SIFF: The Art Of Flirting (As Told In Four Chapters)
I've been busy this past week (or weeks) so haven't had time to write about this.
On Monday, I rushed down (after being held back at work) to the new National Museum to catch my only film this SIFF, a local film by Kan Lume. whirlwink happened to be there too but because I was late I didn't have a chance to say hi until after the film was over.
Before that, can I say that the new National Museum building looks fabulous? I only saw it for a couple of minutes when running in but... wow!
For a local, (extremely small) budget film (for starters, his budget was only $300), it was rather good. OK filming and sound were nothing much to rave about, but I was rather impressed by the concept, like how the camera was supposed to mimic human tendencies for voyeurism, and above all, the gritting reality of the plot. The leads, Marilyn and Leonard, were really good as well, though I must confess that when Leonard tried to act cute, coy, and teh, it really, really drove me up the wall. And I especially HATE the way he laughs. It's just like a hyena, this high-pitched squeal, and goodness, how can anyone pull a girl with a laugh like that???
But back to the plot, it was so real, so darn real, the way Leonard tried to worm his way into Marilyn's good books, stealing glances, impressing her, creating opportunities to be with her (including bumping off his friends), making her feel oh so special, and just when he's got her, he blows her off. People were trying to examine the intricacies and underlying meanings and stuff, but I believe, as another audience member remarked, "He's just a bastard!"
But it was so real, how bastardy he was, and if you told me that every single bit of it was true, I'd believe it: the national athlete, pretending to love poetry and Neruda, wriggling his way into her good books, bringing her to Botanic Gardens when he was supposed to be playing basketball with his friends, cooking with her, supposedly baring his personal side to her, telling her that he's never felt this way about someone for a long time, how he became cynical about love after breaking-up with his ex, who was supposedly so perfect but he could never be with her, and how he's been looking for someone like Marilyn for the longest time, telling her about the "languages of love" and how important physical intimacy was-but stressing that he wasn't interested in sex, serenading her (after telling her he doesn't sing for anyone unless they're really close and special to him), stealing kisses and basically sweeping her off her feet by being so perfect. But then also how he left her dangling, waiting, after telling her he feels so comfortable with her, that he's certain this is what he wants, and just when he has won her over, he tells her that he doesn't think they should see each other anymore, that he needs distance, that he hopes she will understand, and when pressed for a reason, that it's too complicated to explain, that he just doesn't think that they'll work out, and then making a hasty and unconvincing exeunt. Down to the point when he serenades her and she tells him, "You're the sweetest guy I've ever known," and his swift and ironic reply, "You've met too much of the wrong people."
Uncanny too, was how Leonard looks, talks, acts, and is slick exactly like someone I know-down to the point where if they shot a close-up of his facial features, you'd swear the two were one and the same. And I guess that just added to the realism of the piece. A pièce de résistance for local filmmaking, definitely!
After more than a couple of initial shocks from aghast colleagues that I have never watched both The Fast And The Furious as well as 2 Fast 2 Furious, I have finally, er... acquired them and can I say again... wow!
On Monday, I rushed down (after being held back at work) to the new National Museum to catch my only film this SIFF, a local film by Kan Lume. whirlwink happened to be there too but because I was late I didn't have a chance to say hi until after the film was over.
Before that, can I say that the new National Museum building looks fabulous? I only saw it for a couple of minutes when running in but... wow!
For a local, (extremely small) budget film (for starters, his budget was only $300), it was rather good. OK filming and sound were nothing much to rave about, but I was rather impressed by the concept, like how the camera was supposed to mimic human tendencies for voyeurism, and above all, the gritting reality of the plot. The leads, Marilyn and Leonard, were really good as well, though I must confess that when Leonard tried to act cute, coy, and teh, it really, really drove me up the wall. And I especially HATE the way he laughs. It's just like a hyena, this high-pitched squeal, and goodness, how can anyone pull a girl with a laugh like that???
But back to the plot, it was so real, so darn real, the way Leonard tried to worm his way into Marilyn's good books, stealing glances, impressing her, creating opportunities to be with her (including bumping off his friends), making her feel oh so special, and just when he's got her, he blows her off. People were trying to examine the intricacies and underlying meanings and stuff, but I believe, as another audience member remarked, "He's just a bastard!"
But it was so real, how bastardy he was, and if you told me that every single bit of it was true, I'd believe it: the national athlete, pretending to love poetry and Neruda, wriggling his way into her good books, bringing her to Botanic Gardens when he was supposed to be playing basketball with his friends, cooking with her, supposedly baring his personal side to her, telling her that he's never felt this way about someone for a long time, how he became cynical about love after breaking-up with his ex, who was supposedly so perfect but he could never be with her, and how he's been looking for someone like Marilyn for the longest time, telling her about the "languages of love" and how important physical intimacy was-but stressing that he wasn't interested in sex, serenading her (after telling her he doesn't sing for anyone unless they're really close and special to him), stealing kisses and basically sweeping her off her feet by being so perfect. But then also how he left her dangling, waiting, after telling her he feels so comfortable with her, that he's certain this is what he wants, and just when he has won her over, he tells her that he doesn't think they should see each other anymore, that he needs distance, that he hopes she will understand, and when pressed for a reason, that it's too complicated to explain, that he just doesn't think that they'll work out, and then making a hasty and unconvincing exeunt. Down to the point when he serenades her and she tells him, "You're the sweetest guy I've ever known," and his swift and ironic reply, "You've met too much of the wrong people."
Uncanny too, was how Leonard looks, talks, acts, and is slick exactly like someone I know-down to the point where if they shot a close-up of his facial features, you'd swear the two were one and the same. And I guess that just added to the realism of the piece. A pièce de résistance for local filmmaking, definitely!
After more than a couple of initial shocks from aghast colleagues that I have never watched both The Fast And The Furious as well as 2 Fast 2 Furious, I have finally, er... acquired them and can I say again... wow!