Portland International Film Festival 2012 Recommendations

The Portland International Film Festival runs February 9-25th. That's a pretty healthy run and features a bunch of interesting films. The festival includes 93 feature length entries as well as 46 shorts. It's their 35th annual event putting it just slightly behind SIFF in age (I believe). I've been lucky enough to have seen sixteen of the films screening this year. The remainder of this post includes an entry for each on.

My understanding is that the full schedule won't be available until the 31st. But the folks behind the festival have made this wonderful PDF guide freely available for those who can't wait to start salivating over what they'd like to see.

Ones I highly recommend include (in no particular order): Las Acacias, Clown, Beyond the Road (aka Por el Camino), Declaration of War, Headhunters, To Be Heard, and Turn Me On, Dammit! - with Bullhead and Extraterrestrial close runners up.

If you actually want to know what I thought in more detail about each of the films, please continue reading...

Watch some Sundance Shorts From Home (or office)

The annual Sundance Film Festival is now in full swing in snowy Park City, Utah. If you're interested in checking out what's playing they of course have a guide online. Perhaps more immediately satisfying though is the ability to watch nine of the participating short films online - right now. They occasionally make you sit through a commercial at the start and the player can be a bit wonky, but it seems worth the effort. I'm taking some time to watch myself, and so far it's been fun. Though I think it's worth pointing out upfront that Debutante Hunters is a documentary about female hunters in South Carolina. As opposed to a genre thriller about the hunting of debutantes. In case that knowledge would sway your viewing one way or another. Truth be told it's quite good even though my initial reaction was disappointment. ;-) Oh, and so far I've got to say I thought Long Distance Information was sort of brilliant. And I've still got lots more to go.

Back to watching ...

Let My People Go! (France)

Bright beautiful colors, this home for the (Passover) holidays gay themed French farce has only one problem. But it's a pretty big one for me. Little ... actual ... laughing. I so so so wanted to love this film. But it left me feeling pretty flat. There are a few things that made me chuckle. For example the Golda Meir themed aerobics studio. Or the "Coming Out of Egypt party" at a gay nightclub with its over the top Passover theme. And I did like the boyfriend's super-new-agey mom. But overall I just kept feeling the script was trying too hard. The setup seemed funny, but hilarity never ensued.

The picture starts out in Finland where the main character, a postman of French Jewish descent lives with his partner. One day on his route he ends up with a large envelope stuffed with Euro bills and a seemingly dead man (the original intended recipient of the cash). After a fight related to trust issues with the boyfried he's kicked out and heads back home to his wacky Jewish family. Where he embarks on dealing with a series of family issues. With only time off to "accidentally" sleep with the family's much older lawyer. Oh, almost forgot - somehow they end up arrested after an incident involving a gun and assaulting a law enforcement officer.  Crazy, righ! Whatever ... great attempt - but just didn't work for me. Based on the audience reaction I may be alone in that assessment. I can certainly see why it was programmed at Palm Springs. With gay, Jewish themes buried within a fluffy window of French farce it's as close to a sure thing audience draw as they're ever gonna get.

I skipped Sundance for this?...

Just to be clear, I'm pretty sure I remember moving to the Pacific Northwest in part because there wasn't supposed to be a lot of snow. Now, honestly we haven't had a truly huge amount. But between the hills and the near pathological animosity it seems most municipalities have to removing snow, even a little goes a long way. After a couple of days feeling trapped in the house with nothing but a stack of Independent Spirit Awards "for your consideration" screeners to keep me company I finally decided to go for a walk. As it turns out it's rather pretty outside. And at least the kids seem to be having a good time. Plus I do have a big stack of movies to get through, not to mention Palm Springs reviews. So could be worse.

In case you're wondering - yes, I in all seriousness chose to not try Sundance this year because I didn't see the point in trudging around in snow and cold weather. The fates really do have an ironic sense of humor... 

Footnote (Israel)

One of the films I got to checkout in Palm Springs was Footnote, Israel's national submission for the 2012 Foreign Language Oscar. When the director was introduced he asked something along the lines, "you do know you're all here to see a film about Talmudic scholars - right?" This is the sort of heavy, talky guilt ridden film about not especially nice but remarkably smug folks that some folks tend to really love. Not entirely unrelated - one should ignore the comparisons to A Serious Man which the festival catalog throws out without in my view any real basis.

I was a little surprised with how much the trailer below gives away - so you might want to skip it if you have any interest in seeing the film.

The picture starts with an older man begrudgingly getting dragged out of the house and to an award ceremony he clearly doesn't want to be at, for his adult son.  These two are the main characters. Talmudic scholars both - but taking different approaches to academic life. Uriel (the son) has achieved significant professional success, eclipsing his father Eliezer. Uriel relishes the accolades of his peers, to the extent that one new professor is given advice to be sure to always somehow be praising him. Eliezer has a strict purist interpretation of how to behave - he spent 30 years chasing a theory without publishing only to lose credit at the last minute when a competitor finds proof of his theory in an old manuscript. He finds little value in the work of most others - and also tends to look absolutely miserable. When Eliezer is selected for the incredibly prestigious Israel prize after decades of declines there is a dramatic change in both men. In some ways good, in others bad - but certainly with lots of drama, guilt, and soul searching.

Uriel is the more fully sketched character, and while neither man is especially likable, in the third act Uriel steps up in a dramatic way that makes it hard not to respect him. It also makes the final recognition he faces that perhaps others in the establishment were right about his father's achievements all the more painful. Visually Footnote is warm and rich and the performances are nothing to sneeze at. The narrator driven structure early in the film which fills in the biographical details of the parties I found particularly well done. It's the story and ability to connect with the characters that left me a tad put-off. On the surface I didn't greatly care for Footnote, though upon reflection I've found additional depth that that's making the film slowly grow on me. It's an interesting watch, with an unclear payoff but at least something to ponder later. And there is a random female character that no attempt is ever made to explain. I do sort of love that.

Clearly members of the Academy loved the film enough to put it in the top 9 for the foreign language Oscar. As such you might want to take my limited enthusiasm with a grain of salt.

Declaration of War (France)

A glance across a crowded nightclub and a connection is made. He flings a tablet of ecstasy across the room. Her mouth smartly interrupts its path mid flight. Unstoppably drawn to each other they soon leave together much to the chagrin of her date for the evening. It's a dynamic start to a powerful relationship. Love at first sight crossed with Nancy Reagan's worst nightmare*. A fabulously shot meet cute tainted only by their realization that he's named Romeo and she Juliette. "We're doomed" one exclaims. That's true of course, but not before a lot of ground is traveled. And it's a hell of a wonderful ride...

Before the above transpires the Declaration of War opens at a doctor's office with their elementary school aged son. The start in that setting 5-6 years in the future ensures viewers know there are problems ahead. Whether you should take that visit as everything works out or not shouldn't be spoiled by any review. After they meet there's a respite as Romeo and Juliet fall hard for each other, move in and start a family. While their meeting was chance and sudden they are a great couple where the love at first sight wasn't just Cupid screwing with them. It's clear these two are actually right for each other.

As their baby son Adam grows they struggle with the sort of issues new parents are faced with. As always in the movies that's represented by incessant crying causing them to worry something is seriously wrong. Until they find a patient and wise pediatrician who sets their minds at ease. Things are good again until a series of small things trigger a terrifying diagnosis. The couple resolves to fight. Putting their faith in their doctors and deriving support from each other and their families.** Their declaration of war is most openly on the cancer, but from the presentation of the film you'd be reasonable to interpret it further as a fight against despair. And possibly against the typical movie of the week treatment of such an undesired "adventure."

About this point if I were reading this description of the film I would be thinking about all the things I'd rather do that sit through such a sad state of affairs. Normally that'd be the right call for me. But Declaration of War is so different that skipping it would be a huge mistake. First off, Romeo and Juliette behave like real people. Albeit really really good people. They get frustrated, mad, depressed and at times are just desperately in need of a break. They exaggerate the highs at times and behave in ways some would view as irrational - if they've never had to deal with a major life threatening illness for themselves or a child. But they're also still very much in love - and that aspect makes the film watchable. Painful, yes. But beautifully so. There's also music and visuals well integrated to make this a crazy emotional ride that will make you cry without feeling like a manipulative tearjerker. Leaving the viewer with what I think is a more honest telling of this sad sad story than most filmmakers would produce. The direction by Valérie Donzelli (who plays Juliette) creates a look of a much an older French classic (the poster's illusions to Truffaut feel fair). The script by Donzelli and Jérémie Elkaïm (who plays Romeo) always never hits a false note. It's just a joy to see something like this.

In short Declaration of War is a wonderful film. There's a lot that could have gone wrong. But somehow the film threads the needle perfectly. Producing something that feels realistic, life-affirming, beautifully painful at times, visually creative and joy to watch. A large part of that is likely due to the couple, if one doesn't buy into them no amount of craft would cover that sin. Thankfully it worked - producing a film guaranteed to earn a spot on my best of 2012 list.



* Due to the casual drug usage that's rewarded by a great romance, not because they're French.

** Only as I wrote this review did I realize how implicitly positive the entire piece is about the French health care system. Sadly, I expect a US version of this would have had to devote considerable time to the parent fighting with an insurance company, or at least worrying how to continue coverage when they both stop working at some point. 

Tatsumi (Singapore)

I don't consider myself especially a fan of manga. As such this animated film described as biographical material about a famous Japanese comic artist seemed like a stretch for me. But I'm glad I decided to give it a try as Tatsumi is a fascinating immersion into a world I didn't really know existed. And isn't that at least some of the time why we go to the movies?  Tatsumi is a cinematic adaptation of Tatsumi Hoshihiro's autobiographical book "A Drifting Life." He's a leading figure (and I gathered the originator) of a sub-category of Japanese manga called Gekiga. Which are comics/graphic-novels that are intended for adults. Not because they're full of fornicating octopuses, but because they deal with more serious, often darker subject matter and are drawn in a realistic manner. I'd imagine it's similar to the comic book vs "graphic novel" distinction made here. 

I've included a trailer for the film that shows the graphical motion-comic feel of the picture - usually I'm not big on trailers but in this case the picture equaling a thousand words cliche is apt. The film includes stories that Tatsumi is famous for, as well as a stand-in character that narrates his growth as an artist, and the creation of the Gekiga concept. While I found the biography part interesting it was the five Tatsumi stories adapted to the screen that kept me riveted. They're not light subject matter, and parts could be offensive to some. But they're all incredibly emotionally evocative. In particular a tale of survivor guilt after Hiroshima early in the film around a photograph that didn't necessarily depict the meaning people ascribed to it was incredibly powerful. The look of the work onscreen varies with the themes and timeframe being depicted, but it's consistently sharp and eye catching.

It's impossible to sense anything but deep love by the director Eric Khoo for Tatsumi's work. Even though it's the first time I'd been exposed to the material that affection is plainly clear. The film isn't necessarily going to turn me into a Gekiga reader by itself - but it absolutely opened my mind to the concept and piqued my curiosity in a serious way. I'm very grateful that Singapore chose to submit this film for their national foreign language Oscar candidate. Otherwise I suspect it wouldn't have made it's way to Palm Springs where I saw it last week. As befitting it's slightly edgier material at times and unusual style (things that play better at Fantastic Fest than Palm Springs) there were some walkouts during the screening I attended. It's been my experience that as long as I'm not the one leaving, people exiting early in Palm Springs is a sign there's something original and exciting onscreen. Tatsumi does not break that rule. This wasn't one of my absolute favorites of my festival trip - but it's certainly one of the more interesting and unexpected screenings I attended.

Palm Springs Film Festival Trip Review - Part I

As it doesn't get easier the longer I wait suppose I should get started talking about some of the films I watched in Palm Springs. Ended up watching about 20.4 films. I did a quick recap the other day with the list of films by name. Today I'm going to start with some mini reviews. Some may get expanded on - depending on how the spirit moves me. If you're interested in checking out the entirety of my Palm Springs 2012 Festival coverage this link will display it all.

My favorite films of the festival that I watched, either before or during the festival (in no specific order) include:

• Declaration of War (France)
• A Separation (Iran)
• Las Acacias (Argentina)
• Sound of My Voice (USA)
• Headhunters (Norway)
• The Sandman (Switzerland)
• Elite Squad II (Brazil)
• Pariah (USA)
• Bullhead (Belgium)

Some runner's up include:

• Turn Me On, Dammit! (Norway)
• Tatsumi (Singapore)
• Attenberg (Greece)
• Piña (Germany)

Though there are several other films such as Gypsy (Slovakia) and Pig (USA) which were also well worth a watch as well.

And now more detail on some of the films. Given the number of films involved I'm going to break things up into multiple posts. Roughly in the order I viewed them at the festival. If you're looking for details on the films at Palm Springs I screened earlier in the year they're summarized here. I plan to break things up with some longer form reviews of specific films as well.  So let's get on with it...

Gypsy (Slovakia) - a slice of life/coming of age film. Not surprisingly about a gypsy boy and how he deals with the turmoil of his father dying, his uncle marrying his mom, racist run ins with everyone and a girlfriend who might be sold off. With a random appearance by able couple of ostriches as a bonus. Tough to say how realistic the depiction is - but as you can imagine there are definite moments of bleakness in the picture. The performance of the lead is compelling and the look is solid with some interesting presentation quirks that spice things up. Gypsy is Slovakia's submission to this year's foreign language Oscar category. Oh, and upon a friend pointing it out, there's a more than passing resemblance to Hamlet as well I suppose. Generally liked this one.

Back to Your Arms (Lithuania) - a few months before the Berlin wall went up a girl plans to meet her father. Separated years earlier in Lithuania both are desperately excited to be reunited. But everyone around the girl worries she's being used as a cold war pawn - destined to be spirited away behind the iron curtain. The goings on about the East German side of things certainly make it seem they may not be overly paranoid. With a strong visual sense of place and nothing ever directly spelled out for the viewer Lithuania's Oscar submission could have been a real winner for me. But a lack of emotional attachment to either of the characters left me feeling somewhat vacant about the proceedings. Intellectually interested but emotionally uninvolving, at least for me. Not my strongest watch of the festival.

P-047 (Thailand) - Sometimes you've got to take a risk at a festival. While it didn't come in at 100-1 I still believe P-047 paid off in my favor. I sort of dug it, though it's unusual enough I'm reluctant to broadly recommend the film.

Two friends have a hobby. It works for them. Though probably not the for the folks whose lives they "borrow." One is a master locksmith who hasn't seen a door he can't open. The other is a former movie set continuity specialist, skilled in the art of consistency even after a space has been moved through. Together they relish entering stranger's homes, rifling trough their possessions and just hanging out. Theft is not the goal. In fact it's against their rules. For the most part.

Not surprisingly eventually things don't go smoothly all the time. At which point things transition from what seems like a simple and appealing premise to something less linear in time and a bit dreamier. By the time it's done the picture feels like a criminal slacker slice of life drama crossed with Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall his Past Lives. Minus the fish on girl action. I won't say more about the film's title or attempt to explain the recurrent and out of nowhere peacock theme.

There may be three great films stuffed within P-047, all of which on their own I'd like to see. Together they may actually be lesser as a group. While not perfect P-047 was worth the watch. Even if I'm not sure how many folks would agree with me.

Turn Me On Dammit! (Norway) - I thought this coming of age story of a teen dealing with her runaway libido was funny, sweet and well done. Motivating me to write a longer standalone post. I think it's worth checking out when the opportunity presents itself. Enjoyed this film for its frankness, humor and especially due to the strong performance by Helene Bergsholm as Alma. She's both sympathetic and believable in the role portraying the main character as a real, feeling person. An interesting and well integrated soundtrack complements the charming mood. While Bergsholm is a standout by virtue of her need to carry the concept on her shoulders all of the characters deliver. Including Alma's mom whose dealing with her own sexual issues as well as coming to terms with her daughters's. The latter dealing occasionally requiring earplugs. 

Declaration of War (France) - This film was my top fave of things I saw during the festival. It's also France's submission for the academy award in the best foreign language film category. Though personally, for me both this and A Separation ought to be competing in the Oscar's main best picture section. The film deserves a full review, and I'm going to deliver just that. But for now I'll just say it's a wonderful film. A love story of two people who are instantly drawn to each other and create a life together. It's also a story of them starting a family with all the attendant hopes and dreams - only to have them far too soon put in peril by the discovery of their son's brain tumor. They decide to fight, and fight hard. Yes, I know this sounds like the most depressing movie ever, regardless of the outcome. And if I told you there were bright colors and occasional musical interludes you wouldn't be wrong to worry that it could be trivializing something incredible personal and painful. But somehow the film threads the needle perfectly. Producing something that feels realistic, life-affirming, beautifully painful at times, visually creative and joy to watch. A large part of that is likely due to the couple, if one doesn't buy into them no amount of craft would cover that sin. Thankfully it worked - producing what I felt was a film guaranteed to earn a spot on my best of 2012 list.

Omar Killed Me (Morocco) - Based on a true story about a Moroccan immigrant to France who worked as a gardener until he was accused and improbably convicted for a brutal crime. The film demonstrates that the US isn't the only nation with an occasional staggeringly confusing miscarriage of justice. Or at least that's how the film presents the case. I don't really know anything about the details of the true crime and trial. As a film Omar Killed Me produces a sense of tension and drama with solid performances throughout. The title comes from the purported fingering of Omar as the killer by the dying woman, writing the accusation in her own blood. Omar is presented as an honest if naively positive fellow whose proximity to the crime and gambling problem combine with the authority's confidence that he's the guy to send him to prison for quite a while. Sort of the way these stories often play out. It's well directed, well acted and a very solid piece of work both behind and in front of the camera.

Pina (Germany) - I'm not a huge fan of modern dance, my positive review of Step Up 3D notwithstanding. But when other folks kept talking online about how incredible the film Pina was I decided to give it a try. The film is a tribute to the famous choreographer Pina Bausch and it's a  visually stunning piece of work. Shot in 3D (which is how you should see it) the picture consists of largely nonverbal stagings of many of Pina's (I gather) famous works. I suspect many who aren't dance fans will still be blown away. I'm glad I saw it even though I wasn't that into the dancing. Intellectually it's easy to recognize how impressive it is. Emotionally my heart still wasn't really there. But even so I recognize German's entry for the foreign language Oscar this year as a worthy contender. In Seattle the film will open at the Cinerama theater starting February 10th. That is where you want to see it. No joke. Do not cut corners and see it elsewhere. This deserves to be seen on the big screen and with high quality projection. Even if I personally didn't fall in love with it.

Miss Bala (Mexico) - I'd been excited to see Mexico's submission to the Oscars since hearing a piece about it on NPR. Dealing head on with the horrible drug cartel driven violence it has generated some controversy back at home. A tragic drama about a young girl who just wants to compete for the Miss Baja competition but gets sucked deeper and deeper into a world of violence and intrigue. Of which every part of society is shown as complicit. She's quickly made just another pawn of the drug business, forced to herself commit the crimes that continue to destabilize Mexican society. I'll have a longer form review in the not too distant future, along with a portion of the Q&A I shot featuring the director and producer. The filmmakers indicated they set out to make a statement, and the main (albeit small) criticism I have is that focus may have detracted from deeper characters. The main gangster most notably largely comes across as a caricature. Though one of an incredibly masterful multi-tasker. I met a lot of folks who were more negative on the film than I am. The performances were significant enough for me to care about the predicament that Laura (Miss Bala) found herself in. And the action sequences while not intended to be as pulse pounding as something like Elite Squad II still came across as pretty immediate and demanding of attention. The film didn't quite live up to my highest expectations but didn't really disappoint either. Though I do suspect the Oscar selection status has more to do with the subject matter than the overall film's level of awesomeness. Given the value of reminding folks how serious things are in Mexico that would be a really understandable decision.



That's all for now - more Palm Springs reviews coming as quickly as I can handle 'em...

A history of documentaries that are truly punk rock

Regular readers may have noticed I have a bit of a fondness for documentaries (and narrative works) dealing with punk/hardcore music themes. Whether that's straight docs like American Hardcore or more niche ones such as Taquacore - The Birth of Punk Islam I'm usually up for giving such films a shot. To the extent that I sat through a full screening of Class of 1984 just because it was screening as part of the book launch of the fantastic Destroy All Movies!!! The Complete Guide to Punks on Film. So it was a positive surprise when a friend on Twitter reminded me about Amazon's film blog. Not because of the blog itself, but because of a truly fantastic writeup of punk documentaries written by Paul Gaita. Normally I don't post strictly to point readers to another article. But in this case if you share any of my interest in this genre you'll want to take a read through his comprehensive piece. And he's so right about what a sad state it is that some of the best efforts in this space (such as The Decline of Western Civilization is not available on DVD). I remember watching some of the films mentioned on VHS with friends in high school. Others I've yet to see. But it's a roadmap of viewing well worth bookmarking in your browser.

Turn Me On, Dammit!

This film was described in the Palm Springs festival guide as being a  rare work that deals with the sexuality of a young woman. And that's certainly true. If you were to believe this film some girls want it just as much as their male counterparts. At least in Norway. Shocking, I know!

The film centers around Alma (Helene Bersholm) who lives in some out in the sticks part of the country. Hanging out with her friends they all just want to get the heck out of town as soon as possible. Being just shy of 16 that's going to be a wait. As alluded to in the title Alma seriously wants to get laid. Until she can convince her neighbor boy crush to wake up and tend to her she has to make due on her own. Her mind supplies ample diversions revolving around almost everyone she runs into. And when that's not enough she manages to run up quite a phone sex bill. At an alcohol fueled house party (I know ... these teens drink too!) she almost has some success with that neighbor boy - though his awkwardness leads to serious complications for her. His incredibly inept come-on and Alma's recalling it to her friends (one of which is very jealous) results in her rapidly becoming the town  teen's outcast. As well as the film's most memorable line, "he poked me with his dick." Which really does become funnier each time it's used. It's a more literal and less euphemistic description of events than many readers may be interpreting it as.

I really enjoyed this film for its frankness, humor and strong performance by Helene Bergsholm as Alma. She's both sympathetic and believable in the role portraying Alma as a real, feeling person. An interesting and well integrated soundtrack complements the charming mood. While Bergsholm is a standout by virtue of her need to carry the concept on her shoulders all of the characters deliver. Including Alma's mom whose dealing with her own sexual issues as well as coming to terms with her daughters'. The latter occasionally requiring earplugs. 

Turn Me On, Dammit! isn't an earth shattering story. But it is well told. Not to mention ultimately both sweeter and more explicitly direct than a US version of the same film likely would be. Taken together I do think that makes the film special. If you're easily offended by sexual topics and have your head in the sand about teens' hormone driven desires this isn't the film for you. It is seriously not. But for those who might enjoy a smidge of gender reversal around their coming of age sex comedies I think you'll find exactly what you're looking for.

Palm Springs Film Festival - The Photo Tour

So, I'm back from Palm Springs, meaning I should have plenty of time to sit down and start writing about the films I saw. But as it turns out I'm actually pretty tired. So instead on my first night back I plunked myself down to watch the twisty, puzzle-like bit of headgames called Pig which screened at the festival. And while I enjoyed it I still wasn't ready to start doing some writing. Therefore, I'm going to do the lazy thing and share some of my photos from the trip. There's nothing really earth shattering in this collection - but if you've been curious why someone might want to fly to Palm Springs, California this may give you a little bit of a better idea.

You should be able to click onto the images to get a better view. Especially valuable for the panorama images. I still have a few unused photos, but they're from Q&A sessions (Miss Bala and Pig) so those will wait until the reviews.

Don't fret though - I'm hoping to start writing in earnest tomorrow...

The Regal Cinema which is the backbone of the festival in my view. Lots of screens, central location and the only really nice Regal theater I've ever been in. Think Lincoln Square Cinemas in Bellevue quality - if not nicer.

The Regal - lit up with some neon like goodness

Just a random shot from the streets of Palm Springs looking up at the hills that bound the town on one side.

The Camelot Theater which is the other multi-screen venue used during the festival. An easy shuttle ride or a nice walk (if it's not too hot) from the Regal. In addition to popcorn/candy this theater includes a small (and slow) snack shack that serves up ridiculously large sandwiches, salads, wine, and smoothies. The smoothies turned out to be quite tasty. Made with actual fruit and yogurt they're delicious, reasonably priced and the closest one tends to get to a fruit during the fest.

The upstairs of the Camelot boasts a full bar, tables and this year food service after 3pm. Though that might have been going on in the past and I just didn't pick up on it.

The Camelot marque at night.

Another snapshot of the hills. Taken as I walked between the Regal and Camelot theater.

An attempt to photograph the way beautiful moon on display outside the Camelot one night. Unfortunately I didn't quite have things setup correctly. Was distracted by needing to keep an eye on my place in line.

One of the main charms of my hotel was the 2 block proximity to the Regal theater. The other was this off my balcony sight line to Sherman's. Where I once again managed to avoid eating a heart attack on a plate pastrami sandwich made between two latkes.

Turns out that iPhone with enough light and a cheap little app can make some pretty nice panoramic pictures. Here's one shot across a vacant lot I walked by on way to Camelot after dropping off my one day rental car at the airport.

Probably the largest of the Palm Springs venue is the auditorium of the local high school. I'm not a huge fan of this theater. But it's generally easy to get into, the local students run a nice little concession featuring bananas, and if you wanted a free flag there's lots of opportunity to sneak one out.

There's a free shuttle that stops at each venue every 15 minutes. I loves me a fest that doesn't require a car.

This year I managed to find my way into the press/guest/industry lounge held at the hotel across the street from the Regal. Wish I'd discovered this oasis earlier in the festival. Lots of handy snacks and free drinks. Not to mention breakfast and a complimentary happy hour each evening. Membership does have its privileges.

Some of the functional swag from the lounge. Icelandic Glacial water was a sponsor. Once I discovered the lounge there was no longer a hydration problem - nor a popcorn one anywhere in sight.

Short Update on the films I saw during Palm Springs 2012

I'm going to come back over the next week or two and write at least something about about each of the films I've seen at this year's Palm Springs International Film Festival. But for now, the night before my final partial day (where I may only see one film if that) I wanted to catalog what I'd seen. And call out some of the best things in case it's helpful for folks attending the festival in the second half (especially in the Monday best of fest event).

The recap of all the films I saw pre-festival is in an earlier post. Some of my favorites from before PSIFF started include Sound of My Voice, Headhunters, The Sandman, Elite Squad II, Pariah, and Bullhead.

From the films I saw during the festival the strongest recommendations I have (in order) go to Declaration of War, A Separation, Las Acacias. Don't dare miss any of these when the opportunity presents itself. Additional things I sort of dug at an elevated level are Tatsumi, Turn Me On, Dammit! and Attenberg. With a special call out of Piña which is an absolute must see (and in 3D) if you love dance. I do not, hence the caveat.

Actually, almost everything I saw was at least worth a watch for one reason or another. With the notable exception of Thin Ice which I couldn't even bring myself to watch the second half of. I also had really mixed feelings about Let My People Go. In what's supposed to be a comedy I rarely laughed. But the concept of a Passover based home for the holidays picture mashed up with a gay comedy of errors (in French) made me want to love it. Sadly, I just couldn't. Though the concept of a Golda Meir themed aerobics study did make me chuckle.

If anyone is interested in a digital copy of the big thick festival catalog they've got it online now for free.

I end with a list of the films I saw (as of Tuesday night) in order. Before I go I want to throw out another big thank you to all the staff and volunteers that really make the festival work. Without your patience, savvy and perseverance this thing would have been sheer anarchy. While I met plenty of grumpy attendees (this is Palm Springs after all) I did not meet a single staffer or volunteer that wasn't friendly, helpful and super professional.

1. Gypsy (Slovakia)
2. Back to Your Arms (Lithuania)
3. P-047 (Thailand)
4. Turn Me on Dammit! (Norway)
5. Declaration of War (France)
6. Omar killed me (Morocco)
7. Piña (Germany)
8. Miss Balla (Mexico)
9. Tatsumi (Singapore)
10. Footnote (Israel)
11. Let My People Go (France)
12. We Need to Talk About Kevin (UK)
13. Attenberg (Greece)
14. Happy Happy (Norway)
15. A Separation (Iran)
16. Goodbye First Love (France)
17. Terraferma (Italy)
18. Thin Ice (US) (first half only and that was more than enough for me)
19. Las Acacias (Argentina)
20. The Student (Argentina)

One other additional non-movie thing I did do was attend the "Awards Buzz Cocktail Party" thanks to the generosity of my new film festival friend Tim of Ottawa's festival. He was nice enough to invite me along. I was a bit too tired to take full advantage of the mingling opportunities - but I did get a chance to catchup with some folks, including SIFF's own Carl Spence. Though technically Carl has a pretty big role in Palm Springs as well. Not to mention picking up this handy dandy guide to all the Foreign Language Oscar submissions that appeared during PSIFF 2012. The fact that it coincidentally was in the lobby of my hotel made it all the more convenient.

Pariah

When I'd heard a description of Pariah I wasn't expecting much. A coming of story about a teenager dealing with her identity as a lesbian and her family's refusal to believe it was true. Let's be honest, it sounds like a story we've heard before. Probably more than once in different forms. Given all that I couldn't be more pleased to say how wrong I was. As it turns Pariah out made my list of favorite things I watched in 2011. Just squeaking in under my personal wire, as I saw the film in the last days of the year. It's a worthy addition to the coming of age genre and deserves to be seen.

It's hard to overstate how well put together the actors are here. With the exception moment of some parts with Alike's mother there was never a moment when I felt I was watching people acting. While painful at times because of sympathy for the characters it was a very enjoyable watch, with strong doses of humor mixed in with the drama. Basically, I really, really liked this film. Don't let it slip out of town without giving it a chance.

This is just the summary version of my thoughts on Pariah. The full review can be read over at Three Imaginary Girls.

The Big List of Palm Springs Film Festival IMDB Links - 2012

Thanks to some clever and I assume time consuming work by technically inclined film fan and Palm Springs attendee Jeff Parsons I'm pleased to be able to share a very handy spreadsheet including all the films at Palm Springs 2012, times, links to their IMDB page, and a snapshot of the film's IMDB user rating.

The link above should allow you to get access to full spreadsheet goodness including the genre type, full description, running length, etc.  I've pulled out just the basics following the jump.  Clicking the title of any film below should take you straight over to IMDB to read more about the film.

If you want to sort things just click on the table titles. Allowing you to for example look solely at the most highly rated IMDB rated reviews. Not that I'd put too much stock in that. Besides the fact that your taste may be far from the IMDB mainstream there's another issue. When a film is relatively unseen (as hopefully some PSIFF films are) the user ratings on IMDB can be more easily swayed by friendly reviews. You'll occasionally see a film with a super high average rating filled with superlative after superlative. At least until the film screens, at which point more down to earth reviews roll in. Such bi-modal ratings distributions can be signs of trouble (or greatness I suppose). Hence as with any rating system it's good to take it with a grain of salt unless you look deeply into the details. In short, your mileage may vary. If the why isn't obvious then perhaps this great cartoon from XKCD to the right will illustrate the potential problem.

My Memorable 2011 Movie Related Moments

Already nostalgic for 2011 I've collected some of my most memorable movie related moments of the past year. Just not ones involving a film exactly. Instead I took some time to reflect on some of the most interesting, surreal, and fun moments I had around film related topics in the last year. Most if not all of them came about because of the time I put into this site. Something I need to keep in mind when I'm not so in the mood to recall my thoughts on the last dozen films I've seen. I've not exactly been the Zelig or Forrest Gump of big movie events of 2011 - but I certainly cannot complain about the places I've been.

In no particular order some of the cool film related experiences I've had this year...

Attending one of the most talked about screenings of SXSW 2011

Being in Austin during the SXSW festival is a trip for a lot of reasons. It's crowded, it's fun, and there's a party atmosphere taking over the entire city that's hard to effectively describe. I wouldn't say I always see my favorite films of the year there, but the audiences are diverse and fascinating and the venues are incredible. I've only been twice so far but it would be a hard event to skip going forward. There are a lot of great moments from this year's event, but one of the standouts (by a wide margin) was the late night screening of The FP I attended. The film wasn't bad, but it was the audience not the film that had the 'net buzzing post screening. Specifically the members of the production that were so drunk that they were screaming at the screen for a significant percentage of the film. Enthusiastically I should say. Apparently it caused a conundrum for Alamo staff who are famously strict about throwing folks out who are disruptive. Generally (and not surprisingly) they aren't put in a position to ask the people who made the film to leave their own screening. Personally, it didn't bother me excessively - but it was amusing to have first hand experience of the event which I was reading about online the next morning. One of the best writeups of the event was by Eric D. Snyder and is both accurate and amusing. My review of the film along with some video of the Four Loko drinking contest that proceeded the screening (and I'm sure in no way contributed to the mayhem) can be read here.

SXSW is source of a huge number of runner up experiences, from saying hello to future mega star Brit Marling on the street outside the Paramount Theater to attending the world premier of Zombie Girl subject Emily Hagins' new film My Sucky Teen Romance. You can checkout all my adoring SXSW coverage here. 

Crispin Glover interview

Crispin Glover is an actor with a flair for creating memorable characters. From Back to the Future to Hot Tub Time Machine, he can make even a small role stand out. He's also an unusual fellow who has made some rather noncommercial films (It is Fine! Everything is Fine and What is It?) Thanks to Three Imaginary Girls where my friend Amie is always encouraging me to take these leaps and The Northwest Film Form (who hosted the films in January) I had a chance to interview Glover. Not in the face to face sense, but via an extended back and forth via email. That in itself was pretty special, but the fact that the article sparked discussion later on one of my favorite blogs Techdirt made the experience unforgettable.  


Meeting Short Filmmakers at SIFF

Cataplexy

Things have really been rocking and rolling for the Seattle International Film Festival crew this year. With the opening of the film center and the acquisition of three additional screens at the Uptown there's been a lot going on. The festival as always was a hoot in 2011. My favorite off-screen moment at the fest this year was a party I attended after a screening of Saigon Electric. Many of the filmmakers from that year's SIFF Shortsfest were in attendance. I'd reviewed a lot of the content for the 2011 shorts mini festival which meant in practice that I'd written most of the total coverage for those films at SIFF. So it was fun to talk with all of the filmmakers there, and I learned a ton about their motivations and projects over the course of the night. In particular I had a fantastic time chatting (along with Imaginary Amie) with John Salcido the director of Cataplexy, one of my favorite shorts at the festival. It was a great night full of the sort of magical moments one hopes for when they think about attending a film festival.

The new SIFF Film Center Opening
As I mentioned above this year SIFF opened their new Film Center which houses office space, educational resources and a new jewelbox theater. I supported the fundraising out of the expected sense of satisfaction from the organization finally having a permanent home. From a selfish perspective I also gained the possibility of someday being able to have the following conversation with a theater-goer who has poached my perch while I'm off at the restroom. It would go something like this:

• (me) Excuse me, I'm sorry, but you're sitting in my seat.
• (seat stealer who improbably has a tough guy Brooklyn accent) Oh yeah? What, has the seat got your name on it or something?
• (me) Actually, it sort of does...

Yes - I have endowed a seat at SIFF Cinema. It's not exactly a location I would have chosen within the theater, but it is on the aisle at least. And I am willing to overlook the fact that it somewhat looks like the seat is used pre-owned. I'm very proud to have done something helpful. Even if the plaque wasn't really big enough to include the Buckaroo Banzai quote I'd originally intended.

Let's get ready to rumble!

One thing worth noting upfront. Fantastic Fest rocks. And rocks hard. It's almost impossible to attend without some experience there making your most memorable moments of the year list. There's a reason it's been referred to as "a film festival with the boring parts cut out" as well as "the geek Telluride."  The audiences are incredibly fun, the films are generally terrific, and the organizers go out of there way to hold some great parties. I mean, where else are you going to attend the US premiere of Human Centipede II where the buffet features a series of pigs arranged butt to snout? During which party you randomly engage in a  long impromptu conversation with two filmmakers in town showing their short Exit - on topics running the gamut from film, to Brooklyn, Heeb Magazine, The Chocolate Room to of course Fantastic Fest. Nowhere else I venture to say.

But the clear trip highlight was the "Fantastic Debates" a tradition of the festival. Part of it would be recognizable to anyone who has seen a high school (or film involving a high school) debate team. Two parties argue opposite sides of a position. The difference here is that after an argument and rebuttal the pair "settle it in the ring." After two rounds of boxing the crowd votes for the winner of the "debate" via volume of cheers. About as scientific a process as I'm sure the ancient founders of logical argument could have devised. Debate topics for which participants/gladiators took pro/con positions this year included included "Robots are superior to humans in every way", "World of Warcraft is a complete waste of time", NASA, and "Who is tougher, an Irishman or a Texan?" The last debate being the title card where Alamo theater owner and festival co-founder took on James Quinn McDonagh the undefeated bare knuckle fighter of the Irish Traveler clans (and the subject of documentary Knuckle). My fuller account of the evening and associated action photos/video are available here. Packed in like sardines just a few feet from the action - it was hot, it was sweaty, it was super fun. I came, saw, and even got the complimentary poster pictured to the right.

For the full slate of my Fantastic Fest coverage you can follow this link.

Interview with star and director of Martha Marcy May Marlene

Ahead of the release of their film in Seattle I had the chance to sit down for an discussion with the director and star of Martha Marcy May Marlene Sean Durkin and Elizabeth Olsen. The latter previously known I as the younger sister of the Olsen Twins. While originally the less famous member of the family Elizabeth looks like she has a super bright future ahead of her. I had a good time chatting with Durkin and Olsen (who really couldn't be any more different than her on-screen persona in the film) one random morning at the Fairmont hotel. While my review of the film was published at Three Imaginary Girls the interview was tragically lost due to some extremely dumb choices on my part. Mainly that of using a new digital recorder which I wasn't familiar enough with for the session. Really hurts when you realize an hour later you've got nothing but the last five seconds on tape. Live and learn I suppose. I'd had better luck earlier in the year when I sat down to chat with Miguel Arteta the director of Cedar Rapids in another interview I very much enjoyed (and not just because I got to recommend he seek out Au Revoir Tapei) 

But wait, there's more...
I've been very blessed to enjoy far more film moments throughout the 2011. Both from a personal experiential perspective and great great person-to-person interactions. A few more examples include:

• All the fabulous conversations about film and other topics I've had with people throughout 2011 I've met at festivals and online. Whether I caught your name or not - talking with people is the real reason I love attending so much film. It may be counter-intuitive but it's so, so true. 
• Almost every damn moment at the Alamo Drafthouse theater in Austin. That theater is da bomb. I know people haven't said that for twenty years. But it's somehow the perfect description for the Alamo Drafthouse. Seriously, yo!
• The Joseph Gordon-Levitt hitRECord event in Seattle where I got to watch a bit of experimental movie production entertainment, which was overshadowed by the coolness of meeting twitter friends in real-life for conversation.
• Film press reception during SIFF I was invited to in the W hotel through Three Imaginary Girls. Great time mingling with film-makers and meeting many of film press attending the festival.
• The live event for Kevin Smith's Red State and followup discussion on the MacGuffin Podcast. Not because the film was so great, but because Kevin Smith onstage is a hoot and I enjoyed recording a discussion about it afterward in the world famous Scarecrow Video.
• SIFF Closing Night Party - just because it's fun to mingle with people who've seen way too many films over the past 25 days. That's right - 25 days of fest (plus three weeks of press screenings). Read it and weep film fans not from Seattle.
• A series of film writer "tweet-ups" organized by Jason of NewMovieFriday.com (and others).
• Attending one of my better post film Q&A's of the year with Javier Bardem talking about his film Biutiful in Palm Springs. While somewhat stealthily recording video of the event (the Q&A, not the film of course).
• Snagging a MondoTees limited edition Dumbo poster when they went onsale. I have a fair number of their posters now (one day I'll need to actually hang them). But Dumbo holds a special place in my heart as one of the earliest films I remember seeing in a theater that didn't scare the living crap out of me (Sleeping Beauty), have me recoil in horror at the cruelty of the world (Bambi), or have my first recallable serious WTF moment (Fantasia)