CIFFing Cousins
Once more we enter the lists for the Chicago International Film Festival, which this year has increased its South Korean programming by FIFTY PERCENT, meaning there is one (1) South Korean film and a South Korean-German co-production. Stop gaming the system, CIFF.
Anyhow, we've got that South Korean film, the new Takashi Miike, and so very very much more this year, even though it's actually fewer films than I normally program, because I'm cleverly going to New York for a weekend during the festival. So herewith, the hopefully sweet (if under-kimchi'd) sixteen films I'm seeing at CIFF this year, modulo festival screwups or hilarious CTA misadventure. All the films are at the convenient and delightful AMC River East 21 downtown, so come out and see them with me (and with his_regard the Damon to my filmic Pythias or perhaps my Affleck) won't you?
Friday October 13
2:00 p.m.: The Merciless (South Korea, Byun Sung-hyun) South Korean gangster film are you kidding me can there be a better opener I think not.
10:45 p.m.: Blade of The Immortal (Japan, Takashi Miike) Okay maybe the new Takashi Miike magical samurai movie maybe that could be a better opener. This is a helluva day, people. Helluva day.
Saturday October 14
12:00 Noon: Mon Mon Mon Monsters (Taiwan, Giddens Ko) Teen bullies find a monster and make it fight until its mom shows up. Pokemon meets Grendel in Taipei!
2:40 p.m.: Faces Places (France, Agnes Varda & JR) Whimsical, profound, "beautiful meditation" -- all these killing words show up in the description, but it got the robindlaws Recommendation so there.
6:00 p.m.: Thoroughbreds (US, Corey Finley) "Teen girl Hitchcockian thriller" on the other hand are the opposite of killing words, except there will probably be some killing in this one.
8:45 p.m.: Chasing the Blues (US, Scott Smith) The quest for a legendary blues album, in Chicago comedy form.
10:30 p.m.: Tokyo Vampire Hotel (Japan, Sion Sono) Sion Sono is always good for a what-the-hell-was-that, and I am professionally concerned with both vampires and hotel management but mostly vampires.
Sunday October 15
2:45 p.m.: Reconciliation (Poland, Maciej Sobieszczański) Love triangle in a Communist labor camp will either be supergood drama or murky and unclear; Poland is uneven in festival Ken-pleasing.
7:30 p.m.: Sicilian Ghost Story (France/Italy/Switzerland, Fabio Grassadonia & Antonio Piazza) Gothic Mafia fairy tale!
Tuesday October 17
3:15 p.m.: The Line (Slovakia/Ukraine/Czech Rep, Peter Bebjak) Cigarette smuggler under pressure to become a heroin smuggler (and don't we all know that feeling) carries us into crime thriller turf.
5:45 p.m.: Budapest Noir (Hungary, Éva Gárdos) Oh it's a noir set in 1936 Budapest I am as giddy as can be, not least because Hungary reliably punches well above its weight but also yeah noir set in 1936 Budapest.
8:45 p.m.: Gemini (US, Aaron Katz) An L.A. noir about celebrity and identity sign me the heck up.
Wednesday October 18
8:00 p.m.: The Experimental City (US, Chad Friedrichs) Documentary about a proposed domed city in Minnesota and you had me at "proposed domed city."
Monday October 23
3:00 p.m.: Control (Belgium, Jan Verheyen) The third in a series of murder mystery films; Belgium is another one like Poland where you can't be sure you're getting the good stuff but when you do oh boy.
8:45 p.m.: November (Estonia/Netherlands/Poland, Reiner Sarnet) Just another teen werewolf girl pagan Estonian black and white plague fairy tale like you see everywhere so basic I know
Tuesday October 24
8:00 p.m.: Have a Nice Day (China, Jian Liu) It's a cartoon! About a guy who steals from a mob boss! Animated crime film with a Chinese pop score, so it'll keep us awake at least.
Anyhow, we've got that South Korean film, the new Takashi Miike, and so very very much more this year, even though it's actually fewer films than I normally program, because I'm cleverly going to New York for a weekend during the festival. So herewith, the hopefully sweet (if under-kimchi'd) sixteen films I'm seeing at CIFF this year, modulo festival screwups or hilarious CTA misadventure. All the films are at the convenient and delightful AMC River East 21 downtown, so come out and see them with me (and with his_regard the Damon to my filmic Pythias or perhaps my Affleck) won't you?
Friday October 13
2:00 p.m.: The Merciless (South Korea, Byun Sung-hyun) South Korean gangster film are you kidding me can there be a better opener I think not.
10:45 p.m.: Blade of The Immortal (Japan, Takashi Miike) Okay maybe the new Takashi Miike magical samurai movie maybe that could be a better opener. This is a helluva day, people. Helluva day.
Saturday October 14
12:00 Noon: Mon Mon Mon Monsters (Taiwan, Giddens Ko) Teen bullies find a monster and make it fight until its mom shows up. Pokemon meets Grendel in Taipei!
2:40 p.m.: Faces Places (France, Agnes Varda & JR) Whimsical, profound, "beautiful meditation" -- all these killing words show up in the description, but it got the robindlaws Recommendation so there.
6:00 p.m.: Thoroughbreds (US, Corey Finley) "Teen girl Hitchcockian thriller" on the other hand are the opposite of killing words, except there will probably be some killing in this one.
8:45 p.m.: Chasing the Blues (US, Scott Smith) The quest for a legendary blues album, in Chicago comedy form.
10:30 p.m.: Tokyo Vampire Hotel (Japan, Sion Sono) Sion Sono is always good for a what-the-hell-was-that, and I am professionally concerned with both vampires and hotel management but mostly vampires.
Sunday October 15
2:45 p.m.: Reconciliation (Poland, Maciej Sobieszczański) Love triangle in a Communist labor camp will either be supergood drama or murky and unclear; Poland is uneven in festival Ken-pleasing.
7:30 p.m.: Sicilian Ghost Story (France/Italy/Switzerland, Fabio Grassadonia & Antonio Piazza) Gothic Mafia fairy tale!
Tuesday October 17
3:15 p.m.: The Line (Slovakia/Ukraine/Czech Rep, Peter Bebjak) Cigarette smuggler under pressure to become a heroin smuggler (and don't we all know that feeling) carries us into crime thriller turf.
5:45 p.m.: Budapest Noir (Hungary, Éva Gárdos) Oh it's a noir set in 1936 Budapest I am as giddy as can be, not least because Hungary reliably punches well above its weight but also yeah noir set in 1936 Budapest.
8:45 p.m.: Gemini (US, Aaron Katz) An L.A. noir about celebrity and identity sign me the heck up.
Wednesday October 18
8:00 p.m.: The Experimental City (US, Chad Friedrichs) Documentary about a proposed domed city in Minnesota and you had me at "proposed domed city."
Monday October 23
3:00 p.m.: Control (Belgium, Jan Verheyen) The third in a series of murder mystery films; Belgium is another one like Poland where you can't be sure you're getting the good stuff but when you do oh boy.
8:45 p.m.: November (Estonia/Netherlands/Poland, Reiner Sarnet) Just another teen werewolf girl pagan Estonian black and white plague fairy tale like you see everywhere so basic I know
Tuesday October 24
8:00 p.m.: Have a Nice Day (China, Jian Liu) It's a cartoon! About a guy who steals from a mob boss! Animated crime film with a Chinese pop score, so it'll keep us awake at least.