Sunday, August 24, 2008

Festivals Schemstivals


I'm in a post-MIFF come down at the moment. The festival was everything I've know festival's to be - anticipation and expectation in the build up, a trashy opening night party, then its a scramble to see and experience the best and none of the crap (easier said then done). I'm yet to come out of a festival feeling like I've seen and had the best that festival has had to offer. Especially from festival's I feel offer a lot. Unlike my better counter-parts (and being a Libran) I have trouble forgoing all aspects of my life (social, health, work, monetary) for the festival (though I have a big part of me that would rather do this - one can always go to the gym/sleep/drink/save tomorrow). Thus I make choices on films and unfortunately, as with Sophie's choice, with choice comes regret. With choice comes the life unlived, the road untraveled and unlike Frost who knows which one is less travelled as a film doesn't show that kind of wear and tear really. If it did wouldn't that probably be the film less travelled as its probably old and crappy from its rarity and disuse? I digress...

Anyway I saw films - quite a few - but I could have seen more and I could have seen better. Even with a film festival, as in many of my personal relationships I have that - its-not-you-its-me - syndrome. Not a cheap break up line, but a true feeling that if something hasn't lived up to expectations it is my fault. My poor choices in programming of my own 12 films. It couldn't be that some or most of the films just sucked, it was decision making that was at fault. My inability to look past the flashy trailers, succinct descriptors and nytimes.com reviews - I should have seen/known/sensed that these films were not going to be all they were cracked up for.

So MIFF - is it you or me?

According to my friends their stance is as usual - its not me its you.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Because I Am Fifteen - no really...

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car): ...no car and no pet...therefore my rock star name is " " -artist formerly know as?

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie): Chubby Hubby Short(y)bread

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal): Black Squirrel

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born): Jane Sydney

7. SUPERHERO NAME: ("The" + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink): The Blue Whiskey Sour

9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent,favorite candy): Stella M&M

12. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower): Autumn Gardenia

13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you're wearingright now + "ie" or "y"): Apricot Jeanie

14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Cheerio Willow

15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: ("The" + Your fave hobby/craft, faveweather element + "Tour"): The Mixtape Sunshower Tour

I write it to get it out of me. I don't write it to remember it.




For 2.000 years, you've had the nerve to tell women who we are. We use your words; we eat your food. Every way we get money has to be a crime. We are plagiarists, liars and criminals.

Love goes away when your mind goes away and then you're someone else.

I know where we're travelling, Genet, and I know why we're travelling there. It's not just to travel, but it's so those others who kicked me out have a chance of being at peace, having a chance of knowing the land of the monster without going there.

Teach me how to talk to you. WANT. Is my wanting you so bad, wanting the feel of your lips on my lips, just me being selfish and egoistic? Teach me a new language.

Just A Friend




(Check the Method Man cameo)

The Wackness and Hancock

Is it possible to love a movie just becuase the soundtrack is amazing? I think its as valid as loving something for the grading, editing, cinematography, acting, some hot lead etc etc. I'm not really talking about composition because thats not really my style, I'll appreciate it in movies as an enhancer, but will never really make me love a slightly crap movie more.

I get a lot of teasing about my taste in movies, music, books etc but all I can say is the use of ICE-T  -Colours and Ludacris - Move Bitch and the ever lovable WIll Smith (one of the king of one liners - loved that guy since back in Bel Air days) that movie was total 6 out of ten for me and considering how terrible the script and storyline was thats saying SOMETHING!

Also the cute little Wackness film - some cringe lines, but honestly when shit like Juno is paraded around as saving the Indie Genre or whatever this film looks like a Truffaut film - Note to Diablo Cody "I wanna listen to Boyz II Men when I'm with you" is what good teen scripting is about. Plus the soundtrack kicked Juno's try hard arse - Wu Tang, Biggie, A Tribe Called Quest, Biz Markie - amazing. Sure it was a bit like a Larry Clark film minus the reality check but films like this manage to be cross over commercial while not being terrible and actually have good music! 

Note - Anyone who likes Little Miss Sunshine, Juno or Garden State - please keep it to yourselves - or go see some Hartley, Heathers and maybe catch some film festival action in your area - yr palate is in need of cleansing ASAP.