Day 10: September 14

No dramas, no major interruptions, a lovely fest. Spirited Away got plenty of recognition, nice to see for Disney's continued support for Myazaki's films. Bowling for Columbine certainly will be going far, while a number of the galas seem already to have been forgotten. I was surprised, given the downright exuberant reception it received, that Standing in the Shadows of Motown didn't get an audience award. Instead, Whale Rider, a Kiwi film that only played to small crowds at the Cumberland, swept that award. I'd never even heard of it, hadn't circled it in my book to see, talked to several people who also had not seen or heard of the flick. Go figure...

The fest continues to get bigger, and I hope it doesn't lose too much of its roots as a public festival. Every year, I meet people from across the world who come to and love this city for ten days. That, above all else, is quite a good thing.

Springtime in a Small Town
Directed by Zhuangzhuang Tian


Highly recommended to me, this is a sumptuous film, with wonderful images and a dream-like, floating air about it. It's not really about anything, other than a 40s era china with the clash of culture that this period represents. A very enjoyable film to watch.
Grade: B+

Russian Ark
Directed by Aleksandr Sokurov

A film geek's dream movie. 90 minutes, one take. After Rope, Hitchcock thought the whole process was a failure, sacrificing the story for the technique. In Ark, the process becomes the story, as we float dreamlike from room to room. You are transported through several hundred years of Russian history and what must be a thousand extras from all different periods. You watch the film and become the camera, gazing here and there while the narrator/guide draws you from room to room, time to time. Extraordinary!

To see this film digitally reinforces the floating feeling even more, as there are no breaks in mood, no cigarette burns to let you know about reel changes. You are transported in this ship of time and place, and there has never been a film like this in the history of cinema. A remarkable achievement.
Grade: A+

One Night on the Moon
Directed by Rachel Perkins


Tragic and melodramatic Country-and-Western musical set in the Australian outback. Gotta love them for trying.

Grade: C+

Baadasssss Cinema
Directed by Isaac Julien


While certainly not stupendous, the film does provide a nice primer on the history and context for Blaxploitation cinema. Pam G, Samuel J, and others mix it up, while Elvis Mitchel and Quentin provide some filmfan context. Distracting is Tupac's mom (isn't he dead yet?), but, hey, the man dug on the Black Cinema, and that's worth commemorating. Will work well on TV.
Grade: B-

Cabin Fever
Directed by Eli Roth


Eli Roth is a name to watch. The guy has created a really fun, really watchable kids-lost-in-the-woods horror flick. Very stylish, but true to its form, it's a fun and creepy old-school horror flick. Depending on how it's presented, might do really well in theatres, and should certainly appease those horror fans that want the screen oozing with blood and gore
Grade: A-/B+