The Melbourne International Film Festival is almost upon us. Last year, I didn't see Inglourious Basterds and regretted it, because it turned out to be the best movie of the year. Yes. I mean that.
So I'm making a concerted effort to get involved this time, and that includes making a shortlist of movies I want to see. Monetary and time constraints will probably mean I wont get to see them all, but at least I have a goal!
There are of course other movies on the program that I would like to see that I haven't included here, but I've left them out because they're high-profile (read: American) enough to probably get a mainstream release later (at least on DVD). I'm talking about ones like The Kids Are All Right, Chloe, The Ghost Writer (well, actually I don't watch Polanski any more, but it'll get a wider release), The Killer Inside Me, The Messenger, Please Give, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Welcome To The Rileys, and Australia's The Wedding Party etc...Of course there are a couple of US entries that I can't wait for, and they're included.
You'll also notice there aren't any from particular programs, like the Neighborhood Watch series, or the Night Shift, Animation or States of Dissent series. It's a taste thing. I'm a little heavier on the Docs - I love documentaries. Anyway here's my basic list, some of these I've heard great things about already, some of them just caught my eye and seem super interesting. Have I missed anything?What would you recommend?
Heard great things, it won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. Some have called it an anti-war film, and while I'm not sure if I believe they exist, it feels like we might be in a different movement of war films.
This was originally made by HBO to be a TV movie, but recently HBO announced it would release it as a cinema feature. It is a sequel of sorts to Stephen Frears's The Queen (2006), but this time it's directed by Richard Loncraine. I'll be seeing it for Michael Sheen's wonderfully subtle portrayal of Tony Blair.
What is happening with this movie?! It has been speculated that its cinema release in the US keeps getting pushed back due to graphic gay sex scenes. But I've heard great things, and I'm a big fan of 'Dramatic Jim Carrey.'
I'm a sucker for music documentaries, and there is a great lot of them at this year's MIFF (Backbeat), but when that music is the blues, well, wild horses couldn't drag me away.
If there's one thing True Blood has taught us, apart from proving it's impossible to have too many hot guys in one cast and there is no sex scene too absurd for TV, it's that Vinnie from Home and Away can not only act but can pull off complex and compelling characters. Good on ya Vinnie! I like the visual look of this film, debut filmmaker Patrick Hughes is clearly inspired by Tarantino and Ozpolitation movies, and that's fine by me.
One I came across in my browsing, this sort of doco is right up my ally. It's a personal journey, about social networking, and apparently has a shocking twist. Yes please.
La Danse: The Paris Opera Ballet
My movie tastes might not be particularly girlie, but I turn into a complete giggly girlie puddle when I see anything ballet. Tutus! Tragedy! Hair nets! Anorexia! Ahem.
Danish gay neo-Nazis? I'm SO THERE.
MIFF is doing a Joe Dante retrospective, and that's a genius move. While The 'Burbs and Gremlins 1 & 2 are great too, I just can't go past childhood favorite Innerspace, where Dennis Quaid is shrunk and injected into the ass of Martin Short. MARTIN SHORT! **
In what is perhaps the most obvious title in the whole festival, this is about an academic prodigy who turns out to be a pedo. Again: SO THERE.
Forget the other US indies at MIFF, this is the movie I'm hearing the most amazing things about. The lead performance by young Jennifer Lawrence is apparently revolutionary.
It's about contemporary Russia. 'Nuff said.
Petropolis: Aerial Perspectives on the Alberta Tar Sands
An aerial look at the second biggest oil reserve in the world, in northern Canada. Fascinating.
* Oh noes, I can't make the screening of Innerspace (I'll be in Perth that weekend), so I'll probably see The 'Burbs instead.
** Trust me, click that link.