15th Chéries-Chéris Festival de Films Gays Lesbiens Trans & +++ de Paris

If you live in Paris, nearby or planning a trip next November I suggest you do not miss this fest that has a very complete program for the one week it will run. There are no new to the blog lesbian interest movies, but if you go will have the opportunity to watch movies like To Faro, Ghosted, Drool, Senza Fine, Society, The Other War, and Bandaged. Also most interesting is the Shorts program.

If you feel like checking the catalog go here and just to browse the films go here.

2010 Oscar (Gay) News

I really enjoyed reading this article so I’m sharing the entire article, but if you feel like reading the article at indieWire please go here.

For Your Consideration: Oscar’s Gay Tendencies
by Peter Knegt

A lot has gone down for the gays since “Brokeback Mountain”‘s cries-of-homophobia inducing loss for Oscar’s biggest prize four years ago, both in Hollywood and in America as a whole. And with another award season upon us, we’re again faced with another big gay contender. Following last year’s eight-time nominated “Milk,” Tom Ford’s “A Single Man” is set to begin its Weinstein Company-orchestrated push for gold any day now. Even if, like “Brokeback,” the phrase “universal story of love and loss” gets thrown around endlessly in “Single Man”‘s regard (and it will), it remains that the film depicts gay love and gay loss, and last time I checked - a good chunk of America sees a difference. And while “A Single Man” is likely to be nowhere near the Oscar juggernaut “Brokeback” or even “Milk” was, the way Hollywood and the Academy react to it might give us a good perception on how far we’ve come.

While at this point it’s a challenge to really make predictions for this year’s awards with any sort of certainly, Colin Firth seems like “A Single Man”‘s best bet at major contention. His startling turn as a suicidal gay man mourning the loss of his long-term lover seemed to win over even the film’s many detractors when it descended on Venice and Toronto last month. And when I consider Firth’s potential win, there’s one thing that really stands out to me when picturing it: After Sean Penn’s last year for “Milk,” the Academy would be handing back-to-back best actor statuettes to depictions of gay men.

It wouldn’t really be that shocking. It’s actually been a intensely gay decade for the Oscars in terms of acting awards. If Firth were to win, he’d join Penn, Phillip Seymour Hoffman (“Capote,” 2005), Charlize Theron (“Monster, 2003), and, though less explicitly, Nicole Kidman (“The Hours,” 2002) as the fifth lead acting award given to the depicition of a gay person this decade. That’s a quarter of the overall awards, a much higher percentage than there are actual gay people. And while that’s definitely progressive in a certain sense, I’m weary of championing an organization for simply giving Oscars to a bunch of heterosexuals for playing gay characters. Especially when that same organization refused its biggest prize to “Brokeback Mountain” in an act of arguable homophobia and definite cinematic injustice.

However, I do have to hand it to the Oscars in its post-“Brokeback” years. Not for honoring Sean Penn as Harvey Milk, but for actually honoring openly gay people. While they have yet to award an even semi-openly gay actor (and no, Jodie Foster and Kevin Spacey don’t retroactively count), they have had a gay host (I speak of Ellen deGeneres, in case you thought I was being cheeky with regard to last year’s host), a gay screenwriting winner (“Milk”‘s Dustin Lance Black), and last year, two of its five director nominees were, yep, gay (and one was even making a film about gays). What’s more, “Hairspray” director Adam Shankman is coming in to co-produce the ceremony this year, following Bill Condon as the second gay Oscar maestro in a row. Oscar was always a gay icon, it just seems like all of a sudden he’s in on the joke.

This year could also find as many as three best pictures helmed by gay men. In addition to “A Single Man,” there’s Rob Marshall’s “Nine,” and Lee Daniels’ “Precious: Based on the novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire,” the latter of which also features a major gay character. What I think is really interesting here - and what speaks volumes to social systems in behind-the-scenes Hollywood - is Lee Daniels’s prospective nomination. If he gets nominated for best director, it would be much more monumental because he is African-American than it would be because he is openly gay. And this opens up a completely different can of socially injust worms than this article is prepared to properly contexualize.

But in brief… The 2000s have seen scores of African-Americans take home acting Oscars. Six wins and seventeen nominations - with a good likelihood of additions coming this year. In terms of wins, this is more than was received in total prior to this decade. Quite disturbingly, “Precious” would be the first best picture nominee ever directed by an African-American, and Daniels only the second black best director nominee. Gays, on the other hand, have received nearly a dozen best director nominations. But let’s keep in mind the fact that all of them have been men, and all of them have been white. In fact, there have been more nominations for gay men for best director than all non-male and non-white people combined.

It’s difficult to really let any trend at the Oscars really speak as a representation of the Oscars themselves. Because in a way, the Oscars just represent the American film industry. It’s a complex set of politics to simplify in a sentence, but I think it’s reasonable to suggest that in the Hollywood power hierachy, as long as you’re a white male (and let’s face it, straight-acting), being gay is not as much of a disadvantage as say, being female or black.

But let’s bring it back to “A Single Man.” While perhaps the least likely of the three gay-helmed films to get a picture nod, the film offers the most in terms of any sort of real social connotation for acceptance of gays in the mainstream. Like “Milk” before it, “A Single Man” would be a film with gay content directed by an actual homosexual. While films with gay content and films directed by gays have, as noted, made it to Oscar’s shortlist before - the list of films in which those two collide has been much more limited. Because while the Oscars, and Hollywood, seem more than willing to let gay, white men into their director’s club, it’s a whole other story if they are directing films about actual gays. And as nice as it is when they do, I’d just like to see the day when “A Single Latina Lesbian” makes the shortlist.

--end--

Lol! So much gay and so little lesbian… When? When? When? (it’s going to happen).

Sigh.

El Secreto de sus Ojos (The Secret of Her Eyes)

I wonder if I ever saw any of the American TV work Juan Jose Campanella has done in the USA; but I have seen some of the shows like House M.D., 30 Rock and Law & Order Criminal Intent where he has directed some episodes. I do not recall having seen any of his movies but now after watching this movie I’m interested in watching more of his Argentinean work. Yes this movie is good, very fast attention grabber, entertaining and somehow resembling good old-fashion cinema so good that made me think I was watching a film by Hitchcock.

Most call it cinema noir and it is; but this drama, romance, humor, crime, thriller and Argentinean justice dissection looks and feels mainstream; yet, at the same time is artish as has slowish pace, excellent frame compositions with many close-ups, constant chiaroscuro in indoor scenes, great outdoor cinematography, extraordinary performances by leads (especially Ricardo Darin) and a director -who also edited- that created flawless narration even when it moves back and forth in time.

If this movie was an American production I would not be that impressed as has the high production values most Hollywood movies have. But being an Argentina and Spain production the film really raises the standard for other mainstream filmmakers in the Latin American region.

What impressed me the most is how Campanella was able to find a superb cinematic visual and narrative language to tell so much about Argentinians idiosyncrasy that you will highly enjoy if you’re familiar with them and you also will highly enjoy if you know nothing about Argentina and/or Argentinians. Obviously co writing the script with Eduardo Sacheri, who wrote the novel, had to help the narrative; but the visual language, the fabulous screen chemistry between Ricardo Darin and Soledad Villamil, and the dry humor of Guillermo Francella belongs to a great director.

Some have criticized one aspect and I tend to agree, the many faux finales in the last third of the movie. I think that the movie impeccable flow was cut with the first black screen that suggested the end; but when it was it was repeated again and again, it was too much. There was no need to lead viewers to think that the film is over, the great story didn't needed the gimmick.

So, what’s the story about? On the surface is about a Judge Office clerk that after retiring decides to write his first novel. The novel will tell about a case that changed his life, his boss life and his co-worker’s life. The case: rape and murder of a beautiful young woman. So you see the present when Esposito (Ricardo Darin) is writing the novel and you see the past flawlessly intertwined. But below the surface the story is about social class differences, power abuse, the lightness of justice, empty lives, old age, revenge, impotence, powerless, honesty, forgetting what you still remember but don’t want to recall, eternal love, obsession and gee, so many more things that make the story really interesting.

I liked the movie as is entertaining with an artish style. I have the impression that the film has a cinematic language that Academy members are familiar and will easily understand; so, I wouldn’t be surprised if the movie makes the list of 5 nominated for the Best Foreign Language film at the upcoming Oscars, which will mean another top honor in the list of honors that the film has been collecting since was premiered at the 2009 San Sebastian fest where won the top honor.

If you’re familiar with Latin American cinema you have to see this movie to realize how high the bar has gone for other mainstream filmmakers in the area. The film is suited for adult audiences that want to enjoy a good film that will grab their attention fast and hold it until the very end.

Me, I’ll watch everything with Ricardo Darin and here he is extraordinary!!!

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

53rd London Film Festival Award Winners

Last night the fest had the awards ceremony and here are the winners.

Star of London for Best Film: Un Prophète (A Prophet), Jacques Audiard, France
A Prophet has the ambition, purity of vision and clarity of purpose to make it an instant classic,” Angelica Huston, jury President said on behalf of the jury. “With seamless and imaginative story-telling, superb performances and universal themes, Jacques Audiard has made a perfect film.

Special Mention: The Road, John Hillcoat, USA
For breathtaking vision, extraordinary performances and profound political statement.

Star of London for Best British Newcomer: Jack Thorne screenwriter of The Scouting Book for Boys, Tom Harper, UK
Jack Thorne is a poetic writer with an end-of-the-world imagination and a real gift for story-telling. Thorne's substantial authorship is revealed in the unique voices of the film’s characters and the rich, soulful and playful layering of the story.

Southerland Award: Ajami, Yaron Shani ans Scandar Copti, Israel
A bold and original piece of filmmaking, Ajami tells an important story in a thoroughly engrossing and cinematic way. A fantastic achievement, Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani have made a film with a heart and a vision that speaks for a common humanity.

Grierson Award: Defamation, Yoav Shamir, Israel, Austira, USA and Denmark (documentary)

BFI Fellowships: John Hurt and Soulemane Cissé for “their significant achievements in the fields of acting and directing”.

To read the official announcement go here.

Tulpan

What an unexpected pleasure as this Sergey Dvortsevoy film is a drama that has very gentle comedy, the best is that it made me softly laugh and enjoy a lot more the splendid cinematography, great performances by one actor and many non-actors, and a story that’s refreshing especially from the few films that I have seen that happen in steppes or in the middle of nothing!

Basically tells the story of Asa that after serving in the Russian navy goes back to the steppes and his dream of being a herdsman with his own ranch. To have his dream come true, he has to find a bride and with the help of friends he goes to ask for Tulpan’s hand. But Tulpan doesn’t like Asa, he has way too big ears! Obviously the story is the excuse to show everyday life in the solitude of the Hunger Steppes and you have no idea how desolated Kazakhstan steppes can be; that’s it if you have never seen a film from Mongolia.

Yes most compare this film to other Kazahstan movies that unfortunately haven’t seen, but to me the style (blending reality and fiction), pace, cinematography and story (without the humor) seem similar to Mongolia’s films like The Cave of the Yellow Dog. This comment is only meant as a reference and does not demerit the absolutely well-deserved honors that Tulpan collected since winning the Un Certain Regard award at the 2008 Cannes.

Have to share that everyone talks about one particular scene related to the birth of a sheep. The scene perfectly fits the story, but most of all is like a catharsis to everything that has happened before. Still, be aware that yes it’s a little hard to watch and perhaps is not for the weak of heart.

So if you wish to experience life in a remote and desolated area of the world you have to watch this fantastic movie that will definitively surprise you with the gentle and naïve humor. A must be seen film for everyone that like the word art in their movies.

I waited more than a year to have the opportunity to watch this movie and I had high expectations. The film surpassed my expectations by far as I really enjoyed this drama, comedy, recording of traditions and beautiful scenery; but must of all I absolutely enjoyed the realistic –yet magical- poetry of the visual and narrative storytelling from the debut feature film of a mostly documentary director. Bravo Dvortsevoy!! Hope he does many more movies.

Big Enjoy!!!

Watch Trailer @ Movie On Companion.

67th Golden Globes First (Great) News

Yesterday the HFPA announced that Ricky Gervais will host the awards ceremony on Sunday, January 17, 2010 on NBC.

I don’t know about you but for me are great news as I really enjoy Gervais comedy very-very dark style; I just hope that he doesn’t get Americanized (he, he), but since is the Globes perhaps he won’t!

Here is an excerpt of the press release.

"We are delighted to have Ricky Gervais as the host on our show,” said Philip Berk, President of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. “He'll bring his unique brand of humor and charm to what will continue to be a fast paced award show."

To read the press release go here. Nominations for "The 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards" will be announced at 8 a.m. (ET) on Tuesday, December 15.

39th Molodist Kyiv International Film Festival

Running until November 1st, KIFF is screening the following films in the Competition Program.

Coeur Animal (Animal Heart), Severine Cornamusaz, Switzerland
Djavolja Varos (Devil's Town), Vladimir Paskaljević, Serbia
Gagma Napiri (The Other Bank), George Ovashvili, Georgia and Kazahstan
J’ai Tue Ma Mere (I killed my mother), Xavier Dolan, Canada
La Pivellina, Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel, Italy and Austria
Les Beaux Gosses (The French Kissers), Riad Sattouf, France
Lost Persons Area, Caroline Strubbe, Belgium, Netherlands, and Hungary
Machan, Uberto Pasolini, Sri Lanka, Italy, and Germany
Ottorzheniye (Rejection), Vladimir Lert, Ukraine
Rossiya 88 (Russia 88), Pavel Bardin, Russia
Sheva Dakotbe Gan Eden (Seven Minutes In Heaven), Omri Givon, Isarel, France and Hungary
Vanvittig Forelsket (Love & Rage), Morten Giese, Denmark
Volchok (Wolfy), Vasiliy Sigaryev, Russia

To read about each film go here and to check films in all sections that include French Cinema Today, German Boulevard, New Russian Cinema and many other go here.

54th Valladolid Film Festival

Currently running the fest is screening the following films in the Official Selection.

Adam, Max Mayer, USA
Adam Resurrected, Paul Schrader, USA, Germany and Israel
Amreeka, Cherien Dabis. Canada, Kuwait, and USA
L’armée du crime, Robert Guédiguian, France
Casanegra, Nour-Eddine Lakhmari, Morroco and Norway
Castillos de Cartón, Salvador García Ruiz, Spain
Dirty Mind, Pieter Van Hees, Belgium
Estigmas, Adán Aliaga, Spain.
The Girlfriend Experience, Steven Soderbergh, USA
Le Hérisson, Mona Achache, France and Italy
Honeymoons, Goran Paskaljevic, Serbia and Albania
La Isla Interior, Felix Sabroso and Dunia Ayaso, Spain
Lille Soldat, Annette K. Olesen, Denmark
My Queen Karo, Dorothée van den Berghe, Belgium
Paco, Diego Rafecas, Argentina
Le père de mes enfants, Mia Hansen-Love, France and Germany
Petit Indi, Marc Recha, Spain
I skoni tou chronou (The Dust of Time), Theo Angelopoulos, Greece, Italy, Germany and Russia
Cooking with Stella, Dilip Mehta, Canada.

Out of Competition
Opening Film: Looking for Eric, Ken Loach, UK, France, Italy, Belgium and Spain
Luna Caliente, Vicente Aranda, Spain

I suggest to check the Punto de Encuentro section with interesting films. There is a Carlos Saura homage and to check the films go here. To browse the site go here.

27th Tokyo International Film Festival Award Winners

Recently the fest closed and here are the winners.

Official Competition

Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix: Easter Plays, Kamem Kalev, Bulgaria, 2009

Special Jury Prize: Rabia, Sebastian Cordero, Colombia and Spain, 2009
Best Director: Kamem Kalev for Easter Plays, Bulgaria, 2009
Best Actress: Julie Gayet in Huit Fois Debout (Eight Times Up), Xabi Molia, France, 2009
Best Actor: Christo Christov in Easter Plays, Kamem Kalev, Bulgaria, 2009

Audience Award: The Trotsky, Jacob Tierney, Canada, 2009
Earth Grand Prix: Loup (Wolf), Nicolas Vanier, France

Winds of Asia-Middle East
Best Asian Film: Ye Haeng Ja (A Brand New Life), Ounie Lecomte, Korea
Special Mention: Günesi Gördüm (I Saw the Sun), Mahsun Kırmızıgül, Turkey

Japanese Eyes
Best Picture Award: Live Tape, Tetsuaki Matsue, Japan

To check all award winners go here .

4th International Rome Film Festival Award Winners

Recently the fest closed and here are the award winners

Official Competition

Golden Marc’Aurelio Award for Best Film: Broderskab (Brotherhood), Nicolo Donato, Demmark (gay interest)

Silver Marc’Aurelio Jury Award: L' uomo che verrà (The Man Who Will Come), Giorgio Diritti, Italy

Silver Marc’Aurelio Award for Best Actress: Helen Mirren in The Last Station, Michael Hoffman, Germany and Russia

Silver Marc’Aurelio Award for Best Actor: Sergio Castellitto in Alza la Testa (Raise Your Head), Alessandro Angelini, Italy

Audience Award: L' uomo che verrà (The Man Who Will Come), Giorgio Diritti, Italy

La Meglio Gioventù Award for Best Film: L' uomo che verrà (The Man Who Will Come), Giorgio Diritti, Italy

Libera Associazione Rappresentanza di Artisti Award for Best Italian Actress: Anita Kravos in Alza la Testa (Raise Your Head), Alessandro Angelini, Italy

Farfalla d’Oro Award: Broderskab (Brotherhood), Nicolo Donato, Demmark

Alice Nella Città

Silver Marc’Aurelio Award under 12 years old: Last Ride by Glendyn Ivin - Australia
Silver Marc’Aurelio Award over 12 years old: Oorlogswinter by Martin Koolhoven - Netherlands
Special Mention: Vegas by Gunnar Vikene – Norway

To check award winners in other categories go here and here.

There is something in this pic, so decided to share. Helen Mirren with her award at Rome fest.

2010 Oscar (sort of) Interesting News

Usually I do not write about the TV show that will happen on Sunday, March 7, 2010 at the Kodak Theatre… yeah, I’m talking about the Oscar’s telecast; but, today the Academy announced who the producers are and well, I find it interesting and decided to share.

Perhaps some of you are familiar with the TV show So You Think You Can Dance (I love this show… lol!) and perhaps you are familiar with dancing movies like Step Up, Step Up 2 and Step Up 3-D… and even with movies like Hairspray and The Wedding Planner… if you are familiar then you have to know who Adam Shankman is and yes, he is one of the two producers of the telecast.

If you don’t know him, let me tell you that he’s an occasional member of the jury at the TV show (also an occasional choreographer), he produced the three Step movies and he has directed a few movies including the ones above. I find him a very interesting character that has traveled many roads in the entertaining industry and I believe he could bring some fun (hopefully dancing fun) to the Oscar’s show.

The other producer is Bill Mechanic and if you feel like reading the full press release go here.

So, like every year, I hope the show will be REALLY entertaining; unfortunately not every year happens. But I’m still hoping… and this is what Shankman said in an interview that makes me rise my expectations... but at the same time tells me that he's not thinking dancing... shame.

"I personally want to kick up the funny a little bit," Shankman said. "Movies are an invaluable source of entertainment during a very tough time in our country's history. Since entertainment is what we're selling, we want to celebrate that aspect and not just have it be that we're sitting around congratulating ourselves and patting ourselves on the back."

Sigh.

Vincere

Most reviews I read call this movie operatic. I call it the most visually dramatic I have seen lately. This is really a dark movie and I do not mean the genre I mean what you see in the screen as Marco Bellocchio plays with true Chiaroscuro both in black and white and with color. Yes, it’s not a mistake, he plays Chiaroscuro with color! Add one scene with animation, some granular grayish takes, lots of huge capital letters forming words to convey messages, real old footage of movies (including one with Charles Chaplin), news reels with Benito Mussolini and you have the most unusual History lesson and (sort of) biopic that you could think of.

But it’s not the biography of Mussolini. According to what I read the story appears to be recently discovered or released and tells all about Ida Dalser, the first Mussolini’s wife that he made disappear in a series of mental institutions, separating her from Il Duce firstborn, a son that eventually becomes as mad as Mussolini. Have to admit that the story is compelling and interesting, but somehow with all the splendid images you definitively care less for the story. Not a great storytelling technique as visuals are truly arresting and relegate an interesting story to a secondary plateau.

Definitively great Giovanna Mezzogiorno got an award winning role and I wont be surprised if the honors she already started to collect in 2009 will continue next year in the Italian awards. But unfortunately most of her performance also goes to the back and visuals predominate; still there are a few scenes where she’s just fantastic.

I don’t clearly know what I was expecting from this movie, but definitively I was not expecting so many arresting and breath taking visuals that absolutely play with viewers grabbing their attention to the light and darkness especially in the first third, some amazingly beautiful compositions (especially the snow scene), the real era footage (one reel with Mussolini speech clearly showing his madness) and the use of color contrasting so much the odd darkness or the black and white old footage.

One thing absolutely called my attention and is the many scenes at a movie theater and us viewers being able to watch (even with close ups) the movie or the news reels (most with the real Mussolini); but what is mind blowing is how Bellocchio was able to integrate those old movies and footage into the story, truly flawless!

Absolutely not for all audiences even when I know that the story is interesting and compelling; this is a very dark (literally) and dramatic visual storytelling that I do believe will appeal to those that enjoy serious cinema and visually very dramatic art cinema.

I had a hard time with the first third of the movie, there where too many sex scenes that for me was too much. Since the first sex scene I got Mussolinni was obsessed with power and not love or falling in love. Still, I loved the visuals, enjoyed the so few great Mezzogiorno scenes and now that I’m writing about the film I have to say that I enjoyed the compelling story, also co written by Bellocchio from his own inspiration.

Definitively the less mainstream movie from 2009 Cannes from the few I have seen and the most typical festival movie from all I have seen up-to-date.

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

25th Warsaw Film Festival Award Winners

The fest ran from October 9 to 18 and here are the winners.

International Competition

Warsaw Grad Prix: Lourdes, Jessica Hausener, Austria, Germany and France
Her effortless storytelling brings a beautiful simplicity to a complex subject.

Special Jury Prize: La Pasion de Gabriel (The Passion of Gabriel), Luis Alberto Restrepo, Colombia
For the depiction of human courage in the face of the complex socio-political conflict in Colombia.

FIPRESCI Prize: Rewers (Reverse), Borys Lankosz, Poland
Audience Award (tie)
The Dark House, Wojciech Smarzowski, Poland
Welcome, Phillipe Lioret, France

1-2 Competition
Sheva Dakot Be’gan Eden (Seven Minutes in Heaven), Omri Givon, Israel
Eastern Plays, Kamen Kalev, Bulgaria and Sweden

Free Spirit Competition
Purgatorio (Purgatory), Roberto Rochin Naya, Mexico
Mal Dia Para Pescar (Bad Day to Go Fishing, Alvaro Brechner, Uruguay

To check winners in shorts and documentaries go here.

This is a great idea that many fest should emulate, check the winners in the following video

2009 Flanders International Film Festival Ghent Award Winners

The fest ran from October 6 to 17 and here are the winners.

Best Film: Einaym Pkuhot, Eyes Wide Open, Haim Tabakman, Israel, Germany and France (gay interest)
Special Mention: Min Dit (The Children of Diyarbakir), Miraz Bezar, Germany and Turkey

Young Jury Xplore Award: Ajami, Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani, Israel and Germany
Special Mention: A L’Ouest de Pluton (West of Pluto), Henry Bernadet and Myriam Verreault, Canada

Joseph Plateau Honoray Award: Andy Garcia

To read about all winners and check the films in competition go here.

Das weiße Band (The White Ribbon)

This the first time Chaos and Storyteller publish a review about the same movie. Maybe both reviews are similar, but I believe that Chaos points out different reasons to like the movie and the point is that we decided to share both reviews. In the future perhaps we will not agree or we will, but today we start the series: Chaos Says/Storyteller Says that we hope you'll enjoy!

CHAOS SAYS

The movie story is narrated by the schoolmaster, who warns us right at the beginning that his memories might not be accurate. The setting takes place in Germany, in 1913. Mysterious accidents start happening, causing severe injuries or even death. As the movie progresses we start to get acquainted with the village and it’s inhabitants: the Baron, the Pastor, the doctor, the farmers, their children…we are, of course, being presented with representations of power, religion, all the social classes fitting nicely in the habitual slots.

Is Haneke reproducing a small-scale of society? And is he talking about that society in a particular place and time, or any society on any moment? Most aspects of social life remain unchanged through time and geographic distances. There are power struggles, money struggles, dominant personalities, crimes and deception behind closed doors, adultery and murder. Bad instincts, unfortunately, have always been a part of human race and will continue to be.

Because of this aspect, The White Ribbon reminded me of another of Haneke’s works, 2003’s “Le Temps du Loup”. I think there is a clear connection between these two movies, at least because I can imagine The White Ribbon brewing on his mind as Le Temps du Loup was being created. As it happens, we are again looking to a small society, born out of odd circumstances, but facing the same kind of problems and tense interactions. It is not an easy movie to watch, but if you have not seen it I recommend doing so; but please do it before watching The White Ribbon. I’m afraid any of his previous movies will seem ordinary after watching The White Ribbon.

Brilliant cinematography, and if you have read any of my reviews before, you know I don’t like to praise cinematography “just because”. Haneke’s choice of black –and-white is magnificent and suits the movie perfectly. Color is not needed and would serve no purpose. Also, I don’t recall ever being so fascinated by the sharp, beautiful photography.

The acting is so good that I had a hard time finding the right words to define it. To show several emotions without saying anything is true art. I have to mention Leonie Benesch, playing Eva. Some scenes with her will be forever ingrained in my visual memory, much to my happiness. And Maria-Victoria Dragus as Klara. In both cases, two very young actresses that I’m certain have a bright future ahead.

As for the story…well, you can believe it happened as told, or not. Haneke has put a gigantic amount of effort in controlling all details about this movie; just for the children’s casting, they went through six months and 7.000 kids. Really. So, because of that, I am sure it’s not accidental that the movie is so ambiguous. Haneke plays with the audience but, for once, I enjoyed it.

Having watched the movie twice in one day, I must say I am absolutely in love. Being teased can be a great thing if it is done by a Master.

I only regret that I can’t find words good enough to describe this flawless movie, I feel like I’m giving Haneke a poor service. So, to put it simply: a Masterpiece.

Green light, full speed!

STORYTELLER SAYS

To be honest, watching this extraordinary film has been an amazing experience like no other I have ever lived -perhaps I’m exaggerating as I was really positively shocked with Passolinni’s Teorema and some Fellini’s films… and Bergman… and Tarkovsky… (lol!)-; but it’s close. Truth is this is the best Haneke film that I have ever seen and I enjoyed a lot his multiple award winner Caché and still have in my mind The Piano Teacher.

I’m really not kidding when I say that this film is extraordinary, so much that it has taken me almost a week to get the guts to write something about this unbelievable film and I know that I’ll ramble, so please I beg you loyal readers to bear with me.

My spontaneous and initial reaction was to think that the master filmmaker had to be laughing a lot when editing and when thinking about viewer’s reactions, as I believe that Haneke succeeded in manipulating viewers to think something that never happens and to see in the movie whatever the viewer wishes to see. This is simply Brilliant! He pours to us very well-crafted scenes, one after the other and everything makes total sense as the narrator in the very beginning tells us that he doesn’t know if the story is entirely true and that the strange events that happened in the village could clarify some things that happened in the country where the story is set. But just browse the net to read the many different story interpretations and you will gather how provocative the storytelling style and essence is. Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant!

So, what’s the story about? The story is set in 1913 and tells about a string of misfortunes that befall citizens of Eichwald, an agricultural community where half the population works for a Baron estate. It’s the story of a small community everyday life that definitively changed when WWI started. So you have crimes, misdemeanors, child abuse, adultery, premature death, malicious behavior, adultery, quiet gossip, severe punishment with nonsense children actions and I better stop or I’m going to stimulate your imagination in the wrong sense. Yes, that’s what happens but you see nothing in the screen, so you have to imagine most of what happens and I assure you that whatever you can imagine will not be what follows or what really the story is all about. Am I clear? No, I’m not and the movie is not either.

My brief and not spoiling interpretation is that this story is about human behavior and is not related only to Germany; this kind of behavior still is happening today in many places of the world; and, as Haneke’s leaves to your own interpretation the consequences of the human behavior displayed in the screen, real consequences are different in each culture where right now someone is doing something like what is done in the film. So, my point, there is not only one type of consequence for the shown behaviors.

But if the story could be highly controversial, the film as a film is a true cinema masterpiece in beautiful black and white, that allows extraordinary shadow/light playing and Haneke’s takes extremely good advantage of monochromatic filming to do outstanding outdoor and indoor compositions. Truly is an immaculately crafted master oeuvre. Performances are top notch and remember how difficult is to film children, but here they perform so natural that you the viewer easily get lost inside the film. Amazing!

But there is more. The film genre has been labeled as drama. Yes is a drama, a complex, dense and difficult drama. But also belongs to the soft thriller, whodunit, crime and (some will kill me) horror genres. The horror part is because for many moments the story development made me think about another film “Children of the Corn”, not because there is real horror in this film.

What a crazy GOOD movie that totally plays with viewers while watching the most amazing shadows and use of light.

A Must Be Seen movie and I strongly recommend you do NOT watch it alone as you’ll need someone to talk about the film when is over.

No, is not for all audiences; but as has been happening with the previous 2009 Cannes award winners films I have seen, the Palme D’Or winner is quite mainstream and if general audiences dare to watch it I’m sure many will love it and many will not. My only suggestion is to not think the story as a German story as really applies anywhere in the world. By the way the film full German title translates to “The White Ribbon: A German Children’s Story”. How ironic...

I really LOVE the film and strongly recommend it to EVERYONE!

The film has written allover Oscar for 2010; still, the Academy could give us a surprise…

BIG BIG ENJOY!!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

14th Pusan International Film Festival Award Winners

Recently the fest had the awards ceremony and here are the winners.

New Currents Award (tie)
Kick Off, Shawkat Amin Korki, Kurdistan and Iraq, 2008
나는 곤경에 처했다! Naneun Konkyeonge Cheohaessda! (I’m in Trouble!), So Sang-min, Korea, 2009
Special Mention: Squalor, Giuseppe Bede Sampedro, Philippines, 2009

FIPRESCI Award: Kick Off, Shawkat Amin Korki, Kurdistan and Iraq, 2008
NETPAC Award: Paju, Park Chan Ok, Korea, 2009
Audience Award: 伞 Lan, Jiang Wenli, China, 2009

Fast Forward Award: Last Cowboy Standing, Zaida Bergroth, Findland and Germany, 2009
Special Mention: Miss Kicki, Hakon Liu, Sweden and Taiwan, 2009

Sonje Award for Short Films (tie)
Somewhere Unreached, Kim Jae-won, Korea
Rare Fish, Basil Vassili Mironer, Singapore and Indonesia

Mecenant Award for Documentaries (tie)
Earth’s Woman, Kwon WooJung, Korea
The Other Song, Saba Dewan, India

To read the official press release go here.

The Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made

If you are into lists and movie books then I suggest you do not miss checking the list by the Film Critics of the New York Times and learn about the 2004 book edited by Peter M. Nichols. To check the list and info about each movie go here.

2010 Oscar Foreign Language Film Submissions Final

Yesterday the Academy announced the 65 films that will be considered for the Foreign Language Film category.

If you feel like reading the official press release go here.

These are the films.

Albania: Gjallë (Alive), Artan Minarolli
Argentina: El Secreto de Sus Ojos, Juan José Campanella
Armenia: Հրաշագործի աշունը (Autumn of the Magician), Ruben Gevorkyants & Vahe Gevorkyants
Australia: Samson and Delilah, Warwick Thorton
Austria: Ein Augenblick Freiheit (For a Moment, Freedom), Arash T. Riahi
Bangladesh: Britter Bairey (Beyond the Circle), Golam Rabbani Biplob
Belgium: De helaasheid der dingen (The Misfortunates), Felix van Groeningen
Bolivia: Zona Sur, Juan Carlos Valdivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Čuvari noći (Guardians of the Night aka Nightguards), Namik Kabil
Brazil: Salve Geral (Time of Fear), Sérgio Rezende
Bulgaria: Светът е голям и спасение дебне отвсякъде Svetat e golyam i spasenie debne otvsyakade (The World is Big and Salvation Lurks around the Corner), Stephan Komandarev
Canada: J'ai tué ma mère (I Killed my Mother), Xavier Dolan
Chile: Dawson Isla 10 (Dawson Island 10), Miguel Littin
China: 梅兰芳 Mei Lanfang (Forever Enthralled), Chen Kaige
Colombia: Los Viajes del Viento (The Wind Journeys),Ciro Guerra
Croatia: Kenjac (Donkey), Antonio Nuić
Cuba: Los Dioses Rotos (Fallen Gods), Ernesto Daranas
Czech Republic: Protektor (Protector), Marek Najbrt
Denmark: Frygtelig lykkelig (Terribly Happy),Henrik Ruben Genz
Estonia: Detsembrikuumus (December Heat), Asko Kase
Finland: Postia pappi Jaakobille (Letters to Father Jacob), Klaus Härö
France:Un Prophète (A Prophet), Jacques Audiard (It had to be!!! Bravo!!!)
Georgia: გაღმა ნაპირი Gagma Napiri (The Other Bank), Giorgi Ovashvili
Germany: Das weiße Band (The White Ribbon), Michael Haneke
Greece: Οι Σκλάβοι στα Δεσμά τους Oi sklavoi sta desma tous (Slaves in Their Bonds), Tony Lykouressis
Hong Kong: 淚王子 (Prince of Tears), Yonfan
Hungary: Kaméleon (Chameleon), Krisztina Goda
Iceland: Reykjavik-Rotterdam, Oskar Jonasson
India: हरिश्चंद्राची फॅक्टरी Harishchandrachi Factory, Paresh Mokashi
Indonesia: Jamila dan Sang Presiden (Jamila and the President), Ratna Sarumpaet
Iran: درباره الی Darbareye Elly (About Elly), Asghar Farhadi
Israel: עג'מי Ajami, Yaron Shani ans Scandar Copti
Italy: Baarìa, Giuseppe Tornatore
Japan: 誰も守ってくれない Dare mo mamotte kurenai (Nobody to Watch Over Me), Ryoichi Kimizuka
Kazakhstan: Келін (Kelin), Ermek Tursunov
Lithuania: Duburys (Vortex), Gytis Luksas
Luxembourg: Réfractaire, Nicolas Steil
Macedonia: Созерцание Ocas jesterky (Wingless), Ivo Trajkov
Mexico: El Traspatio (Backyard), Carlos Carrera
Morroco: Casanegra, Nour Eddine Lakhmari
Netherlands: Oorlogswinter (Winter in Wartime), Martin Koolhoven
Norway: Max Manus, Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg
Peru: La Teta Asustada (The Milk of Sorrow), Claudia Llosa
Philippines: De na si lolo (Grandpa Is Dead), Soxie Topacio
Poland: Rewers (Reverse), Borys Lankosz
Portugal: Um Amor de Perdição (Doomed Love), Mário Barroso
Puerto Rico: Kabo y Platón (Kabo and Platon), Edmundo H Rodriguez
Romania: Politist, Adjectiv (Police, Adjetive), Corneliu Prumboiu
Russia: Палата №6 Palata N°6 (Ward No. 6), Aleksandr Gornovsky and Karen Shakhnazarov
Serbia: Свети Георгије убива аждаху Sveti Georgije ubiva azdahu (St. George Slays The Dragon), Srdjan Dragojevic
Slovakia: Nedodržaný sľub (Broken Promise), Jirí Chlumský
Slovenia: Pokrajina Št. 2 (Landscape No. 2), Vinko Moderndorfer
South Africa: White Wedding, Jann Turner
South Korea: 마더 (Mother), Bong Joon-ho
Spain: El Baile de la Victoria (The Dancer and the Thief), Fernando Trueba
Sri Lanka: Alimankada Sita (The Road from Elephant Pass), Chandran Rutnam
Sweden: De Ofrivilliga (Involuntary), Ruben Östlund
Switzerland: Home, Ursula Meier
Taiwan: 不能沒有你 (No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti), Leon Dai
Thailand: ความจำสั้น แต่รักฉันยาว Kwam Jam San Tae Rak Chan Yao (Best of Times), Youngyooth Thongkongthun
Turkey: Güneşi Gördüm (I Saw the Sun), Mahsun Kırmızıgül
UK: Afghan Star, Havana Marking
Uruguay: Mal Día Para Pescar (Bad Day For Fishing), Alvaro Brechner
Venezuela: Libertador Morales, El Justiciero, Efterpi Charalambidis
Vietnam: Đừng đốt (Don't Burn It), Nhat Minh Dang

The 82nd Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater; but before the Academy announces the short list of 9 films.

To watch available trailers go Movie On Companion

News

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has invited 96 countries to submit their top film for consideration as a possible Best Foreign Language Film nominee.

About The Netherlands

Original entry, "The Silent Army," reportedly fell short of the Academy's rules that require films be original works and not new versions of an existing motion picture. "Silent" is the recut, international version of Jean van de Velde's 2008 film "Wit Licht," about child soldiers in Africa.

The Acad officially ruled this week that "Silent" was disqualified. According to the submitting org, Holland Film, the Acad noted that this was the first time a pic submitted to the foreign language category had been disqualified for this reason and that the committee members had had differing views on the decision.

Last News

New to the list Cuba and Puerto Rico. Mongolia is out! Sri Lanka and Greece have a different film.

Frankie

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to write about this movie as I found it too pretentious with many art cinema techniques used to differentiate past and present that soon enough became tediuous; but when I found that this film production costs were about 3,000 Euros I had to mention the first work of Fabienne Berthaud that required her three years to accomplish as started filming when Diane Kruger was an unknown and continue filming when she had free time from the projects that made Kruger well-known.

Berthaud had made before a documentary about high fashion and wrote the script for this film that tells the story of Frankie that from being at the top of her model career everything cracks when she has a breakdown and ends up hospitalized at an unusual mental facility.

One thing I have to recognize from Berthaud work, doing something different in a mental institution is not easy as there are many filmmakers that have done almost everything. Berthaud found a “new” way that was interesting more for the visuals than for anything else. She used light saturation. The problem is that after watching a few scenes your eyes start to hurt, she should have changed the style after a while.

This film can only appeal to those that want to watch many beauty shots of Kruger (and other actresses playing models) and to those that want to see how a 2005 ultra-low budget film looks like and want to figure out how to do it in 2009.

Enjoy.

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

Adoration

From 2008 Cannes and in competition Atom Egoyan’s film is a true think-piece about all sorts of post-9/11 questions that include, ethics of terrorism, deceptiveness of appearances, technology facilitating dialogue while hiding truth, etc.; so, it’s a somehow dense movie but gives you the choice of just following the story of Simon and his family which superficially is what the movie clearly tells.

The problem is that if you follow the obvious superficial story there are huge chances that you will not find it much interesting and will see a movie about lies, lies and lies.

As a movie has Egoyan’s peculiar narrative style written allover plus extraordinary cinematography with Canadian autumn looking almost perfect and great violin music speared along the entire movie; also there are some excellent visual compositions and some specific takes that are really superb cinematic moments. Performances are acceptable for me, but I don’t enjoy Scott Speedman performances in any of his movies and here is not the exception. Still other actors performances didn’t excel for me too.

I loved watching the spectacular Canadian autumn that made me recall the beauty of Maple leaves and trees and liked the few visually outstanding moments; but I didn’t really enjoyed performances (bad casting) and the story. So, for me is a so-so film worth watching only for the “art” elements.

Enjoy!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

4th International Rome Film Festival Lineup

The other Italian festival will start next Thursday and this year the best news is that the Golden Marc’Aurelio Acting Award goes to none other than Meryl Streep and I suggest you read the official release if you feel like refreshing the amazing accomplishments of this great actress, like for example holding a record-breaking number of nominations 15 for the Oscars and 23 for the Golden Globes.

The fest will run from October 15 to 23 and here are the films in some of the competitive sections.

Official Selection Competition

After, Alberto Rodriguez, Spain
Alza la Testa (Raise Your Head), Alessandro Angelini, Italy (with Sergio Castellitto)
Broderskab (Brotherhood), Nicolo Donato, Demmark (gay interest)
Chaque jour est une fête (Every Day Is a Holiday), Dima El-Horr, Lebanon, France, and Germany
Dawson Isla 10 (Dawson Island 10), Miguel Littin, Chile, Brazil, and Venezuela
L' uomo che verrà (The Man Who Will Come), Giorgio Diritti - Italy
Les Regrets (Regrets), Cédric Kahn, France
Plan B, Marco Berger, Argentina
Qingnian (Youth), Jun Geng, China
The Last Station, Michael Hoffman, Germany and Russia (with Helen Mirren must be seen)
Triage, Danis Tanovic, France, Ireland, and Spain
Up in The Air, Jason Reitman, USA
Viola di Mare (Sea Purple), Donatella Maiorca, Italy (WOW! Now really becomes must be seen! Yep totally lesbian interest)
Vision, Margarethe von Trotta, Germany

Jury
Milos Forman
Assia Djebar, director
Gabriele Muccino, director
Gae Aulenti, theatrical stage design
Jean-Looup Dabadie, screenwriter
Pavel Lungin, director
Senta Berger, actress

Out of Competition

A Serious Man, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, USA
Christine Cristina (Christine), Stefania Sandrelli, Italy
Concerto di Mozart
Io, Don Giovanni, Carlos Saura, Italy, Spain
Julie & Julia, Nora Ephron, USA
Lang Zai Ji (The Warrior and the Wolf), Tian Zhuangzhuang, China
Le Concert, Radu Mihaileanu, France, Romania, Belgium, and Italy (Must be seen for me)
Oggi sposi (Just Married), Luca Lucini, Italy
The City of Your Final Destination, James Ivory , USA (great cast: Anthony Hopkins, Laura Linney, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alexandra Maria Lara, Norma Aleandro)

Alice Nella Città

Competition

A Boy Called Dad by Brian Percival - U.K.
Dear Lemon Lima, by Suzi Yoonessi - U.S.A.
Eleanor's Secret by Dominique Monféry - Italy, France
La Régate by Bernard Bellefroid - Belgium, Luxembourg, France
Last Ride by Glendyn Ivin - Australia
Marpiccolo by Alessandro di Robilant - Italy
Mille Neuf Cent Quatre-Vingt-Un by Ricardo Trogi - Canada
Oorlogswinter by Martin Koolhoven - Netherlands
Prinsessa by Teresa Fabik - Sweden
Skellig by Annabel Jankel - U.K.
The Be All and End All by Bruce Webb - U.K.
Vegas by Gunnar Vikene - Norway

Out of Competition
Turtle: The Incredible Journey by Nick Stringer - Austria, U.K.

Anteprima- Alice Nella Città
Astro Boy, David Bower, USA.
Hachiko: A Dog's Story, Lasse Hallström, USA
The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Chris Weitz, USA

To check the Special Events and Screenings go here. To check docs, Encounters, Fisheye, Retrospective on Meryl Streep and on Luigi Zampa go here. To check the films in the Focus section go here.

The fest this year has interesting films that seem to me more mainstream than the regular non-mainstreams films that we find in prestigious festivals.

Watch trailers @ Movie On Companion

82nd Academy Awards – Documentary Short Shortlist

Yesterday the Academy published the first shortlist of the season and here are the eight (8) Short Documentaries selected to be eligible for three to five nominations.

China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province, Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill, USA,2009 (aired on HBO)
The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner, Daniel Junge, USA
The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant, Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, USA (aired on HBO)
Lt. Watada (aka In the Name of Democracy: The Story of Lt. Ehren Watada), Nina Rosenblum, 2009
Music by Prudence, Roger Ross Williams, USA (HBO)
Królik po berlinsku (Rabbit à la Berlin), Bartosz Konopka, Poland and Germany, 2009
Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak, Lance Bangs and Spike Jonze, USA, 2009 (will premiere on HBO Oct 14)
Woman Rebel, Kiran Deol, Nepal and USA, 2009

Some names have links to their official site where you will find info, trailers and/or pics.

27th Tokyo International Film Festival

This year the other TIFF brings a complete program with many interesting films in several sections that include the Competition and one of my favorites Tied-Up Program: 22nd Tokyo International Women’s Film Festival with films created by female filmmakers. The fest runs from October 17 to 25.

Here are the films in Competition that were “carefully chosen from 743 nominated titles from 81 countries and regions”.

Acacia, Jinsei Tsuji, Japan, 2008
Dieci Inverni (Ten Winters), Valerio Mieli, Italy and Russia, 2009
Dom Zly (The Dark House), Wojtek Smarzowski, Poland, 2009
Easter Plays, Kamem Kalev, Bulgaria, 2009
天长地久 Heaven Eternal, Earth Everlasting, Li Fangfang, China, 2009
Himpapawid (Manila Skies), Raymond Red, Philippines, 2009
Huit Fois Debout (Eight Times Up), Xabi Molia, France, 2009 (interesting)
Ilusiones Opticas (Optical Illusions), Cristián Jiménez, Chile, Portugal and France, 2009
Rabia, Sebastian Cordero, Colombia and Spain, 2009
Road, Movie, Dev Benegal, India and USA, 2009
台北飄雪Snowfall in Taipei, Hugo Jianqi, China, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan, 2009
Staten Island (Little New York), James DeMonaco, USA, 2008
Stories, Mario Iglesias, Spain, 2009
The Trotsky, Jacob Tierney, Canada, 2009
Zona Sur (Southern District), Juan Carlos Valdivia, Bolivia, 2009

To read film info and watch trailers go here.

Main Competition Jury
President Alejandro González Iñárritu, director
Mieko Harada, actress
Jerzy Skolimowski, director/actor
Caroline Champetier, director of photography
Yoo Ji Tae, actor/director
Masamichi Matsumoto, Director of Cinémathèque

To check juries for other awards go here.

The 22nd Tokyo International Women’s Film Festival will screen the following films

Girls of the Dark
Kinuyo Tanaka’s New Departure
Sisters on the Road
Mother’s Way Daughter’s Choice
Beautiful Islands
Katyn
Les Plages d'Agnès (The Beaches of Agnes), Agnès Varda, France, 2008 (documentary)
Der Rote Punkt (The Red Spot), Marie Miyayama, Japan and Germany, 2008
Tokaidoyotsuyakaidan

This section site is here but is available only in Japanese. You can check pics from films here and as you noticed, wasn't able to find more info for many of the above movies.

Other sections in the Main Program include

Special Screenings
Winds of Asia-Middle East
World Cinema
Natural TIFF

The Co-Hosted Program has the following sections

Bunka-Cho Film Week – Here & There
Minato Screening
TIFFCOM 2009

Besides de Women’s fest, the Tie-Up Program also has the following sections

Korean Cinema Week 2009
Shorts Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2009 “Focus on Asia”
2009 Tokyo China Film Festival
German Film Festival in Tokyo – Horizonte 2009
Terra Madre –Mother Earth by Ermanno Olmi
The 2nd Old Town Taito International Comedy Film Festival
Tanabe-bennkei film festival 2009 (young directors from Asian countries)
Japan Location Market 2009
Case Study on Co-production project between Japan and Hong Kong
Akihabara Enta-Matsuri 2009 (Manga and animation)

If you’re interested in checking any of the above sections go here but most links are available only in Japanese.

As every year the TIFF has a very complete program for all tastes, genres and countries cinema.

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee

A watchable adult drama because of the stellar and eye candy cast that includes Robin Wright Penn as Pippa, Monica Bellucci, Maria Bello, Blake Lively, Julianne Moore, and Winona Ryder on the female side. The male side has superb Alan Arkin and one of my favorite actors Keanu Reeves. You may wonder how the film got such a cast and I bet it has a lot to do with the Executive Producer that is none other than Brad Pitt.

The story is sort of interesting as tells the tumultuous life of Pippa told with flashbacks as when she moves to a retiring community with much older husband Herb she starts to develop a life crisis and the past comes to her present constantly.

With such a large number of roles is understandable that only Pippa and Herb (Alan Arkin) characters are really well developed and I cannot say that this is Robin Wright Penn’ best performance, but it’s a pleasure to watch her in all the scenes when Pippa is older; Alan Arkin is fabulous with the touches of dark humor and I was most impressed with Blake Lively performance as Young Pippa, as well as with the diverse looks she showed, definitively Lively skills have improved a lot since the Travelling Pants series. The rest of the cast was great in secondary roles and I only regret that Monica Bellucci had more a cameo that a secondary role but still she played the crucial moment that detonated Pippa’s crisis. Also way too short was Julianne Moore’s segment, but have to admit that was fun to watch as the “dangerous” half of the lesbian couple, the other half is Pippa’s aunt; obviously I wanted more, lol!

Production values are good and have to mention that what it looked like the fifties was really good recreated and Maria Bello (playing Pippa’s mother) performance was perhaps the most credible of all thanks to settings, costumes and her acting.

I tend to believe that this is a movie that some will like and some will not. I liked the movie because the stellar cast and didn’t bother me the neurotic and at times claustrophobic tone of the crisis that Pippa lives in the screen and Wright Penn performs so well. This is a talky drama that plays with darkish humor (mostly done by Alan Arkin) that unless you appreciate it you will not like the film.

This is a movie to watch for the splendid cast and some excellent performances, but the storytelling and directing style is not the best.

Enjoy!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

October 2009 LGBT Festivals

We know that in October not only the Awards Season starts but also with Autumn in most parts of the world film festivals happen more often. For example there are 8 festivals that are opening just today. The LGBT interest festivals are no exception and during the month the following fests will take place.

Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Film Festival – Out on Film

Clip! Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival

Southwest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (in Albuquerque and Santa Fe)

Reel Affirmations: International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (in Washington D.C.)

Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival

Copenhagen Gay & Lesbian Film Festival

Pittsburg Lesbian and Gay Film Festival

Hamburg International Lesbian and Gay Film festival

Mezipatra – Czech GLBT Film Festival

LESGAICINEMAD: Madrid Lesbian and Gay Film Festival . To watch some trailers from this year fest go here.

Each fest name is a link to their official site and I’m sure there has to be more genre festivals opening this month, but those are enough for today.

As you can imagine the above festivals screen almost the same movies and perhaps the one that could have new movies is the Madrid fest but they do not have their full program published; the lesbian interest films are known to the blog with one exception that you will find in the trailers blog. Still there are a lot of “new” shorts that if you visit the fest sites will find them.

So enjoy reading about movies in the fest sites and no surprise… there are a lot of new gay interest films, sigh!

Steam

I was really looking forward to watch this film as I do enjoy Ally Sheedy performances and well, knew it was lesbian interest film. Unfortunately this is not Sheedy’s best role or performance, the lesbian interest is interesting… for a minute! and definitively this is the worst triptych I have ever seen.

Tells the story of three women, each belonging to a different generation with Doris (Ruby Dee) in her golden age years, Laurie (Ally Sheedy) in her 40’s and Elizabeth (newcomer Kate Siegel) being 19. Each woman is bitter for different reasons, Doris is preparing herself for the lonely end of her life; Laurie a divorcée that believes her love life is over; and Laurie, who is forced to comply with their severe and Catholic parents or her life at the college dorm is over. All find love and all lose love, but find that life continues no matter what age you are.

If the story sounds kind of interesting maybe it is, but definitively not in this movie where the storytelling is truly awful as for the three stories identical format was used, so an event happens to one woman and the same happens to the other two; then the segments are intertwined with no transitions. The three women meet at a steam bath were they do not much, not even talk (that’s so not realistic).

The lesbian interest story belongs to Laurie and for a while is kind of cute to watch the situations that she lives with Niala, the seduction and when they are learning about each other; but not only is the shortest segment, but also has not so good actors performances, the story turns sour when Niala sleeps with a man and well, maybe if the segment was told alone without the interruptions of the other segments, would have made an average entertaining typical short-to–medium-length film in the genre.

The movie is really bad, especially the awful camera angles/takes of Ally Sheedy that makes her look really odd.

If you decide to skip this movie, be sure that you will not miss much.

Sigh.

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

Fish Tank

Perhaps this mesmerizing film has a controversial story about the life of a lower class teenager, has scenes with girl-girl physical violence, verbal violence and other kinds of violence, and has scenes with an adult having sex with an underage girl, but the amazing skills that Andrea Arnold has made a hard to watch and sometimes predictable story an hypnotic complete cinematic experience that absolutely will blow your mind with fantastic visuals, a crude realistic style and most of all, the unbelievable good performance by newcomer Katie Jarvis playing Mia.

Jarvis performance is so good that you won’t be able to take off your eyes of the screen not even for a second; this is her movie and Arnold did such an excellent job directing her to so amazingly convey emotions and to perform so credibly that not very often you can see a novice doing it so well. Just for example, according to what Arnold says in an interview, Jarvis had to learn to dance as when she did the audition she was a really a terrible awkward dancer. When Mia dances you could never tell.

The movie tells the story of Mia, a 15-years-old a lonely girl that nobody pays attention to or cares about her; to hide her loneliness she's extremely aggressive to everyone. She dreams about being a dancer and when she dances is the only time that you don’t see any aggression even when dancing hip-hop can be quite aggressive. She lives with her hard drinking, quite young mother and her little sister. Everything -and I mean absolutely everything- changes when her mother finds a new boyfriend, Connor played by great Michael Fassbender.

To me this is the story of many young girls that have to live grownup life situations from very young age and are trapped in an unconventional lifestyle where the only exit is leaving everything, to go away and maybe, to never look back.

But if the story and actors performances are compelling, the movie as a movie is almost perfect as you can really notice the director’s attention to detail in everything: sets, cinematography, compositions, lighting, camera takes -including where to use handheld camera-, the so amazing music (the jazzy arrangement of California Dreaming is superb), and most of all how she plays with the storytelling as definitively teases the viewer constantly in so many different ways that you think is going to happen something and it does not, but eventually it does when you do not expect it. So, the story is kind of predictable, but you do not really know when is going to happen.

I can think about a few movies with similar stories, but none has the look, feel and style of Andrea Arnold’s oeuvre; definitively is a director that I will follow and hope to see her 2006 Cannes Jury Prize winner first film, Red Road. Fish Tank is only her second feature film.

As we know the film won (tie) the Jury Prize at the 2009 Cannes; since then has been honored in other festivals and I hope makes the short list of the European Awards where I don’t doubt that Katie Jarvis has to have a nomination for best newcomer. Also I’m almost sure that this film will make it at the 2010 BAFTA’s, it has to.

I enjoyed the film beyond my expectations -that were quite high- and strongly recommend it to everyone that likes excellent raw dramas, UK peculiar great cinema and most of all I recommend it to women all ages from everywhere in the world. Just remember that the story is raw, very realistic portrait of life, and has some not so easy to watch scenes. A must be seen for those that enjoy seriously good cinema.

This year Cannes showcased really remarkable films that travel the non-traditional styles of cinema; again, now more than before, I can’t wait to be able to watch the Palme d’Or winner!

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion