Film Fest Girl

Best of MSPIFF 2011

2011-05-28T13:07:00.000-05:00

Here we go, another year down, another 68 movies viewed. Though I have discovered that three weeks is entirely too long for a film festival. Here are the best films I saw this year. Put them on your to-see list (and Netflix if possible)! They are in no particular order, except the first one is the film I recommend when people ask, "What's the best movie you saw at MSPIFF?"

Pure. This film is my best-of-fest, if I have to pick just one. I'm not sure if you'll ever be able to see it here in the U.S. or not, but that's why I go to MSPIFF. Pure is about a young working class woman trying to make a better life for herself. Trailer. Directed by a woman.

Queen to Play is a delightful film about a working class French woman who discovers the joy of Chess. Kevin Kline plays the chess tutor in his first all-French role. Trailer. Netflix. Directed by a woman.

The Hedgehog tells the story of 11-year-old Paloma and her new working class friend, the building's janitor, Renee. Despite the film having an 11-year-old protagonist, this is not a children's film. Based on the bestselling novel Elegence of the Hedgehog. Trailer. Directed by a woman.

The Arbor, which got a decent review in the May 2nd New Yorker (Anthony Lane), is the most originally told documentary I've ever seen. Using original footage of British playwright Andrea Dunbar, scenes acted out by people lip syncing to audio interviews of her family, and pieces of Dunbar's plays, it tells the story of Dunbar's working class upbringing and life as seen from the point of view of mostly her oldest daughter. Trailer. Netflix.

Cracks is the first feature film directed by Jordan Scott, daughter of famed director Sir Ridley Scott, about a group of girls at a U.K. boarding school, their teacher, and the crazy world they create. Beautifully shot, directed and acted, especially considering this is her first film. This one is worth seeing on the big screen if you have the opportunity to do so. Trailer. Netflix. Directed by a woman.

Kinshasa Symphony takes you on the beautiful journey of a group of people in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo) who practice and perform two difficult Beethoven pieces. Stunning cinematography and sound, so see it on a big screen if you can. Otherwise, watch it online here. Netflix.

Happy, Happy appeared at Sundance this year and is a surprising and funny film about a straight couple in the north woods of Norway and what happens to their "happy" lives when another couple from the city moves next door. The musical interludes are fantastic. The Norwegian title "SYKT LYKKELIG" translates to "Sick Happy". Trailer. Netflix. Directed by a woman.

The Poll Diaries is directed by the man who brought us Four Minutes, one of my favorite films from a few years back, and he once again follows a girl who gets into a bit of trouble with her family and her community by befriending someone they want to see dead. Trailer. Netflix.

Madly In Love is fun and sweet and quirky and well-done. A woman-centered movie, but not just for women. Trailer. Directed by a woman.

Just Like Us. A stand-up comedy troupe goes on tour in Arabic countries. This art form is very new to the Middle East and older generations did not have the opportunity to appreciate this creative platform. However, through the current Internet age stand-up comedy has flourished in the Arab region over the past few years, and continues to show us that laughter is the common language of the world.Trailer. Netflix.

Louder than a Bomb, which you'll be able to see on OWN sometime later this year, is about a spoken word festival by the same name in Chicago. Trailer. Netflix.

Made in India follows one U.S. family looking for a cheaper way to find a surrogate mother for their baby. The film brings up far more questions than it answers, and it's a good start to a conversation on reproductive ethics and world poverty. Trailer. Directed by a woman.

The Interrupters is about an organization in Chicago working between rules and laws to stop gang violence. By the director of Hoop Dreams.Trailer. Netflix.

Modra** 17-year-old Canadian Lina visits her family's ancestral home in Modra, Slovakia, and discovers some of herself. The director uses her own daughter as the main character. Trailer. Netflix. Directed by a woman. **Google Chrome didn't like this website. Use another browser.

Orgasm, Inc. Watch the pharmaceutical industry manufacturing a disease they think will be a blockbuster for them: female sexual dysfunction. Funny, sexy, and eye-opening. Trailer. Netflix. Directed by a woman.

I'm Not Black, I'm Coloured follows the struggle the Coloured people are having today in South Africa, and how it relates to the end of Apartheid. Trailer. Directed by a woman.

Better This World is a stunning documentary about the two men arrested for "terrorism" during the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. Watch it to see how the government uses and abuses informants and how the lives of two young men are permanently changed. There's a Quaker in the film! Trailer. Netflix. Directed by a woman.

Eichmann's End uses a combination of existing historical footage and modern historical narrative filmmaking to tell the story of how the SS officer Adolf Eichamann was tracked down by an accident of history--the daughter of a Nazi hunter goes on a date with Eichmann's son. Sorry, no trailer.

Cairo 6, 7, 8 is a fictional portrayal of three women who get enacted a law about sexual harassment in Egypt. If only I had the courage of these women. Trailer

Home for Christmas is not your Hollywood Christmas movie, but a gentle, sad and at times heartwarming. If you're looking for different visions of "home for Christmas", this film is for you. It was for me. I'm looking forward to seeing it this December again if I can. I loved this song from the film Home for Christmas by Maria Mena. Trailer

Project Nim. I grew up hearing about Nim the chimp who could use sign language. I had no idea of the crazy story of abuse behind it. A completely compelling story and well-done documentary. Trailer. Netflix.

Eleanor's Secret is about a boy who can't read but inherit's his great aunt's first edition book collection. He has to figure out how to read in order to save them from a greedy antiques seller. And magically, the books come to life to help him. Trailer. Directed by a woman.

The Pruitt-Igoe Myth exposes how the Pritt-Igoe public housing project became a myth about the failure of public housing instead of a failure of government to give the project all it needed because they catered instead to big business. Trailer

In Another Lifetime Like many of the best films I see at MSPIFF, I can't find a trailer for this one, and it's not on Netflix. Set in the last days of WWII, one Austrian family houses and feeds Jews, against the will of the townspeople, being marched toward Germany. We get to look at not just what the SS or Nazis did to support the war, but common people. Directed by a woman.

MSPIFF 2011: 70 Films in Three Weeks

2011-04-14T23:57:00.007-05:00

It's been a busy lead-in for our household for the last two weeks and the MSPIFF website has been DOWN for much of that time, but I finally 1) have chosen the 70 films I'm seeing the next three weeks and 2) can tell you about it. As for the last couple of years, the films are all at St. Anthony Main.

*If the links don't work, it's not my coding. It's MSPIFF and Minneapolis/St. Paul Film Society. Their websites are only online intermittently, apparently. They were online as I was writing this, and then when I tried to link to the closing film, I couldn't get to any of the sites. Also, I'll put up links as soon as I can find them, but I figured it's better to get the list out there. Perfect is the enemy of good.*

Thursday, April 14

7:30 pm Page One: Inside the New York Times

Friday, April 15

7:00 Triumph 67
9:45 Cracks

Saturday, April 16

5:30 Kinshasa Symphony
7:15 The Green Wave
9:30 The First Beautiful Thing

Sunday, April 17

11:00 The Ugly Duckling
1:00 Broken Dreams
5:00 Happy, Happy
6:45 Gigola
8:30 The Poll Diaries

Monday, April 18

6:30 Two Indians Talking
9:15 International Narrative Shorts

Tuesday, April 19

5:00 Familia
7:00 Madly In Love
9:45 Aftershock

Wednesday, April 20

4:45 Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune
7:00 Minnesota Shorts: Emerging Filmmakers 1
9:00 The Light Thief

Thursday, April 21

4:30 International Documentary Shorts
7:00 Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles
9:15 Pure

Friday, April 22

2:45 Truck Farm
4:45 Bardsongs
6:45 Bringing King to China
9:15 Just Like Us

Saturday, April 23

11:00 Childish Shorts 2
2:15 U.S. Shorts Program
3:45 Sound of Noise
7:30 Connected: An Autobiography About Love, Death & Technology

Sunday, April 24

12:00 Louder Than a Bomb
2:30 Made in India
4:30 The Interrupters
8:30 Merry-Go-Round

Monday, April 25

5:00 Modra
7:15 The Arbor
9:00 The White Meadows

Tuesday, April 26

5:00 The Queen of Hearts
7:00 Minnesota Shorts: Docs and Animation
9:30 Orgasm, Inc.

Wednesday, April 27

4:45 A Screaming Man
7:00 I'm Not Black, I'm Coloured
9:30 Better This World

Thursday, April 28

5:15 Eichmann's End
7:30 The Hedgehog
9:45 The Sleeping Beauty

Friday, April 29

2:45 Cairo 6,7,8
4:15 Reconciliation: Mandelas Miracle
7:30 Illegal
9:00 Home for Christmas

Saturday, April 30

12:00 Strictly Confidential
2:30 Paradise Recovered
5:15 10 to 11
7:15 Project Nim
9:15 The Bengali Detective

Sunday, May 1

11:00 Eleanor's Secret
2:00 The Pruitt-Igoe Myth
5:15 Twisted Roots
7:15 Tehran, Tehran
9:15 Queen to Play

Monday, May 2

4:30 Europe's Backyard/King of Oslo
6:45 The Tree
8:30 Bibliotheque Pascal

Tuesday, May 3

5:00 Vespa
7:30 In Another Lifetime
9:30 The Imperialists Are Still Alive

Wednesday, May 4

4:45 Tomorrow Will Be Better
6:30 Love During Wartime
9:45 Minnesota Shorts: Narrative

Thursday, May 5

7:00 Stuck Between Stations

Post-Fest Schedule and Opportunities

2010-04-29T20:23:00.001-05:00

Well, the post-fest MPSIFF schedule is out (they call it Best of Fest--I call it "Festival Leftovers"). You can see a couple of things I really liked or come to something I haven't seen yet but heard good things about.

Films I liked and are showing May 1-6:

Sunday, May 2, 4:30 pm: Nora's Will
Thursday, May 6, 7:30 pm: Letters to Father Jacob (my favorite film of the festival)

Films I heard good things about and will see May 1-6:

Saturday 1 pm: Tahaan
Sunday 1 pm: Woman with 5 Elephants
Monday 5 pm: No More Smoke Signals
Monday 9:30 pm: Tears of April

And I'm tempted to see Letters to Father Jacob again on Thursday. Especially if anyone wants to go with me.

Finally, Minnesota Shorts Program 1 and Program 2 are rumored to shown again. I'll post that as soon as I know when because they're worth making effort to see--shorts don't get shown at theaters or even at Netflix.

Best of Fest

2010-04-16T21:20:00.039-05:00

Hey folks! I'm going to be updating this blog post most days with the films I loved seeing at MSPIFF. I'll post a link to the MSPIFF website and I'll also post a link to the trailer if there's one available, and I'll make a few comments at each film. You could add most of these to your Netflix queue or be on the lookout at your local art theater for them.

The newest films are at the top.

Letters to Father Jacob is my best of fest in the feature film category. It's about a woman who has been pardoned from prison, and we don't know her crime until the end. She gets placed with a blind pastor, Father Jacob, tasked with reading letters requesting intercessory prayers, and responding to them. It's a simple but beautiful tale; there wasn't a dry eye in the theater at the end. Trailer.

Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls is a documentary about the Topp Twins, a yodeling lesbian country music singing and comedy duo from New Zealand. I know that sounds too weird, but my face hurt after I watched this film from smiling and laughing so much. Hold onto your hats if you go to this one. My best of fest in the documentary category. Trailer.

Nora: A beautiful visual poetry story about Zimbabwe-born dancer Nora Chipaumire--she does all the choreography in this film. The light, the dancing and the story are all amazing. Sorry, no trailer.

Nora's Will: A man finds his very controlling ex-wife's body after she commits suicide, and does everything he can to subvert her well-laid plans. I loved this funny and tender story. The filmmaker does a nice job catching and keeping your interest. Trailer.

Over the Hill Band: A bittersweet and funny film about a woman and her sons after her husband's death. She and her two friends rejoin with her wayward son to create a band. Unexpected. Funny and tender. Trailer.

La Pivellina: A "Roma" woman (gypsy) finds a two-year-old girl in a park and cares for her after she finds a note asking her not to call the police, that she'll come back for the girl. An astonishing performance by the two-year-old, and a sweet story. Trailer.

El Paso: No, this is not a film from Texas or Mexico. It's a Czech film about a Roma woman (gypsy) who is evicted and is facing massive fines. It's also about the bias and oppression she faces as a Roma. A delightful story about a not-so-delightful situation. Not only can you learn about the situation in Europe for this oppressed group of people, you can gain some insight into our own culture and the ideas (the collective) we have about some segments of our population. Trailer.

Today's Special: A heartwarming tale of an American man who reconnects with his Indian roots. As my friend and movie critic Colin Covert says, "Don't attend this screening with an empty stomach!" Written by The Daily Show's Aasif Mandvi, who also plays the main character. Sorry, no trailer.

Night Catches Us: A powerful drama about a man who comes home to Philadelphia in the summer of 1976 to face demons of the past after his father dies. I loved Anthony Mackie in Brother to Brother and now in this (and these make me want to see The Hurt Locker, finally). To top it off, it was written and directed by Tanya Hamilton, an African American woman. Yay women directors! Yay people of color in the director's chair! She was the only African American woman director at Sundance this year. Sorry, couldn't find a trailer.

Alamar: A stunningly beautiful film of a boy and his father, bonding. Yay for brown people telling their own stories from their POVs. The audience can relate directly, and they become human instead of people to be "helped" or pitied. See it on a big screen if you can. Trailer.

Oath: A documentary about Osama bin Laden's driver and the supreme court case that basically slapped Bush's hand about how he handled prisoners of war. It's amazing what kind of access this woman director and woman cinematographer got. The Oath is riveting. Trailer.

Looking for Eric: Yeah, yeah, a movie about a straight white guy. But he's deeply working class. This movie made me want to be a Manchester United football* fan, and I'm still grinning from the experience. It's a chick flick that both men and women can like. And you don't even have to like football*. (Another one I think Nils and Peg will like). Be sure to turn on English subtitles because the English in this film is heavily accented. Trailer.

*football: soccer to us Americans.

Mid-August Lunch: An Italian man and his mother take in three other elderly women for the mid-August holiday. I enjoyed its meandering story and the end; I've put it on this list because I think my friends Nils and Peg would enjoy it. Trailer.

Harlan: In the Shadow of the Jew Seuss: Veit Harlan was a cinematic film director who made the most anti-Semitic film used by the Nazis to encourage people to hate Jews (about a powerful man from the 17th century named Joseph Oppenheimer), and in this film, Harlan's children and grandchildren talk about their experience of Harlan, and of having his name, carrying guilt because Harlan always claimed he was forced to make the film. It's on my list because it's a powerful film about not guilt but repercussions and reparations.Trailer.

S.O.S.:Summer of Suspense: Another great Scandinavian film with a powerful girl. Think seventies made-for-TV kids movie where the hero is a bi-racial girl who faces off with drug dealers, and definitely updated for this century. Race is acknowledged, but isn't THE issue. Great entertainment for everyone. Trailer.

Forbidden Fruit: A Norwegian girls coming of age film--we don't see many "coming of age" films about girls, and this one is surprising in many ways because we Americans are trained well by American media and Hollywood. It reminded me why I wipe out my calendar for two weeks to spend so much time at this film fest. Trailer (no subtitles in the trailer, but you can get a sense of the film from it).

Max Manus: The best WWII film I have ever seen. Ever. Seeing this will help you understand why Inglorious Bastards is a shadow of a movie rather than a really good one. Trailer.

MSPIFF Calendar 2010

2010-04-14T15:20:00.007-05:00

MSPIFF 2010 has come and gone. Won't you join me at the Best of Fest? Or put some of my favorites on your list?

MSPIFF Films Directed by Women

2010-03-19T18:38:00.004-05:00

Well, the films have started to show up on their website (look to the right, click on films, and choose by category, though there seems to be some cross-over). I'm going to list here the films directed by women. It's sometimes hard to tell because the films come from all over the world and some names don't indicate a gender. But I'll do my best (thanks to Google image search). I'll also update this weekly until the final program is out and I list my film schedule.

Documentaries

If You Dare
No More Smoke Signals
The Oath
Summer Pasture

Sun Behind the Clouds: Tibet's Struggle for Freedom

Global Lens

My Tehran For Sale

World Cinema

My Only Sunshine
Nora's Will
Poto Mitan: Haitian Women Pillars of the Global Economy
St. Louis Blues
The Sicilian Girl
Ward 6
Dear Lemon Lima

Bluebeard

Not Directed by Women (but of interest to this feminist).

Power and Control
Pink Taxi
The Snow Queen
Gods

Men Who Hate Women

2010-03-13T16:37:00.001-06:00

Today I got to see a preview of the film, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. If it weren't for the subtitles, you might not know this is a Swedish film. This suspense movie doesn't make you work like some European films do--the plot makes traditional turns through a narrative arc that keep you engaged with compelling characters. It's like an artistic version of a Dan Brown novel.

The plot is that an old rich man named Henrik Vanger wants to find out who killed his niece forty years before. He hires a then-disgraced but previously respected investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist, who teams up with punk goth hacker hero Elisbeth Salander to find out "who did it."

The most interesting and compelling character is Elisbeth Salander who has an complex history that's only hinted at in the film (and in the book). But we get to see some of that history on screen. She's abused by a man who has some power in her life, and she gets her own brand of revenge and takes her power back. (No, I'm not ruining anything for you).

I loved the film because, like in the novel, Salander is brutalized but is never a victim. She has sex only for her own pleasure. She takes control of her life.

But most of all, I liked her because she's not a "consumable" on screen. We see her naked. She's got tiny breasts and she's so skinny you can see her ribs and spine. Her eyes are heavily lined in black, and she is just about as butch as they come. Salander gives no coy looks and never bats her eyes at men. She slouches and stomps. She's clearly in the story as a character in her own right with her own purposes.

Some are saying that this film, about to be released in the US, won't make it as big as it should because it's subtitled.

I don't think it will make it either, but not because of subtitles. I can think of several successful subtitled films in the US. Slumdog Millionaire's first forty minutes was almost entirely subtitled. Other films include Life is Beautiful, Letters from Iwo Jima, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo could be as well loved. Dan Brown fans would come out to Girl in full force. But they won't.

Why?

Because Salander isn't consumable in our culture that prefers its strong women to be sexual fantasy fodder.

Think about Sarah Palin (you know who she is), Danica Patrick (race car driver who has beaten the boys), and Venus and Serena Williams (you know why they are). Then do a Google image search for all of them.

Only four of the first twenty one images of Danica Patrick are of her in her racing outfit. Over half of Venus Williams' pics are of a scantily clad Williams. You can guess what I found for Serena Williams. Even one of the three photos of Williams playing tennis highlighted her boobs and her butt.

But then consider Kelly Kulick. Who's that, you ask? Well, the first woman to ever beat a man in bowling. Do a search for pics of her, and you find a woman scowling, clenching her teeth and raising her hands in victory. You see her bowling, in a short sleeved, high necklined shirt and long pants. You even get to see a hint of a muffin-top at the edge of her belted pants. But no bikinis. (Some people are saying Kulick isn't getting any attention because bowling isn't really a sport. I bet no one would say that if she'd just show a little tits and ass so men could fantasize about her.)

This isn't just true in sports--it's true in films and television too. Strong women have to be sexy. We don't like it when they're not.

While there are probably a few men who will find Salander sexy, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, most won't and so it won't get much play outside of art film houses.

See it if you can. My rating: Worth $10, hiring a babysitter, and $10 for crappy popcorn and a pop that'll make you get up in the middle of the film to pee.

Oh, and why is this blog post titled "Men Who Hate Women?" Because that's the literal translation of the book's and the film's title. And another reason this film won't be popular: if it were, we'd have to acknowledge that misogyny exists right here in the west (and not just in all those faraway places we like to cluck our tongues about).

Women With Vision 2010

2010-02-16T23:38:00.000-06:00

Here's what I'm planning to see!

Friday, March 12, 7:30 pm
35 Shots of Rum (35 rhums), Directed by Claire Denis

A personal film about relationships and letting go, 35 Shots of Rum was inspired by the subtle, graceful work of Japanese filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu. Depicting a widowed father sharing an apartment with his adult daughter, the story is built around the pauses between their activities as they both make new plans for the future. “Sublime . . . Denis’ warmest, most radiant work” (Village Voice). A provocative director recognized for her explorations of cross-cultural tensions, Denis was the subject of the Walker’s 1998 Regis Retrospective, and has screened two films at previous Women with Vision film festivals. 35 Shots of Rum was included on several critics’ top ten lists. 2008, 35mm, in French with English subtitles, 100 minutes.

Saturday, March 13, 7:30 pm
The Runaways, Directed by Floria Sigismondi

“We shared the dream of girls playing rock and roll.” —Joan Jett

One of rock’s quintessential girl groups, the Runaways exploded onto the scene in the mid-seventies, playing hits such as “Cherry Bomb” to huge audiences around the world. Based on vocalist Cherie Currie’s shocking book Neon Angel, The Runaways chronicles the band’s brief rise to fame and all that came with it. In her debut feature, Sigismondi—best known for photography and music videos for Marilyn Manson, David Bowie, and Björk—enlisted Dakota Fanning for the role of Cherie Currie and Kristen Stewart for Joan Jett. 2010, 35mm, 105 minutes.

Sunday, March 14, 1 pm
WIFTI Short Film Showcase

Celebrating films from New Zealand to the Twin Cities, this annual short film showcase includes works from festivals around the world. Organized by Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI) and copresented by its Minnesota chapter (MNWIFT). Approximate running time 120 minutes.

Thursday, March 18, 7:30 pm, Free
Visiting Artist/Premiere
O’er the Land, Introduced by director Deborah Stratman

Gun shows, historical war reenactors, cheerleaders, and motor homes are touchstones in this experimental documentary that delves into America’s concept of manifest destiny. O’er the Land reflects powerfully on the ways Americans have come to understand freedom and heroism in the light of increasing militarism and perceived threats to our national borders. Winner of the Best International Film Award at Images Festival (Toronto). A Q&A with the director follows the screening. 2009, 16 mm, 52 minutes.

Friday, March 19, 7:30 pm
Lourdes, Directed by Jessica Hausner

People flock to the purportedly miraculous healing waters in the French town of Lourdes when they think science has failed. Exploring religion and the origin of belief, Lourdes focuses on Christine (Sylvie Testud), wheelchair-bound with multiple sclerosis, who uses the pilgrimage to create a social life. “Hausner walks a tightrope . . . between medicine and the Madonna—and the result is an austere, measured, skeptical, sensitive film that lingers in the mind for days” (London Evening Standard). Winner of the FIPRESCI Prize, Venice Film Festival. 2009, 35mm, in French with English subtitles, 96 minutes.

Sunday, March 21, 3 pm
Vision
Directed by Margarethe von Trotta

A portrait of the fascinating Hildegard of Bingen, a central figure of the medieval Catholic Church, is the latest film from “the most important woman director to emerge from the New German Cinema” (Senses of Cinema). Hildegard, a 12th-century Benedictine nun, was also a mystic, author, linguist, scientist, philosopher, herbalist, healer, poet, and composer—a range of talents that invited controversy, leading the Church to sanction her for expressing her visions from God. Barbara Sukowa renders a bravura performance. 2009, 35mm, in German with English subtitles, 111 minutes.

Saturday, March 27, 7:30 pm
Before Tomorrow (Le jour avant le lendemain)
Directed by Marie-Hélène Cousineau and Madeline Piujuq Ivalu

“A profound, elemental, and hauntingly beautiful period drama that makes an intimate story of endurance into a metaphor for an entire culture.” —Variety

In 1840, shortly after Inuit tribes had began to encounter foreign fur traders, a boy and his grandmother return from drying fish to find everyone in their village dead from smallpox. As they look for a new community, they struggle to survive in the Arctic wilderness. This is the third work in a trilogy of Inuit dramas created by the Arnait Video Collective (Antanarjuat: The Fast Runner and The Journals of Knud Rasmussen). 2008, 35mm, in Inuktitut with English subtitles, 93 minutes.

A New Hero

2010-01-22T15:45:00.000-06:00

Or should I say heroine?

She is Melody Gilbert from Frozen Feet Films. If you live in the Twin Cities, you've probably seen some of her work, or at least seen trailers for them. There's her film about people who want a limb amputated called Whole. Or how about the movie about Urban Explorers or the film, Married at the Mall, where she stakes herself out at the Mall of America marriage chapel to show us weddings at the world's largest mall. I'm watching her documentary Disconnected right now on Hulu for free so you can too. It follows students at Carleton College who decided to do without computers.

I met Gilbert at a screening for Urban Explorers. During the Q&A she let the audience know she never studied film, but instead has a deep background in journalism. Afterward, I asked about her outsider's take on the male dominated film industry from her point of view as a woman. Before I could finish my question, she said, "That's why I work alone."

Gilbert talked about the difference between how she holds a camera and how men do. She talked about her interviewing style and how it changes when men are around. I was hoping for some insight or helpful tips about women in the film industry, but I'll just keep supporting women in their efforts to break the celluloid ceiling.

I'm looking forward to a local showing of Gilbert's documentary about Fritz Mondale, showing at the Women with Vision Film Festival at the Walker Art Center this spring and whatever my hero is doing next.

Off and Running

2010-01-16T14:22:00.001-06:00

I want to be an official movie reviewer not because I want that as a career or because I want the free films but because I want to be in the middle of the stream of information that flows to reviewers so I don't have to miss films like Off and Running.

I found Off and Running by accident browsing Apple's trailers.

This documentary is about an African American girl who was raised by Jewish lesbians in New York. She has decided to find her birth mother to figure out who she is.

Now I'm going to do all I can to get Off and Running to one of our upcoming film festivals, Sabes JCC Jewish Film Festival (because the family in the documentary is Jewish), Women With Vision at the Walker Art Center (because the film is about women and directed by a woman), and finally, my dark horse candidate (because Al Milgrom, the guy who chooses most of the films, is who he is), the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival (April 15-29).

The Lovely Bones

2010-01-10T13:25:00.002-06:00

A group of friends and I got to see a preview of The Lovely Bones, Peter Jackson's upcoming flick based on Alice Sebold's book by the same name. As we argued back and forth about the religiosity of the interpretation and the room the film left for the viewer to make up his or her own mind, I wondered what impact Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens had on the choice to make The Lovely Bones. In a pause, I asked the question out loud, and all but the film critic looked at me with blank stares. One asked, "Who are they?"

There were about a dozen of us in the room, all of whom love film and see lots of movies. They knew who played the predator in The Lovely Bones (I couldn't name him, but it was Stanley Tucci) and knew all the films Peter Jackson had directed. But they didn't know the names Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. Maybe you don't either, but these are people who pride themselves with their knowledge and understanding of the film arts.

If I have my way, I won't let you be clueless about these women.

Other than Walsh being Jackson's wife, and Boyens being the couple's neighbors, they are Jackson's closest collaborators, and why, in my opinion, movies like The Lord of the Rings trilogy and even King Kong are films that women can love as much as men. The threesome write together, and Jackson calls Walsh his "first assistant director." In a recent interview in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Jackson says:
They're very important right across the board, not just in writing characters like Susie. We write as a team, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens and I. I don't really categorize people as male or female in a funny kind of way, maybe because I've spent most of my life working with women. My producer is a woman and I've had a woman first assistant director for 20 years. I like women more than men in a funny kind of way, to where I'd rather work with them as collaborators. They're more refreshing, they're funnier and I find with women there's no ego involved. None of that blokey kind of macho nonsense.

Now if only the rest of Hollywood could get the impact women could have on film, beyond chick flicks.

I've read two of Alice Sebold's books, The Lovely Bones and Lucky, and it's hard for me to see this film from the point of view of someone who hasn't read her work, so I'm biased. I'm also a survivor, and The Lovely Bones is a tale for survivors. Outside of these facts, it's visually beautiful in both the fantastical scenes and the real-life scenes. The screenplay is an appropriate adaptation and is faithful to the book. Sebold's imagery and themes are reflected in both the screenplay and cinematography. It will knock your socks off if you see it on the big screen.

My rating: Worth $10, hiring a babysitter, and $10 for crappy popcorn and a pop that'll make you get up in the middle of the film to pee.

FGC Gathering Films

2009-06-09T14:24:00.015-05:00

Here's what we're showing at the 2009 FGC Summer Gathering in Blacksburg, Virginia, including links to film websites, previews and reviews.

The Visitor, Sunday 9:15

Widowed professor Walter Vale discovers an immigrant couple, Tarek and Zainab, squatting in his Manhattan flat and becomes wrapped up in their lives when Tarek is thrown into a detention center. 103 minutes. Rated PG-13 for brief strong language. Reviews.

Stop the Reroute: Taking a Stand on Sacred Land, Monday 1:30

This documentary shows people putting their bodies on the line to preserve one of the last burr oak savannahs along the Mississippi and a 10,000-year-old sacred water source: Coldwater Spring. Q&A to follow film with director Ann Follett
and Quaker Alex Holzinger, who participated in the protests. NOT RATED. Appropriate for all ages. DIRECTOR PRESENT. Trailer

Gracie, Monday 9:15

After her brother dies, 15-year-old Gracie channels her grief into trying to get onto the varsity soccer team. Set in 1978, this film is inspired by a true story of Elisabeth Shue, who plays Gracie’s mother. 95 minutes. Rated PG-13 for brief sexual content, fistfights and strong language.

Shorts Program, Tuesday 3:15

See short films about insects learning important lessons, a couple dealing with Alzheimer’s, a man meeting the perfect mate, dancing prairie chickens, and a family facing cultural clashes and racism. NOT RATED. Appropriate for all ages.

The Grocer’s Son, Tuesday 9:15

When his father suffers a stroke, Antoine reluctantly returns home from the big city to his small French mountain village to help out with the family business, a grocery that makes daily rounds to the town’s elderly inhabitants. 96 minutes. NOT RATED. Reviews.

Wednesday 3:15 REST No film. Take a nap instead.

Jihad for Love, Wednesday 9:15

Documenting the quandary of GLBT Muslims via the perspective of subjects from countries such as India, Iran and Turkey, director Parvez Sharma chronicles their struggles to square their sexual orientation with their faith. 81 minutes.
NOT RATED. Reviews.

The Prep School Negro, Thursday 1:30

This film is a cinematic exploration of identity and how it is affected by and defined for black students at elite white institutions. It tells the story of the director Andre Robert Lee, who graduated from Germantown Friends School, and follows
three students from William Penn Charter. Q&A with director to follow. 53 minutes. NOT RATED. DIRECTOR PRESENT.

Waltz With Bashir, Thursday 9:15

Utilizing vivid black-and-white animation, director Ari Folman documents his quest to explore the memory gaps in his life during his service for the Israeli army in the Lebanese war of the early 1980s. 90 minutes. Rated R for some disturbing images of atricities and strong violence. Reviews.

Once, Friday 3:15

In this charming contemporary musical, a street musician in Dublin, Ireland strikes up a friendship with a migrant street hawker and the duo ends up composing and recording a series of songs over the course of a week. 85 minutes. Rated R for swearing, but otherwise very innocent. Reviews.

Frozen River, Friday 9:15

On a Mohawk reservation on the Canadian border, Ray teams with widowed tribe member Lila to smuggle illegal immigrants into the United States. Although the work provides the women with much-needed money, each trip puts them in danger. 97 minutes. Rated R for strong language, mature themes. Reviews.

At 41 Hours and Counting

2009-04-14T23:10:00.007-05:00

Monday, MSPIFF finally posted their full schedule and program, just three days before opening night. So I haven't had much time to read every tiny little detail. But here's the schedule I've come up with as of today.

Lots of things could change. Like if I hear buzz about something (like I did tonight), I may change my mind (like I did tonight) at the last minute. Or, more likely, MSPIFF won't get a film or a print won't have subtitles, or it'll be scheduled in a theater that doesn't play a specific format.

No matter what, if you're planning to join me for any of these films, call me. That button on the right side of my blog actually works. Click it, type in your number, and you can call me FOR FREE and completely privately from whatever phone you choose. Just confirm with me that I'll be at the theater and saving a seat for you!

All films, except for opening night on April 16th (which will be at Block E, downtown), are at St. Anthony Main. Free parking for cars AND bikes.

Here goes, the "final" schedule!

April 16

7:00 500 Days of Summer

April 17

6:45 The Karamozovs
9:55 Three in Love

April 18

12:00 The Necessities of Life
2:30 Liberation Day
5:30 Wrong Rosary
6:45 Rumba
8:30 Lion's Den

April 19

1:00 Littlest Shorts
2:50 Trust Us, This is All Made Up (the page has a wrong date on it--should be the 19th, not the 29th)
5:30 William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe
7:00 American Violet
10:00 Song for the Southern Seas

April 20

5:00 I Am From Titov Veles
9:30 The Photograph

April 21

5:00 Minnesota Shorts: Documentary
6:50 Apron Strings
8:45 The Fighter

April 22 (Earth Day! I will be computer-free and I will bike and/or bus it)

5:10 What Remains of Us
7:00 Minnesota Shorts (this ALWAYS sells out--get your tickets now)
9:45 Horn of Plenty

April 23

5:10 Forgotten Transports: To Estonia
7:15 A Walk to Beautiful
9:45 The Mermaid

April 24

5:10 Letters to the President
7:00 Bang-Bang Wedding
9:15 White Man's World

April 25

12:15 Taarka
2:35 Wounded Knee
4:45 Breaking Upwards
8:30 Getting Home

April 26

1:00 The Red Jacket
3:00 All Ages Animation
5:15 Fados
7:15 Kisses
10:15 Blind Loves

April 27

5:15 Sleepwalking Land
6:30 Rough Aunties

April 28

5:45 Stars on Earth
9:30 Mothers and Daughters

April 29

5:00 Salt of This Sea
6:45 TBA? (an empty spot on my schedule--I may want to see whatever MSPIFF decides to put in this slot)
9:45 Mutum (I may have seen this last year, and I'm confused--maybe it was supposed to come last year but never made it through customs?)

April 30

5:15 How About You?
7:30 Dunya & Desie
9:00 Apron Strings

Some More Reviews

2009-04-10T14:33:00.004-05:00

Every Little Step

Pros: Great music, a storyline that roughly follows A Chorus Line, and compelling characters you want to root for.
Cons: I can't think of one.

I don't like musicals, but LOVED this film.

My rating: Worth $10 and the price of a babysitter.

Up

Pros: It's Pixar's next film. Up is a date movie as much as it's an adventure film.
Cons: It's a little long. The strong female character in the beginning isn't throughout the film, and there are no other females.

My rating: Worth a matinee. You have to see this one on the big screen to appreciate the animation--especially textures and light.

Moon

Pros: The science and technology doesn't get in the way of the story or the main character's humanity, and is mostly good. The moon scenes are fantastic. GREAT acting by Sam Rockwell.
Cons: If you're a sci fi geek, you might find the plot twist a bit transparent.

My rating: See this at the ONLY showing at MSPIFF, Monday, April 27th at 7 pm. What else do you have to do on a Monday night? The view of downtown from St. Anthony Main is fabulous, the parking is free, and there's lots of great food and drink to to be had.

And get your tickets now--this Sundance 2009 film might be sold out by the 27th.

First MSPIFF Reviews

2009-04-06T13:11:00.003-05:00

Wolf

Pros: high production values, stunning cinematography, interesting culture clash premise.
Cons: cultural references accessible only to Swedes, thin plot, and a narrative that should have been made into a short film

My rating: You could do better at MSPIFF unless you like slow, beautifully shot films.

The Girl from Monaco

Pros: interesting premise, believable acting, non-Hollywood plot twists and ending.
Cons: the film seems to be about how stupid men can be when they follow their libido.

My rating: Worth checking out if you like beautiful women and beautiful locations and French film.

Food, Inc.

Pros: the film makes a strong case for changing our food buying and eating behavior without guilt or gore, ends on a positive note about what's being done and what you can do.
Cons: the film makes a strong case for changing our food buying behavior. (This is only a con if you're strongly attached to your Frito Lays or your Cheerios). The film doesn't do a good job at addressing the economic inequalities it exposes.

My rating: If you only see one film at MSPIFF, this is the one.

MSPIFF Preview!

2009-04-04T10:20:00.004-05:00

One rom-com, one drama, and one documentary, each 95 minutes.

I really do need to build a home theater.

The Girl From Monaco (France)
Wolf (Sweden)
Food, Inc. (USA)

Just a List of Films So Far, No Dates/Times

2009-03-29T12:01:00.015-05:00

As usual, the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival is taking its time putting together its film program, just a short two and a half weeks away. However, they've put up some films and descriptions on their very clunky website.

Still not posted by MSPIFF: American Independent and Childish films. Here's a list of what I hope to see:

World Cinema

Dunya and Desie
Helen
How About You
Salt of the Sea
Stars on Earth
Song of the Sparrows
Heaven on Earth
Jerusalema
Lemon Tree
The Mermaid
Mothers and Daughters
My Marlon and Brando
One Man Village
Qadir-An Afghan Ulysses
The Girl From Monaco
Secrets of the Grain
Taarka
Fighter
The Necessities of Life
Lion's Den
Shall We Kiss?
Eldorado
Days and Clouds
Teddy Bear
Country Teacher
Wolf
King of Ping Pong
Ciao Bella
Bang-Bang Wedding (Director will introduce the film)
Rumba
Two Lives Plus One
The Kautokeino Rebellion
Moon
Liberation Day (Munyurangabo)
Rudo y Cursi
The Window
The Tour

Documentary

Trust Us, This is All Made Up
Wounded Knee
Corner Shop
School Play
In a Dream
Recipes for Disaster
Oblivion
Rough Aunties
Forgotten Transports: To Estonia
Food, Inc.
Blind Love
A Walk to Beautiful
What Remains of Us
Letters to the President

Minnesota Made

White Man's World
Pride of Lions
The Red Tail

Global Lens

Sleepwalking Land
Possible Lives
The Photograph
I Am From Totov Veles
Mutum

More March Madness...and a little February Film

2009-02-18T13:00:00.000-06:00

Well, it turns out there are not two but THREE film fests in March. The third one, though, is teeny compared to the others.

Spirit in the House is a theater fringe fest of sorts, having to do with all things spiritual. This year they added a film festival component. Here are my choices, all happening at Hennepin United Methodist, at 511 Groveland in downtown Minneapolis:

Friday, February 27th

The Jesus Guy, 7:00 pm
Shorts Program 1, 8:30 pm

Saturday, February 28th

Shorts Program 2, 7:00 pm

Sunday, March 1st

Baptists at Our Barbecue, 7:00 pm

And I'm also going to this non-movie piece:

Monday, March 2nd

Saving Pagan Babies: Catholic Culture Clashes, 7:00 pm

Upcoming Film Fests

2009-02-12T14:55:00.003-06:00

I can't quite believe that the Twin Cities film fest season is upon us. Even MSPIFF has announced its dates (though don't expect films to be announced until a few days before it's scheduled to begin in mid-April).

Here is my March wish list for the Twin Cities Jewish Film Fest and Women with Vision festival. Care to join me?

3 Women, Wed Mar 11, 7:30 pm, WALKER
Bridge Over the Wadi (link is to just the description, not the film fest), Thur Mar 12, 7:00 pm, SABES JCC
Queer Films at TCJFF: A Trip to Prague (short), Berated Women (short) and The Secrets (full-length), Sat Mar 14, 8:30 pm, HOPKINS MANN THEATER
Noodle, Sun Mar 15, 1:00 pm, WALKER (shown in conjunction with TCJFF)
7 Blind Filmmakers, Wed Mar 18, 7:30 pm, WALKER
Katia's Sister, Fri Mar 20, 7:30 pm, WALKER Directed by Mijke deJong, who directed one of my favorite films of the 2006 MSPIFF, Bluebird.
Stop the Re-Route, Sat Mar 21, 2:00 pm, WALKER
Snow, Sat Mar 21, 7:30 pm, WALKER

Waltz with Bashir

2008-12-18T17:00:00.000-06:00

I knew I wanted to see Waltz With Bashir, mostly because I'd loved last year's Persepolis so much. Like Persepolis, Waltz With Bashir is an animated film exploring explicitly adult themes of war, guilt, regret and healing. Also like Persepolis, Waltz with Bashir is deeply autobiographical for Director Ari Forman, who deserves his Golden Globe nod. I sure do hope it makes the Oscar cut.

My rating: Worth $10. You have to see it on the big screen.

Doubt

2008-12-18T16:17:00.004-06:00

There is no doubt that Doubt, starring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis (who not only cries on screen, but gets her nose to run--how did she do that?), will garner lots and lots of award nominations. All the actors, in fact, received nominations for Golden Globe acting awards.

But I found the play-turned-movie to be too small for the big screen. On a stage, you're limited by the available space; in films, there are no such limitations. Unfortunately, the playwright, John Patrick Shanley, also wrote the screen play and directed the film. I think he forgot that film is expansive.

My review: Worth Renting or Worth a Matinee to see extraordinary acting skill from all the main actors, but especially Viola Davis. And the added bonus, if you're Catholic, you'll laugh throughout this heavy drama as a few women did during the screening Wednesday night. Definitely don't pay full-price for Doubt.

Last Chance Harvey

2008-12-13T13:58:00.005-06:00

If you live in one of the lucky places that gets to see Last Chance Harvey when it opens for you on Christmas day, and if you like to see movies on Christmas like we do, don't dampen your spirit with some of the deeper, intense and morbid films that'll sweep the Oscars in three months. See Last Chance Harvey on Christmas. The rest of you will have to wait until late January, when it opens for those of us who live in less desirable markets.

Last Chance Harvey is an atypical romantic comedy that satisfyingly skirts some of the common Hollywood cliches. It stars Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman, but instead of the director relying on their star power, such as it is, the actors pull off compelling and likable characters without manipulative music or splashy special effects. They've earned their Golden Globe nominations for their performances.

I don't recommend this movie to you lightly. I go to romantic comedies mostly because if I want to do something I love (go to movies) with the one I love (Liz), I'm most likely going to see a romantic comedy. I wouldn't typically go to such a chick flick without her prompting.

My rating: Worth a Matinee. You don't need to see this on the big screen, but you'll want to see it in an audience.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

2008-12-06T14:46:00.002-06:00

I won't waste any of my time on this review, and I'll give you the best advice I can give.

If you liked Forrest Gump, you'll also like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. My favorite reviewer liked it to, so you probably won't be disappointed. Button and Gump had the same screenwriter.

I, for one, hated Forrest Gump. I used to think that my feelings, bordering on resentment, for that film had to do with circumstances, but now I know it's because Gump isn't written for me. I didn't know Button was written by the same guy, and still saw the resemblance between the two films throughout.

And once again, I wanted those two hours of my life back.

Three Quick Reviews

2008-11-28T16:49:00.006-06:00

JCVD, a funny and self-referential movie starring Jean-Claude van Damme as himself, surprised me with its depth and cunning. I wouldn't have gone to this film of my own accord and am glad I went. My rating: Worth a Matinee.

I'll talk about Defiance in a later post where I'll talk about three films out this season, all about the Holocaust. But briefly, my rating: Worth Renting.

Finally, I've already told lots of people what I thought about Milk, Gus van Sant's film about Harvey Milk. Sean Penn's portrayal of Harvey Milk shows his acting chops. Penn plays Milk with subtlety and intensity. My rating: Worth $10 because Penn's performance needs to be experienced on the big screen and with others.

Slumdog Millionaire

2008-11-23T12:03:00.004-06:00

Imagine if a Bollywood director, taking a page from Charles Dickens, made a movie about a very poor kid who moves through life first trying to survive then trying to save a girl he loves, but the story is told through an episode of India's version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

Then you'll have Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire. Boyle directed one of my favorite 2004 films Millions. Slumdog is no quaint English tale, though. The main character, Jamal, literally walks through human shit in one scene and is tortured in another. Its backdrop, the vast Indian slums where children are mutilated to evoke pity from tourists, serves as enough plot motivation for Jamal. You want him to survive and eventually thrive.

The good news: he does. But not until you go on the narrative ride of your life. This movie is all story. The characters are dim compared to the action at times.

My favorite film reviewer literally swooned over Slumdog, and my praise of the film is a little less exuberant precisely because the female protagonist, Latika, exists only in service of the plot and is not a fully realized character herself in the way the two boys are.

I still say it's Worth $10 because you have to see it on the big screen and you won't regret the ride.

Australia

2008-11-19T23:05:00.005-06:00

Got to see Australia tonight, Baz Luhrman's epic Australian western which evokes Hollywood greats like "Gone With the Wind" and "Lawrence of Arabia" but tells a 1940s love story (love in all its forms) through a 2008 lens of racial and ethnic justice.

I stood in line for a long time waiting to get into the Mall of America's new VIP theater holding huge home theater seating, more than generous legroom and, for tonight anyway, Australian wine, which was good in a generic wine sort of way, and free popcorn. Colin had a much larger entourage with him tonight--I think I saw "14" by his name before they crossed it off and wrote "12" after my guest and I checked-in.

By the end of the almost three-hour-long film, I made a note to myself: see everything Baz Luhrman directs because he sure does know how to tell a story.

Today, I read a New York Times piece about the death of the American story in all its forms (film, book and stage) and clearly, the author and those concerned about storytelling had not seen Australia. With vast vistas and characters you care about and a plot that keeps you rooting for those you like and against those you don't, you can't lose.

If you liked Moulin Rouge, also directed by Luhrman, as much as I did, you'll see a few similar themes. There's a bad guy so bad and his evil efforts so dogged, he's impossible to like. There's the love that can't be bought. But, not to spoil it for you, Australia is no tragedy.

Luhrman jumped from scene to scene too quickly for me in places, which worked really well in Moulin Rouge but not as well here. Luckily, the story carried me away and made me forget this minor distraction.

Can you guess my rating?

Definitely Worth $10 (plus $5 popcorn and a babysitter). You have to see it on the big screen with an audience who will cry and cheer right next to you.

A Year-Long Film Fest of Sorts

2008-11-18T23:01:00.006-06:00

Well, this week I won the most amazing film auction ever--I get to go, for a year, to movies with Colin Covert, the Minneapolis Star Tribune's best movie reviewer, at least in this humble film fan's opinion. I take his word very seriously when I'm considering spending $10 on a film.

Tonight, I went to my first film. Twilight. Mostly, I was curious to see what it was like to see a film when a reviewer gets to see a film. Turns out this viewing wasn't anything I'd not done before myself. The studio comes in and gives free tickets to places that market to their demographic audience. Once, I got free tickets this way to see the film The Ballad of Little Jo (which I loved but which few people seem to have seen).

The audience could have been going to a cast call for freshmen girls in High School Musical IV (I don't think I saw any boys, and yes I know there is no HSM IV...yet), and had gotten their tickets from local radio stations. A few of the youngest came with their parents, but most came by themselves. DJs well known to that demographic threw stuff at us (like t-shirts, keychains and can insulators) before the movie started.

I knew only that the movie Twilight was causing swooning teen girls to pass out when they went to a mall to see the leading actor. And that it was about vampires.

Unfortunately, that about sums up my experience of Twilight. When the lead actor appeared on screen tonight, you could hear a collective sigh of immense pleasure from the audience. After the film, someone approached Colin and told him he thought it was a repeat of "Beauty and the Beast" but with vampires. I don't think the plot line matches, but the feeling matches. Imagine a young woman who doesn't seem to need to be saved, but who really does need to be saved, falling in love with a man who wants to drink her blood, but does the right thing by her and holds off. (This rings familiar to me...why is this story of a man with uncontrollable urges managing to hold off in order to protect a woman so powerful in our culture and with our young girls?)

As a film, the cinematography is at first striking, but unvaried and therefore gets old, the acting is flat (I ended up liking the father character, though--he shined despite the dialog), some of the dialogue evoked eye rolls, and it ran on just a little too long.

Your teen girls, be they shy, sporty, preppy or emo, will probably love this film and want to see it over and over and over again.

I, for one, can't wait to see Octavia Butler's vampire novel Fledgling be made into a movie one day (is my Fairy Godmother listening?).

If you share my tastes, I rate it: I Want Those Two Hours of My Life Back (which equates into 1/5 stars if you must). It might be Worth Renting if you want to bond with your tweenager at home (so she won't be embarrassed by your reactions).

My Own Very Private Film Fest

2008-06-14T19:30:00.004-05:00

Well, at least one I can share with whomever I want.

We subscribe to Netflix and have loved the service. Though of late we've lapsed in our movie watching ventures, in-part because of the recent film fest (I saw 50 there) and in-part because we're doing other things.

But now Netflix has a device you can buy and stream movies over the internet to your television: Roku.

I read about it on May 20th in the New York Times and after a little research, I bought the device. It arrived on Thursday and took me all of ten minutes to set up (which could have been shorter had I remembered my Netflix password).

Now, we have thousands of films at my fingertips. No more waiting for the mail. No more lost envelopes. No more discs laying around for weeks waiting for me to slip it into the DVD player.

To top it off, we now only pay $8.99/month to see all the movies I want to see. We get one at a time by mail, but we can get an unlimited number of films each month, by both mail and streaming internet.

The picture and sound quality on our HDTV is stunning--at least as good as DVD quality, and sometimes better.

The New York Times says:

Because of the way Hollywood sells rights to its products, most of the Internet titles are more than five years old, although there are some newer independent films and TV shows.

For my money, though, I'd rather have independent films and TV shows at my fingertips than the usual Hollywood fare.

And if there's something I really really want to see that isn't in the "on-demand" list, I can just add it to my queue and wait a couple of days to get it in the mail. In the meantime, I'll be catching up on episodes of This American Life (from Showtime), watching movies I missed in the theaters that I really wanted to see, and re-watching some of my old favorites (like Jesus of Montreal and Bagdad Cafe and Salmonberries).

MSPIFF Schedule

2008-04-14T23:00:00.001-05:00

With just a little over a week before the film festival starts, they've finalized their schedule. Sort-of. Here's a link to the schedule and here's one to the program for you to download if you don't want to read the schedule on their website.

Before you balk at the $10 ticket price, consider that most of these films won't make it back to the Twin Cities on the big screen or on DVD. In addition, your $10 could get you a chance to meet the director at some of the films. I love director Q&As.

If you go, get your tickets early, and arrive early. Since the St. Anthony Main theater is hosting the entire festival, and they have small theaters, shows are likely to sell out.

Here's my schedule:

Thursday, April 17th, Opening Night

The Visitor, USA, 2007, 103 minutes, director present (also opening at Landmark on April 25th, without the director present)

Friday, April 18th

4:45 And Along Come Tourists, Germany, 2007, 85 minutes
7:30 At the Death House Door, USA, 2008, 98 minutes
9:40 The World Unseen, South Africa, 2007, 103 minutes
11:10 Time Crimes, Spain, 2007, 88 minutes

Saturday, April 19th

4:45 La Fine del Mare, Germany/France/Italy, 2007, 107 minutes
7:00 Family Motel, Canada, 2007, 80 minutes
9:45 Ca Brule, France, 2006, 111 minutes
10:15 Triangle, Hong Kong, 2007, 93 minutes

Sunday, April 20th

12:30 Traveling with Pets, Russia, 2007, 97 minutes
2:30 Still Life, China, 2006, 108 minutes
5:25 Monastery: Mr Vig and the Nun, Denmark, 2006, 84 minutes
6:15 Tuya's Marriage, China, 2006, 96 minutes
9:40 Sons, Norway, 2006, 103 minutes

Monday, April 21st

5:15 Postman in Shangri-La, China, 2007, 93 minutes
7:00 Woman on a Beach, South Korea, 2006, 127 minutes
9:40 Just Sex and Nothing Else, Hungary, 2006, 97 minutes

Tuesday, April 22nd

5:20 Alexandra, Russia, 2007, 95 minutes
7:00 Bamboo Shoots, China, 2007, 104 minutes
9:20 Happy Family, Netherlands, 2007, 90 minutes

Wednesday, April 23rd

5:10 Bad Faith, France/Algeria, 2006, 88 minutes
7:30 Mondo Bondo, US, 2007, 95 minutes
9:00 A Man's Job, Finland, 2007, 101 minutes

Thursday, April 24th

5:30 The Planet, Sweden, 2006, 84 minutes
7:00 Dry Season, France/Belgium/Chad, 2006, 96 minutes
9:10 Kicks, Netherlands, 2007, 112 minutes

Sunday, April 27th

5:30 Paula's Secret, Germany, 2006, 100 minutes
7:15 American Teen, USA, 2008, 95 minutes

Monday, April 28th

5:00 My Mexican Shiva, Mexico, 2006, 102 minutes
7:15 Up the Yangtze, Canada, 2007, 93 minutes
9:20 Jar City, Iceland, 2006, 93 minutes

Tuesday, April 29th

5:00 Ten Lives of Titanic the Cat, Norway, 2008, 74 minutes
7:00 Minnesota Shorts
9:35 Through Thick and Thin, USA, 2007, 72 minutes

Wednesday, April 30th

5:30 Cabul in Kabul, Afghanistan/France, 2007, 87 minutes
7:15 Wind Man, Russia, 2007, 98 minutes
9:30 Extras, Poland, 2007, 115 minutes

Thursday, May 1st, Closing Night

7:00 Encounters at the End of the World, USA, 2007, 99 minutes

Friday, May 2nd

5:00 Imprint

MSPIFF is Coming! MSPIFF is Coming!

2008-03-25T18:28:00.005-05:00

And their website is slowly emerging too. I checked it this morning, and it had nothing. Now, there are film titles and some descriptions. Every time I refresh, I find new things like director names, film format, etc.

But still no schedules and theaters.

Here's my beginning International Films wish-list (with only a smattering of descriptions on MSPIFF's website yet). I hope none of them are showing the weekend of my and my partner's tenth anniversary of meeting. I'm including both MSPIFF links and IMDB links, just in case MSPIFF goes haywire again or takes down their website.

La Fine Del Mare (IMDB link)

Where Is Winky's Horse? (IMDB link)

Tuya's Marriage (IMDB link)

Still Life (IMDB link)

OSS 117: Nest of Spies (IMDB link)

Little Moth (IMDB link)

The Last Mistress (IMDB link)

Dry Season (IMDB link)

Ca Brule (IMDB link)

Bamboo Shoots (No IMDB link)

Bad Faith (IMDB link)

And Along Came the Tourists (IMDB link)

Watch for my Documentaries, American Independents, and Childish wish-lists later this week!

Operation Filmmaker

2008-03-21T22:55:00.001-05:00

I don't think there's ever been a better metaphor for the US war in Iraq than the documentary Operation Filmmaker.

Filmmaker Nina Davenport says on the film website David Schisgall, a friend from college, had directed a piece for MTV about young people living in Iraq, focusing mainly on American soldiers. "True Life: I'm Living in Iraq" also featured seven minutes about a young Iraqi film student, Muthana Mohmed, who was desperate to go to Hollywood. After the show aired, the actor and director Liev Schreiber contacted David. Liev wanted to give Muthana an opportunity to come to the West, and he thought Muthana's journey might also make for an interesting documentary. David thought I would be the ideal filmmaker to document this story, so I was hired.
But that only sets up the story. No one, not Schreiber, not Schisgall, and not Davenport, think through what it means to invite an Iraqi student to be an intern.

We see almost immediately that both the filmmaker and Mohmed are unreliable in the literary sense--Davenport has no boundaries and Mohmed either intentionally lies to manipulate people or, if I am being generous, doesn't know what his truth really is. At first, this is annoying. I wanted Davenport to say no to Mohmed, even once, but over and over again she gives in to her documentary subject. In this, she herself becomes a subject of her documentary.

Davenport had also given cameras to some of Mohmed's friends in Iraq, and layers their footage of the war with news reports and her footage of Mohmed, so we can see a glimpse of the lives of Iraqis, not from an American perspective but from an Iraqi perspective.

Themes of immigration, power, media ethics, personal responsibility become the backdrop to the struggle between filmmaker and subject, between the subject and other Americans he meets who all project onto Mohmed their ideas of what an Iraqi person experienced and believes.

And just in case you don't get the metaphor Davenport is portraying in her documentary, the end title card before the credits declares:

I wanted a happy ending.

Now I'm just looking for an exit strategy.

We couldn't get ourselves to exit the theater. Ushers had to ask several groups of moviegoers to leave.

And if you don't believe me, you can read the comments of some people more qualified than I to give their opinion: film students and their teacher who also gets paid to review films.

The Second Weekend

2008-03-20T11:25:00.001-05:00

Parting Shot (Pas Douce), which literally translates into "not soft," takes the viewer on a ride from desperation to joy, without adornment and apology.

The French title describes the main character Fred the way one lover describes her when he says during their lovemaking (if you can call it that), "Couldn't you be more tender?" She's hard to like at first, but as all good film does, she slowly transforms into someone I'd like to befriend.

Director Jeanne Waltz adeptly and starkly tells a story worth telling, of true redemption and forgiveness. A lot of the action takes place in a hospital, but it evokes images of what Americans imagined Soviet hospitals looked like in the 1980s. The sets were spare when they weren't decorated by mother nature herself. It allows, I think, the viewer to focus on the characters and story.

Worth going out of your way to see.

Faces of a Fig Tree (Ichijiku No Kao), directed by Kaori Momoi, is based on the popular serialized novel of the same name.

Momoi uses strange camera angles and clashing color themes to tell four stories of one family, perhaps as seen from a fig tree that follows them through the disjointed narrative. Both the fig tree and the art director's color choices were almost characters in and of themselves.

I almost walked out because it was hard to follow, but I'm glad I stayed. The film contained four separate stories, and once it got beyond the first one, the characters came alive.

Finally, It Happened Just Before uses a fictional technique to tell the true stories of women who survived human trafficking.

A male taxi-driver, a female diplomat, a female villager, and a male bordello bartender each narrate one woman's story as they go about their daily lives in Austria. The country-of-origin and location of enslavement were hidden, and the stories were told as if they had taken place in Austria and Germany.

The technique creates a narrative distance so the horrific circumstances might be easier to to take. And it allows the viewer to use his or her own imagination, which might be far more vivid than the filmmaker could recreate.

The most disquieting story was the one told by the bartender. I didn't realize it was a bordello until he hung a poster behind a stripper pole and cleaned the rooms upstairs. And I was surprised that the only story that made me cry was the one where the woman managed to escape her captors.

Director Anja Salomonowitz also layers the storytelling over more mundane sounds (in one, a chorus, in another, an herbal supplement party) to contrast the alarming stories to everyday life.

One note for English-speaking people: spoken German with English subtitles also creates further narrative distance, and it made me wonder what it would be like to see the same film produced in the US.

All of the cases in the film highlighted abuse based on immigration status, which can leave people feeling vulnerable. If you think this doesn't happen in the United States, you're wrong about that. US Immigration officials extort money and sex from immigrants in exchange for granting immigration privileges.

Tonight: Operation Filmmaker

The Truth?

2008-03-13T09:58:00.001-05:00

Here are the words, directly from Al Milgrom's fingers, about the Oak, Bell and the upcoming Film Fest. I wonder where the Strib reporter got her facts.

Dear Minnesota Film Arts supporters and film friends,

Please note message of encouragement from your leader.

SPIKE OAK, BELL 'HORROR' STORIES IN RECENT PAPERS, SAYS LOCAL FILM GURU

As sure as the swallows return to Capistrano, the annual "Nightmare on Oak Street" stories surfaced again this year in the papers, not long before we launch the 26th Annual Mpls./St.Paul Int'l Film Fest Apr.17 - May 3, 2008

As per print, do we qualify for "arts whipping boy of the year" in this self-congratulatory arts-lauded Twin Cities? (Yours truly, with a near-50-year programming-track record, back in town for more than two weeks before certain articles and blogs appeared, missed being quoted in his own personal vernacular.)

Let me assure you faithful supporters and film friends, contrary to impressions left, both the Oak St. Cinema and Bell Aud. will be (and are) in business after the fest in May and who knows how long after? Expect programming to continue as before. Nothing is written in stone in this current real estate market, as you well know. (Yes, the Oak will eventually be sold. How else can we continue our mission given our current deficit?)

To switch to a positive note, the website is carrying some fest info now. We hope to have most of the program up around March 28, with more than l00 titles, over 40 countries. The venues include: Oak Street Cinema, St. Anthony Main's five screens, (easy day-long & night parking for only 50 cents total), spot satellite screenings Kerasotes Block E, and the possibility of a screen at the Riverview and AMC Roseville.

The Festival is set to include Oscar nominees (Katyn, Beaufort, others); Sundance titles: (Nerakhoon, the Betrayal, an epic Hmong story, and more), other top fest pics, expected visiting directors: China, Africa, Russia, Canada, Czech Republic and U.S.

Thanks for your continuing faith in the organization and your support.

Al Milgrom,

MFA Artistic Director & one time east-city-editor, Washington Post

Rest In Peace, Soon

2008-03-12T12:05:00.000-05:00

Kathie reported that the Oak Street Theater is going to be sold after this year's MSPIFF and I found confirmation on the Star Tribune website. I always loved the films they showed at the Oak, but hated the facility. The seats made incurable back aches, the mold made noses gush, and the stairs to the bathroom made great litigious fantasies.

With the Bell lease lost as well, I can't help but wonder if this year won't be the final Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. Hopefully, the money MFA gets for the Bell will reinvigorate the organization and we can continue to have truly independent film in the Twin Cities.

Madonnas & Making Trouble

2008-03-10T15:00:00.000-05:00

Saturday night's film, Madonnas (Madonnen), written and directed by Maria Speth, shows us the hard life of main character Rita who has five children by several different fathers. Watching the film was almost as hard as her life because Rita makes bad choice after bad choice until the viewer has no empathy for her and every ounce of compassion for her children and boyfriend and mother.

I came away wondering what the film added to our culture beyond portraying poor parenthood. Madonnas is well-done but the story lacked virtue.

Making Trouble, on the other hand, was well-worth the $8 ticket, long lines, crowded theater, late start and 85 minutes. Produced by the Jewish Women's Archive, Making Trouble is a documentary about Jewish comedians Molly Picon, Fanny Brice, Sophie Tucker, Joan Rivers, Gilda Radner and Wendy Wasserstein and features modern Jewish comedians Judy Gold, Jackie Hoffman, Cory Kahaney, and Jessica Kirson.

Making Trouble is funny, irreverent, and shows how some of the most famous funny Jewish women changed the comedy landscape for all women as well as Jewish women.

Go out of your way to see it. You won't be disappointed.

Opening Night and the Next Day

2008-03-10T13:30:00.000-05:00

Friday's film, the world premiere of Older Than America, was introduced by the writer/director Georgina Lightning, writer/producer Christine Walker and actor Tantoo Cardinal, all Native American.

The film's story centers around a woman named Rain, her long-time boyfriend Johnny, her aunt Apple and her mother Irene, as well as several people from a northern Minnesota town located in a Native American Reservation. Rain spends the movie discovering that she shares the gift of "sight" with her mother, and comes to reveal atrocities done to Native American children at a local Catholic boarding school (cultural genocide, rape, torture, murder, physical and emotional abuse). While this movie is fictional, it is inspired by true events experienced by the director's family and accounts by other Native Americans of boarding schools.

Filmed in Minnesota, Older Than America shows off writer/director Georgina Lightning's gift for storytelling and film making. She uses music to highlight the tension and to move the story along to great effect (and occassionally the music is a little overdone). The acting, editing and direction are worthy of an award. I'm looking forward to more films written and directed by Lightning, and you should too. Older Than America will be showing at SXSW and film festivals all over north America, so see it if you get the chance.

Saturday was a mixed bag. The first shorts program befuddled me. At first I wondered if the curators had a hard time finding women directors skilled in making short films with a narrative arc. Then I wondered if the curators disdained the kind of storytelling that film is best suited--visual story. And then I wondered if wanting to be entertained made me shallow.

The first film, 5 Cents a Peek, directed by Vanessa Woods, was a film interpretation of a poem, but you don't necessarily understand that until the end when the credits roll. A flash of black and white images and edgy music kept me confused and looking for a story.

Then, with high hopes, I watched Labyrinth by Jila Nikpay and it had a similar feel and edginess as the first film. Once again, I didn't get it.

I almost walked out of the third film, Catalogue of Birds: Book 3, and I'm glad I didn't, but not because of this long, repetitive, modern "showing" of someone playing the piano. One description claims the film contains a lot of imagery, but once again, where was the story????

I eventually enjoyed Drum Room once the director got to the point of the whole film which, in retrospect, seemed to be a study in following one's passion in the middle of everyone doing the same thing. The filmmaker uses sound to tell a powerful story of hope.

Finally, Mirroring Cure was a nice blend of documentary and fiction to tell one person's story of personal healing.

The program redeemed itself by the end. But I couldn't help but wonder if the Women With Vision shorts curation could use a shot of main stream taste and a desire for storytelling. The shorts program of MSPIFF is always sold out, and there were only a handful of people in Walker's audience. Why produce a program that's only accessible to a few when you could expose women directors to broader audiences by tossing some of the "art" snobbery?

On the other hand, the Women in Film & Television Short Film Showcase demonstrated great cinematic storytelling.

The first film, made by a Minnesota film maker Jill Broadfoot and called The Pussycats, documents the journey of four middle-aged women traveling to the Corn Palace in South Dakota to see Tom Jones perform. The film was feisty and fun, and seeing the cream-stuffed penis-shaped cupcakes quivering was worth every minute of this film. It's a must for the fifty-something and older set.

In Chinese Dumplings, filmmaker Michelle Hung tells the sweet story of sisters who would do anything to get out of an hour of violin practice. In the end, it's about universal sisterhood and what it means to be an ally.

As if in counter point, One Hundredth of a Second shows us how harmful it can be to choose to not be an ally. Filmmaker Susan Jacobson unflinchingly reveals one moment in the life of a war photographer through flashback. This film isn't for the faint-of-heart.

Genevieve Poulette's award-winning short film Meet-Market.ca delves into the lives of two single women and their exploits on a local online dating community. It wasn't a memorable film, perhaps because of the blind-date cliches throughout, modernized for the internet age.

Orchids, directed by Bryce Dallas Howard and starring Katherine Waterston and Alfred Molina, introduces us to quirky Beatrice who loves taking pictures but never develops them until she meets a wealthy middle-aged recluse. Orchids demonstrates why it's important to have women directing films--it shows intimacy between a man and a woman without suggesting sex.

In Happiness, director Sophie Barthes follows one factory worker (who tests condoms) who tries to buy happiness in a discount store. Happiness premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. It's worth seeing if you have a chance.

Finally, The Betty Mystique, directed by Minnesotan Susan Marks, chronicles the many lives of Betty Crocker and the icon's impact on modern American culture. Cake anyone?

Women With Vision

2008-02-26T16:15:00.012-06:00

Woo hoo! They've put up their calendar of films. Since I'm no longer going to be out-of-town opening week, I hope to see these selections:

Friday, March 7th, 7:30 pm, Older Than America Introduced by director Georgina Lightning, producer Christine Walker, and special guest actress Tantoo Cardinal, Filmed in Minnesota, 102 minutes
Saturday, March 8th, 2 pm, Short Films, Program 1, Misc. 70 minutes
Saturday, March 8th, 4 pm, Women in Film & Television Shorts Program Honoring Interantional Women's Day, Misc. 110 minutes
Saturday, March 8th, 7:30 pm, Madonnas (Madonnen), Belgium/Switzerland/Germany, 125 minutes
Sunday, March 9th, 7 pm, Making Trouble, US, 85 minutes
Friday, March 14th, 7:30 pm, Parting Shot (Pas Douce), France/Switzerland, 81 minutes
Saturday, March 15th, 7:30 pm, Faces of a Fig Tree (Ichijiku No Kao), Japan, 94 minutes
Sunday, March 16th, 2 pm, It Happened Just Before (Kurz davor ist es passiert), Germany,72 minutes
Thursday, March 20th, 7 pm, Operation Filmmaker, US, Video, 92 minutes FREE
Wednesday, March 26th, 7:30 pm, Shara (Sharasojyu), Japan, 100 minutes
Thursday, March 27th, 7 pm, The Mourning Forest (Mogari No Mori), Japan, 92 minutes
Friday, March 28th, 7:30 pm, Mutum, Portugal, 95 minutes
Saturday, March 29th, 2 pm, Short Films, Program 2, Misc. 77 minutes
Closing Night: Saturday, March 29th, 7:30 pm, Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame (Buda as sharm foru rikht), Iran/France, 81 minutes

MSPIFF POST SCRIPT: New Dates, April 17-May 3rd. But don't count on it; MFA could change the dates once again!

Film Reminisces and Lust

2008-02-10T11:45:00.001-06:00

It was -9 this morning, without the wind chill (some reports put that at -30) and it makes me want to sit in a dark theater and watch a screen with actors speaking a language I don't understand. Today, like many days in the dark winter, I checked the Minnesota Film Arts website to see if they've posted any news about the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival.

MFA has done no such thing but they have finally paid their bills to their URL licencer so their festival website is up once again. This just means I can look over last year's films and lust for the time when I can once again stand in long lines and sit in poorly cushioned seats and stop at Bruegger's for a bagel because I've only got fifteen minutes to get across town before the next film starts.

So here's a list of my 2007 Best-o-Fest. Some of these films never had an American release and some aren't yet available on DVD. The films are in no particular order.

Chariton's Choir
The Chinese Botanist's Daughter
Eagle vs. Shark
Four Minutes This one was my favorite of the fest. It received the Audience Favorite award and sadly isn't yet available in the United States on DVD.
The Great Match
Madeinusa is not for the faint of heart.http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
The Magician (a quirky tale that you probably haven't seen about a Turkish magician)
Milk & Opium
Once Okay, this was my favorite film of the fest. It's been nominated for an Academy Award for one of the songs.
Paprika
Schnitzel Paradise
The Seagull Diner Also my favorite of the fest. By the director of another of my fest favorites from a previous year, Yoshino's Barber Shop.http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
Snow Cake
Ten Canoes It's a slow film, so don't watch when you're sleepy. I did and I fell asleep. But it is beautiful and meditative.
Made in Korea
Firefly I loved this locally-made sci-fi flick. But it isn't for everyone.
August the First
Waitress My favorite. Okay, I know, I can't have ten favorites but I do. And I won't rank them for you.
Sami This was shown after the fest because customs held it up. VERY interesting film about white indigenous people of the Arctic circle. I didn't know there were still white people who could be considered indigenous.

MSPIFF Announces 2008 Dates

2008-01-13T22:39:00.000-06:00

...but we'll see if they stick this year. Last year, the festival happened a few weeks after they said it would. No matter what, I'll be there with my gold pass in-hand, ready to see several films every day for ten days.

2008 Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival: April 10-28

I'm assuming they're including the "Best of Fest" week in those 18 days. But it could be a bad assumption. Another option is they've lost some of their venues and have to stretch the festival out to 18 days.

We'll see in a few weeks, won't we.

In 2004, a friend and I went to Sundance. I can't go back until 2009, but I can go to another famous film fest: Toronto. This year, it's September 4-13. I wonder if it's too early to make hotel reservations?