Fantastic Four - Rise of the Silver Surfer

I know, I know - but sometimes you're just in the mood for Jessica Alba and willing to overlook the rest. So on Sunday night I found myself back at the normally amazing Lincoln Square cinemas. Every multiplex has a range of theater sizes and I found myself in the forgotten runt of the litter. Much smaller than the screen in the main section and most oddly not centered with respect to the seats. I'm not sure what extra effort would have been required to ensure the screen's center was evenly spaced from the left and right aisles - but apparently that would have been too much trouble. Strange something that's basically a feature in PowerPoint doesn't get done when designing a high end theater. Anyway... Even the worst theater here is still pretty good.

I went in with low expectations. I'd fallen asleep through a good section of the first Fantastic Four. I didn't have the childhood relationship with the comic that keeps me coming back to other Marvel and DC franchise flix. But I'd heard this was better than 1st film in the series so I decided to give it a shot. Plus I believe I've already mentioned the role of the invisible girl....

It was weird to be back in a mainstream theater, with the annoying music and kids hopped up on sugar. But even a bit of continuous talking and texting from the audience didn't really impact the viewing experience that much.

So how was the movie? Not too bad. Low expectations and a short to the point story made this pretty watchable. It's not the most exciting nor complex of the superhero films but it sort of hit the spot I was looking for. Guess I'll have to finally get to Spiderman also in the next few weeks after I fit in a few of the other festival films playing around town.

Fool Serious

No, it's not a movie starring that guy from Young Einstein. Fool Serious is an organization of SIFF full series passholders who compile an extensive survey each year on the group's experience during the festival. There's a movie by movie rating sheet for folks you participate and annual awards which are now available here: http://foolserious.org/awards.htm. I don't really rank the films quite the same but it's interesting to see what was enjoyed by the most prolific viewers each year. They also do a personalized ballot which shows you folks whose taste most closely matches yours. I'm anxiously awaiting mine in the mail now. Hopefully arriving in the next day or two.

More information is available on their infrequently updated website. The website contains a link to their discussion board. It used to be publicly readable but for some reason this year they closed off access.

Red Road (UK/Denmark)

This is a film I missed due to a scheduling conflict early in the festival. I'd heard great things about it from people who'd seen it in Vancouver this past year. Additionally it won an award at Cannes last year. It also scored very well in the Fool Serious ratings from series passholders - which I'll describe more in a later post. So basically a lot of good buzz...

Set in Glasgow, the main character (very well played by Kate Dickie) works as a observer of the ubiquitous security cameras that seem to cover ever square inch of the city. Her time is spent looking for crimes but often results in her just watching the (occasionally amusing) comings and goings of city residents. For me this initial section which makes you think about the impact of ever present oversight is the best part of the film. We also learn that she leads a solitary life and there are hints this wasn't always so. During regular duties she seems someone that provokes a reaction similar to seeing a ghost. The film takes off from there as we slowly learn of past relation to the man and her plans for dealing with the unexpected situation.

Because of the story line revealed in pieces this is described as a suspense filled thriller. At that level it didn't really work for me - and the expectation that's what I was going to see may have colored my reaction to the actual film somewhat. I generally understood where the plot was going early on so surprises weren't big. It's really more of a character study of pain and loss. Very well acted at that level I still found the overall effect less engaging than I probably should have. From an objective perspective the story of grief that emerges was powerful. But it didn't grab me at an emotional level - possibly because the character was too remote to pull me into her world. If this is the type of film your looking for it may work significantly better for you. It clearly has for others.

It's a (suitably for it's subject) dark looking film in what one write up describes as Dogma inspired look. A nice touch is that it's subtitled even though English is spoken. Personally the accent wasn't bad for me but it's likely helpful for some.

The work begs comparison with the other SIFF film Surveillance which. features closed circuit TV prominently in the story line. That film is more of a mystery/thriller. Significantly better acted, Red Road is more effective at getting you to picture who's watching you when you walk down the street. Whether that's a good or a bad feeling may depend on whether you're dancing "by yourself" in an office with the shades up or being threatened on the street late at night.(2.5/5)

Paris je t'aime - A Collective Feature Film (France)

Now that the festival is over (sigh) I've decided to try and ease the withdrawal by making sure to see several movies this weekend. There are actually a ton to see. Several that also played in the festival plus several big budget things (come on - you love George Clooney too),

Honoring my personal pact to avoid Lincoln Square Cinema on weekends (the best theater in Seattle except for on Friday/Sat) I instead headed to the best theater on the Eastside that serves alcohol - Big Picture Redmond. The choice was motivated by the film though not the drinks. Nice theater though if you haven't been. Best seats in Seattle with the possible exception of Lincoln Square. If they had the projection quality of SIFF Cinema they might be perfect. Side note - I was consistently impressed with the projection quality at the new SIFF theater - though I've heard complaints at times about sound issues.

Anyway - the movie. I'd heard some less than amazing buzz in Vancouver where I'd originally wanted to see it. Somehow I also managed to miss it at SIFF as well. Given the history I bumped it to the top of my list for this detox weekend.

The film is a collection of 18 short love stories set in Paris. Each one done by a different director and set in a different neighborhood. They range from sweet to touching to funny and back again. As you might expect some fall flat, and the point of at least one eludes me. Overall though it was interesting and a nice little travelogue. Though I could do without meeting the French vampires while in town. Remarkably Elijah Woods in that segment managed to not creep me out for the first time in a while. Probably wouldn't have made my best of fest list for SIFF but I give it an A for effort (3.5/5 though using the scale from last week)

One downside of the alcohol though manifested itself throughout the film. Talking, and plenty of it - and loud talking to boot. To the SIFF bloggers who complained about popcorn munchers during the festival, all I can say is that I was wishing for the crunching sounds. Because at least it would mean they weren't talking. I'd seen few things at Big Picture without incident, so hopefully it was just the crowd tonight. 'cuz I'd like to go back but a repeat of the talking would put them as a much lower tier choice among local options.

SIFF Newsletter Avalable

Browsing the SeattleFilm site I noticed the new issue of the occasional Reel News newsletter is out. I haven't read the whole thing but it seems a bit meatier than normal with some nice writeups on the upcoming Noir series at SIFF cinema.

Also - Found a few "final words" summaries from SIFF '07 around the net. Figured it wouldn't hurt to post some links here.

• Official Press Release
• Moira Macdonald (Seattle Times)
• Moviepie wrapup
• Log+Capture

That's all Folks

A bit groggy this morning after the closing night party last night. I had a great time, so good I completely forgot to take any photos. We were snapped a few times during the night so I'm going to try to hunt those down to post. The party was one of the nicest I'd seen at SIFF events with music, food and drink in what appeared to be ample quantities. Lines were a bit long in the main party. Escaped to the smaller VIP setting which was quiet enough to chat with a variety of folks for several hours. Not to mention no lines for food. A little sleep deprived but a great way to end the 3+ week party. Almost makes me want to try the gala parties next year. :-)

For those keeping score this year I hit 107 films since the start of press screenings. Certainly can't say I didn't get my money's worth for the pass.

That concludes the festival oriented blogging of SIFF 2007. It's been a blast while it lasted. I'll continue updates throughout the year albeit at a much slower pace. Back to that distraction from the movies ... Real life.

Moliére (France)

A fun French comedy to end the festival. Covering something along the lines of "Moliére in love" it follows an imagined storyline of the writer meeting the subjects of his plays. The best closing night film I'd seen recently it was great to close the night with a laugh. With more expensive looking design than most films in the past weeks this comes the closest to a big Hollywood type film amongst my recent viewing. But a big, fun Hollywood film... :-) (4/5)

Noise (Australia)

Continuing the unplanned Australian double header with this police oriented drama. This drama concerns about people dealing with stress of differing forms. It starts off with a woman witnessing a massacre on a train and escaping physically unharmed. At the same time a patrolman collapses, later learning he has tinnitus which gets him assigned to a desk in a local outreach station. There he interacts with various community members who come in to discuss their feelings and concerns. Focused on emotion rather than action it tracks the growth of both the officer and the victim towards a memorable conclusion. Also notable for it's sound design which is used to powerful (and at times painful) effect throughout the film. (4.5/5)

Introducing the Dwights (Australia)

"My parents ... you see ... they're ... entertainers ..." So goes Tim's much feared confession to his new girlfriend. Tim's folks are indeed past their prime entertainers from England who've settled in Australia. The father is a one-hit-wonder singer, the mom a somewhat foul mouthed boscht belt (or British equivalent) comedian. She's also fairly high drama prone to blaming Tim and his developmentally disabled brother for her current life status. Tim's found himself a potential soul mate but family drama keeps interrupting. This is a comedy so the outcome's never really in doubt in this mostly light hearted film. It wasn't always laugh out loud funny but a pleasant way to spend the afternoon. (3.5/5)

Secret Festival 4/4

Finally, a secret really worth seeing! Actually that's not entirely fair. This year's secret festival was a lot better than the last time I'd went. The fourth film this year was the best of the lot. And I can say no more. ;-)

Madrigal (Cuba/Spain)

A complex, sensual tour de force. I'm not sure I understand it yet, but I really enjoyed it. :-) At a simple level Javier (an actor) is intrigued by a woman who walks out on his play. Initially drawn to her almost as a dare she eventually begins to mean something serious to him. The film follows their evolvong relationship, among other things. There are stories within stories - possibly to an extent I don't really follow. The movie twists repeatedly around the theme of truth not being as it appears. Which certainly fits well with what's presented. There's apparently a good deal of reference to a film from the 50's that I'm unfamiliar with. The visual style is very artistic and a bit dark without being off-putting. A very rich film for all the senses. Later tonight I'll be off to read up on this flick in more detail. (5/5)

Khadak (Belgium/Germany/Netherlands)

Full of stark landscapes and spiritual quests amidst the gloom of life in an urban environment. Set in Mongolia Bagi and his family are pulled from their nomadic sheep herding into a mining town. With a lot of extended quiet period and trips to the spirit world this was pretty hard for me to follow. And a bit boring as well. I was a bit tired which I'm sure contributed.

The Century Mark

Just realized I'd reached the 100 movie mark with the last film! Pretty cool if I do say so myself. :-).

Never Again as Before (Italy)

I just loved this coming of age story. At the end of high school a group of friends go into the Dolomite Mountains to hike. As is the case in such films it's a disparate group with different interests and levels of friendship. Through adversity, isolation and tragedy they come back changed forever. No one eats anyone else but it's not the light story of "French for Beginners" either. Overall a very satisfying experience. All the more so that I chose it without really selecting it for anything other than the time and theater it was screening at. (5/5)

Alien Autopsy (UK/Germany)

For the first time I managed to stay up for a "Midnight Adrenaline" screening. The film is a "based on a true story" retelling of the Alien Autopsy hoax that aired in 1995. Except the way it's told it was less a hoax than a recreation. The main characters acquire film of an autopsy conducted on a being found after the Roswell crash. Except on the way home the film is destroyed. In order to pacify the violent drug dealer they bought it for the film a re-enactment of the original. Before you know it the tapes being shown globally to a public eager to know we're not alone.

If you haven't guessed, this is a comedy. There's no way to know what they're claiming as fact vs. fiction. Either way the ride is enjoyable. (3/5)

One Day Like Rain (USA)

My general takeway was WTF? Here's a partial list of things I don't really understand about the film;

• What happened at the end?
• What happened during the rest of the film?
• What the point was?
• Why precisely I stayed to the end?

and most importantly ...

• Why everyone (including myself) were too chicken to ask the director these questions. Someone did ask him what his influences were. He gave a list of directors but I was more wondering if it was LSD vs. Peyote.

That's not to say the film is unwatchable. The main reason I saw it through is that there's enough interesting stimulation to keep you wondering where it's going. The two lead actresses get a good Ghost World vibe going. And the director has a pleasant quirky style - when he avoids throwing aliens into the scene. The director also seems to have a remarkable ability to frame the main lead's chest with remarkable dexterity. I thought it was just something in my head at first but after a while I convinced myself it was intentional.

Oh - were you wondering about the plot? Two girls hang out. One keeps mumbling about changing the world. Oh yeah - and they chase boys at times. When not taking blood samples to use in her new chemistry set. Then the world is saved or destroyed. As one of the characters remarks, "what's the difference?"

I can tell for sure they're going to be folks who love this film. I wouldn't say they're wrong, it just didn't work for me. I'd suggest renting Ghost World and Donnie Darko instead. (2/5)

It's Winter (Iran)

There's a common theme in most Iranian cinema I've seen at festivals and on video. Walking, and plenty of it. This film does not disappoint in that regard. The characters are endlessly walking somewhere. It's also quite good in numerous other ways as well.

The big disappointment is that I didn't have time to stay for the director's Q&A. It's too bad because this is a film crying out for interpretation. Hopefully I'll find some folks who've seen it so we can discuss.

The story is pretty minimalist on overt storyline and dialog. The lyrics to a poem are woven over significant portions of the film. A man leaves his wife to find work abroad. Another man enters town to find work as a mechanic. Eventually he marries the woman, but will the work hold out - and if not will he stay?

Not a film to see when tired or hungry given it's slow pacing. But a nice conversation piece after dinner. (3/5)

French for Beginners (Germany)

Update: Looks as though the DVD is available on Amazon.com
as is the soundtrack via Amazon's German site.

Original Post: One of the smarter teen romantic comedies out there. This is a film far more in the vein of Say Anything than American Pie III. Not that there's anything wrong with characters having sex with a pie but a movie like this is far rarer. The setup is simple. A German student too shy to ask out his crush finally invites her to a party. Only to accidentally insult her by insulting France - the country of her mother's birth. Before he knows it he's on a summer exchange visit to France in order to pull his foot out of his mouth. His near complete inability to speak French proves a bit of a handicap. I'd normally say that hilarity then ensues - but in truth it's a more subtle form of comedy that comes next. You get some amusing(and standard) fish out of water stuff but also his evolving feelings and attempts to share them. A fun pop soundtrack rounds out the package. This is the film I'd been waiting to see the whole festival without even knowing it's name. (4.5/5)

Cthulhu (USA)

Based (loosely I gather) on a story by HP Lovecraft (which was then further immortalized by Metallica) it merges a gay love story with coastal horror fare. A local production the house was packed with folks involved with the film. As befitting it's world premiere there was even a red carpet outside. Shot with a distinctive style that will be (very) familiar to those who watched Police Beat at SIFF a couple of years ago it sets a proper moody tone. It's a somewhat dark film and that does carry over into some footage which is almost too dark to see.

It starts out simple enough. A man estranged from his family comes home upon the death of his mother. He's stuck sticking around the seaside town (played by Astoria, Oregon I believe) and is reintroduced into the local weirdness. For a town allegedly aghast at his homosexuality they seem remarkably tolerant of truly bizarre things running around. Including large amount of abductions as well as Tori Spelling. Who does a great job for the record.

It held my interest though it wasn't a truly great film. Some of the acting is a little static - which also reminded me of Police Beat. So maybe it's on purpose. I found parts of it rather hard to follow - which I'm fairly sure is intended.

There's also an environmental message worked in, which may or may not be central to the storyline. If you're already familiar with this story I'm sure you'll want to see it. I'll have an update once I talk with someone who's read the source material and can compare how close it is to the original. If nothing else a comment at the end made me think about what AAA really spends membership fees on. (3/5)

The Bothersome Man (Norway)

Man somehow ends up in a society with no conflict, death, or flavor (literally). While this clearly works for most of the residents it grates on him. The film explores this central conflict as we watch to see how far he'll go in his quest to taste the hot chocolate. Great style and well put together. It's fun to watch relationships that seem to be based on nothing but poring over the Ikea catalog. But without a lot of real mystery and a "choice" that everyone probably agrees with I can't rate this at the top of festival offerings. Your mileage may vary (2.5/5)

7 Years (France)

The story of an unusual love triangle between a woman, her husband in jail and a prison guard. A sort of sad and different story about relationships, love and isolation. I really wanted to like this film but I didn't get super into it. Could be the late effects of the festival so I'm skipping any sort of numeric grade. With the exception of the wife none of the other characters were really sympathetic which made it tough for me to be pulled in. That said, significantly better than Drama/Mex if you need to choose for some reason.

Blood on the Flat Track: The Rise of the Rat City Rollergirls (USA)

Best screening with respect to audience energy at this year's SIFF - not even a close contest. The documentary follows a Seattle area startup women's roller derby league over a two year period. The league (Rat City Roller Girls) is made up of what appears to be in the neighborhood of 100 skaters distributed across several teams. The sport is both serious full contact athleticism coupled with a lot op showmanship. Flashy costumes, great team (Grave Danger, SockIt Wenches, etc.) and player names (Tash-ya 'Round, Bruise Lee, Elle Incarnate, Drew Blood, etc.). The "Flat Track" is a reference to the fact that most of these new roller derby leagues are based on a flat surface in comparison with earlier leagues that used a banked track. Such tracks mean an extra hurdle of having to buy one to start a league. The decision to play on a flat surface makes the current wave of do-it-yourself teams possible.

The energy in the theater was HUGE with what appeared to be the entire league in attendance for this flick. It was a lot of fun to watch all around. It's a very lively, attractive and slightly dangerous looking group. :-) A thing that struck me after the film was how fundamentally if differed from one about a male full contact sport. I can't recall a movie of that sort where every participant comes across as very nice and friendly off the field. These woman are beating the daylights out of each other for sport but none of them seem like they're doing it from a negative place. Watching the players in the theater before the film just reinforced this view. I'm sure there are exceptions but it really is striking when contrasted with other male dominated sports films.

Sadly, I'm guessing they won't be coming to every screening to scream and cheer each frame. That's definitely going to detract from your experience. I think there's some great material in the film. But I think the film could use was a little bit more in the way of teaching. There's a quick and well done intro to how the sport is played. However, it doesn't do as much as might be possible to explain what you're watching in all the following bout footage. I had a fun time at the screening which definitely taught me about a sport I really knew little about before. I've also got a good guess as to the Golden Space Needle award winner - especially if all the players decide to attend the second screening too. (http://www.ratcityrollergirls.com/)

Drama/Mex (Mexico)

The official description is accurate in a sense, though I'd choose different (and less positive) adjectives - "An engrossing, infectiously youthful drama, told in three interlinked stories, about love and despair amongst the wild young inhabitants of the shadier part of a decadent tourist resort in Acapulco, the former jewel of Mexico's Pacific coast.". This film didn't really work for me. I had trouble with the character's motivations and in generally caring much about them (1/5).

Vitus (Switzerland)

Sweet little tale of a super childhood prodigy (Vitus) navigating through life. Fed up with all the attention and expectations Vitus fakes an injury and pretends he's lost his special abilities. As you might expect he matures, comes to terms with his gifts and decides to use his powers for good. Lighthearted all the way through and fun to watch. (4.5/5)

Confession of Pain (Hong Kong)

From the makers of "Initial D" (a film that seemed to inspire Fast and the Furious - Tokyo Drift) comes a bit of a mashup between a detective story and buddy film. The twist is that one of the cops is sort of investigating the other. This was a lot of fun - though perhaps not fine cinema. :-). Confusing at times I still enjoyed the ride (4/5)

Nu (Netherlands)

I'm having a hard time summarizing, so instead I'll fall back to the festival guide description - "With his girlfriend lying in a coma in Paris, a Dutch man finds it increasingly difficult to maintain his grasp on reality. Enter a brash Dutch-American friend (director Jan-Willem van Ewijk), who takes him on a truly monumental road trip. A likeably unpretentious, effortlessly authentic film about the difficulty of moving on." Pretty accurate. I just couldn't get into the film for some reason. (2.5/5)

Sex and Death 101 (USA)

Winona Ryder plays a serial killer (OK - serial sleep inducer - literally) in this sort of annoying film. I think it's. supposed to be a comedy but laughs were few and far between. The beginning third is a bit on the crude side which is jarring giving the sort of light breezy feel they seem to be shooting for. It's sort of romantic comedy I suppose, though it's mostly a romance between the main character and his ego. Played accurately to the way it was written (it seems) by Simon Baker last seen (be me) on the short lived series Smith. The setup is that Baker's character a suave ladies man about to marry receives a list of all the women he well ever sleep with - and the list continues way past his new wife. Self doubt and other male traits then take over.

Greatly under used relative to his talent is the actor who plays Bunny Colvin on (the best show ever) The Wire. Though he does just fine with what's given to him. Ryder seems to be having a lot of fun with her character.

There is one reason to see it - a well placed reference to this being the right spot in the film for a montage. Several examples of such scenes are given. The writer deserves serious kudos for calling out the montage of a character learning Gymkata. Awesome! Though I just(2/5 for the film 5/5 for the Kevin Smith-esque reference to 80's schlock)

Sons (Norway)

Powerful and at times disturbing film about a group of young men confronting a pedophile who had victimized them at different times in their lives. Lars notices a man he recognizes while working at a public pool. He follows him after he leaves catching him the act with an underage boy. His next steps start the process of revealing his past to the boy and to himself. Part revenge fantasy meets reality part something else I can't quite put my finger on. This was a strong drama that I wanted to see all the way through even though the base material is uncomfortable. Well acted throughout.

The director was in attendance yielding one of the more unusual Q&A's I've seen so far. Largely from some strange audience questions. The director contributed a bit too - going out of his way to say he was puzzled that folks took away an impression that the film was about revenge. Which is surprising because to me the coming to terms done by some of the characters achieve clearly included the ability to strike back. Not to mention they play a rap song about revenge over the credits. (5/5 stars)

Another catchup

The time just seems to be flying by. I was completely caught up just a day ago, now I stand about 7 films behind. I guess it's to be expected as I just crossed the 80 mark. Still an amateur level by some folk's standards.

Walk the Talk (USA/Sweden) (3/5)
Nephew of a motivational speaker is brought to live with the much more well to do uncle. Part serious while still poking fun at the Tony Robbins set. Rather than just being a parody of a self-help guru the uncle turns out in a lot of ways to be the "real deal." I wouldn't run out to see it in theaters, but probably worth a rental.

Fresh Air (Hungary) (4/5)
A very simple but well told story of the relationship between a single mom and her daughter. The mother is an attendant in a washroom which in the beginning seems to really get under the daughter's skin. We watch as life events bring them to a closer understanding of each other. Light on dialog and flashy drama I was impressed with how effective it was at pulling me in. If you're looking for a chat-fest or to have the point told to you do look elsewhere. This is a real example of showing vs. telling.

Four Minutes (Germany) (5/5)
One of the better films I've seen here. Almost certain to make my top ten (once I get around to that). Former child prodigy in prison for murder meets aging piano teacher. Will each of them find redemption from their pasts? Will the inmate win the big contest at the end? Tune in for answers to these and other questions. Yes - that sort of picture. The description didn't grab me either but the film pulled me in and had me through the climactic scene.

The Paper Will Be Blue (Romania) (5/5)
Probably a good double bill with 12:08 East of Bucharest. Follows the crazy chaos during the night of the Romanian revolution. Tragic but well told story that really gives you a feel for what the anarchy during that time must have felt like. I didn't really feel like attending this screening but I'm glad I did.

The Banquet (Hong Kong/China) (3/5)
Beautifully filmed tragedy that has the feel of Shakespeare drama without the great writing (at least when reading the subtitles). In the beginning you'd be forgiven for mistaking this for a fantastical martial arts epic. It's really more of a story of royal intrigue. The guide says it's loosely based on Hamlet - though that seems like a minor stretch. It was interesting to look at, but dragged for me at times. I wasn't that interested in the story for the bulk of the film. The displays of senseless brutality didn't really add anything (even if they were historically accurate in some way). Much preferred Battle of Wits.

My Friend & His Wife (South Korea)(3.5/5)
New film from the director of Host & Guest which was on my list of faves from last year. While I preferred Host the latest effort was interesting and well acted. It was a little painful to watch due to the storyline at times. Relationship between a couple and the husband's best friend complicated by a family tragedy easily in the movie.

Miss Gulag (USA) (1.5/5)
Documentary on women in prison in Russia who take part in a beauty pageant. I'd heard good things going in. But the actual experience left me bored and with the feeling I hadn't really learned too much.

Surveillance (UK) (2.5/5)
Billed as a gay political thriller. But more a screed on pervasive surveillance cameras than anything else. I was sort of curious where it was going while I watched it - that combined with the clear attempt of the film-makers to do something different have me bumping up the rating a bit. But I'm not really recommending it. The story is that a high school teacher hooks up with a guy in a bar. Later he sees that same guy kidnapped and then reported dead. Then things get weird... There's a convoluted plot where folks are chasing the hero but he can't quite figure out who or why. Maybe strangest is how calm the hero seems with the whole thing. He doesn't seem to get riled up until very late in the film. The film-makers employee a device wherein they pretend the entire film is shot with
surveillance cameras. It's interesting at first but without a great story to go along with it I was strangely uninterested in the outcome.

Stealth (Switzerland/France) (2.5/5)
Searching for one's roots coupled with a road movie about a Swiss man who decides to explore his Polish roots in an obsessive way. There's nothing wrong with the film but it just wasn't able to grab me this late in the festival. May just have been me tonight. There are some parts that worked better than others.

Neptune Theater

I thought it might be nice try out my new photo blogging capability with some venue shots from those from out of town. Here's the Landmark Neptune theater in the University district. Great Mexican Mocha's available from the coffee shop next door.

Day Watch (Russia)

Sequel to last year's Night Watch - which I haven't seen. This is family melodrama within the context of (what appears to be an extraordinarily convoluted) supernatural mythology which includes magical chalk. No joke.

There's some very cool effects - and what on the surface appear to be interesting characters. But I couldn't really get into it. (2/5 stars)

Broken English (USA)

Parker Posey seeks true love as a NYC single. Maybe finds it with a Frenchman. Perfectly average romantic comedy with all the requisite one in a million long shots panning out. 'nuff said. (2.5/5)

Retribution (Japan)

Supernatural detective thriller from the director of Pulse. Actually he's the director of quite a few thrillers, but Pulse is the only one I'd seen previously. There's a similarity in style and theme (the latter to a smaller extent). Though from what I can recall the photography is a lot more lush in this effort. Retribution had me guessing right up to the last twist (a good thing). It's not freeze your blood scary but definitely isn't laid back either. I don't really love the horror/gore fests so this one was calibrated pretty well for me. Meaning that if you're looking to have the pants scared off you and have nightmares for weeks you might want to try something else (I keep hearing Them is good for that). A nice change of pace but not the genre I'd normally seek out - probably reflected in my rating. (3.5/5 stars)

American Shopper (USA)

This is allegedly a documentary on the birth of a new sport called "Aisling.". Aisling is a competitive and artistic take on supermarket shopping. Competitors have 3 minutes to pickup specific items while dancing along with their customized carts. It's a fabulous movie - lots of fun and touching human stories. But for some reason I'm having a hard time believing it's true. Maybe because the documentary starts with remarkably prescient shots - both from the moment of founding and during the actual competition. Whether it's true or a stealth "Best in Show" effort it works - well worth seeing. (5/5 stars)

Secret Festival #3/4

Wow - this was quite the experience today. On one hand I heard the best story ever about why a film was in the secret festival. On the other hand the movie was so terrible it started to ramp around to good. Best part was watching the reactions of the woman sitting next to me to the film's twists and turns.

The Missing Star (Italy/China)

An Italian engineer finds a flaw in a blast furnace right after it's sold to a Chinese company. He goes (on what appears to be his own dime) to China to track down the equipment and make the correction. This proves harder than it seems and his quest begins. He enlists the aid of a young female translator along the way. His search begins to have the feel of obsession for both of them. We take a tour from new China to the old as cultures clash and relationships are built. I was totally pulled into this film and feel I'll be absorbing the themes for days. This may well be my favorite in the festival so far. So I wanted to get a post out as soon as possible - do check it out. (5/5 stars)

The Boss of it All (Denmark)

New film from Lars von Trier (Manderlay, Dogville). An actor is hired to play the absentee "boss of it all" in a small IT firm. Of course it's less than the big boss is absent than he's truly a fictional character. The owner of the firm wanted to be liked by everyone so from day one he's told the employees that the president is in America tending to other interests. Allowing him to blame all unpopular decisions on the "boss of it all.". Then he's forced to produce the company's President for negotiations with an Icelandic firm. That's when the actor enters the picture. The company's actual employees are then keen to meet the person they've been hearing about for the past many years. Complicating things further is that the owner has told every employee customized "facts" about the boss to keep everyone happy.

The film is consistently funny. Some of it comes from the dysfunctional employees and true boss, some from the actor who takes his craft very seriously, and much of the rest from the manager from Iceland who hates the "emotional Danes." Better yet it probably has some solid lessons for people managed buried within. If nothing else the film gives ample evidence in support of the hypothesis from an earlier film that management strategies involving hugging are sinister. (5/5 stars)

Poltergay (France)

I think name of the film gives a pretty good idea what it's all about. But just in case here's the setup. A young couple moves into an old abandoned home. Apparently the lure of the fixer-upper is universal. Sadly this home has the non-corporeal presence of some former inhabitants. In this case the ghosts are a group of gay club goers who died in a freak soap-machine accident on the site in 1976. The couple are soon plagued by the ghosts - who only the male of the couple can see. Hilarity (or something slightly less than that at times) ensues. Sort of goofy fun - really grew on me during the second half. (3.5/5)

The Pervert's Guide to Cinema (UK)

If you've always thought Top Gun was a metaphor for gay sex this is the film for you. Or even if you just wanted to have an edge up in discussions on what the heck went on in the latest David Lynch film. Featuring philosopher/psychotherapist Slavoj Zizek essentially giving a lecture on his psychoanalytical take on sex and fantasy through cinema history. The literature says he's a "world famous" philosopher. Unfortunately (to the great horror of my parents) my education was pretty light on the great philosophers, not to mention the latest and greatest of today - so I'll have to take their word on it. Educational guilt aside this was an entertaining ride, all the more so in the midst of such an orgy of film viewing. A great collection of classic films are shown to make his points. The film is on the long side at 2.5 hours but it felt a lot faster than that. Once SIFF is over I've got to rent The Birds now and explore my new understanding that the attacking birds are symbolic of incestuous love... (4/5 stars)

The Silence (Australia)

Police procedural about a homicide detective who becomes obsessed with a case from the '60's. The screening started out like an episode of "When SIFF screenings go bad" with around 10 minutes of out of focus projection. After extended tweaking they got the film started, albeit projected at less than half of the full screen (and quite late). Even so it was the most interesting of the three things I saw on Friday. Has the feel of a Prime Suspect episode coupled with some dialog that's even harder to follow. With all the accents I could have used some subtitles. Not necessarily the best cop movie I've seen but it worked for today. (3.5/5 stars)

La Leon (Argentina)

There's a difference between slow films and ones in which not much happens. This movie (for me at least) fell into the latter category. Beautifully shot in rich black and white it follows a man through what seems like a lonely life in rural Argentina. The official festival description gives a sense of things, "In remote Northern Argentina, a ferry captain seeking to protect the locals from illegal loggers casts a wary eye on a young, gay harvester who's found most of his trysts among visitors. Their escalating adversity draws out hidden longings in this beautifully filmed study of isolation."

I must admit there are parts of the film I really didn't follow from a plot point of view. There's also a "sex" scene I don't quite understand the mechanics of (I'm sure anyone seeing the films knows what I mean and can feel free to enlighten me in the comments). It's not my favorite of the festival but I admired it's style and ability to hold my interest (3.5/5)

I Really Hate This Job (UK)

"I find hugging as a management strategy ... sinister." That (hard to dispute) insight by the dishwasher of the restaurant this film revolves around was the high point of this film. You can now feel free to see something else in its place. :-) That's not entirely fair as there was some other decent writing as the opening credits rolled. But overall this night in the lives of self-absorbed female employees of a restaurant was just annoying. There wasn't much of a story and none of the characters were very interesting. When Neve Campbell ends up naked all I could think was - thank goodness this must be near the end. By the closing credits you may also be thinking your job has less frustrating folks working there. (1/5 stars)

Hula Girls (Japan)

A dying coal mining town in one of the colder portions of Japan decides to open a "Hawaiian Center" vacation destination. Of course they'll need hula dancers. Who better than the coal miner's daughters to help out? Then cue the music. ... Nah, just joking. :-). While dancing does play a key part in the plot it's far from a musical. More of a drama crossed with "A League of Their Own.". There's actually a fair amount of overlap, some examples;

• The hard drinking initially unmotivated dance / baseball coach
• The girl brought in who was raised by the father as a boy ("please look after my daughter it's not her fault")
• The dancer/player with the son running around and teasing the other women

I thought I was imagining this until a scene with a bus following the coach that I'm pretty sure was in the Tom Hanks film.

The audience seemed to really enjoy the film. I thought it was pleasant but not engaging enough to truly love. I am curious about the fate of the Hawaii project and the town depicted. (3/5 stars)

Non-film review note: This was probably the worst screening so far - even given the recent one where someone's phone rang 2-3 times. Some woman behind me felt a need to share her emotional state throughout the film with her friends. Also not helping was the audience members screaming when there were some problems with sound. First off, it's not like they don't notice these things at festivals. It's not a megaplex where the projectionist is working the popcorn stand. Second, the movie is subtitled. Unless you're fluent in Japanese a few minutes without sound isn't killing your ability to follow along.

Spider Lilies (Taiwan)

For some reason I get the impression folks didn't really like this film. Partially from a review someone was showing me before the film and the rest from random remarks on the way out. But I sort of dug it. It's a bit of a convoluted story told on partially in dream like flashback. Focuses on the perception and impact of memories vs. reality through the emerging relationship between two women. One a tattoo artist the other a "webcam girl.". Notwithstanding the photo that publicizes the film this is more a story of the mind than the physical relationship between the women. So if that's the reason you're seeking this out you're likely to be disappointed.

Also - the woman sitting next to me would like you to know that counter to Tara's introduction, "Taiwan is not a country." Though I believe many living there might disagree. (4/5 stars)