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Post by Mr. FOLLARD on Feb 13, 2023 9:36:41 GMT
The only one of the 'big three' (Berlin, Cannes, Venice) film festivals open to the public kicks off later this week. The full programme is here.I went to see a couple of films last year, but it was because I was in Berlin anyway, and what I saw was nothing special 'cos I was a bit late and overwhelmed/confused with the whole process of booking etc. I'm still not really sure what the whole business of film festivals is about, really. I did manage to see that Emma Thompson thing, and she made a big entrance through the audience in a sparkly pink jacket and then made a speech about women and there was a standing ovation and all that shit.* Anyway - there are a LOT of good things to see, even if you discount 95% of it 'cos it's of marginal interest. I'm trying to work everything out more carefully this time around. I'm flying out a week tomorrow, meeting my mate Robeeeeeeeeen on the Thursday and Friday, we're off for a bit of food and about six or seven films. Any more and it becomes less enjoyable and more like work. I'm really looking forward to it. I've just booked to see Rebel Without A Cause and Rumble Fish on the 26th - have to wait until tickets for the other films I want to see go on sale, three days before the screening. I'm hoping to see the competition winner - the Golden Bear thing - but I imagine it'll be crowded. I'll update the thread when I'm there. * it seemed I sat down too early and the two women to my left GLOWERED at me, so I hauled myself up again and clapped for another 20 fucking minutes
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Post by Stacy Heydon on Feb 13, 2023 10:01:10 GMT
I love Rumble Fish. Actually saw that in the cinema when it came out.
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Post by Mr. FOLLARD on Feb 23, 2023 20:43:23 GMT
I can't post images or long posts really 'cos I'm on my phone (the Chromebook I brought is next to useless) but so far:
Silver Haze - bit like Nil By Mouth - in its tone and location at least. Great central performances, compelling storyline, but there was maybe a few too many things going on. But recommended.
Boom! Boom! Boris Becker Versus The World - an Alex Gibney documentary (he's done some good stuff) - this was great BUT ended suddenly, as if it was only the first part of a two-parter. But it isn't. I guess because Becker himself was very much involved, he decided on the narrative. Fair enough. His old manager - some Romanian dude whose name I forget - was a dude!
Little Fugitive (which I'm just out of) - this was Wes Anderson's selection for the festival and it was an utterly charming and wonderful film about a little kid who takes off to Coney Island on his own after his elder brother plays a joke on him. It was filmed in 1953, all on location, it was apparently a big influence on the French New Wave, the kids of course aren't really actors but you're with them the whole way. I was really bowled over by this, and would strongly recommend it. I'd never even heard of it and can't even remember the name of anyone involved in it. But see it if you can.
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Sneelock
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Post by Sneelock on Feb 23, 2023 22:51:01 GMT
* it seemed I sat down too early and the two women to my left GLOWERED at me, so I hauled myself up again and clapped for another 20 fucking minutesI'm glowering at you myself.
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rayge
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Post by rayge on Feb 24, 2023 14:12:48 GMT
* it seemed I sat down too early and the two women to my left GLOWERED at me, so I hauled myself up again and clapped for another 20 fucking minutesI'm glowering at you myself. You should have winced, rubbed your thigh, and muttered something about your 'war wound'.
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Berlinale
Feb 24, 2023 22:20:30 GMT
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Post by Mr. FOLLARD on Feb 24, 2023 22:20:30 GMT
The Last Picture Show tonight. Couldn't get into it at all - it didn't settle on anything for long. Just a series of vignettes and I struggled to stay awake for the last 20 minutes. But Cloris Leachman was great.
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Sneelock
god
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Post by Sneelock on Feb 24, 2023 23:18:42 GMT
it was a John Ford movie but with angst & fucking. you got a problem with angst & fucking?
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Post by Mr. FOLLARD on Feb 24, 2023 23:31:00 GMT
Maybe!
I don't remember the last time I had either...
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Post by Mr. FOLLARD on Feb 28, 2023 9:15:01 GMT
Got back last night. Didn't want to leave Berlin. Anyway... Hummingbirdswww.berlinale.de/en/2023/programme/202309517.htmlso this one won a prize at the festival - 'best young persons documentary' or something. I squeezed it in on the Saturday afternoon because I was near the venue and there were tickets going and I'd had enough coffee to stay awake (and this was close by and after the Eggleston exhibition (which I loved)). It was a sweet but inconsequential story about two very close friends who live near the Texas/Mexico border. It ticked a lot of boxes for the jury, I suppose. What was more interesting than the film (which was made in 2019) was seeing the two girls today, who came on stage to talk a bit about it afterwards. The main filmmaker is now much more confident than she appeared in the film, fancy haircut and big white suit, said the Berlinale was 'uppity', and didn't have much of a response to most of the questions. Muriel's WeddingReally enjoyed this. Loved the 'coarse' Aussie humour, thought Toni Collette was excellent (it surprised me that she went 'method' and gained 18 kilos just for a larkabout 90s Aus flick, but that's committment I suppose). Whoever it was who played her dad was a gem, there were lots of big chuckles especially near the start with him and his 'fancy piece' (someone behind me kept chortling loudly but they were FUNNY chortles and it actually helped).
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Post by Mr. FOLLARD on Feb 28, 2023 9:20:04 GMT
Here's Little Fugitive. If you've got time, give it a go.
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Post by Reactionary Rage on Feb 28, 2023 13:08:13 GMT
Muriel's WeddingReally enjoyed this. Loved the 'coarse' Aussie humour, thought Toni Collette was excellent (it surprised me that she went 'method' and gained 18 kilos just for a larkabout 90s Aus flick, but that's committment I suppose). Whoever it was who played her dad was a gem, there were lots of big chuckles especially near the start with him and his 'fancy piece' (someone behind me kept chortling loudly but they were FUNNY chortles and it actually helped). Oh it's wonderful. I've loved it since it came out and I'll always watch it if it's on the telly. It's very Australian in that crude but sharp way that reminds you of working class British humour. I only have to hear the name "Porpoise Spit" to smile but it's full of warmth, heart and feel good moments (c'mon, you were totally feeling that Waterloo scene huh?). There's a kind of innocence about the whole thing you don't find so much anymore. It's the simple things, isn't it? The rejection of the arseholes from school. The black eye lol. The moment at 2.24 when Muriel commits to the performance with the suggestion of her growing confidence.
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Post by Mr. FOLLARD on Feb 28, 2023 13:25:51 GMT
Yeah, even the 'soppy' bits were really well done. Great film.
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Post by Mr. FOLLARD on Feb 28, 2023 14:08:25 GMT
And the last three (all of which I saw on Sunday) The Adultsvariety.com/2023/film/reviews/the-adults-review-michael-cera-1235527888/US indie, with Michael Cera as a gambling addict doing his usual gentle undistinguished work The stars of this one were the women who played his two sisters (both pictured). One (left) apparently cold-hearted, the other sweet and funny and childlike. The title of the film is clearly ironic because at least two of the three protagonists aren't really grown-up. But I bought into it all completely, and the sweet sister (played by Sophia Lillis) was especially watchable, I thought. It had lots to say about family and it was lovely. Not sure if (or even when) this'll be on general release but I'd thoroughly recommend it. then I had to run out of one cinema to get to the next one to see... Rebel Without A Causewhich I'm SURE I don't need to tell you about. I loved it. It was more '1940s' than I'd expected, what with the constant string-laden incidental music and the melodrama. And Dean was much less angry than I'd been led to believe. The supporting cast were excellent - especially Jim Backus, Natalie Wood, and (most of all) Sal Mineo. Jeff K reckons Sal is the real big star here and I'm inclined to agree. I didn't fall asleep for even one second but I was struggling to stay awake just 'cos it had been a hectic week in some ways. I should see this again, anyway. and in the evening it was Dennis Hopper some 30 years on, in Rumble Fishthere was a filmed intro by Ethan Hawke who'd chosen this one for the festival, who said something like 'Matt Dillon is sooo great in this - forGET James Dean, man!' - which is stupid. I enjoyed this and there were great moments but I've never rated Dillon much - not when he's doing his 'rebel' stuff, anyway (loved him in There's Something About Mary). It's all kind of shallow, like he's taken the surface stuff of Dean (or whoever) and there's nothing of any substance there. It's a director's piece of work anyway, I thought. It LOOKED very much like that. Lots of directorial touches, Coppola (I presume) putting his stamp on every scene. Birds-eye shots, colour used for the fish, extreme close-ups on faces. I like all that. But maybe it was necessary 'cos most of the acting didn't move me much at all.
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Post by Stacy Heydon on Mar 3, 2023 14:16:35 GMT
there was a filmed intro by Ethan Hawke who'd chosen this one for the festival, who said something like 'Matt Dillon is sooo great in this - forGET James Dean, man!' - which is stupid. I enjoyed this and there were great moments but I've never rated Dillon much - not when he's doing his 'rebel' stuff, anyway (loved him in There's Something About Mary). It's all kind of shallow, like he's taken the surface stuff of Dean (or whoever) and there's nothing of any substance there. It's a director's piece of work anyway, I thought. It LOOKED very much like that. Lots of directorial touches, Coppola (I presume) putting his stamp on every scene. Birds-eye shots, colour used for the fish, extreme close-ups on faces. I like all that. But maybe it was necessary 'cos most of the acting didn't move me much at all. The direction was pure German Expressionism. Mickey Rourke was great in it. Memorable and eccentric in all the right ways.
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Post by Mr. FOLLARD on Feb 21, 2024 23:18:16 GMT
Back again - tickets for ten films, first two today.
This thing
was just fucking stupid.
BUT I just saw After Hours and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thelma Schoonmaker introduced it! she was very sweet.
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