A CONFUCIAN CONFUSION
N/A
Walked out. I just couldn’t be bothered trying to get into this film, which appeared to continue to talk about emotion. I am pretty tired generally at the moment, and after 30 minutes the sunshine of outside was more alluring that continuing to watch.

IN SEARCH OF A MIDNIGHT KISS
8/10
This black and white film is about a lonely scriptwriter on New Years Eve whose career is going nowhere and is paranoid about standing at a party at midnight without someone to kiss. His housemates suggest he puts an ad on Craigs List, and the film follows his encounters with the woman who responds. Lots of good laughs in this lowish budget film. Reminiscent of Before Sunrise, so if you liked that, be sure to check it out.

SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO
4/10
I love a good Western and also am quite partial to Japanese films, so was quite looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, not even Quentin Tarantino’s presence in a small role doesn’t save this film. I suspect it’s written with many clever nods to cultural and/or pop references that I know little about, and it just didn’t make sense to me. One of the big flaws with this Japanese Western was that the Japanese actors spoke english in an attempted Western drawl. With their Japanese accents it was extremely hard to understand what was being said a lot of the time. Lots of nice camera work and style, but beyond that I I was lost.

MAD MAX 2
8/10
Champagne comedy! Oh, it’s an action film? I’d seen Mad Max 2 about 20 years ago and thought it was pretty good at the time, but barely remembered anything about it. So, when I saw it was going to show on the big screen, I thought it was well worth checking out. And I was right – it’s a great film given the time that’s passed – the action sequences are really well done and the pacing of the film still keeps you watching. Some of the lines and many of the costumes and hairstyles are laughable now though – calling the bad guy ‘Lord Humungus’ and dressing all his cohorts in homoerotic assless leather chaps is hilarious. I know that if I was hanging out in the desert, I’d certainly think that leather pants and chains for a top made good sense. Anyway, a good romp and still entertaining. I was thinking while watching it that they could just about retell the story in the Star Wars universe with Han Solo as Mad Max, Chewbacca as Max’s dog, and an ewok as the feral kid. Am I right or am I right?

BOOGIE
6/10
I’m not sure if Romanian films and I are going to get along. I went against the grain last year by disliking ‘4 Weeks, 3 Months, 2 Days’, and this one while better, wasn’t fantastic. It’s about Bogdan (aka Boogie) who normally works excessively long hours, but is taking a well earned holiday with his wife and young son. He crosses paths with a couple of old high school friends, and goes out for a night of debauchery with them. As a new father who has trouble juggling everything on his plate, I identified a little bit with Bogdan – the difference is that I’ve chosen to prioritise what’s important to me (entirely) differently, and therefore had a hard time empathising with the character.

NOODLE
8/10
I’m a new father, and this is my first film festival as one. I’ve noticed that aside from a severe lack of sleep that my brain has been reprogrammed – I see the MIFF advert with the little baby there and think about how cute my boy is. Sad, but true. So, when I see films now, they have different a different effect on me than they might have in previous years… Which is all said because Noodle was a great little film that really pulled at the heart strings. It’s about a chinese boy whose mother is a cleaning lady for a twice widowed Israeli flight attendant. She leaves her six year old son with the flight attendant for an hour after receiving a phone call, but never comes back. The story is cute and funny and at times sad. The little boy in this is great too. Highly recommended for those who like a sappy sweet film.

EMPTIES
6/10
This Czech film is about a teacher of retirement age who (you guessed it) retires. He’s still an active person, more in mind perhaps than in body, and has some trouble adjusting to retired life. It follows him as he tries to pick up new jobs and the various people he meets along the way. It was a little drawn out, and to be honest I felt a little let down by the ending, but overall, it was enjoyable enough.

O’ HORTEN
6/10
(Note that I fell asleep for about 20 minutes in this film, so if anyone wants to argue the review with me, they have every right to). This was a quirky film that got stranger by the minute – it’s about Odd Horten, an engineer on a train in Norway who reaches retirement age, and how he spends his time. If it sounds familiar (see Empties) then it’s pretty similar in premise, but quite different in execution. A far more appealing film visually.

SON OF RAMBOW
7/10
A nice and often funny film about a quiet school boy whose mother is very religious and whose father has died some time ago. When he crosses paths with a bratty class clown, a friendship forms and together they set about making their own film, where Rambo (yes, that Rambo) needs rescuing by his son. Probably would appeal to those who like Wes Anderson’s Rushmore. The scene in the senior students common room was hilarious. Recommend it if you want a off-centre feel food flick.

FIGHTER
7.5/10
Kind of a cross between Karate Kid and Bend it like Beckham (neither which are bad films in their own right). It’s probably not a necessary film, and certainly not an important film but it was good fun and well put together with a nice style to the filming. I couldn’t get this song out of my head while watching…

THE POPE’S TOILET
Review to come…