MY OLD SCHOOL – ★★★☆

Documentary about a new student who attends a high school in Scotland, and the secret that is discovered after his year there. It was an entertaining and often funny film, though I felt like it could have been edited a little better to get to the grand reveal sooner, and have less recounting of the same information after it. Worth a watch, but certainly doesn’t require seeing it on a big screen. I’ve added Jon Cryer’s ‘Hiding Out’ to my list of films to re-watch.

GODLAND – ★★★☆

A Danish period drama set in the late 1800s about a priest sent to Iceland to build a church a form a parish. Much like Lord of the Rings, he chooses to take a journey across the land instead of a more direct path that may have made for an easier time for all. He faces all kinds of trials along the way, which lead him to having to deal with many of his own shortcomings. Iceland’s scenery is incredible in this, as was the film-making. It wasn’t fast paced, but didn’t bore either, despite being about 2.5 hours long.

6 FESTIVALS – ★★

Having recently re-watched Strictly Ballroom, Muriel’s Wedding, and Love and Other Catastrophes, I was hoping for the best with this Australian film. Ultimately I was disappointed. It’s about three teens who decide to attend as many music festivals as they can when one is diagnosed with brain cancer. Fairly one dimensional, and some missed opportunities to make it a special film.

SILENT LAND – ★★★

A Polish film, shot in Italy, about a couple who are holidaying at a fancy house on the coast while their apartment is being renovated. The pool they were promised isn’t working, and the owner organises an illegal immigrant to repair it. The film focuses on what happens when it doesn’t go to plan, mainly focusing on the relationship of the couple, but touching on others too. It reminded me a little of Force Majeure in regards to showing the aftermath of an incident. Neither were entirely my cup of tea.

THE PAWNSHOP – ★★★☆

Polish documentary about a pawnshop that has seen better days, in an industrial town that also feels like it has as well. Much of the context wasn’t shared, but it seems like times are hard for many in the town, and this fly on the wall documentary has a share of funny and tender moments as well as ones that have you clenching in fear of what would be severe occupational health and safety risks. The characters are all heroes in some ways, and flawed in others. I liked the honest approach in introducing the various staff and customers.

DIAMOND HANDS: THE LEGEND OF WALLSTREETBETS – ★★★☆

Entertaining and well made documentary about the WallStreetBets sub-reddit, which attempted to squeeze large firms who had shorted GameStop stock. When an intelligent young man realised that Wall Street had bet against GameStop by 140%, he had a theory that if enough people bought GameStop stock, it would create a situation where the stock would skyrocket as those who’d bet against it had to buy out their losses. Having watched some of this occurring at the time, I felt it was a good representation of the nature of the people who were pushing for this, and the various memes associated. Congratulations to those who sold their GME at $400+, I sure wish I had right now.

ON THE COUNT OF THREE – ★★★★

A powerful Canadian comedy/drama about two best friends, both who decide they don’t want to live anymore and agree to mutual suicide. A pretty dark comedy that avoids following the expected path one might predict, and lends to giving a voice to try and understand how tragedies can occur. The second ‘comedy’ about suicide at MIFF this year, and we’re only two days in.

HIT THE ROAD – ★★

Maybe it’s been too long since I went to the movies, but this counts as the third film (or the fourth? I’ve lost count) at MIFF this year where I felt like any introduction to the setting around the story has been skipped. From what I could work out, it’s about an Iranian family taking their son on a road trip to a destination so he can be sneakily taken somewhere. Maybe they were trying to sneak him across a border? Possibly to skip bail? I don’t know. I was looking forward to this one, but would have likely left, if I’d snagged an aisle seat. Several unnecessarily long takes with little to watch but a person walking from point A to point B (or a motorbike being ridden from point A to point B), interjected with an annoying child that would nag/scream/yell incessantly. If there was one redemption, it was the performance by Pantea Panahiha, who played the mother.

BEFORE, NOW & THEN – ★★★

Beautifully shot Indonesian film about a woman, who through unrest lost her husband, and remarries. Most of the story occurs about 15 years after her attempt to run from a threat by militia(?), not knowing what happened to her husband. Unfortunately for me, I had a hard time understanding the plot and context as it happened. Would recommend looking for a non-spoiler synopsis before watching.

MEDITERRANEAN FEVER – ★★★★

I really enjoyed this drama/comedy about a Palestinian middle aged father suffering from depression and considering suicide, when a new neighbour arrives and a friendship strikes up. Has light and humorous moments while dealing with a subject that has affected many, especially in recent years. Not a feel good film, but resonated. 

1976 – ★★★

Incredible wardrobe work, sets and backing soundtrack for this film about a Chilean woman who tries to help the priest of their summer home hide and heal an injured member of the resistance against the government. Unfortunately, like the first film of the day, I had lost track of the plot at a certain point, and was unable to ascertain much around the story.

LOVE AND OTHER CATASTROPHES – ★★★★☆

This film was released 26 years ago and formed part of the launch for MIFF’s ‘Melbourne on Film’ focus of this year’s festival. I saw it when released, and enjoyed it, but hadn’t seen it for many years. It spoke to me then as the characters were around my age, and it was shot around that areas I spent time (Melbourne University, Brunswick Street, etc). Many years later, it still holds up, and provides an incredible time capsule into when Gen X’ers were in their 20s. A piece of nostalgic joy.

It’s back! In person! Here are the films that have caught my eye from this year’s program:

6 Festivals
1976
The Apartment With Two Women
Are You Lonesome Tonight?
The Balcony Movie
Battlecry
Because We Have Each Other
Before, Now & Then
The Blue Caftan
Bodies Bodies Bodies
Brian and Charles
Broker
Children of the Mist
Close
Closing Night Gala - Clean
Costa Brava, Lebanon
David Thomas Tribute Screening - Splice Here: A Projected Odyssey
Decision to Leave
Diamond Hands: The Legend of WallStreetBets
Emily the Criminal
Ennio
Everybody Loves Jeanne
The Exam
Falcon Lake
Final Cut
Fire of Love
Flux Gourmet
Funny Pages
Godland
Hit the Road
The Humans
Incredible but True
The Integrity of Joseph Chambers
Leila's Brothers
LOLA
The Lonely Spirits Variety Hour
The Lost City of Melbourne
A Love Song
Lynch/Oz
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On
Mars One
Mass
Mediterranean Fever
Meet Me in the Bathroom
Millie Lies Low
Moja Vesna
Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon
My Old School
Navalny
One Fine Morning
On the Count of Three
Pamfir
The Passengers of the Night
The Pawnshop
The Pez Outlaw
Plan 75
Playground
The Quiet Girl
Saloum
Silent Land
Something in the Dirt
Sweet As
Three Thousand Years of Longing
Tori and Lokita
Under Cover
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders
Watcher
We Might As Well Be Dead
Who Killed The KLF?

Let’s see how we go…