The Melbourne International Film Festival 2006 guide came out yesterday, and so went many hours as I read through, deciding on what to see. There is a fine art involved with much planning. Well, there is for me anyway – others I know just decide on the day and live dangerously. So, the list of films that I currently plan on seeing are on the left hand column now (or soon will be). These might change as I progress, but there looks to be some promising stuff at MIFF this year!

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Hi,

Last year I decided to start a blog as a temporary effort during the Melbourne International Film Festival. I’m really glad I did it – though I suspect it’s not a massive destination site, it’s been a really handy way for me to see what I watched and remember the films I may have otherwise forgot. 2006 will mark the fifth year in a row that I’ve bought a passport ticket to see films. I’m unsure if I’ll make it to as many films this year, but I hope to get through quite a few, and again, intend to do some quick write-ups describing what I did and didn’t like.

I welcome any comments as time progresses. I’ll post the list of films I intend to see as the end of July draws closer. In the meantime, feel free to visit last year’s blog. And, if you plan to attend the festival, don’t forget to their website to buy tickets. Finally, if you have a MIFF related blog of your own, please let me know and I’ll add it to my links section!

cheers,
Mark

One day after MIFF. This will most likely be my final post to this blog, but I’ll keep it on for as long as blogspot allows it for reference to others. All in all, I rate this MIFF quite highly – there were several very good films, but unfortunately no real stand-out excellent one for me.

So, as summary, here are the best film of the festival, voted by me (in alphabetical order), and recommended if you get the opportunity to see them.

Documentaries;
– MURDERBALL
– THE TAKE
– THE WILD BIRDS OF TELEGRAPH HILL

English Language;
– CLEAN
– DEAD MAN’S SHOES
– HAIR HIGH
– LOOK BOTH WAYS
– ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW
– PRIMER
– P.S.

Subtitled;
– 3-IRON
– ABOUT LOVE
– THE AX
– DARK HORSE
– HAWAII, OSLO
– HOUSEWARMING

Seeya next year at MIFF 2006! 🙂 If you’d like to get in touch, drop me a line.

MURDERBALL
8/10
Great documentary – a film about a wheelchair rugby doesn’t sound like something I ought to enjoy, given my somewhat lacking excitement over sport generally, but this was really fantastic. The doco was very well put together and included a lot of personal history of the players we saw. Great editing and appropriate soundtrack kept your attention. Don’t miss this if you get the chance to see it.

THE BIG SWINDLE
7/10
Well, it was a nice change to have a South Korean cop/baddie film that didn’t involve the random inclusion of several non-sensical plot points in the last half that leave you wondering what the hell is going on. This was a South Korean ‘Ocean’s Eleven’-eqsque heist film that did pretty well. Ultimately, I felt they were chasing the hollywood look and feel a little too much and didn’t quite succeed in achieving it. Watchable.

3 – IRON
8/10
Yes, another brilliant film! This was done by Kim Ki-duk, who gave us ‘Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring’ last year… (A film I wanted to see but which I didn’t make it to). It’s hard to describe this, other than to say don’t miss this one if you get the chance. It reminded me a little bit of ‘In the Mood For Love’ in terms of pace and feel. I liked it so much, I decided not to go to my last session for the festival so that I knew I’d finish on a high. Mesmerising.

HAIR HIGH
8/10
Brilliant animated feature by Bill Plympton. I think this is the first thing I’ve seen by him, and I really enjoyed it – it’s an American High School Prom story about love, using impressive angles and distortions to represent scenes. Great way to start the second last day of MIFF

P.S.
8/10
Another good ‘un. Ever since seeing Laura Linney in ‘You Can Count on Me’, I’ve been hooked on her. YCCOM is one of my all-time favourite films, btw, so if you havent seen it, check it out. Topher (That 70s show guy) also put in a good performance. Anyway this story had interesting characters and while things appear to have all worked out for the main characters a little easier than they probably would in real life I found the film entertaining and definitely worth the time.

DIRT
7/10
A documentary about southern folk who race stock cars on a dirt speedway. As can be expected half of them are missing teeth, one can’t read, and more than a reasonable number of people have concerns with a woman driving in the competition. It’s worth a watch I guess, but really, we know there’s a lot of rednecks in Texas, and laughing at them only lasts so long. It was also quite similar to another MIFF film I saw last year about smash up derby racers. Wait for it on TV.

PARADISE NOW
7/10
An important film that tries to give a perspective on suicide bombers. I didn’t really enjoy it that much because I just can’t grasp how people can have so much faith in their religions that they really believe that killing themselves and taking others with them is a way forward. This film does try to point this out as well, but all in all, it’s frustrating to see how people (on both sides) are living in poverty and/or fear because of this. So, yes, this is an important film and reasonably unbiased film, which is well made and well acted, but don’t expect to walk out feeling good afterwards.