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]