Since I'm seeing so few films this year I thought I'd break down my reports into larger intervals. This then is the 1st quarter report. So far so good, no really great films but nothing that put me to sleep. I ended up skipping Ten Canoes in favour of some much-needed rest. So far I'd rate the best film as Slumming, which just edges out Suburban Mayhem.
It's a lot different going back to a work+festival schedule this year. A lot more time between films and I can actually get enough time to have a slightly improved diet. The Festival weight loss plan is not in effect. For slightly longer reviews/thoughts on the films seen so far, continue reading...
4/5 When good comes from bad
I think I liked Slumming more than I thought I would. The basic premise is that Sebastian and Alex, two Austrian yuppies, hang-out in seedy spaces and generally cause trouble. What else is there to do when you're rich and bored? So one day things go a bit too far and Sebastian decides it would be fun to drive a drunk across the border in to the Czech Republic and dump him there. From that point we follow both Sebastian on his quest for interesting moments and Kallman (the drunk) in his journey back to Vienna. I really liked the directors take on the homeless Kallman heading back to a home that really only exists in himself.
2/5 I was hoping for more
For some never-told reason, a husband is in prison for 7 Ans, which seems to be a pretty common sentence. Anyway you can easily read a synopsis somewhere else.
Personally I didn't really feel any connection between the characters, and the whole strangers inexplicably having sex thing just doesn't do it for me. I just couldn't connect with this film, it barely passed the "keep me awake" test. Not much more to say.
4/5 Lolita gone wild
I couldn't help but think of To Die For while watching Suburban Mayhem. That's a good thing I think, although Mayhem is a bit more edgy, young, and pop than To Die For. You're really not going to like Katrina, a foul-mouthed, manipulative, probably psychotic, angry, brother-lovin', teenage-mom. Does it sound like you're not supposed to? The movie opens with a funeral, and an investigation into the death of Katrina's father. Flashback a bit and the story begins. Lots of interesting characters and some good music and editing make for a film that does a pretty good job of grabbing your attention.
3.5/5 I liked the exhibit better
It's taken a while to really distill how I feel about Manufactured Landscapes. I saw the exhibit last year at the AGO and loved it. I just think Burtynsky's work is amazing. That said the thing I really liked about the film was getting some insights into how the artist works. There's really no way someone like me will ever get that kind of information. That said, the movie did (maybe unwittingly) give context to his pictures, which as he said he really prefers to leave up to the viewer of his photographs. I think that's where it falls down for me, I really like that in an exhibit you an appreciate his work aesthetically before necessarily discovering the context. In the film this kind of works backwards, and I think I prefer it the other way.
The film was well done, and obviously visually stunning, but unlike say War Photographer, I think Burtynsky's work is better in an exhibit. The title kind of gives it all the context necessary.
3.5/5 Not as revealing as I'd have liked
There is really just one scene in The Book of Revelation that kind of wrecks it for me. This may or may not be a spoiler, but I don't care - that's your warning. The scene is in a Police Station, where Daniel goes to make a report "I have a friend, who was abducted by three women" ... and then (albeit nervous) laughter. I think this scene is supposed to show how men(society?me?) take it less seriously when a man is sexually abused, but for me.. It's really at that point I lose some sympathy for Daniel. I'm probably not even expressing myself correctly, but I forgot to take notes.
There's also some undercurrent that because this is "psycho-sexual" abuse it's somehow... deeper? than other types of abuse, and I really can't buy in to that. As sure I am that some scenes will be very disturbing for some viewers, I expected to be shocked but wasn't. I should say, Tom Long's performance is outstanding and there are many beautiful scenes in the film as well.
| 04 Sep 07 | No TIFF this year | |
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| 11 Sep 06 | Toronto International Film Festival '06: Halftime | |
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| 05 Sep 06 | Toronto International Film Festival '06 Film List | |
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