on the day he arrives, news reaches the town that a violent prisoner Jimmy Cooper (played by Tommy Lewis, from The Chant Of Jimmy Blacksmith) has escaped and is headed towards Red Hill, seeking vengeance on those who put him away. The local police force (led by a suitably gruff Steve Bisley) arms themselves and prepares to defend the town. Cooper finds himself caught up in the bloodbath, and uncovers some dark secrets about the town's recent history. Red Hill is quite violent and blood soaked at times, but it has been proficiently directed by first time director Hughes, who has a fine eye for the cliches of the genre. Red Hill has been made with the collaboration of Wolf Creek director Greg McLean. It proves that Australia is capable of making great genre pieces. Red Hill is something of a guilty pleasure! (GK)
TETRO
is the first original film from Francis Ford Coppola in quite some time, and it is also his most personal film in a long while. Tetro is a melodramatic tale about family secrets, and the complicated relationship between a father and his wayward son, and between brothers, and is reminiscent of the films of Douglas Sirk, et al. It has been shot in luminous black and white by cinematographer Mihai Malaimare jr (Youth Without Youth, etc), which enhances the mood, although flashbacks and a couple of fantasy sequences have been filmed in colour. Osvald Golijov's music score also enhances the drama, and gives it an almost operatic quality. Vincent Gallo plays Tetro, the gifted son of a famous maestro (Klaus Maria Brandauer), who has turned his back on his family and is living in Buenos Aires. A once talented writer he has not produced any thing for a while. Then Tetro's 18-year old brother Benjamin (played by newcomer Alden Ehrenreich) arrives, when the cruise ship on which he works breaks down and undergoes repairs. Benjamin stays with Tetro and his wife in their small apartment, although the relationship between them is strained and tense. But Benjamin's curiosity about an unfinished play leads to an understanding about their painful past and eventually brings about reconciliation. Tetro may not be Coppola's best film, but it is certainly amongst his most interesting and emotionally powerful work for some years. (GK)
AROUND A SMALL MOUNTAIN (aka 36 Vues du Pic Saint Loup)
is the latest, and possibly final, film from French director Jacques Rivette, one of the acknowledged masters of the French New Wave. This is a slight film from the veteran, and at a brief 85 minutes it is certainly his shortest. Its thin plot is set against the backdrop of a small travelling circus that is playing to empty houses. It stars Italian actor Sergio Castellitto as Vittorio, a man who stops and helps stranded motorist Kate (Jane Birkin), a performer who is rejoining the circus after a long absence. Vittorio follows the circus around from town to town for a week, and a tentative romance develops between him and Kate. As usual Rivette's film is a mix of comedy, drama, romance and the abstract musings on the mysteries of life, with minimal action and minimal dialogue, much of it obtuse and artificial. This poignant film deals with themes of grief, loss, regret and redemption, and it treats the world as a stage as Rivette uses this insular world of performers to hold up a mirror to our own lives. The mountain of the title is more of a metaphorical one. Rivette interrupts the personal drama with reprisals of an old-fashioned clown routine. The cast includes many regulars who have appeared in the director's previous films. Around A Small Mountain may be slight Rivette, but for admirers of this 81-yea-old director's unique style and his languorous pacing that will be more than enough to satisfy them. For others though this may prove to be a bit slow and dull. (GK)
CITIES ON SPEED
The Cities on Speed program looks at four of the world's largest cities – Bogota, Cairo, Mumbai and Shanghai. The two I saw, Shanghai Space and Mumbai Disconnected, looked at the planning problems these cities were having through discussions with government officials, but also through the eyes of ordinary citizens. It is interesting to see how governments are approaching the problems of planning for big cities, but seeing how individuals cope brings the point home of how these plans, or lack of them, affect ordinary people. (Cynthia Karena)
MUMBAI DISCONNECTED
All of Australia could fit into Mumbai, which has about 20 million people; and it's predicted to grow another ten million in ten years. Images of people catching the overcrowded trains and stuck in bumper to bumper traffic are astonishing. People die everyday using Mumbai's train system - there are just too many people to use it safely. They are walking across the tracks, pushing onto trains crushed up against each other, hanging out the carriages, and climbing the trains to get a place on the roof. And Mumbai's increasing wealth means there are more cars on the road polluting an already polluted city and crying out for more roads to devour.
The film is a tragic-comedy. Trying to get anything done in India is difficult, let alone organising a major infrastructure project.
We also see the points of view of a relatively wealthy woman who doesn't want a flyover near her house arguing it will create more pollution, and a relatively poor man who dreams of one day owning one of the cheap new Tata cars India is producing instead of ferrying his family of five on a motorbike.
The film is hilarious, but a note to the insensitive woman sitting next to me laughing at the man welling up with tears talking about wanting his children to experience being in a car, that was one of the tragic bits of the tragic-comedy. (Cynthia Karena)
SHANGHAI SPACE
Shanghai is growing by half a million people each year, so as the government is building more skyscrapers, it is also looking at building underground. Some of the sketches and ideas are interesting. We also meet a charming elderly Chinese couple who like to take photographs. The husband has documented some of the changes in the city over the decades, but now he finds it is his turn to move to make way for development. They tell us touching stories about their lives as they look for a place to live, while the government planners discuss how they can fit all the immigrants into Shanghai while retaining the nicer, greener aspects of a liveable city. (Cynthia Karena)
WORLD'S GREATEST DAD
This black comedy is the best thing Robin Williams has done in years. Williams plays Lance Clayton, a frustrated and unsuccessful writer who teaches poetry to a handful of disinterested kids at high school. When his obnoxious, surly, foul-mouthed and troubled teenage son Kyle (Spy Kids' Darryl Sabara) accidentally dies during an experiment with autoeroticism, Lance restages the death to look like a suicide. He even composes a moving suicide note that has a profound effect on the student body at school. Lance even fakes a journal for Kyle, which leads to his son becoming the subject of adulation and worship by peers that had previously hated him. Suddenly Lance finds himself thrust into the role of a grieving father and role model for suicide awareness. While he initially enjoys the accolades and popularity, he is also consumed by guilt, knowing that it is all built on a lie. World's Greatest Dad mixes pathos and dark comedy with some laugh-out-loud moments. The film has been produced by Richard Kelly, director of cult classic Donnie Darko, and shares a similar dark and troubling sensibility. It has been directed with surprising compassion and an eye for nuances by Bobcat Goldthwait, the comic better known for rise manic role as Cadet Zed in the Police Academy series. But it is Williams' deeply affecting performance that drives this smartly written and intelligent black comedy. Williams proves that he is a very good actor when given the right material, and this is his best performance in a long while. The film has been around for some time, but its cynical, pessimistic tone and dark themes of suicide, troubled teens and dysfunctional relationships are decidedly "uncommercial" and difficult to market to a broader audience. (GK)
LEAP YEAR
Sure to be one of the more controversial films screened at MIFF this year, Leap Year again throws a spotlight on some inconsistencies and hypocrisy within the Classification Board. Bruce la Bruce's gay zombie romp LA Zombie has been refused classification, while this mixture of sexual violence, full frontal nudity and frank sex scenes has been approved for screening. Apparently gay sex and zombie horror are a bad mix, while straight porn and sexual violence are permissible. Laura (played with stoic courage by Mexican actress Monica del Carmen) is a deeply troubled woman haunted by her past. She lives alone in a small apartment, and most of her life seems to be a lie. She has marked February 29 on her calendar as a date of extreme importance. But in the lead up to this date she spends most of her time at home, on the telephone, watching television or having sex with a number of anonymous strangers. She also finds Arturo, who seems willing to satisfy her need for rough sex, and their encounters grow more savage and degrading. This brave and confronting film is the directorial debut for Michael Rowe, an Australian filmmaker based in Mexico, and will not be to everyone's taste. The film is entirely set within the claustrophobic confines of Laura's small apartment, and Rowe has shot the film using long static takes. There is a slim and slight narrative, and precious little character development, but the numerous sex scenes become a bit repetitive. (GK)
HOME BY CHRISTMAS
The sixth film from New Zealand director Gaylene Preston, Home By Christmas is a faux documentary, and makes a fine companion piece to her earlier personal documentary War Stories Our Mothers Never Told Us. This film is based on the recollections of her father Ed, detailing his experiences during World War Two, of fighting in Egypt and of his years as a prisoner of war after being captured by the Italians. However, the film is not strictly a documentary, but more of a memoir. There is plenty of archival material and lots of photographs that give us a sense of time and place, but these are interspersed with some dramatic re-enactments. Tony Barry plays Preston's father (who died in 1997), and in a naturalistic and convincing performance he recounts Ed's story as he is interviewed by Gaylene. Martin Henderson plays the young Ed. The film also looks at Preston's mother Tui, and how she coped with life during his absence and how she dealt with the news that Ed had been reported missing in action. In a nice piece of casting, Tui is played by Gaylene's own daughter Chelsie. The film also shows how Ed tried to readjust to life when he returned home, and how he had to forge a relationship with the young son he has never met. Home By Christmas is a poignant, moving and painfully personal story of courage, hardship, love, endurance, resilience, and life during wartime. (GK)
SPINE TINGLER!
A must for film buffs, this fascinating and hugely entertaining documentary looks at the life and career of filmmaker William Castle (Homicidal, Sardonicus, and The Tingler, etc). Castle was not only a director of great B-grade entertainments, but he was something of a showman who turned going to the cinema into a rather unique experience. He would put electric buzzers under the seats to give audiences a fright, or have skeletons fly out across the cinema. Director Jeffrey Schwarz has incorporated plenty of archival material, film clips and promotional trailers into the film to give us a taste of Castle's flair for promoting his movies with clever gimmicks. There is an extended interview with his daughter that provides more personal insights, as well as interviews with a number of colleagues and peers, including directors John Badham, Joe Dante and Roger Corman. There are also plenty of wonderful anecdotes and insider lore into Hollywood of the '50's and '60's, that enliven this fast paced documentary. It may be something of a show business cliché, but in Castle's case it is true – they don't make them like that anymore! (GK)
THE SILENT HOUSE
This cheap and nasty Spanish made horror film follows in the same vein as a recent slew of horror films like The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity, that were filmed with a DIY mentality on a low budget, and purport to be based on a true story. The gimmick here is that first time filmmaker Gustava Hernandez has shot The Silent House on hand held camera in one continuous take. The slight story centres on a man and his daughter who spend the night in an old house that they are going to refurbish. Strange events and grisly murders ensue. The naturalistic style and gloomy lighting add to the atmosphere, although sometimes it is hard to make out what is happening. But in the end The Silent House is a cliched affair that offers few genuine thrills. (GK)
THE GENIUS AND THE BOYS
As part of MIFF's Flawed Genius sidebar, this documentary looks at the extraordinary career of D Carleton Gadjusek, and his eventual disgrace. An internationally recognised scientist, the youngest ever graduate from Harvard Medical School, and a Nobel Prize winner for his study on degenerative neurological diseases Gadjusek was eventually brought down following charges of sexually molesting young boys in his care. Gadjusek had spent many years living amongst primitive tribes in New Guinea and other South Pacific islands and studying them. Over the years he adopted some 57 young boys and brought them back to America to raise them and give them a chance at a better life. When he was accused of sexually molesting some of them, members of the scientific community leapt to his defence. There are plenty of interviews with colleagues, family and friends, and even the prosecuting District Attorney. Most revealing though is an interview with Gadjusek himself, who remains unrepentant, unapologetic, self-serving, and adamant in the belief that he has done nothing wrong. Is he a humanitarian, a benevolent scientist, or some kind of monster? First time filmmaker Bosse Linquist has assembled lots of fascinating archival footage, including Gadjusek's own home movies, but remain non-judgemental in his approach to the material, allowing audiences to make up their own minds. (GK)
THE MYTH OF THE AMERICAN SLEEPOVER
is a poignant and fresh take on this iconic, typically American experience. This low budget independent coming of age comedy from writer/director David Robert Mitchell explores the usual themes of teen angst, friendship, sex, and the search for love. Set in Detroit on the last weekend of the summer holidays before the kids return to school, the film draws upon Mitchell's own memories of his adolescence. There are a number of sleepovers, slumber parties and pool parties happening. The film follows four teens – Rob, Scott, Maggie and Claudia - as they hang out, talk about their fears and insecurities, crushes, and look for that elusive first kiss. However, unlike most comedies aimed at an adolescent audience this low-key film eschews the usual cheap scatological and puerile humour, opting for a more in depth exploration of their concerns. Mitchell demonstrates a strong understanding of adolescent emotions and desires that brings credibility to the material, and it reeks with a strong sense of nostalgia. Mitchell maintains a deceptively meandering pace as he juggles the multiple narrative strands and moves seamlessly between the various characters. The dialogue rings true, and Mitchell teases natural performances from his unknown ensemble cast. The Myth Of The American Sleepover is an honest and affirmative coming of age film that resonates. (GK)
BURNT BY THE SUN 2: EXODUS
The most expensive film yet produced in Russia, BURNT BY THE SUN 2: EXODUS is a belated sequel to Nikita Mikhalkov's Oscar winning 1994 political drama set during Stalin's brutal purges of the 1930's. But whereas that film was much subtler, this film is far more brutal. This epic film is set during the 1940's and deals with the broader conflict of World War Two. While the German army was invading Russia and slaughtering its soldiers, Stalin was ruthlessly eliminating political opponents and murdering his own citizens. The film depicts the savage realities of the war, and shows in graphic detail the horror and carnage. But amid the spectacular scenes of destruction, Mikhalkov and his cinematographer Vladislav Opelyants capture some surreal and haunting images. Mikhalkov reprises his role as General Kotov, who has been disgraced and demoted. When the film opens he is detained in a Gulag somewhere near Siberia. Burnt By The Sun 2 follows his gruelling experiences throughout the war. It also follows the ordeal of his oldest daughter Nadia (played by Mikhalkov's daughter Nadezhda), once an eager young pioneer, who experiences the horrors of war as a nurse. Burnt By The Sun 2 is a brutal but engrossing film that boasts superb production values and a truly epic sweep. However, MIFF is screening a heavily edited version that runs 150 minutes instead of three hours. Its lengthy running time though will test the patience of many. (GK)
THE TREE
Filmed in Queensland, this French Australian co-production is a moving family drama that deals with universal themes of loss, grief, and redemption. The film has been adapted from Judy Pascoe's novel Our Father Who Art In The Tree, and follows a rural family struggling to cope following the sudden death of Peter (Aden Young), the man of the house. The recently widowed Dawn (Charlotte Gainsborough) is having trouble coping, and her family starts to fall apart. Young Simone O'Neill (newcomer Morgana Davies) believes that his spirit lives in the big Moreton Bay fig tree next to their house. She refuses to allow it to be cut down even when its roots and branches threaten to wreck the house. Meanwhile, Dawn finds romance with local plumber George (Marton Csokas), which begins the healing process. However Simone is resentful of his presence and this puts further pressure on the family. There are a few too many subplots here, some of which are never satisfactorily resolved. The Tree explores some painful emotions, and French director Julie Bertucelli (Since Otar Left, etc) handles the material with a sense of compassion and sensitivity. She draws good performances from her small but effective cast, with young Davies a standout with her prickly performance. Nigel Buck's gorgeous cinematography enriches the film. (GK)
THE TROTSKY
This hugely enjoyable, smartly written and quirky teen comedy from writer/director Jacob Tierney is brimming with ideas. The Trotsky is an intelligent high school comedy in the same vein as Rushmore, Election etc. Jay Baruchel (from She's Out Of My League, etc) is perfectly cast as Leon Bronstein, a 17 year old Montreal high school student who believes that he is the reincarnation of iconic Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky. Leon is filled with his same passion for shaking up the social order. He wants to start an active student union at school and give the students more of a say in their education, but first he has to shake them out of their apathy. Leon is the most unusual and precocious teen protagonist since Wes Anderson's Rushmore, and Baruchel brings to the character an awkward endearing grace, charm and sense of conviction. The solid supporting cast includes Genevieve Bujold as the frustrated head of the local school board, Saul Rubinek as Leon's exasperated father, and Emily Hampshire as Alexandra, an aspiring young lawyer who becomes the object of Leon's affections. Colm Feore is superb as the devious "fascist" principal and Leon's nemesis, while Domini Blythe is also very good as his "demonic concubine", the officious Mrs Danvers. Michael Murphy adds a solid presence as a lawyer who used to be active in the student movement back in the heydays of the 60's, but who has lost the fire until Leon's passion slowly reignites his sense of social justice. A clever and very enjoyable teen comedy that avoids many cliches, The Trotsky doesn't always follow a predictable path, which separates it from so many of the formulaic films of this genre. The dialogue is smart and witty, and delivered with relish by a strong cast. The Trotsky has been one of the highlights of MIFF. (GK)
BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK
What a great documentary. Richard Press's film follows New York fashion photographer Bill Cunningham around New York and Paris. At 80 years Cunningham is still snapping away for The New York Times' Style section, clearly enjoying every moment. He lives at the cool address of Carnegie Hall, but he shares a bathroom in the corridor, has no kitchen and his apartment is chockers with filing cabinets full of decades of negatives. We see him cycling around New York photographing the fashion on the streets, and we hear friends, colleagues, and photo subjects talk about him, including Vogue's Anna Wintour, writer Tom Wolfe and New York fashion icon Iris Apfel.
Listening to Cunningham talk is a joy. The way he analyses fashion, to interacting with the other tenants at Carnegie Hall, to giving a beautiful heartfelt speech about fashion, beauty, and people in the street when accepting an award for the title Chevalier dans l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture.
He is not interested in photographing celebrities; he is looking for beauty and style wherever he finds it. He didn't bother taking a pic of the stunning Catherine Deneuve because she wasn't wearing anything interesting.
And clearly a lovely relationship developed between subject and filmmaker. I've never heard a journalist repeatedly say 'You don't have to answer this question if you don't want to'. Feel the love.
(Cynthia Karena)
LSD
Love Sex Aur Dhokha (LSD) gives us a contemporary spin on three stories of love that illustrate how complicated relationships are in India.
LSD shows us a different kind of underbelly of India than the beggar gangs of Slumdog Millionaire, instead showing us the underbelly of the middle classes.
Director Dibakar Banerjee tells us three stories of romance, defiance, betrayal, humiliation, and interestingly, two versions of the concept of honour. There are the universal challenges of love, such as idealistically thinking your first love is 'the one', naively thinking that love always conquers all, or confusing attention for love when you are distressed. But in India, love is very much tied to strict modes of behaviour that include honour and the caste system.
The strength of this film is in the storytelling, in the India we are allowed to see. India likes to move ahead with the world, but it is still rightfully proud of its rich traditions. Unfortunately some of those traditions are violently oppressive, which this film shines a torch on. If you step outside the extraordinarily strong societal norms, life as you knew it is typically over. This is the fear that allows society, and parents, to control their young (and their married, and well, almost everyone really).
(Cynthia Karena)
THE OATH
This documentary is a fascinating window into the Middle East. The Oath looks at two men who used to work for Osama Bin Laden. Abu Jandal was Bin Laden's bodyguard and then worked as a taxi driver in Yemen. His friend, Salim Hamdan, was Bin Laden's driver and was imprisoned in Guantanamo for seven years.
We hear and read so much about Al-Qaeda through journalists' comments and analyses, but this film gives us a rare opportunity to directly hear the thoughts of two men who were at the centre of it all.
Hamdan was captured by Afghani soldiers and turned over to the Americans. He was the first man to face the military tribunals. But the US Supreme Court ruled that trying Hamdan is illegal under the Geneva Convention, so the Bush government rewrote the law so he could be tried for new charges.
Hamdan's lawyers argued that he was just a paid driver and not involved with terrorism. We get a picture of Hamdan through the letters he writes to Jandal, and through his lawyers' observations about what kind of man he is.
However, the film concentrates more on Jandal, who was also arrested and interrogated. When he heard about the men who were involved in the 9/11 attacks he was shocked because he personally knew them all. Jandal renounced terrorism, co-operated and was released. But then later he discusses the ethics of killing innocent civilians if it means America can be punished and humiliated.
We begin to understand Jandal's conflicted journey from taking the oath to serve Bin Laden to living a family life denouncing terrorism. But Jandal seems to need an audience to tease apart his own thinking and maybe face his own demons. He leads philosophical discussions on life and terrorism with a group of young Arab men, and gives interviews to the media including 60 Minutes and Al Arabiya TV. This looks like a classic case of relevance deprivation, with Jandal leveraging his association with Bin Laden to seek attention where he can.
The Oath is a political film, but it is also a great psychological study of a man who was in the centre of one of the most significant and continuing revolutions of our time.
(Cynthia Karena)
MACHETE MAIDENS UNLEASHED
is Mark Hartley's follow up his fabulous documentary Not Quite Hollywood, which explored the resurgence of the Australian film industry in the 1970's and its history of exploitation and genre films. His new documentary looks at the prolific film industry of the Philippines and its shameless B-grade exploitation films of the ‘60's and ‘70's. The industry churned out a succession of cheap, low budget horror flicks that were aimed squarely at the American drive-in audiences. The film makers had liberty to make whatever they wanted, so long as they contained the three essential Bs – breasts, beasts, and blood. And canny American producers like Roger Corman were quick to capitalise on the cheap labour source to make a series of women in prison movies as well as low budget action movies. The Indonesian army was even willing to supply equipment and personnel, especially useful in staging large-scale action scenes! And no look at film making in the Philippines would be complete without a few anecdotes about the horrendous experience of Francis Ford Coppola while making his epic folly Apocalypse Now. Hartley's film includes lots of clips from these B-grade shockers; as well fascinating and revealing interviews with directors like John Landis, Joe Dante, and even Corman himself, and some of the stars of those films. While fast-paced and entertaining enough, the material here is not as strong as Not Quite Hollywood, nor are the films referred to as familiar to audiences. Nonetheless, Machete Maidens Unleashed has more than enough of the three Bs to entertain and amuse. (Greg King)
LEBANON
is the most intensely claustrophobic war film since Wolfgang Petersen's classic Das Boot. This Israeli film is set during the opening hours of the invasion of Lebanon in 1982, and follows a tank crew into battle. But they take a wrong turn and get lost in enemy territory. Discipline and order break down amongst the terrified crew as they struggle to survive. This is a powerful and brutally honest depiction of war, and a gripping visceral experience. Lebanon is also a gritty and very human study of men under pressure in combat. The performances of the young and unfamiliar cast are all uniformly good as the doomed tank crew and capture their sense of fear and confusion as the situation around them deteriorates. Most of the drama is set inside the tank itself, although we get to see some of the horrors of the war itself through the gun sight of the turret. Writer/director Samuel Moaz was himself a gunner in a tank during that campaign, and has drawn upon his own experiences to shape the film, which is critical of Israeli's military action. Its palpable sense of anger and disgust at the insanity of war are cathartic for Moaz, who has apparently been struggling with the screenplay for the past couple of decades. Its brutal honesty makes for compelling viewing for audiences. (Greg King)
PEEPLI [LIVE]
is not your typical Bollywood film. There are no colourful song and dance numbers to interrupt the drama. Instead, what we have here is a wonderful mix of black comedy and trenchant social commentary on contemporary India. The film, from first time writer/director Anusha Rizvi looks at the clear divisions that exist in India, especially in the rural areas, which are dying as the country moves more towards industrialisation and the rapid growth of the cities. Debt stricken farmers are abandoning their land in huge numbers. In fact, they can actually earn 100,000 rupees to save their family farms if they commit suicide. When it is announced that local farmer Natha (Omkar Das) is going to commit suicide, his village becomes the centre of media focus. Self-serving politicians, ambitious journalists, religious leaders and interested observers all descend on the small village of Peepli. This human-interest story takes on a life of its own, and exposes the rife corruption permeating the uncaring bureaucracy and the politics of modern India. Peepli [Live] has been produced by veteran producer and director Aamir Khan (3 Idiots, etc), and offers some broad laughs mixed with more biting concerns about social justice and the plight of rural India. (Greg King)
THE KILLER INSIDE ME
"The only trouble with growing up in a small town is that everybody thinks they know you." But it soon becomes clear that not everyone knows Deputy Sheriff Lew Ford (Casey Affleck) very well at all. He is a cold and calculating psychopath, and his inner nature emerges when a powerful businessman (Ned Beatty) gets him to resolve a blackmail scheme involving his son. Ford discovers that you can't stop at just one murder – once you've killed, you need to kill again to cover up your crime. The Killer Inside Me is the new film from British director Michael Winterbottom, who has tackled many different genres throughout his prolific career. Here he tackles the noir crime genre, and does it very effectively. His forceful direction serves the story well. The film is adapted from a novel written by Jim Thompson, an acknowledged master of hard hitting pulp fiction, whose pervious works include The Getaway. Affleck is well cast here; beneath his boyish looks, his quietly nervous manner he effectively taps into the more ruthless side that he displayed in Gone Baby Gone and The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford. Winterbottom has assembled a solid ensemble cast that also includes Kate Hudson and Jessica Alba as the two women in Ford's life, Simon Baker, Elias Koteas, Bill Pullman, Brent Briscoe and Tom Bower. (Greg King)
CELL 211
is a powerful, gripping and incredibly taut thriller from Spain set against the backdrop of a prison riot. Juan, an inexperienced young new warder finds himself trapped behind bars when the riot erupts, and is forced to pretend to be an inmate in order to survive. The situation grows more tense as the SWAT teams assemble, and the authorities try to negotiate a solution and avoid a potential bloodbath. Director Daniel Monzon doesn't pull his punches in depicting this unforgiving, brutal and violent environment. The violence is brutal and unflinching, but the film also explores a number of important themes along the way. The film has been well cast. Luis Tosar is menacing and truly terrifying as Malamadre, the instigator of the riot, and Carlos Bardem is equally as good as Apache, a rival jockeying for power. The struggle for power amongst the prisoners adds to the increasing tension. Cell 211 has been one of the standouts of MIFF!
ADRIFT
is a dull and uninvolving drama from Vietnamese director Chen Bui Tac that struggles to connect with an audience. The film deals with a young newly married couple who find themselves drifting apart due to the demands of their respective jobs. He is a taxi driver who spends all day driving around the city, and comes home worn out. She works as an occasional interpreter for tourist groups, and is sometimes absent for extended periods. The couple starts to experiment with other partners to satisfy their needs. This is a low-key film, and may resonate with audiences who have some understanding of Vietnamese culture and customs. There is some nice cinematography of Vietnam, but that's about it. One to avoid! (Greg King)
THE MESSENGER
Oren Moverman's moving drama is one of the better Hollywood films to deal with the unpopular war in Iraq, and the damage inflicted on soldiers and their grieving families. Like Stop Loss and its ilk, the film depicts how soldiers return home psychologically scarred by their experiences in combat and have trouble adjusting to the normal routine of life back home. In some cases the only outlet they have for their anger and frustration is alcohol or brawling, or else they often withdraw inside themselves. The Messenger is set against the backdrop of the Casualty Notification Team, the special unit whose soldiers are charged with informing families of the death of their loved ones in combat. They get to see families on the worst day of their life. Will Montgomery (Ben Foster) was wounded in Iraq and transferred home and temporarily assigned to the unit. He learns the ropes under veteran Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson). While Stone is able to remain detached from the suffering and grief he witnesses, Montgomery is not so sanguine. He feels for many of the families, and he becomes emotionally involved with a recent widow (Samantha Morton). Moverman's direction is sympathetic and restrained, but the anti-war message comes across strongly. Moverman draws superb performances from his cast. In his Oscar nominated role Harrelson delivers his best performance, and manages to convey the complexities and depth of his character. Foster is a revelation in the biggest and most emotionally challenging role of his career to date. And Steve Buscemi also registers strongly in a rare serious role as a bereaved father. An interesting, moving and thought provoking film, well worth checking out. (Greg King)
I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS
is loosely based on the true story of Steven Jay Russell, a flamboyant conman who at various times acted as a lawyer and the CFO of a major corporation, embezzling millions of dollars along the way to fund his lavish lifestyle. He spent a lot of time in and out of prison and on the run from the authorities. The film chiefly concentrates on the relationship he formed with Phillip Morris, a handsome but timid prisoner he met while serving time in a Texas jail. Phillip enjoyed the good life, funded by Russell's scams, but he was also frustrated with his continual schemes and the trouble they caused. This black comedy treats Russell's story for laughs. Jim Carrey is cast as Russell, and while he delivers a more nuanced and sympathetic performance, there are still plenty of moments in which he demonstrates his gift for manic comedy and impressions. Ewan McGregor is also good as Phillip, and he underplays his role. There are a few flat spots in the chaotic and very busy script from co-directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (the team behind Bad Santa, Cats And Dogs, etc), and a hint of unnecessary padding in the middle. An interesting and at times uncomfortably black comedy that is bold for a mainstream Hollywood film, but worth a look. (Greg King)
FOUR LIONS
It would take a brave filmmaker to poke fun at the complex and topical issue of terrorism, especially in these increasingly sensitive times. But that is exactly what Four Lions does, and does so brilliantly. Four Lions is a hilarious and savage black comedy about terrorism that will have audiences laughing at the most inappropriate times. Four British Muslims plan to martyr themselves in the cause of the Jihad. Two attend an Al Quaeda training camp in Pakistan, with disastrous results, while the other two remain at home, purchasing the necessary supplies and planning their target. But their enthusiasm and incompetence far outweighs their abilities with unexpected and very funny results. This is a delightfully politically incorrect comedy with plenty of laugh out loud moments. Chris Morris directs in a semi-documentary style, with lots of hand held camera work, that lends an immediacy to the material. Performances from the largely unknown cast are natural, although their accents are sometimes so thick that subtitles are required. Nigel Lindsay is a standout as the bombastic Barry, who thinks he knows it all and whose advice in how to avoid surveillance is indeed very funny. (Greg King)
WELCOME TO THE RILEYS
is the debut film from Jake Scott, the son of director Ridley Scott, and this drama is a painful meditation on the familiar themes of grief, loss, guilt and redemption. This is an assured debut from Scott junior, who shows himself to be comfortable in dealing with character driven dramas exploring emotionally charged material, more so than his famous father and uncle who are more at home with big budget spectacles full of action and special effects. Doug (The Sopranos' James Gandolfini) and Louise (Melissa Leo) Riley have been married for thirty years, but the death of their teenage daughter in a car crash has driven a coldness between them. Louise has rarely left the house since, while Doug deals with his grief in privacy. When Doug attends a convention in New Orleans he meets Mallory (Kristen Stewart), a teenage stripper cum prostitute on a path to self-destruction. Something in her strikes a paternalistic chord in Doug and he decides to help her clean up her life, whether she appreciates his efforts or not. His decision also helps to heal the rift in his relationship with Louise. Scott draws excellent performances from his leads. Gandolfini has an imposing presence, but here he tones down his more aggressive style, and comes across as a more sympathetic character. Leo is good as the fragile Louise, who slowly takes a chance and begins to emerge from her self-imposed withdrawal, and she adds a touch of humour to the film. And Stewart is again a revelation with a feisty and strong performance as the independent, foul-mouthed and brash Mallory. The phenomenal success of the Twilight franchise has given Stewart the freedom to seek out more gritty and edgy smaller films and challenging roles that enable her to flex her acting muscles (Adventureland, The Runaways, etc). Scott also makes good use of locations in the French Quarter to add atmosphere. Welcome To The Rileys is the type of gritty, edgy low budget independent film that struggles to reach a broad audience or gain a commercial cinematic release, but is nonetheless a rewarding experience well worth checking out. (Greg King)
CARLOS
Olivier Assayas's epic, engrossing five hour drama exploring two decades in the life and career of the notorious terrorist Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, aka Carlos "The Jackal", was originally created as a three part mini-series for French television. However, a heavily edited version has gained a cinema release in some parts of Europe. Assayas and co-writer Dan Franck have meticulously researched Carlos's history, and the result is almost documentary-like in its staging and dramatisation of key events. However, because not much is known about him, he still remains something of an enigma, and the film is treated as fiction. Assayas has also incorporated archival footage into the drama to lend a sense of authenticity. As with the recent The Baader-Meinhoff Complex, this sprawling, bloated film attempts to put Carlos's activities into a wider context. The film looks at the growth of terrorist movements and violence that plagued Europe in the 1970''s, and it also looks at the politics and shows how many countries were willing to use state sponsored terrorism to further their own agenda. The stand out sequence is the gripping siege when Carlos raided the OPEC conference in Vienna in 1975. This tense and violent sequence has been forcefully directed by Assayas and shot using hand held cameras. But following the collapse of communism at the end of the 1980's a new world order existed and Carlos' activities were not as popular. Most of the countries that had previously been willing to shelter him while he organised terrorist plots closed their doors to him. With nowhere to hide he eventually became a target for both the US and French intelligence agencies. Venezuelan actor Edgar Ramirez (who has had small roles in Hollywood productions like The Bourne Ultimatum and Vantage Point, etc) plays Carlos as a charismatic figure, and captures his dangerous nature and his complex and contradictory personality well. While he espoused revolutionary causes and relief for the oppressed in third world countries he lived a lavish lifestyle and enjoyed comfort. (Greg King)