This year’s Film Festival films

August 6, 2009

“Lost in Wonderland” – good documentary about Rob Moodie who doesn’t come across nearly as eccentric as you’d expect. It didn’t dwell on the cross-dressing much (although the advertising relies on it a lot); there’s more to the story there but there was enough of everything else to keep you interested. The Q+A was interesting although since Moodie and his wife (and the Berrymans, and Alec Waugh, etc etc) were in attendance, it was unusual the film-maker didn’t throw some of the questions their way. It’s on its way to the Documentary Channel sometime soon (which producer Costa Botes said was the only channel which treated viewers over 45 with any respect – which is arguable since it plays some absolute chaff sometimes).

“Winnebago Man” – I’d never heard of Jack Rebney before this film but back in 1989 he went a bit angry when filming some corporate sales videos for Winnebago; the naughty production team kept the outtakes and circulated them. As a result he has a fan following (which he seemed largely oblivious to) from years of circulating videotapes. The producer and director were in attendance, as was Mr. Rebney over the phone. Reasonable film with a bittersweet edge.

“Big River Man” – vaguely disappointing profile of eccentric Slovenian endurance swimmer Martin Strel who takes on more than he chew when he decides to swim the Amazon. The out-of-place interludes regarding deforestation in the Amazon basin seemed like an advert for (producer) Olivia Newton-John’s (and her husband “Amazon” John Easterling’s) interests in herbal “medicines” (not Snoop Dogg style herbal medicines but alternative ones). As Svend pointed out, the environmental theme jarred with Strel’s sponsorship deal with McDonald’s (since the film posits deforestation is due to increased need for high-intensity beef farming). Also, after nice HD screenings of other documentaries, the crappy handycam quality sucked. All in all a novelty piece not worth paying $15 bucks for. You’d get more out of a magazine article.

“We Live In Public” – I’d never heard of internet entrepreneur Josh Harris before this film; I suspect this is largely because he wasn’t entirely successful with finding an audience for his internet TV project (everybody in the film whinges about the 1 frame a second experience). Nonetheless he sold up large before the bubble burst and set up an art project housing 100 tossers... erm, NY artists in the basement of a building and taped everything (oy, *everything*). This got shut down on NYE 1999/2000 since the authorities thought they may have been a millenialist cult (the firing range and automatic weapons can’t have helped). Then he repeated the experiment on a smaller scale with himself and his girlfriend. And then it all went horribly wrong. Capable film but not particularly engrossing. Thematically similar to the director’s earlier work “Dig!” (although she claimed in the Q+A that this was coincidental). I thought some of the conclusions the filmmaker made weren’t entirely accurate; broadcasting yourself 24 hours a day is as much a result of the ubiquity and economy of cameras as much as the social Internet (and I don’t think one necessarily relies on the other).

“Serbis” – if I ever have a pop quiz about my life, one of the questions might be “name a film David walked out of”. Here’s a freebie for you. It was apparent going in that this was going to be this year’s porn-y film (after “Shortbus”, “9 Songs” etc); this particular aspect I was prepared for. I wasn’t prepared for the noise of the film. There’s been no effort to sweeten or finesse the sound of this film; the traffic outside the building in which it’s set is (David is not making this up) deafening, and makes some of the dialogue absolutely inaudible. I don’t know how audiences without subtitles would cope. It would be nice if the NZFF peeps would warn us about potential hearing loss incurred by attending the film. It was a short film (about 90 minutes, including at least 15 minutes of following people walking up stairways) but after 75 of these the House Lawyer and myself decided we had better things to do. Not the best film I’ve seen on my birthday.

“My Year Without Sex” – first thing on screen: the world’s largest Paramount logo. No arthouse distributors here – this is the big boys! Expect this to come back like a mofo. It’s a good film, best one of the festival. Despite its name, not as prurient as you’d think. Also more comic than melodramatic so big ups there.

“Goodbye Solo” – slow but enjoyable film about a Senegalese cab driver living in North Carolina. There was more of a story to be told here, but the story that was there was good but a little 2-acty. To be honest the biography of one of the actors is more interesting that the film. But it was adroitly made with good performances so who the fuck am I to complain.

“Summer Hours” – entirely ordinary and un-exciting French family drama starring (of course) Juliette Binoche if you believe the publicity; in fact her role is supporting at best. Some unusual choices made regarding the direction the story takes. Good performances and very pretty setting. The most unsettling aspect is how un-arguey the siblings are; entirely reasonable with each other and extraordinarily unrealistic. I hate you, gentle French family!

The festival this year was pretty so-so. On the plus side, the films shown on video tended to look a million bucks – the digital cameras out there are getting better and better, and I suspect the Paramount was using a kick-ass projector. On the down side, none of the films blew one away. Where was this year’s “Once”, you may well ask.

Sorry about all the lazy adjective-y words.

Posted by davidr at August 6, 2009 8:33 PM