Day 4: September 12

Today is Catholic day it seems, with a seemingly endless parade of flicks with explicit Catholic themes. The fest is in full swing now, with a mere 20 minutes of rest between each screening. The stories are flying by like speedy daggers, and I've got no time to be tired.

House of Flying Daggers
Directed by: Zhang Yimou

Grade: A+

Oh, my. I wouldn't care if Yimou ever did another "straight" character-based pic again, he can continue making action pics for the rest of his career. After the (incredibly good) Hero, this tale is in some ways less epic, but still filled with great action sequences, breathtaking cinematography, and (yummy) Zhang Zi Yi. A gorgeous film in all respects, both accessible and artistically satisfying. Excellent.

Saint Ralph
Directed by: Michael McGowan

Grade: A-

A tremendously sweet film about a boy who learns to run while living in Hamilton. Never treading close to Hallmark or afterschool special territory, this is a fine film. Campbell Scott, as one of the token "stars" is fine, as is Jennifer Tilly in quite an uncommon role for her. The heart of the film and ensemble, however, is Adam Butcher. If there's any justice, this guy could have a hell of a career. Highly recommended.

The Ninth Day
Directed by: Volker Schlöndorff

Grade: C

A meandering film that shows that, indeed, Catholics went to Dachau as well. Based on a true story (but of course...) the nine days refers to the amount of time that a priest is allowed to return home to convince those in his family and community to cooperate with those darned Nazi's. I'm not sure this film needed to be made, and in the end, it becomes plodding and predictable

The Motorcycle Diaries
Directed by: Walter Salles

Grade: A-

Ché rides a bike with his friends through Central America and finds himself. Sounds boring. Yet, somehow (well, with powerful direction, exquisite story telling and fabulous acting) it all plays so beautifully. A road movie picture that works well beyond the genre, it's a loving tale of a revolutionary's youth. While Gael Garcia Bernal's Ché no doubt will get critical attention, the sympathetic and complex character of Alberto "Chubby" Granado, played by Rodrigo De la Serna, was really remarkable. Worth seeing as a travelogue alone, the film is simply stunning and another triumph from Salles.

Tell Them Who You Are
Directed by: Mark S. Wexler

Grade: A

A documentary exhibiting many facets. It's a tale of a celebrated artist, a world famous cinematographer with many celebrity friends. It's the tale of a documentarian unable to get distance from his subject, unable really to answer the plea of his film's title. And it's finally the tale of a father and son, of a relationship strained over the years and during production, a tale told with great care, conviction and honesty. It's a remarkable documentary, thoroughly enjoyable and one of the most powerful films I've seen in quite some time.

The Raspberry Reich
Directed by: Bruce LaBruce

A Maoist gay porn flick. Interested?

Impossible to grade, it's not good enough to be funny, not sexy enough to be erotic. Still, it's got some memorable moments (a 10-minute fucking-in-an-elevator scene while screaming out Maoist slogans for one) that is deserves the score below, a reasonably sized (yet not impressively huge) phalus.

Grade: 8==O