MIFF - 2 - in short reviews

The Girlfriend Experience – Steven Soderbergh

For a film with such provocative publicity and marketing campaigns surrounding it there is very little actual sex in this film. Though it looks very ‘sexy’ and theres a lot of matter-of-fact talk about ‘sex’.

Y'know I never know how to review things that are really 6.5 out of 10 – they are never ‘bad-hated-it-lets-kill-the-director’ films but never ‘great-omg-you=have-to-see-this’ films. This film really does fall into that grey area - pun – Sasha Grey is the name of the lead actress and grey is the colour palette of the film’s cinematography. Funny? Meh.

MIFF - 1 - in short reviews

Still Walking - Hirokazu Kore-eda

True to its title its 'still' as well as being beautiful and an almost perfect film fest flick - and the truest tragedy is that it probably won't have much of a life in Australia outside of the film fest - theres one more session this wed 29/7 catch it while you can!



Anna - Pierre Koralnik

Disappointing 'kooky' made-for-tv french musical. Considering the talent involved in this film it comes up pretty poorly. Turns out french TV isn't that much better than ours.

I'll also be reviewing MIFF films here. They'll be a bit wordier than my blog ones - so theres something for everyone.

i like this tattoo a lot - colourful and girly

“I always look for a woman who has a tattoo. I see a woman with a tattoo, and I’m thinking, okay, here’s a gal who’s capable of making a decision she’ll regret in the future.”

—	Richard Jeni

Sex in the City back in the 1970s

Love looks cuter and punker in black and white - young people in lust is pretty adorable.

Peep the guys tassel boots and the horse posters - too amazing.

(via Joseph Szabo)

Selecting a Reader by Ted Kooser

First, I would have her be beautiful,
and walking carefully up on my poetry
at the loneliest moment of an afternoon,
her hair still damp at the neck
from washing it. She should be wearing
a raincoat, an old one, dirty
from not having money enough for the cleaners.
She will take out her glasses, and there
in the bookstore, she will thumb
over my poems, then put the book back
up on its shelf. She will say to herself,
“For that kind of money, I can get
my raincoat cleaned.” And she will.

“So, where's the Cannes Film Festival being held this year?”

Little Joe

So Cannes is over anyway and Melbourne International Film Festival is just around the corner. Since I've been snowed under with work, work, work and, oh I know, more work and due to the later release of the program this year my nerdy scheduling which normally would have been done by now has been a bit lapse. However I've booked about five films so far and have another 5-7 to book in...but you'll see everything below...(in no particular order)

1. Beaches of Agnes - I love Agnes Varda (director of Cleo from 5 to 7) and every film of hers I've seen so there is no way I'd miss this one.

2. We're Living on Dog Food - Dogs in Space is probably the best Australian film ever. It actually makes Australians look cool and interesting - which seems to be (on film at least) no mean feat - also it reminds me of the 1991 US film Slacker (by the amazing Richard Linklater) meshed with Smithereens and Trainspotting. Anyway in short (?) We're Living on Dog Food (after the Iggy Pop song?) is a doco about Dogs in Space.

3. Antichrist - like I'd take the risk of missing out on a film as controversial as this one!

4. Anna - weirdly enough I blogged about this a little while ago - I've never seen it (incredibly rare) but it features Gainsbourg and Karina and its a musical - 'nuff said.

5. Exploding Girl - Kids in New York in the summer. I love this stuff - especially in Melbourne winter when I'm in hermit mode.

On another note Melb Film Blog have a cool little list outlining which films are getting general release and when which is really helpful if you want to cut down your list - here's the rest of my maybes below....

6. Still Walking - Kore-eada's 6th film - if you haven't seen the other 5 well they're incredible (esp. After Life) - similarly to Varda I want to see it because he owns.

7. Burning Down The House - The Story of CBGBs - sucker for NY Punk docos - a lot of them are good e.g. End of a Century, New York Doll, and Dream of Life. This doesn't look quite as good as the others from the preview material - but I might try and see it anyway.

PS I'd really like to see an excellent Television / Voidoids doco, and book - if anyones looking for a project.

8. Moon - David Bowie's son hits the big screen - as a director. Looks like Space Odyssey meets Cast Away - oh wait I just talked myself out of this film. Its coming out soon anyway....

9. Outrage - I never saw Not Yet Rated as it was never given general release - that makes me feel like I should see this just in case.

10. Humpday - I dig on mumblecore (Puffy Chair, Hannah Takes the Stairs, Mutual Appreciation, Funny Ha Ha etc) I think the Duplass bro's are kinda genius. Not for everyone but most definitely for me.

11. Kisses - I hate Once btw - I turned it off after half an hour and wanted to turn it off earlier but the guy I was watching it with was like 'it was so well reviewed lets give it a chance' what a waste of time that turned out to be. I will actually probably not see this film based on how much I hate Once.

12. Awaydays - all the running in the trailer kind of turns me off. I hate running scenes. However the shots look good, the soundtrack looks good. Its a definite maybe. Also Selling Fast get in while you can.

13. Fish Tank - I haven't seen Red Road - but apparently it was really good - so this might be as well.

14. Looking for Eric - Not getting general release at this stage which I think is weird. Apparently this is Loach doing a Mike Leigh a la Happy Go Lucky aka downer director makes first feel good.

15. Hurt Locker - getting general release but apparently its the best film of this year according to the blogosphere. Plus Kathryn Bigelow (the dir.) also directed Point Break which kind of owns.

16. Stolen - more controversy - see it while you can?

17. Unmade Beds - I really wanted to see Glue (also directed by Alexis Dos Santos) a couple of MIFFs ago but somehow missed it - which was devastating as it was never released here but will do my utmost to catch this one.

18. Louise - Michel - Kind of looks like something in the vein of Working Girl or 9 to 5 - both of which I love - meets Delicatessen.

19. Little Joe - I was reading about this recently - it sounds fascinating. Its a doco on Joe a former Warhol 'Flesh' star who followed that with appearances in films by Jacques Rivette and Louis Malle?! He is also mentioned as "Little Joe" in Lou Reed’s 1972 song “Walk on the Wild Side" and he posed as the jeans-clad male hips on the cover of the Rolling Stones’ album “Sticky Fingers." Um, can you say 'Icon'?

20. Nymph - Supernatural love story from 'the' Thai director (Pen-ek Ratanaruang ) to watch. Perfect MIFF fodder in the best possible way.

21. Morphia - Apparently. Best. Amputation. Scene. Ever. Also the script is loosely based on a Mikhail Bulgakov story aka the only Russian Writer I've ever read.

22. Bluebeard - Catherine Breillat - not to sound like a broken record but....She directs. I watch.

23. Blank City - actually this looks totally up my alley and fast making its way to the definite list - NY art scene, Warhol, No Wave, Buscemi and Gallo. Yep pretty sold.

24. A Lake - by Philippe Grandrieux one of 'the' French arty directors to watch - whose also done cool installations at MoMa etc - I haven't seen anything of his yet, so maybe I should.

25. Deathbowl to Downtown - Skating in New York film - even if this is only half as good as Dogtown and Z Boys then it'll still be pretty awesome.

26. Tony Manero - for a film about a SNF/Travolta obsessed guy this sounds pretty brutal and amazing.

27. Embodiment of Evil- I haven't seen any of the preceding Coffin Joe films in this trilogy, so will I know whats going on?

28. Living Together - Anna Karina's first auteur adventure. Hard to find, prob worth trying to catch.

29. Chinese Roulette - Fassbinder and Karina - amazing!

30. Treeless Mountain - stunning trailer - also So Yong Kim produced Exploding Girl (see above).

Also I saw Guest of Cindy Sherman o/s its worth seeing if you're into that sort've thing. There are heaps of other good looking flicks that I'll wait for General Release to check out e.g. Valentino: The Last Emperor, September Issue, Girlfriend Experience, An Education, Tyson, White Ribbon etc.

Just as a side note I can't believe how expensive the films are...17 dollars is too much (helloooo Hoyts). Films used to be 10-12 and in the last 6 years it seems that 20 dollars will soon be a reasonable price to pay. Its ridiculous. I would see so much more at MIFF if there were 14/15 dollar tickets.

So if you're not seeing Bodyrock this weekend but want to see a film about NY, Graffiti and Breakdancing maybe you should see Style Wars at ACMI its pretty amazing doco about all of the above. However you should still try and track down Bodyrock so you can lend me a copy.

I am most proud of my integrity and least proud of my cynicism.”

Any Fun - Coconut Records - Music Video

Any Fun - Coconut Records

90s nostalgia vibes….with Sevs video cameos - btw who knew she could skate? Oh and actual skater Mark Gonzales but we all knew he could skate so who cares.

Yes for all you Schwartzman lovers (Wes Anderson if you're reading) - the man is taking a break from viral marketing cameos to focus on his music career. Don't know about the music yet (thinking its kinda beige atm) but like the video a lot. Looks like summer...pity I'm stuck in hermitude winter hell!

He wants me but only part of the time

Me and my friend Hugh were going to start a band. The kind were singers can't sing and we do fun covers and we play one show and then disband. Yeah the good kind right?

Anyway Hugh wanted us to do a cover of Til Tuesday's Voices Carry - yes thats Aimee Mann in the 80s - but MGMT have pipped us at the post! How devastating.

I had a friend who was a heavy drinker.

I had a friend who was a heavy drinker. If somebody asked him if he'd been drunk the night before, he would always answer offhandedly, Oh, I imagine. I've always liked that answer. It acknowledges life as a dream. - kurt vonnegut

Happiness -- Raymond Carver

So early it’s still almost dark out.
I’m near the window with coffee,
and the usual early morning stuff
that passes for thought.

When I see the boy and his friend
walking up the road
to deliver the newspaper.

They wear caps and sweaters,
and one boy has a bag over his shoulder.
They are so happy
they aren’t saying anything, these boys.

I think if they could, they would take
each other’s arm.
It’s early in the morning,
and they are doing this thing together.

They come on, slowly.
The sky is taking on light,
though the moon still hangs pale over the water.

Such beauty that for a minute
death and ambition, even love,
doesn’t enter into this.

Happiness. It comes on
unexpectedly. And goes beyond, really,
any early morning talk about it.

How terrible it is when you say I love you and the person on the other end shouts back 'What?'

Sorry for the mish mash post - let me explain.

So I actually had a really nice quiet weekend in - I procastinated all Saturday and Sunday long after my phone broke on Friday. I didn't do any of my work thats due Monday, didnt take any of the gym trips i meant to, and didn't get my phone fixed either...oops.

Actually I didn't do much except eat pies and banana bread and re-watch old movies about Caulfield-esque kids eg um, Kids, Igby Goes Down, Ice Storm and Flirting. Hence the images above fitting no?

Then in my procastination frenzy I got all inspired and finally read Raise High the Roofbeam..(its fucking amazing btw) and fell in love with Salinger all over again hence the above quote.

My life is pretty fascinating sometimes isn't it.

"being caught in a flesh-storm with 90% chance of satisfaction"

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