MIFF 2011 Film Review: THE FUTURE

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By Follow @eleanorcolla

I tried to get into see The Future on Wednesday 27 July but it was sold out in Greater Union 6 (which holds over 700 people) and the stand-by line was too long and so I went home. I tried my luck again on Monday 1st and was more successful. Again, it was playing to a packed house in Greater Union 6. On Tuesday 2 August I wrote this message on twitter; “Upon reflection: I did indeed hate The Future which I saw last night at #miff11. All of the other 735 viewers were wrong in liking it”. Since then I have listened to people defend the film in the form of various reviews and overheard conversations. One friend and I have had quiet the heated argument over it. Yet I stand by my original tweet and am refusing to back down!

The film is by Miranda July (whose other films I have not seen*) and is about 30-something couple Jason (Hamish Linklater) and Sophie (July herself) who, having decided to adopt a terminally ill cat (Paw Paw) realise they have thirty days in which to live the rest of their life before being saddled with responsibility. Both quit their jobs with Jason becoming a door-to-door representative of an ecologically-minded charity and Sophie trying, and failing, to film 30 dances of herself on YouTube- one for each day. Interspersed with this is the narration of Paw Paw who talks (IN THE MOST IRRITATING VOICE I HAVE EVER HEARD!!!) about the ‘darkness’ and being wanted.

Naturally both characters gravitate away from each other, seeking companionship (Jason’s is non-sexual, Sophie’s is) with other people. The real turning point of “this is a meh film” to “this film is wasting my time” was when Jason (all of a sudden!) can freeze time and talk to God. The consequences of this though turn out to be disastrous for him, for Sophie and for Paw Paw. And then, the film ends.

I don’t rate films in pictorial form (stars, a scale of 1-10 etc.) because I don’t think reviewers can sum-up a film in such a way and I think that people who read reviews should read the review and not look at rating but rest assured if I did do this, the pictorial rating would be low. Very low.

(*You don’t want to -ED)

MIFF 2011 Film Review: MEDIANERAS and Random Strangers (short)

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By Follow @eleanorcolla

Medianeras is the strong feature film debut from Argentinean Gustavo Taretto. Living in neighbouring apartment block in Buenos Aires are Martin and Mariana. Martin is a web designer who works from home and suffers from numerous phobias including agoraphobia. To combat this, his therapist suggests he take up photography and so now Martin goes for short walks with his ex-girlfriend’s dog and his backpack with emergency supplies (including, but not limited to, an emergency procedures booklet, 400 pesos, condoms, and the complete collection of Tati films).

Mariana is an architect who has never designed a building and so now designs shop windows. She has left her long-term boyfriend, also has agoraphobia as well as a fear of lifts and bails on a potential date. Naturally, the two have numerous things in common and various near-meeting moments.

Medianeras is good. It’s not great, but it’s good. Some plot lines are picked up and then completely forgotten and whilst I can see why- with all of the neuroses and near-love moments- that people have compared this to a Woody Allen film, yet I don’t believe it’s quite there.

Opening for Medianeras was Random Strangers a short film by Alexis Dos Santons (Glue, Unmade Beds). Running at 25 minutes, Dos Santos looks at the bonds that can be formed with complete strangers facilitated by the internet. Appearing to be based on a Chatroulette* styled-site we meet Rocky from Germany and Lulu from Argentina as they slowly become friends, writing songs for each other, doing dances and creating clay-mation movies. Dos Santos also intertwines these stories with moments of their real lives, all shot in the same style as his two previous films. An interesting look at the power of modern technology and the power of modern relationships.

*[click at your peril - Ed]

MIFF review: Unmade Beds; The Loved Ones; Hansel and Gretel

Unmade Beds **

Dir: Alexis Dos Santos (seemed like a lovely chap).

Shit. Shallow as fuck and too cool for school. Filled with dull self indulgent alcoholic mopers, and a love story that could make you want to punch things. I think it was supposed to be fun, cute and beguiling, but I found it irritating and contrived. I left this film with no idea of what the point was.  I honestly tried to like this film, and though there are one or two funny moments, after the first 20 minutes I just gave up and waited for it to end. The atmosphere is the only convincing part of this film so it may be interesting in 20 years or so as a document of a time and place, but I sincerely doubt the film will last in people minds long enough for that to happen.

The Loved Ones (2009) ***

After a weak and melodramatic beginning, it’s the second half where this film really takes off. First time feature director Sean Byrne shows a real talent for timing managing to combine comedy and horror in the same moment. Though this work has many faults, it is clear that Byrne is one to watch closely as a possible future Australian cult film identity. Despite not being a fan of horror movies, I was happlily taken on the ride with this one (though peeking through my fingers for many parts), and so was the audience who were simultaniously laughing, gasping, and slipping out the occasional profanity. I think this film could be particularly succesful with a teen audience.

Hansel and Gretel (2007) *****

Fairy tales more than many other forms of story telling have always illuminated the darkest abysses of our moral subconscious. Hansel and Gretel plumbs those depths.

A young man Eun-Soo is in a car accident. He is found by a young girl and taken to her house in the clearing of a dark forest “The house of happy children.” In the house he finds a family, the picture of a kind of childhood utopia; it seams to be Christmas all the time and the house is filled with saccharin nostalgia, toys and cakes. His attempts to leave the house through the thick and winding forest seem to always lead him back to the house. The story line takes the kind of dark twisted and unexpected turns as the forest itself.

This film is richly layered in European folk law, but with a distinctly south Korean creepiness. We follow Eun-Soo closly as he unravels the dark secrets behind the lives of the house and its inhabitants, feeling his confusion, fear and distrust he becomes the trully endearing hero of the story. This film taps into the psychology of the Grimm fairy tale demonstrating that this story is as affecting and frightening as it was as a child. Incredible production design and a sound track reminiscent of Danny Elfmans early work this film is an astoundingly imaginative and impressive achievement from young film maker Yim Phil-Sung. Truly unforgettable.

Jemila MacEwan

—> OTHER MIFF REVIEWS:

10 conditions of love

Moon

North (Nord)

The Girlfriend Experience

Anna

I Need that Record! + Van Diemens + Treeless Mountain

What I’m seeing at MIFF 2009: Ronan

It was very tough, but i have made my bookings for MIFF 2009. What a great lineup of films this year. There is also a fair bit of controversy already.

Ken Loach. Not a fan of MIFF

Iconic Miserabalist director Ken Loach has pulled out his film, Looking for Eric, in a protest over MIFF accepting sponsorship money from the Israel government. {link}. This is a little unfair, given MIFF isn’t and doesn’t take sides over the Israel / Palestine conflict, instead choosing to show films from both POV, as long as they are well made. Correct me if I am wrong.

The Chinese Government is putting pressure on MIFF to remove the first film on my line up, 10 Conditions Of Love. {link}. MIFF have subsequently made extra sessions of this available, filling in some gaps on the program. A not so subtle response to China’s demand perhaps…

And does anyone know why Blank City  (featuring Deborah Harry) has been removed? I really wanted to see it.

Sorry about the screwy formatting below:

Date/Time

Venue	Session	Purchased
Sunday 26 July 2009
7:00 PM	ACMI 2	6015 – 10 CONDITIONS OF LOVE
Monday 27 July 2009
7:00 PM	Greater Union 3	5021 – MOONSELLING FAST
Wednesday 29 July 2009
7:00 PM	Forum Theatre	1033 – VAN DIEMENS LAND
Thursday 30 July 2009
4:45 PM	Kino Cinemas	8039 – I NEED THAT RECORD!
9:15 PM	Kino Cinemas	8041 – TREELESS MOUNTAIN
Friday 31 July 2009
7:00 PM	Greater Union 6	2046 – STOLEN
9:15 PM	Forum Theatre	1047 – UNMADE BEDS
Saturday 1 August 2009
9:15 PM	Greater Union 6	2054 – AN EDUCATION
Wednesday 5 August 2009
4:45 PM	Greater Union 3	5077 – MAID, THE
Thursday 6 August 2009
7:00 PM	Greater Union 4	4084 – LOVE EXPOSURE
Friday 7 August 2009
4:45 PM	Greater Union 3	5090 – EVERYONE ELSE
Saturday 8 August 2009
12:15 PM	Greater Union 4	4098 – LIVING TOGETHER
Sunday 9 August 2009
7:00 PM	Greater Union 4	4107 – TWO LINES

+ The Anna Karina talk at the Forum.

Almost made the list: Going Down, The whispering of trees, Burma VJ, The bastards, Amreeka, Dogtooth, Fish tank, Breathless, Sell Out!, All tomorrow’s parties, The Topp twins: untouchable girls, Hansel and Gretel, Action Boys, Prodigal son, White Lightin’, Defamation, Eden Lake, The Exploding Girl, The Sky Crawlers, United Red Army, Citizen Havel, A Lake, Post Punk Mixtape #1, The Beaches of Agnes, The Strangeluck of VS Naipul, Flicker, 12 Lotus, Like you know it all, Murch – Walter Murch on editing, Still walking, No one  knows about persian cats,

Hmm, I am pretty close to buying another mini-pass.

Miff Website {link}