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Not often I write about films that are not movies, but this film is so stunning, breathtaking, and beautiful to watch that I have to write a little about it, as is one that I strongly recommend to be seen by everyone in the world, mostly because the images and visuals, as the film message… well, that’s something else.

Some are saying that this is no documentary that is a big advert and perhaps there is some truth as by now many more people know that Gucci –and other brands- belongs to the PPR Group! I tend to believe that this movie is a documentary that documents “moments” of the Earth, just like photography does. Interesting will be to have another Earth film, lets say 10 years after with the same locations to see how different –or not- they look. This is one of the values I see to this document that is recording a “today” moment and could be reference to a “tomorrow” moment.

I saw it on Youtube, but the images are so incredibly beautiful that I’m shopping for the Bluray HD version, as definitively is one film that has the most amazing aerial views of our planet and one that I could see several times to gather the details of the visually outstanding images. Also I have to see it with the original audio, as seems translations are not the best and people are finding mistakes. So for those that understand French I strongly suggest to see it in that language.

Talking about the message is getting into trouble. But since I watch it in English and many are commenting the mistakes the translation had, I will only tell you that I find the message confusing, not clear. Spends so much time describing the problem and so few minutes describing possible solutions, that the tone and manner seems very apocalyptic and made me think “so what? …we human race will disappear… eventually, with our help or without it”. Not exactly the message of a film that supposedly invites viewers to take action, isn’t?

Anyway, perhaps after I watch it with another language narration I will get a different message or maybe I should play some beautiful music and watch the stunning aerial images with no sound!!!

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

63rd Edinburgh International Film Festival Award Winners

Yesterday the fest had its award ceremony and here are the winners.

Best British Feature Film: Moon, Duncan Jones, 2008
Best Performance in a British Feature Film: Katie Jarvis in Fish Tank, Andrea Arnold, 2009

Best New International Feature: Easier With Practice, Kyle Patrick Alvarez, USA, 2009
New Directors Award: Cary Joki Fukunaga for Sin Nombre, USA and Mexico, 2008

Rotten Tomatoes Critical Consensus Award: Humpday, Lynn Shelton, USA, 2009
Audience Award: The Secret of Kells, Tomm Moore, Ireland, France and Belgium, 2009 (animation)

To check the awards for shorts and documentaries go here.

17th Artfilm International Film Festival Award Winners

The fest site hasn't post the winners in English, but from other sources, here are some winners and will update post when the official site announces all the winners. Winners are in RED.

From June 20th to 27th this fest that has a very suggestive name, Artfilm, will take place in Trenčianske Teplice and Trenčín ,Slovakia and will screen many old and recent interesting movies and shorts in several sections that you can check here.

In the International Competition of feature films we have the following films.

Basky (Native Dancer, Guka Omarova, Kazahstan, Russia, France and Germany, 2008
Buick Riviera, Goran Rušinović, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, USA, and Germany, 2008
Cea Mai Fericita Fata Din Lume (The Happiest Girl in the World), Radu Jude, Romania, Netherlands, France and Japan, 2009
*Hunger, Steve McQueen, UK, 2008 - Winner of the Blue Angel for Best Film
Katalin Varga, Peter Strickland, Romania, UK and Hungary, 2009
Machan, Uberto Pasolini, Italy, Sri Lanka and Germany, 2008
Muukalainen (The Visitor), Jukka-Pekka Valkeapää, Finland, Germany and Estonia, 2008
Pa-ra-da, Marco Pontecorvo, Italy, France and Romania, 2008
Parque Via, Enrique Rivero, Mexico, 2008
Proměny (Metamorphoses), Tomáš Řehořek, Czech Republic and Italy, 2009
*Samson & Delilah, Warwick Thornton, Australia, 2009 - Winner of the Blue Angel for Best Director
Sin Nombre (Without Name), Cary Joji Fukunaga, Mexico and USA, 2009
Treeless Mountain, So Yong Kim, South Korea and USA, 2008
Turistas (The Turists), Alicia Scherson, Chile, 2009
Wendy and Lucy, Kelly Reichardt, USA, 2008

From the Slovak Season program the following film called my attention.

Nebo, Peklo… Zem (Heaven, Hell… Earth), Laura Siváková, Slovakia, Czech Republic, 2009

To browse the fest site go here. Watch trailers @ Movie On Companion

31st Moscow International Film Festival Award Winners

Today the fest annoucend the award winners and here they are.

Official Competition

Golden George for Best Film: Petia Po Doroge V Tsarstvie Nebesnoye (Pete on the Way to Heaven), Nilkolai Dostal, Russia

Silver George for Special Jury Prize: ЧУДО Chudo (Miracle), Alexander Proshkin, Russia, 2008

Silver George for Best Director: Mariana Chenillo for Cinco Días Sin Nora (Five Days Without Nora), México, 2008

Silver George for Best Actress: Lena Kostyuk in Melodiya Dlya Sharmanki (Melody for a Barrel Organ), Kira Muratova, Ukraine

Silver George for Best Actor: Vladimir Ilyn in Palata Nomer 6 (Ward No. 6), Karen Shakhnazarov, Russia

FIPRESCI Prize: Melodiya Dlya Sharmanki (Melody for a Barrel Organ), Kira Muratova, Ukraine

Russian Critics Jury Prize: Come Dio Comanda (As God Commads), Gabriele Salvatores, Italy, 2008
Special Mention: The Missing Person, Noah Buschel, USA

International Federation of Film Clubs Jury Prize: Melodiya Dlya Sharmanki (Melody for a Barrel Organ), Kira Muratova, Ukraine

Perspectives Competition

Best Film: Konphliktis Zona (Conflict Zone), Vano Burduli, Georgia

Russian Critics Jury Prize: Sobytie (The Event), Andrey Eshpay, Russia
Kommersant Prize: Faasuto Sukuwaddo (The First Squad), Yoshiharu Ashino, Russia, Japan, and Canada

Other Awards

International Federation of Film Clubs for Best Russian film: Sumashedshaya pomosch (Help Gone Mad), Boris Khlebnikov, 2009

To check the official annoucements go here.

2009 Nastri D’Argento Award Winners

Award winners were announced yesterday and here they are from different sources as the official site does not have the official announcement yet.

Winners are in Red.

While I was having so much fun with Cannes, the Sindacato Nazionale Giornalisti Cinematografici Italiani (SNGCI) announced the nominations for this year awards and here they are for some categories.

Best Director
Francesca Archibugi for Questione di Cuore
Pupi Avanti for Il papà di Giovanna
Marco Bellocchio for Vincere
Marco Risi for Fortapàsc
*Paolo Sorrentino for Il Divo

Best New Director
Marco Amenta for La Siciliana Ribelle
Federico Bondi for Mar Nero
*Gianni Di Gregorio for Pranzo di ferragosto
Marco Pontecorvo for Pa-Ra-Da
Stefano Tummolini for Un Altro Pianeta

Best Actress
Donatella Finocchiaro in Galatuomini
Isabella Ferrari in Un Giorno Perfetto
Valeria Golino in Giulia non esce la sera
*Giovanna Mezzogiorno in Vincere
Alba Rohrwacher in Il papà di Giovanna

Best Actor
Antonio Albanese and Kim Rossi Stuart in Questione di cuore
Libero De Rienzo in Fortapàsc
Silvio Orlando in Il papà di Giovanna
*Toni Servillo in Il Divo
Filippo Timi in Vincere and Come Dio comanda

Best European Film
The Class, Laurent Cantet
*Slumdog Millionaire, Danny Boyle
The Reader, Stephen Daldry
Three Monkeys, Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Woody Allen

Best Non-European Film
*Gran Torino, Clint Eastwood
Milk, Gus van Sant
Waltz With Bashir, Ari Folman
WALL-E, Andrew Stanton
The Wrestler, Darren Aronofsky

Best Song: Valeria Golino in Giulia non esce la sera (Yes, she sings the song)

To check the nominations in all the categories go here available only in Italian. The following awards have already been announced.

Nastro Dell’Anno 2009: Gomorra, Matteo Garrone
European Nastro d’Argento: Andrzej Wajda
European Nastro d’Argento: Isabelle Huppert

The award ceremony will take place on June 27 at Taormina, Sicily.

O’Horten

I found this Bent Hamer film sad, very sad, even when it is a bittersweet drama about the age of retirement, being a loner –yet not being lonely- and having a very unexpected happy end. I like the so special Nordic humor, but here the jokes and situations were more sad than funny. Then the movie is dark, too dark; I do not mean the humor, but most of the scenes are at night or in dark places and even when some visual compositions were really interesting, the total feeling is that is dark.

But there is a reason for everything, as this movie tells the story of Odd Horten that after 40 years as a locomotive engineer he is retiring. Opening scenes briefly show how orderly his life is and when he is “forced” to have nothing to do, he is lost in many more ways than just the obvious. In what I imagined as a the torment of finding what to do in his life-changing moment, he embarks in a series of odd situations that start the very night when after 40 years all he gets from his colleagues is a silver locomotive that looks more like a trophy! So you will follow him facing the most odd situations you can imagine until the very end that turns around the story to make it totally sweet and happy.

I find the story and film style very similar to Finish Aki Kaurismäki style, as has impeccable production values, great deadpan performances, slowish pace and outstanding very cold cinematography with the most magnificent views of a train riding alone the white surroundings. Obviously in the last happy scene cinematography changes and the transition is visually spectacular.

The film that was screened in the Un Certain Regard at 2007 Cannes and went to collect honors in many awards and fests; definitively not for all audiences as you have to really enjoy Nordic cinema and deadpan performances in visually interesting compositions and cinematography.

I found it too sad –not crying sad, but makes you feel sad- so it is not one movie to watch when you’re feeling blue; but I definitively enjoy it more for the great cold visuals.

Enjoy!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

Süt (Milk)

The most incredible visual voyage that I have taken lately with many images that recall other master filmmakers, but that tell us that Semih Kaplanoğlu is very close to be a master in his own right. I was totally mesmerized by the still camera with long shots, the outstanding use of light, the magnificent compositions, the sounds and the very dramatic outdoor and indoor cinematography. Bravo!

The film opens with a long scene that is shocking and sets the mood for mythology and rural traditions that will contrast with a few scenes that tell about the transition to modern life, not only with images shown but also with characters attitudes in the story.

I was really looking forward to the second installment of the Yusuf trilogy, still recall the story and my great experience with the first installment Yumurta (Egg). Then perhaps some of you remember that Kaplanoğlu is telling the story in reverse order, so from the older Yusuf of Yumurta we now have a young Yusuf living with his mother, trying to get his poems published and being disconcerted when he finds that his mother is having an affair. The story told in this movie allows us to understand why Yusuf left Tire and does it with a mother/son drama that evolves at a very slow pace.

With very little and inconsequential dialogue plus marvelous silences, Kaplanoğlu really plays with us viewers with the very simple –yet complex- story, but does it so beautifully that you really have a hard time not getting lost inside the images and pay attention to the multiple metaphors, images and little details to follow the story. In this sense I had a harder time following the story in Süt than in Yumurta, as I had to pull me out of the magic of the images several times and tell me that there was a story that I’m supposed to be following!

I truly enjoyed the performances by both leads; but not surprisingly I see them as part of the image compositions… it was like watching one painting after another, but this is no classic painting. These are mundane paintings that you will not see in museums. Great! Then you have the amazing use of light to make indoor and outdoor takes really dramatic and perhaps the best was the use of sound that made me feel I was inside the picture, that I was there in the place, that everything was real, especially in the hunting scenes. Absolutely amazing!

Definitively this is a movie that I’ll watch more than once. Obviously to follow better the story, but hoping to get lost in the images again! Now the wait for the third installment, Bal (Honey) will be hardly endurable, as if Süt was such an experience, Bal probably will have a more mature Semih Kaplanoğlu and who knows what he’s going to do with images. Bal will tell about Yusuf as a kid and will definitively explain many things that happen in Süt. I know that eventually I will play with the filmmaker and will see the three installments in chronological order. That will be my revenge to understand better the story.

I love this movie and I strongly recommend it to those that enjoyed Yumurta and appreciate cinema as a true art form.

Big Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

Making Maya

Well, well… this was a very welcomed surprise as the movie has an interesting story and most of all, shows how an outstanding performance can make the story and the film quite mesmerizing to watch. Perhaps the beginning is a little predictable and has a too common structure, but as the story unravels I couldn’t take my eyes from the lead Amy Minderhout that plays Maya, I got really interested in knowing what came next and how the story will end. This is quite unusual in a low budget production and merit is given to Rolla Selbak that wrote the script, produced and directed the film.

The story is the coming of age of Maya that after school graduation is faced with her future and she wants her future to be in basketball. But perspectives of achieving her dream seem not possible, as she’s not being accepted at any College she applied. But when she meets Samantha her life will take an unexpected turn in every sense of the word unexpected.

From the production values point of view, this movie looks and feels like a B-movie; but it is quite interesting for me to see how a nice story and a solid performance can make a B-movie become much more that what the label implies. This reaffirms me that you do not really need big budgets to make a good movie; you need great ideas, great performances and a good director that with whatever few resources can make something beyond her means and succeed. Very good!

I like the movie and I highly recommend it even beyond the lesbian interest genre and especially to my filmmakers’ readers, as I believe that the film is a great example of low production budget and good end product. But please do not have high expectations or think that this is a sports movie, as this is a drama that tells about a young girl, period. Also other actors performances are on the not so good side, but lead great performance makes the movie worth it.

Now I’m really looking forward to be able to see Rolla Selbak next film Three Veils. Unfortunately couldn’t find a trailer for Making Maya, but if you want to browse the directors’ site to check some pictures from the film, go here.

Enjoy!!!

2010 Oscar News

In case any of you doubt the impact that the Academy Awards have in the world's filmmaking industry, check today’s news that announce the Academy will increase the number of films from 5 to 10 for the Best Film nominations!

The only reason I could think of for increasing the number is the marketing push that a nomination gives a film as listing five or ten does not have much impact in results, except to disperse more voters’ votes; but viewers will get interested in watching the nominated films.

By the way they should do the same with the Best Foreign Language Film category.

Anyway if you feel like reading the official press release go here.

Update: For those interested in press reaction to the news, here is an article that can give you more perspective about this decison. -end of update-

New Update: some reactions...
Some feel that the Hollywood economy needs this boost, that spending on ten Oscar nominees will drive up boxoffice and DVD value. But should that be the Academy's job? "They're whoring out the Oscars," says one indie producer. "The Golden Globes have more integrity than the Oscars. It's dilutes the pure value attached to best picture."

"This will bring an exciting new dynamic to the show and give the entire awards season new energy," says Oscar campaigner Ronni Chasen. "It will be good for business and provide an opportunity for five more movies to gain added visibility and exposure that would be good for box office. This should be a win-win for everyone." The LAT's Patrick Goldstein, who has been lobbying the Academy in his column for Oscar reform, agrees.

Coming out ahead are specialty distribs such as Sony Pictures Classics, which could have used extra Oscar juice for smaller quality films such as last year's Rachel Getting Married, or Frozen River. But SPC's Tom Bernard worries about Oscar voters being able to see all the films, even with eight extra days in the schedule this year. The nominations will be announced February 2 and ABC will broadcast the Oscars on March 7. Bernard hopes the Academy will make some moves to increase the number of member screenings. Distribs will send out more DVDs, but what's going to make a given voter watch them all? "It's more inclusive and that's a good thing," says Bernard. "But it's hard getting the membership to watch all the films NOW. It's difficult to get them to see five foreign language films."

The worst thing about all this is the dilution of the exclusive, special nature of the top five. What if the ten selections aren't top notch? To put it bluntly, there isn't an overabundance of quality films anymore. What if they aren't all well-reviewed? The movies at the bottom of the best picture ten may reflect mere hundreds of votes. "Everyone is a contender now," says one studio publicist. "It's not the rarified five anymore. It makes it less elite."

Said one miserable Oscar campaigner: "People who thought they had no shot? Today they think they do."

-end of new update-

What a Day!

First we learn that Farrah Fawcett (62) dies and a few minutes ago, the news about Michael Jackson (50) death.

Hope we do not have any more news about deaths. RIP.

44th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

The fest will run from July 3 to 11 at the Czech Republic and here are the 14 films in the Official Competition.

Applause, Martin Pieter Zandvliet, Denmark, 2009 (with Paprika Steen!)
히말라야, 바람이 머무는 곳Barami Memounen Got, Himalaya (Himalaya, Where the Wind Dwells), Jeon Soo-il, South Korea and France, 2009
Bist (Twenty), Abdolreza Kahani, Iran, 2009
Cold Souls, Sophie Barthes, USA, 2008
Nije kraj (Will Not Stop There), Vinko Brešan, Serbia and Croatia, 2008
Nem Vagyok a Barátod (I am Not Your Friend), György Pálfi, Hungary, 2009
Oveja Negra (Black Sheep), Humberto Hinojosa Ozcáriz, Mexico, 2009
Pokoj v duši (Soul at Peace), Vladimír Balko, Slovakia, 2009
Świnki (Piggies), Robert Gliński, Poland and Germany, 2009
Tutta Colpa di Giuda (Freedom), Davide Ferrario, Italy, 2009
Un ange à la mer (Angel at Sea), Frédéric Dumont, Belgium and Canada, 2009
Villa Amalia, Benoît Jacquot, France and Switzerland, 2008
Волчок Volčok (Wolfy), Vassily Sigarev (Василий Сигарев), Russia, 2009
Whisky mit Wodka (Whisky with Vodka), Andreas Dresen, Germany, 2009

To check trailers and information about each movie go Movie On Companion.

The following are the films in the East of the West competition.

40-ci qapi (The 40th Door), Elchin Musaoglu, Azerbaijan, 2008
A hetedik kör (The Seventh Circle), Árpád Sopsits, Hungary, 2009
Alive!, Artan Minarolli, Albania, Austria and France, 2009
Artimos šviesos (Low Lights), Ignas Miškinis, Lithuania and Germany, 2009
Baksy (Native Dancer), Guka Omarova, Kazakhastan, Russia, France and Germany, 2009
Bumažnyj soldat (Paper Soldier), Alexey German Jr., Russia, 2008
Djavolja Varoš (Devil’s Town), Vladimir Paskaljević, Serbia, 2009
El Paso, Zdeněk Tyc, Czech Republic, 2009
Gagma napiri (The Other Bank), George Ovashvili, Georgia and Kazakhastan, 2008
Niciji sin (No One’s Son), Arsen Anton Ostojić, Croatia and Slovenia, 2008
Poltory komnaty ili sentimentalnoje putěšestvije na rodinu (Room and a Half), Andrei Khrzhanovsky, Russia, 2008
Raci (Crayfish), Ivan Cherkelov, Bulgaria, 2009
Rysa (Scratch), Michal Rosa, Poland, 2008
Utolsó idők (Lost Times), Áron Mátyássy, Hungary, 2009

To check information about each movie in this section go here. There are many more films in this always very interesting festival and if you want to browse the fest site go here.

The fest will honor Isabelle Huppert with the Crystal Globe Award for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema; also Antonio Banderas will receive the Festival President’s Award. To read the official press release go here.

Last here are the films that will open and close the fest.

Opening film: The Greatest, Shana Feste, USA, 2008
Closing film: The Boat That Rocked, Richard Curtis, UK and Germany, 2009

Giulia Non Esce la Sera (The Prize)

According to what I read Guiseppe Piccioni is known as the author of “quiet and discreet” films and probably must be true as the description really fits this film that tells a story of man, but actually is the story about a woman that really becomes interesting thanks to an out of the ordinary performance by Valeria Golino.

The film tells about Guido, a writer nominated to a prestigious literature award that is totally unsatisfied with his writing, his life and himself. When his daughter decides not to take more swimming lessons, he decides to learn to swim and meets Giulia to whom he’s attracted for her personality and mystery aura. His life is changed and now he’s living an intense and real story with life changing consequences.

Unfortunately the performance by Valerio Mastandrea that plays Guido is not compelling (and as someone says the role is perfect for a younger Nanni Moretti, so was a terrible miscasting and definitively I agree) which makes almost one third of the movie tiresome while the character is introduced and the stories he’s trying to write become alive in the screen. But since you can say I’m a fan of Valeria Golino, I waited until her character started to become the lead and I’m totally glad as her performance is outstanding and the two nominations for Best Actress at the 2009 Donatello and 2009 Nastri D’Argento awards are more than well deserved.

The movie as a movie has good tech specs and high attention to details, that allows visual enjoyment with some scenes, especially some of the underwater takes. Also in this movie is Antonia Liskova –that I like since Riparo-, that plays one of the characters in Guido’s mind and has one particular interesting scene as a pole dancer.

This is a film that I can only recommend if you really enjoy Valeria Golino’s performances and are patient to sustain the boring beginning. If you do then you will really enjoy Golino’s excellent performance and her dramatic story in the film.

Enjoy!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

Are you renting DVD’s?

If you’re like me that have a very good video store near where you live, then perhaps you should share with them the following news that tells us that in the near future competition could come from McDonalds!!!

You know that I like to follow the business side of the movies industry and particularly I’m always interested in “new” ways to distribute films. But an article published recently in the New York Times really blew my mind. Here is a reproduction of the article.

Redbox’s Vending Machines Are Giving Netflix Competition
By The Associated Press

With more subscribers than ever flocking to its DVD-by-mail service, Netflix is one of the few companies prospering during the worst recession in 70 years. But another upstart called Redbox has emerged to give the company a run for its business.

In 2002, Redbox was just an incongruous experiment that McDonald’s restaurants had tried to expand beyond burgers. McDonald’s strategy group tried selling everything from toilet paper to fancy sandwiches, but only the idea of DVD rental succeeded.

The group running Redbox grew from operating 12 of the DVD machines to about 900 in three years. Redbox today has more than 15,400 vending machines set up to dispense discs that rent for $1 a day in supermarkets and discount stores. In 2005 and 2006, Coinstar invested $37 million in Redbox; this year, Coinstar bought out McDonald’s and other investors for up to $25 million.

Redbox is opening an average of one kiosk an hour to lure consumers, which has Reed Hastings, chief executive of Netflix, taking notice. “By the end of the year, kiosks will likely be our No. 1 competitor,” Mr. Hastings said in a recent conference call. “There are already more kiosks in America than video stores.”

DVD kiosks account for more than half of Coinstar’s sales and profit. That profit more than doubled in the last quarter on sales that rose even more swiftly to $154 million. Netflix grew at a slower pace, with first-quarter revenue rising 21 percent to $394 million. Mitch Lowe, Redbox’s president, came to the company after six years with Netflix, where he was vice president for business development.

Netflix’s expanse of 100,000 titles gives it a competitive advantage. In contrast, Redbox machines carry about 700 discs with 200 titles, mainly recent releases, which leaves the company to rely on the $1 nightly rate to encourage people to experiment.

Because Netflix pays postage twice for every DVD it rents out, it does best when customers choose ambitious subscription plans, but are slow to watch and return movies. By comparison, Redbox’s profits depend on it renting out each disc as many times as possible before demand for the movie peters out.

To that end, Redbox tracks rentals to predict the right mix of titles and the right number of copies for each location.

If you feel like reading the article at the NYTimes go here where you can see a pic of the vending machines.

What’s REALLY interesting is that some of the titles Redbox carries are films like Waltz with Bashir, Happy-Go-Lucky, etc. in a category called Award Winners and the other category is Foreign with a few releases up-to-today, but with great potential. To check Redbox site go here.

You may say, so what? This is happening in the USA. Yes, is true; but the difference to mail service like Netflix (mail is not good in many countries in the world) is that Redbox is using a distribution outlet that’s ALREADY available allover the world, as many of us “unfortunately” have a McDonald’s very close to where we live!

So I wouldn’t be surprised if sooner than later we will start to see vending machines with DVD’s rentals inside McDonald’s! Obviously, as it happens with local entrepreneurs that will copycat the system, we could have all kind of branded or generic DVD’s rental “kiosks” next to the soft drinks or snacks vending machines in any other outlet where they already have their whatever vending machines.

This could really change the way we get to rent films in the world and thinking aloud, I believe that is the “perfect” business opportunity for those of you that are looking for a source of income in your own country.

Anyway, I envision that Blockbuster could do this faster allover the world than Netflix or Redbox, as the retailer is already in many countries of the world. But as it always happens with large corporations, their strategies take a long time to become real actions, which obviously opens the door to smaller faster local groups.

The REAL good news is that the film industry is evolving –at least with the distribution very important marketing element- and we film viewers definitively benefit with better opportunities to have easy access to film rentals with what could be cheaper rental prices.

Cheers!!!

11th Taipei Film Festival

The fest will run from June 26 to July 12 and here are the films in the New Talent Competition. All films come from prestigious festivals where won awards or were official selections.

Breathless, Yang Ik-June, South Korea, 2008
Disgrace, Steve Jacobs, Australia and South Africa, 2008
Everyone Else, Maren Ade, Germany, 2009
Parking, Chung Mong-hong, Taiwan, 2008
Parque Via, Enrique Rivero, Mexico, 2008
Salamander, Pablo Aguero, Argentina, France and Germany, 2008
The Dark Harbor, Naito Takatsugu, Japan, 2008
La Nana (The Maid), Sebastian Silva, Chile, 2009
The Noise in My Head, Vincent Pluss, Germany and Switzerland, 2008
The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner, Stephan Komandarev, Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary and Slovenia, 2008
Unmade Beds, Alexis Dos Santos, UK, 2008
Yang Yang, Cheng Yu-chieh, Taiwan, 2009 (must be seen)

These are the films in competition for the Taipei Award.

Ayu, Lai Chunyu, Taiwan, 2009
A Place of One’s Own, Lou Yi-an, Hong Kong and Taiwan, 2009
Finding Here, Cheng Feng-heng, Taiwan, 2008 (intriguing)
Miao Miao, Cheng Hsiao-tse, Hong Kong, 2008
No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti, Leon Ta, Taiwán, 2009
Parking, Chung Mong-hong, Taiwán, 2008
Port of Return, Chang Jung-kuei, Taiwan, 2009 (animation)
Somewhere I have Never Travelled, Fu Tien-yu, Taiwan, 2009
Yang Yang, Cheng Yu-chieh Taiwan, 2009

There is one opening film that seems very interesting Germany 09, a collection of 13 short films by Fatih Akin, Wofgang Becker, Sylke enders, Domik Graf, Christoph Hochhausler, Romuald Karmakar, Nicolette Krebitz, Dani Levy, Angela Schanelec, Hans Steinbichler, Isabelle Stever, Tom Tykwer, and Hans Weingarter, Germany, 2009

Also very interesting and starring Anamaria Marinca is Storm, Hans-Christian Schmid, Germany 2009 and for those living in Taiwan I strongly suggest you do not miss the opportunity to watch in the big screen two classic lesbian interest films in the Vintage Berlin section: Aimee & Jaguar and Girls in Uniform. Also the gay interest films are remarkable and includes a retrospective by Rob Epstein and his well known documentaries like The Times of Harvey Milk and The Celluloid Closet.

To browse the fest site go here.

Angels & Demons

I didn’t liked that much the book by Dan Brown that I read after the more famous and non-stoppable reading The Da Vinci’s Code; but the film that is loosely based on the book is great entertainment and perhaps superior to the first installment in the Robert Langdon saga because of great production values, fast (really fast) pace, transforming the story into a crime thriller and a more normal looking Tom Hanks “sans” hair extensions (he, he).

Angels & Demons novel is Brown’s previous work to The Da Vinci’s Code, but in the film becomes a sequel that by the way I believe that all the references made to the prequel are successfully done, as makes sense that now the Vatican is reluctant to full cooperate with Langdon due to his previous “discovery”. The film tells the complex story of the Illuminati taking revenge for what the Roman Catholic Church did centuries ago when killing the four pillars of their organization. Now an assassin has captured four cardinals and proceeds to kill them in the same fashion as what happened centuries ago. Now is about the four alters of science: Earth, Air, Fire and Water and the four Preferiti or the four Cardinals that are the “favorite” to succeed the recently passed away Pope. As you can imagine there is a catastrophe in the making, this time done with antimatter that could make disappear Vatican City and all the Cardinals in the world as they are locked in the conclave to elect the new Pope. Only Robert Langdon can stop “everything”.

Yeah the story in the film is pure fun entertainment and some viewers mentioned something that made total sense to me. This could be a more exciting and faster paced National Treasure installment and you have no idea how accurate this description is; so if you enjoyed the National Treasure films, then surely you will enjoy this film.

The only thing that sort of bothered me is the much time the film spends explaining all the Vatican rituals to elect a new Pope; when you’re familiar with the procedure, those scenes become really boring and you can even catch one or two inaccurate references. But if you’re as many in the world and know very little about the Roman Catholic Church, then obviously the too much information becomes an adequate framework to everything that happens in the story. Also if you understand Latin –which not many do nowadays- you will be distracted by the awful pronunciation, lol!

Anyway this is great entertainment fun that happens to be about the Roman Catholic Church with -in my opinion- innocuous consequences to the real Church, as here everything looks and sounds like elaborated fiction. So I really do not understand all the fuzz –including banning- that some countries and people do (did) against the film.

I highly recommend this movie as good and old-fashioned entertainment.

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

Sunshine Cleaning

I enjoyed the movie more for entertainment purposes and lead actors performances than for the story or the tech specs, as this American indie by the producers of the acclaimed Little Miss Sunshine lacks a more developed and interesting script plus more elaborated tech specs to make it an out of the ordinary indie. Still, who can resist a film with Emily Blunt and Amy Adams in the lead roles? Not me.

This Chirstine Jeffs films tells –according to me- the story of two sisters, Rose and Norah Lorkowski, that are trying to overcome their traumas from the past so they can start to live their present and future lives with better self-esteem. The vehicle to tell the story is the creation of Rose’s unusual business, the removal/crime scene clean-up service and Rose convincing her trouble maker sister to work for her with disastrous consequences.

One unfortunately underdeveloped subplot tells about Norah and Lynn (Mary Lynn Rajskub) not so casual encounter and as I already knew from reading the news, most of their scenes sadly ended in the editing room; which is really sorry to say as Rajskub’s character is lesbian. Still there is one short scene when both are at a club that is funny and unexpected with Lynn eating (or licking?) a candy necklace.

But the film is entertaining with both lead actresses doing great performances and I believe that Emily Blunt really steals the movie with a very colorful character and out of the ordinary performance. Also worth to mention are supporting roles by Alan Arkin as their father and young Jason Spevack as Rose’s son; both have remarkable moments.

If you’re in the mood for a darkish amusing entertaining film, then this is a must be seen for you.

Enjoy!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

12th Shanghai International Film Festival Award Winners

Today the fest announced the Jin Jue Award winners and here they are.

Best Feature Film: Original, Antonio Tublén and Alexander Brøndsted, Demnark and Sweden, 2009
Using this title for a film is dangerous, almost suicidal. But the film more than met the challenge the title lays down. A light, touching and subversive study of mental illness that is compassionate and never sentimental. From the opening image of a fish tank being peeled open to the Mexican wrestlers tumbling in the heroes’ mind we know we had found the best film …… ORGINAL!

Jury Grand Prix: 寻找智美更登 The Search, Pema Tseden (aka Wanma Caidan), China,
The most challenging film we saw, almost a meditation in patience as well as an exercise in it for the viewer, uncompromising but funny and humane too. We look forward to many more films from Tibet.

Jury Award: 白银帝国 Baiyin diguo (Empire of Silver), Christina Yao, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, 2009
To the director and her cast and crew for the detail and craft on such an epic scale and in such extraordinary locations. And for reminding us, especially at this time that bankers should be kind and righteous.

Best Director: Julius Sevcik for Normal (Angels Gone), Czech Republic and Macedonia, 2009
A dazzling and technically bold director in command of all elements delivering his challenging vision of the serial killer genre.

Best Actress: Simone Tang in Kærestesorger (Aching Hearts), Nils Malmros, Denmark, 2009
For the control and clarity of complex emotions perfectly captured by a performance that lures us in until we find ourselves, like the young hero, repulsed.

Best Actor: Sverrir Gudnason in Original, Antonio Tublén and Alexander Brøndsted, Demnark and Sweden, 2009
Is he acting, fantasizing, fooling everyone – and himself – or is he simply crazy – we never really know. What we know is that this young actor’s brilliant, sensitive, humorous and vulnerable performance is absolutely mesmerizing.

Best Screenplay: Fabio Bonifacci and Giulio Manfredonia for Si può fare (We Can Do That), Giulio Manfredonia, Italy, 2008
Their screenplay documents with wit and clarity - a true story of the way political philosophy can intersect with social need and build something truly transforming.

Best Cinematography: Nicolas Guicheteau and Hans Meier for Nulle part terre promise (Nowhere Promised Land), Emmanuel Finkiel, France, 2008
This is the most contentious decision. It is not in the classical tradition but more an acknowledgement that cinematography in the modern era can be about ways of seeing; what you look at and how it looks back at you.

Best Music: Hyoung-woo for Yeong-hwa-neun yeong-hwa-da (Rough Cut), Jang Hun, South Korea, 2008
Modern, pulpy, deliberately undermining and enlivening the gangster genre.

To check the announcement go here.

In the Asian New Talent competition these are the winners.

Best Film: Scandal Makers, Kang Hyung-chul, Korea
The jury praises Mr. Hyung-chul outstanding performance on controlling the film. In this film, the director interpreters various types of film expressions, successfully achieved a comedy effect of different unique characteristics, which evokes audience’s hearty joy.

Jury Prix: Be Calm and Count to Seven, Ramtin Lavafipour, Iran
For its spirit of innovation throughout the film. The film exceeds the traditional way of filmmaking in Iran, methods of shooting are innovative. Judging by this work, we can easily see the hard effort of the director. By presenting this award, jury wants to encourage the director’s enthusiasm towards filmmaking. Hopefully, we could see more great pieces by him.

Best Director: Zhao Ye for Jalainur, China
To express our compliment on his great directorial skills This film is shot at a far north frontier city in China, revealing its solitude and isolation. Although the image of the film seems plain, it holds the connotation of meaning of life to provoke the audience. Further, the extremely natural acting of the actors emphasized the theme of this film, ordinary life may have extraordinary spots.

To check the announcement go here.

55th Taormina Film Fest Award Winners

Yesterday the fest concluded and here are the award winners.

Mediterranea Competition – Golden Tauro Awards

Golden Tauro for Best Film: Al Lail Altawed (The Long Night), Hatem Ali, Syria, 2009. For its elegant and cinematic way to tell a story that deals with moral and political issues. The ensemble cast was convincing.

Special Jury Prize: Zrubavel, Shmuel Beru, Israel, 2009. Compelling story and ensemble acting represents an outstanding achievement. The originality of the project puts the film on the edge between documentary and fiction, exposing the very difficult life of the Ethiopian community in Israel.

Special Mention: Khaltet Fawzia (Fawzya a Special Blend), Magdy Ahmed Aly, Egypt, 2008. A very strong feminist character and the freedom of thought it represents.

Best Director: Nour- Eddine Lakhmari for Casanegra, Morocco, 2008. This talented director's work reveals the dark side of life in Casablanca, using a deft hand in directing young actors whose energy is contagious.

Best Actor: Emile Dequenne in La fille du RER (The Girl on the Train), André Téchiné, France, 2009. A layered performance that presents a complex character; Emilie
Duquenne inhabits the role of this complex character.

To check the other winners go here.

2009 Filmfest München

From June 26 to July 4 the fest will take place in Munich and here are the films in the international competition for the CineVision award for best non-German film.

À l’ouest de Pluton (West of Pluto), Henry Bernadet and Myriam Verrault, Canada 2008
Babi Buta Yang Ingin Terbang (Blind Pig Who Wants to Fly), Edwin, Indonesia, 2008
Ddongpari (Breathless), Ik-june Yang, South Korea 2008
Eastern Play, Kamen Kalev, Bulgaria, 2008
Emma & Marie (aka Je te Mangerais) (You Will Be Mine), Sophie Laloy, France 2009
Everything Strange and New, Frazer Bradshaw, USA, 2008
FilmeFobia (FilmPhobia), Kiko Goifman, Brasil and Germany, 2008
Gabbla (Inland), Tariq Teguia, Algeria and France 2008
Go Get Some Rosemary, Ben Safdie and Joshua Safdie, USA, 2009
Kynodontas (Dogtooth), Yorgos Lanthimos, Greece 2009
Lymelife, Derick Martini, USA, 2008
Mami Te Amo (I Love You Mum), Elisa Eliash, Chile, 2008
Moon, Duncan Jones, UK, 2009
Samson & Delilah, Warwick Thornton, Australia 2009
Sois Sage (Be Good), Julietta Garcias, France 2008
Un Altro Pianeta (One Day in A Life), Stefano Tummolini, Italy 2008
Zou Zhu Qiao (A Tale of Two Donkeys), Li Dawei, China 2008

The CineMerit Award winner is Michael Haneke and they will screen 6 films including The White Ribbon, amazing Caché, extraordinary La Pianiste and the American version of Funny Games.

There is a section with infamous German TV Movies that I suggest you check here, and do not miss checking the New German Cinema, the New French Cinema and Visiones Latinas sections with many interesting films.

La Mujer del Anarquista (The Anarchist’s Wife)

This is a Germany, Spain and France co production directed by French Marie Noelle and German Peter Sehr that I was really hoping will be different to regular movies about the Spanish Civil War, but unfortunately is as melodramatic as all the ones I have seen made only in Spain.

Co written by Noelle and inspired on her grandmother story the film is supposed to be a love story more than about the war; but honestly thanks to bad script, bad makeup, bad performances and bad directing (looks more like a made for TV movie) the film looks and feels more like a bad movie about the war than anything else.

But there was something that made me jump from my seat, a few seconds with Laura Morante in bed with another woman!!! Gee, that was totally unexpected and never imagined to see Morante playing lesbian on the screen. Just for these few seconds is that I’m writing about this movie. But the scene is so short that if you blink you will miss it.

Definitively not a movie I can recommend.

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

Los Bastardos

The second feature film by Amat Escalante has signs of a great filmmaker in the making but it puzzles me why I always have to find relationships to films by other filmmakers. This time the story and also a little the style seems a lot like Michael Haneke’s original (not the american version) Funny Games where two men play “funny games” with their hostages. Then I was hoping that cinematography improved over Sangre and well, there are a couple of long shots (opening and closing scenes) that are great, but the rest are not really great compositions.

The films tells less than 24 hours in the life of Jesus and Fausto, two young alien day-laborers like those that stand in a corner of many USA cities waiting for someone to pickup them to do the most banal and bad paid jobs. As their normal day evolves, we see them being picked up for a construction job, going into a park to have some beers in the shadow not before almost getting into a fight with some Americans that treat them derogatively; but as they will do any kind of job for a few dollars, today is a special day as the job they accepted means more money and to carry a gun. Finally they arrive to their well-paid job and enter Karen’s house where you are totally sure that something bad is going to happen and well, it does. But it comes as a “jumping from your seat” surprise as it is totally unexpected. Film closes as it began, with a beautiful long shot in a field that according to Escalante means that everything will grow again.

I was expecting a much more terrible and even violent film, as not only I read summaries about the movie but also has a very suggestive name. In this sense the film is almost violence free, except for a few minutes in the movie climax and since the very beginning moves the story at a very slow pace with banal and not relevant things happening until both get into the house. The pace inside the house is a little bit more faster (actually not much) and things start to happen that start to make you uneasy; but while you expect things to happen they do not. So, that’s why when finally something violent happens becomes truly surprising.

As a movie is above average with very good use of sound (especially in the beginning) and remarkable editing (editing was done by Escalante and Turkish Ayhan Ergürsel that’s Nuri Belge Ceylan editor) and have to admit that even if I definitively did not enjoyed the characters, the leads are exceptional and very credible especially when were performed by non- professional actors. The film was premiered at 2008 Cannes in the Un Certain Regard section and has been collecting honors in the fest circuit including Best Mexican film at 2008 Morelia fest, Best Film at Sitges 08, Best Latin American Film at 2008 Mar del Plata fest, and Best Director at 2008 Bratislava fest.

I don’t believe that this film is for the usual art or art cinema fans and because of the story tend to think that men, more than women, will like it better. For me the experience was not pleasant and definitively liked a lot more his first film Sangre and hope that in the future his films become more interesting to watch both in story as visually. After all his mentor and co producer of this movie is Carlos Reygadas.

I cannot recommend this movie.

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

Tôkyô Sonata (Tokyo Sonata)

I had no idea that Kiyoshi Kurosawa is known for his horror movies (a genre that I do not particularly like), but from following fests I knew that this film was no horror at all and once more I find a reason to be so glad to follow fest as otherwise I would have missed this great movie.

Have to start by telling you that after watching for a while I couldn’t relate to what was happening in the story. It was like if what I was watching made no sense to my western eyes. Then suddenly I realized that the problem was that the story was set in modern times, as if the story was set before and the characters were wearing traditional Japanese clothes then everything will have made sense as definitively the film is quite similar to any of Ozu’s ordinary families stories. Realizing this fact allowed me to think about what I already saw and what will follow with different “mentality” and definitively allowed me to enjoy more the story and the film. Perhaps this happened only to me, but just in case it happens to anybody else I had to share it, as this is an excellent film that for no reason should be dismissed as not extraordinary.

Kurosawa’s film tells about an ordinary family that hides things to not disturb their fragile existence. The father, Ryûhei Sasaki, lost his job and tells no one. The mother, Megumi Sasaki, feels lonely and not appreciated. The older son, Takashi Sasaki, never is home and decides to leave Japan to join the US armed forces. The younger son, Kenji Sasaki, wants to learn to play the piano and his parents do not allow him. As everyday situations happen –and unexpected things start to happen- the story slowly unravels the drama that will change this family forever to allow them to have a fresh new start. But to me this is a story that deals with the ever changing/transforming Japanese society that has to deal with their strong cultural traditions while trying to cope to adapt to modern times and as such it becomes more universal, as applies to any society with strong traditions and new generations having real problems to follow old cultural rules and accepted behaviors.

Then the story also deals with something that is very relevant nowadays, the financial depression with companies downsizing and outsourcing to other countries with cheaper labor, high executives unemployment and their inability to find a similar new job and finally ending doing below their social status jobs; families lack of communication, generational lack of willingness to understand each other, and women that start trying to fulfill their empty lives but have no idea of what to do. So I can say that the story has many layers -as well as many readings- and will be up to the viewer to see whatever they want to see or want to relate to.

Also this is a movie where the finale is the climax that closes the movie in a grandiose way and makes sense to everything that you have watched, including the bizarre plot twist that allows the presence for a few minutes of great Kôji Yakusho that plays Dorobô, a character that propels Megumi liberation.

But the film develops quite flawlessly and very easy to watch what happens in the screen. Is when you try to tell others what is all about that becomes quite complex, as you all have realized by now with my long writing about the story.

Nevertheless the film as a film is quite spectacular with a grainy grayish cinematography that totally contributes to the Sasaki family spiral down to breakdown and absolutely allows the finale to become more grandiose. Performances are truly outstanding with Teruyuki Kagawa impressive performance as severe Ryûhei trying to “save face” in front of his family members (he was also in the third story in Tokyo!); and both Kyôko Koizumi as Megumi and Inowaki Kai as Kenji delivering remarkable intense characters.

The film was premiered at 2008 Cannes at the Un Certain Regard section where won the Jury Prize and did the fest circuit to many accolades and honors, including Kurosawa winning Best Director at the 2008 Mar del Plata fest, Best Film and Best Screenwriter at the 2009 Asian Film Awards and Best Film at India’s 2008 Osian’s Cinefan fest.

Definitively a film that I highly recommend especially to those that truly enjoy Japanese cinema and one that I strongly suggest to watch until the very end as the movie climax and finale is truly extraordinary, outstanding to watch and to listen, and closes the bittersweet story in somehow an unexpected way.

Big Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

Ce qu'il faut pour vivre (The Necessities of Life)

Canada’s official submission to the Oscars is a true beautiful to watch movie with a very compelling story that absolutely plays with your emotions not only because of the story but mainly because of an outstanding performance by Natar Ungalaaq that with his face expressions and body language will take you into a strong emotional roller coaster ride from loneliness, hopelessness, confusion, and desperation into the opposite emotions and feelings. This is a very intense emotional ride done with the most spectacular production values that contrast life up north with still very north Quebec City.

This Benoît Pilon film is set in the 1952 and is inspired by a tuberculosis epidemic that broke out in the Inuit population of Canada’s far north in the 40’s and 50’s. Tells about a stricken man, Tiivii (Natar Ungalaaq), that’s yanked from his isolated home to a Quebec City hospital, where he experiences profound culture shock and is unable to communicate with anyone. This is not a story about government policies, even do it does touch the subject; this is an extraordinary story that explores human behavior in a magic and very unexpected ways that will touch you genuinely with not much melodrama –even when the story could be melodramatic- thanks to the truly impressive performance by Ungalaaq and the magic of a director, cinematographer and a remarkable music score. While watching the movie I was truly in awe, totally mesmerized by the visuals and I was feeling all the emotions Tiivii was feeling in the story. Outstandingly Amazing!

Film’s tech specs and production values are really exceptional and you have no idea how extraordinary is Ungalaaq performance; perhaps if I share a viewers’ comment will help. The comment mentions that this is movie that could be silent cinema and you will totally understand everything that happens with Tiivii, as he outstandingly conveys to the audience everything that’s happening inside him with his amazing face and body language.

Definitively a movie that I highly recommend for an extraordinary cinematic experience and one that has a slow pace and many gorgeous moments with absence of words; but I’m sure that in this particular case many would appreciate the opportunity to enjoy in deep awe what’s going on the screen.

Absolutely must be seen.

Big Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

12th Brooklyn International Film Festival Award Winners

For American indie cinema lovers here are the recently announced award winners for feature films in competition.

Grand Chamelon Award: Breaking Upwards, Daryl Wein, USA, 2008
Best Narrative Feature: Breaking Upwards, Daryl Wein, USA, 2008
Spirit Award for Feature Narrative: Dr. Alemán, Tom Schreiber, Germany, 2008
Best New Director: Carlo Mirabella-Davis for Knife Point, USA, 2009
Audience Award: Sea Legs, Craig Butta, USA, 2009

To check the awards in all the categories go here and if you wish to check info about the 17 American and International films that were screened go here. One film called my attention, EM by Toni Barbieri, USA, 2009; you can watch the trailer @ Movie On Companion.

63rd Edinburgh International Film Festival News

The fest will start tomorrow but today I found some interesting (and darkly hilarious) news that I want to share with you all. The fest added to its line-up Lars von Trier’s Antichrist and the big news is that the film “recently passed UNCUT by the BBFC” and was given “an 18 certificate” rating. But I’m reproducing a warning from the official fest site.

CONSUMER ADVICE: Contains strong real sex scenes, bloody violence and self-mutilation.

Gee, that advice should scare many moviegoers, but also will arise the curiosity of others. Me, I knew since Cannes that I have to have one or two strong drinks before daring to watch this film that of course I’ll watch, as I have to watch everything by Lars von Trier.

On the serious side of the news, they also announced the Jury line-up for the British Gala Competion and these are the jurors, President: Director Joe Wright, Actor Frank Langella, American film critic Claudia Puig and actor Sacha Horler. If you feel like checking the jurors in the other competitions go here.

35th Seattle International Film Festival Award Winners

Recently the SIFF announced the award winners and here they are for feature films.

New Directors Showcase Competition
Grand Jury Prize: The Other Bank, George Ovashvili, Georgia and Kazakhstan, 2009
Jury Statement: We give our prize to The Other Bank. It is a picaresque narrative with a powerful mise-en-scène and an exceptional skill in addressing a complex post-war situation through a remarkable character incarnated by a 12-year-old nonprofessional.

Best FutureWave Feature: My Suicide, David Lee Miller, USA, 2009
Jury Statement: For its ability to bring an issue clouded by controversy bravely into focus for a breadth of audiences through exceptional editing and organic character progression.

Special Jury Award: Sounds Like Teen Spirit, Jamie J. Johnson, UK, 2008
Jury Statement: For excellence in capturing the universal experience of young adults discovering their place in the world.

Golden Space Needle Audience Awards
Best Film: Black Dynamite, Scott Sanders, USA, 2009
Best Director: The Hurt Locker, USA, 2008

To check the award winners in all categories go here or here.

56th Sydney Film Festival Award Winners

Recently the fest announced the winners and here they are.

Film Prize: Bronson, Nicholas Winding Refn, UK, 2009

Documentary Prize (tie)
Contact, Bentley Dean and Martin Buttler
A Good Man , Safina Uberoi

Short Films
Best Overall Short: The Ground Beneath, Rene Hernandez
Best Live Action Short: Miracle Fish, Luke Doolan
Animation Award: The Cat Piano, Eddie White and Ari Gibson
CRC Award: Missing Water, Khoa Do

Definitively Bronson is a movie that I’m not looking forward to watch, but perhaps eventually I will. To check more info about the winners go here.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

I highly enjoyed the first installment of this sequel and was hoping to enjoy, for entertainment purposes, the Smithsonian version; but unfortunately I found it uneven with some of the magic lost to lengthy very dumb sequences especially with the Kahmunrah character, but also with Napoleon and Ivan the Terrible. Still I believe that the transition from New York City to Washington was really well done, as well as Ben Stiller character success story that gave permission to a nice movie finale.

One of the good things the first Museum movie had was great characters performed by Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Ricky Gervais and Patrick Gallagher. All of them are back but their roles are totally diminished to the smallest possible time to allow new characters that were not performed and developed as interesting as their counterparts in the first installment. Still here we have great special effects and one that particularly impressed me is when they go into the famous V–J day in Times Square photograph by Alfred Eisenstaedt as is visually outstanding as the black and white change is spectacular… well, at least more than having the Capone era characters in b/w while the rest is in color.

As happens with sequels some like better the first installment, some like both and some like better the second one. Me, I enjoyed a lot more the first for the story, characters and total magic. But I know that you readers will fall into any of the three possibilities and well, is a movie that you can watch for the fun of watching pure family entertainment cinema. Still I’ll suggest you to watch it for the scenes with good visual effects.

Enjoy!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

Weekend Cu Mama (Weekend With My Mother)

This Stere Gulea movie tells a story that to my eyes is common and not really particular to a specific country that has immigration related problems, as the story belongs to any country where mothers leave younger children with relatives so they can pursue better income in other countries were they would find better lifestyles. So with this said, the film totally captured my attention because one very special performance by Adela Popescu that I couldn’t take my eyes from the screen while she was on. She totally mesmerized me and was a huge surprise to find that this is her first feature film role, as she’s better known as a Romanian soap opera actress.

The film tells the story of Luiza that comes back to Romania from Spain after leaving 15 years ago. In Spain she has a husband and children, but her sister had a stroke and decides to come back to also see her daughter Cristina and her estranged father with whom she has not speak since she got pregnant. When she arrives her brother-in-law doesn’t tell her that Cristina ran away from home. So she starts looking for her and when she finds her, Luiza not only finds a stranger young heavy drug addict with a 2-years-old girl but also finds some awful truths about what her life has been. The not happy finale is constructed by integrating a plot twist that unfortunately is so common to many countries and that particularly in this movie makes the story to lose credibility, as definitively the transition is not well developed, when everything that happens before has been.

I was really hoping to find in this movie the outstanding new Romanian cinema wave style that I highly enjoy, but unfortunately the movie as a movie looks and feel like “normal” European cinema, which definitively is not good for me. Still the style makes it a lot easier to watch for those that enjoy European cinema, as has acceptable production values, even when the script definitively needed more work to continue with the credible story until the very end.

The one thing that this movie has and for which I will recommend this movie is the performance by Adela Popescu as Cristina. Not only her transformation is remarkable (in real life she’s blonde and in the movie she has red hair that totally makes her another person) but her acting skills are really promising and definitively I’m looking forward to see her in future films. She definitively is the only reason why I highly enjoyed this film.

So if you’re in the mood to watch for entertainment purposes a shocking for some drama about the realities of life in many countries where mothers leave little children behind, then I suggest to give this movie a try as you will not be disappointed with Popescu performance, even when the story is rushed at the end.

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

Aquele Querido Mês de Agosto (Our Beloved Month of August)

I found this exercise in filmmaking interesting as the mixing of fiction narrative and documentary is quite well done here. Still I find the movie is too long with too many scenes that probably would have been better if the director left them in the editing room. But what most called my attention was the outstanding integration of popular Portuguese songs in the narrative that I find as the main connection link between doc and fiction, as lyrics totally move forward the blurred real/fiction story.

This Miguel Gomes film tells about one summer month in those villages that become alive for summer time when city dwellers, locals, tourists and temporary returning Portuguese emigrants blend together escaping the heat. The doc part follows the crew dealing with all the “problems” with the making of a film called: Aquele Querido Mês de Agosto! So, some claim that is like the Making Of but I believe that is more than that, as is obvious that some scenes are fiction. Also the doc introduces us to the lives of some locals. The fiction narrative is a summer romance between a younger man and woman with no one in their family approving them being together; a romance that while touches many conventional grounds, still manages to be very unconventional. Then the main vehicle to blur fiction and reality are the popular bands that play in the town plaza during those hot summer nights.

Think that this film is hard to explain what’s all about, but while watching is really easy to follow everything that’s happening even when you are not familiar with the Portuguese humor and particularities of their lifestyle nuances. Then perhaps is only me but the film made me remember some hot summer nights that I spent in Spain, as I found the situations and especially the “spice” quite similar.

To me the total style of the film as a movie is more the style of a documentary than a narrative, which is not bad; but on the not so good side definitively helps to feel the film too lengthy. Perhaps if the filmmaker mixed the styles the film length would have not been an issue.

The film premiered at the 2008 Cannes at the Quinzaine section and went to the fest circuit where collected 12 awards including the Best Film at 2009 BAFICI, Special Jury Award at 2009 Guadalajara fest and FIPRESCI Prize at the 2008 Viennale in Vienna, Austria.

Definitively not your usual film but is one that I do recommend if you want to see one great example of blending the documentary and narrative styles. For one special reader I have to comment that this film is a must be seen for those that want to familiarize themselves with the Portuguese idiosyncrasy and enjoy their popular music and culture.

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

Tokyo!

A fascinating triptych with three stories set in Tokyo with the vision of three foreign directors, French Michel Gondry, French Leos Carax and Korean Bong Joon-ho. The best for me was Gondry’s Interior Design, the second best Bong’s Shaking Tokyo and the last was really hard to watch Merde by Carax.

Interior Design tells about a girl that needs to feel useful and the in the most unexpected and fantastic way she finally finds how to be and feel useful. But to me the short is also about how big cities make you feel like objects and how you tend to “accept” it as the price to live there. The short has excellent and amazing visual effects and good performances.

Shanking Tokyo is about a hikikomori (or shut-in) man that hasn’t left his house for the last 10 years and lives in perfect order and harmony. To eat he orders delivery and never looks at the eyes of the delivery person. But one day he does only to find a beautiful young woman and in that moment there is an earthquake! Many things happen until he decides to go out to the street and look for the girl with great and unexpected consequences. To me this short is about how big cities can easily drive people to live only inside their homes, the only place left where you can be yourself, have order and perfect harmony; but what seems unique (shut-in yourself) sooner than later becomes the norm. Then there is nothing left but destruction. You really have to see this short to understand what I mean. The short has excellent performance by Teruyuki Kagawa.

Merde is hard to watch, very hard. Tells about the monster/creature of the sewers that appears to scare people, until becomes violent, very violent killing hundreds of Tokyo dwellers. He is not Japanese he is a westerner. Police finally gets him, locks him but no one speaks his language. A Frenchman claims he does and finds that his name is Mr. Merde. Besides being a parody to the multiple Godzilla stories, to me the film deals with big city dwellers xenophobia and terrorist fear. Good performance by Denis Lavant that makes the creature believable and highly disgusting, revolting and very unpleasant to watch.

So this triptych is not a love letter to Tokyo, is more a critical exposition about people that live in big cities and in my opinion the stories are not particularly related only to Tokyo as I can see them happening in any other big, crowded, and inhumane big city of the world.

This is quite an interesting cinematic experience that is presented in the right order, like a meal. First you have a very light and wow! entrée; second the main dish that is too rich and hard to digest, but dessert follows and is fluffy, light and sweet. Everything is just perfect to leave you at the end feeling good and acknowledging the great experience.

Cinematography is excellent with three quite different styles integrated flawlessly into one flowing cinematic experience. The film premiered at 2008 Cannes in the Un Certain Regard section and did the festival circuit to audiences delight.

This was a great cinematic experience for me and I highly recommend it to everyone that has lived or lives in a big city. But definitively is not for all audiences as the shorts tend to be of the art cinema style. Still, I highly suggest to many that read the blog to give it a try and remember to be prepared for Merde as is hard to watch, but some viewers comments claim that is the funniest of all, so go figure.

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

She Must Be Seeing Things

This 1987 film by Sheila McLaughlin probably was interesting to watch in the 80’s when there were not many lesbian interest movies as the film tells about a couple, Agatha and Jo, and the jealousy of Agatha; but today this is frankly a terrible movie in every sense of the word. The story and the film are so BAD that is incredible that a woman filmmaker dared to tell the story the way she did, as definitively then and now the story is just awful to watch. But more terrible are the three different layers used to follow the real world of the two women, the imaginary world of one of them and the film within a film set in 17th century with nuns, using this style just made narrative boring and the end product really-really bad.

I definitively do not recommend this movie that earned the "worst" lesbian interest film I have seen up to date award; consequently if you skip it, you will not be missing much.

Ang pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros)

I haven’t seen many movies from Philippines and the few I have seen I found them uneven and not so pleasant to watch, as they’re long with many unnecessary subplots and scenes. But this 2005 film made with US$10,000, shot in 13 days and with 100 minutes of running time has changed my perceptions, as definitively this is a great film because of a great director, excellent script, the lead actors performances and the ultra realistic style of the film.

This Auraeus Solito film tells the story of Maxi, a twelve-years-old boy that lives with his petty thieves father and two older brothers. Maxi is the home caretaker as he assumed all the chores of his mother when she passed away. He is very beautiful and believes that he’s not their son/brother, he’s their daughter/sister and the family as well as the neighborhood accepts that Maxi is a girl. Life is simple and harmonious until Maxi meets and falls in love for the first time with Victor, a handsome policeman that will complicate Maxi’s and his family peaceful life.

Maybe the above story synopsis sounds banal and honestly I think that in different hands it could have been a terrible story, but helmer Solito and Michiko Yamamoto script did true cinema magic and gave us viewers the opportunity to watch an amazing and very different coming of age with a character, Maxi, that simply put is truly fascinating to watch; then we have Nathan Lopez that plays Maxi in such a natural way that I will remember the character and performance for a long time as is truly outstanding.

Some viewers’ comments that I read try to excuse their own liking of the movie by saying that Maxi was not gay, that he was “confussed”. This is absolutely a gay interest movie with the lead character being totally effeminate; but you have no idea how good the character and the performer are that has generated quite remarkable (but absurd) comments from viewers that probably are not exposed to the lower classes of many countries in the world where effeminate gay men are totally accepted as “normal” human beings in their communities. So if you have never seen this peculiarity, I strongly suggest you get to know about it with this movie as not only you would see that, but also will have a very nice ultra realistic style cinematic experience.

The film did the fest circuit where accumulated 19 wins and 14 nominations, including winning the Crystal Bear Special Mention for Best Feature Film at the 2006 Berlinale, Netpac Award at 2006 Rotterdam fest and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2006 Sundance fest. Mention these awards as the film is really beyond the gay interest genre.

If you do not mind hand held camera takes and ultra realism then I highly recommend you do not miss this movie.

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion