MIFF 2010 Part Quattro
Thursday, August 5
Cities on Speed Program 2: Cairo Garbage & Bogota Change:
Two very interesting doco's (part of a four part series) about cities in the modern age and how the pace of civilization has affected them. Cairo Garbage is about how Cairo's waste disposal service is unable to cope with the estimated 17 million residents currently living there.Cairo seems to be an absolutely dirty place and it's really filthy according to this doco. Bogota change is about how two completely different Mayors managed to turn the world's most dangerous city, to one where crime has dropped 70 percent; the citizens have faith in their politicians and how it's in the middle of a reconstruction boom. All with the aid of traffic mimes, academics, CEO's and an anger vaccine. Good docos, 4 outta 5.
Blame: Well polished Aussie film about a group of eople who attempt to kill a man in a remote house. After they realise that their attempt has failed and they have to try again, recriminations fly. Nice solid script, no surprise since the script has been worked on for 10 years...Good solid film. 3 out of 5.
Friday, August 6
A Somewhat Gentle Man: A man gets out of jail and tries to go straight whilst his criminal friends try to get him back into a life of crime. Good movie with lots of black humour throughout. 3 out of 5.
Wild Target: Great british comedy remake of a french film. A professional hitman (Bill Nighy) is tracking a chaotic kleptomaniac (Emily Blunt), when he suddenly has a change of heart and decides to protect her instead. Picking up a hapless witness (Rupert Grint), the trio goes on the run from the other killers hot on their heels. This is a fun comedy with lots of british talent on the screen. I really want to check out their original movie as well. 4 out of 5.
Down Terrace: A british crime boss is acquitted and goes to ground at his family home. There he tries to figure out who snitched whilst dealing with a strained family dynamic as well. This movie is like a black comedic british sopranos. It's filled with lots of comedic bits but it's a drama. All up...an okayish movie, 2 out of 5.
Saturday, August 7
Dancing Dreams: Amazing doco about a group of german teens rehearsing for a dance performance. Nice interviews and lots of shots of great dancing. Great doco, highly recommended. 4 out of 5.
The Hunter: A part time hobbyist hunter loses his family in a shootout and decides to use his skills against humans. Weak slow paced movie, 2 out of 5.
The strange case of Angelica: Great premise, crappy movie. A photographer is hurriedly called to a family estate to take photos of a woman who died on her wedding night so as the fmaily can have some memorial photos. From the instead he sees her, he's infatuated and she haunts his dreams. Great premise, unfortunately his nothing happens in his dreams and in the end nothing much happens. 1 out of 5.
The Actresses: 6 Korean actresses from differing ages come together for a Vogue fashion shoot. This film shows us the behind the scenes and sees them all talking about the industry, personality clashes and everything inbetween. Great film and I really wonder how much was fictionalised and how much was based on real life. I'd love to see an American version of this. 4 outta of 5.
Dream Home: Hong Kong movie about a woman who really really wants an apartment and what happens when she's pushed too far. "Slasher" film with some pretty darned violent and explicit deaths. Good if you like that sort of stuff. 3 out of 5.
And now my final day of MIFF, capped off with an advance screening of Scott Pilgrim :)