MIFF - "Eighty percent of success is showing up."

The Trotsky

Its MIFF time again! What a splendid excuse to post a picture of Jay Baruchel (playing Trotsky) and to bang on about films like the semi-epic nerd that I am.

This years MIFF felt a bit smaller and easier to navigate for me and lots easier to cut my list down to about 20 odd films. There were a few pleasant surprises e.g. I had no idea Jay Baruchel was in a film playing Trotsky(!) which is always nice. Anyway here's my list in semi chronological order by which I'm seeing them.

1. Air Doll - Hirokazu Koreeda - Hows this for a pleasant surprise and a great place to start - another year, another MIFF and another Koreeda film! This guy is pretty much incapable of making a bad film. If anyone saw Still Walking at last years MIFF you'll know what I'm talking about.

2. The Kids Are All Right - Lisa Cholodenko - This will probably come out later in the year but I'm thinking about taking my Mum to see it anyway. Lesbian couple (Annette Benning and Julianne Moore - like woah whattacouple) have a baby via Mark Ruffalo - awesome cast, interesting subject matter, good reviews, I reckon my Mum would love this film.

3. Tetro - Francis Ford Coppola - Black and White and Vincent Gallo - I'm kicking myself for not posting this as the pic instead of Jay B, oh well. Looks like Papa Coppola is taking some tips from his kids and doing the semi-autobiographical thing in his films now - power to him, looks awesome.

4. Life During Wartime - Todd Solondz - Awesome cast (Shirley Henderson, Paul Reubens, Alison Janney) and of course my boy Todd (I've forgiven you for Palindromes dude). This looks more Welcome to the Dollhouse vibes which is by far my fave Todd film.

5. The Red Chapel - Mads Brügger - This is actually a tip-off from my pal Anthony Carew who watches a lot of films. Its one of his picks of the fest - I trust him, you should too.

6. The Trotsky - Jacob Tierney - OK confession time. I'm seeing this based on the fact that Jay Baruchel's in the starring role and that starring role is Leon Trotsky. It also got 7+ on IMDB how bad could it be? Or should I ask how awesome could it be?

7. Blank City - Celine Danhier - NYC blahblahblah no-wave blahblahblah post punk blahblahblah. This is totally my niche thing so forgive me for feeling self conscious crapping on about it. I get the feeling you wont' like this film if you don't like that sort've stuff (ie NYC, punk etc).

8. Beeswax - Andrew Bujalski - Woo-hoo more mumbles! From the guy who made Funny Ha Ha no less! Get all indie American on yourself right about NOW!

9. Au Hasard Balthazar - Robert Bresson - I still haven't seen this and its been on my old movies to watch list for aggeeeessss and it should be one yours too as Bresson is a genius and this is apparently his masterwork (but people do say that about all his films).

10. Enter the Void - Gaspar Noe - this guy scares the shit out of me in a good way. This is one of those films thats so much better to see at a festival as well. Doooo itttt or be left out of film nerd conversations for the next few months.

11. Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child - Tamra Davis - Made by Basquiat's pal which is always interesting - I'm just hoping its as good as this.

12. World on a Wire - Rainer Werner Fassbinder -I've decided if theres a chance to see any films by Fassbinder I should probably take that chance no matter what. Even if it is a sci-fi film - I don't really like sci fi or westerns. So if I'm seeing this just because Fassbinders awesome, that should be a good indication that everyone should try and see all 40 something Fassbinder films too.

13. Please Give -Nicole Holofcener - I love Holofcener's film Walking and Talking also starring Keener and I didn't totally hate nor totally love her others, Friends with Money and Lovely and Amazing also starring Keener. In my opinion shes a filmmaker that I like to see what she's thinking these days, what she's up to - like looking up an old friend, alway pleasant no matter what. This will get general release though.

15. Bill Cunningham New York - Richard Press - The original street style snapper who skipped over a photo of Catherine Deneuve because she wasn't wearing anything interesting and who Anna Wintour said she gets dressed for? Sounds like my kinda doco.

16.Chicks (Life at the Ranch) - Sophie Letourneur - Dialogue heavy french film about 20 somethings living in Paris? Yes please!

17. Trash Humpers - Harmony Korine - Yay! Harmony Korine! If you don't know why Korine = yay for film then don't bother with this - leave tickets for the rest of us. This looks like Korine's return to deform post Mister Lonely.

18. Au Revoir Taipei - Arvin Chen - I've heard there are a lot of beautiful food scenes in this crime-caper-romantic-comedy about fumbling love - bring snacks and get ready to be hit by the pretty.

19. Strange Powers: Stephen Merritt and The Magnetic Fields - Kerthy Fix and Gail O’Hara (of Chickfactor magazine) - This one took 10 years to make, so should be a good one. Though I'd say fans only pls.

20. Certified Copy - Abbas Kiarostami - this has so much buzz on it there is no way I'd miss it. Plus Juliette Binoche is charming in almost everything. Good way to end your festival.

Theres heaps of other stuff that I couldn't justify and/or will get general release, if your interested heres what almost made my top 20 - The Messenger, The Illusionist, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, When You're Strange: A Film About The Doors, Ne Change Rien, Lemmy, Videocracy, The Family Jams, And Everything is Going Fine, Winter's Bone, Lourdes, Teenage Paparazzo, Film Socialisme, Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk Islam.

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