What about last year?

I have just realized that my first post contained an easy mistake: AIFF offers the ‘Opening Nights’ instead of ‘Premiere Nights’ that I coined in my first sentence of my first post for the English translation of the original greek ‘Νύχτες Πρεμιέρας’. Oh well. At least the schedule is finally out, and as much as I would like to ponder on schedule pamphlet strategies and how to best pick movies for watching at the AIFF, I will actually check out last year’s schedule and just quickly (SO NOT TRUE) run through some (in fact all...) of the movies I watched.

If there was one thing to remember from last year that is unquestionably Kim Ki-Duk. Truly beautiful and soulful movies from a true cinematographer who has his own distinct style of communicating his ideas, always clearly and elegantly, and never pretentiously. The AIFF crowd showed great admiration and love towards his work, and were thoroughly educated in his graceful cinema language during the festival.

Bad Guy was the first Duk movie I saw, and simply enough, I was stunned! Duk’s main character is both tough and bad (what else?), but yet you can only feel compassion for his feelings and conduct. A low-level pimp who forces a young girl through an elaborate extortion scheme to prostitute herself and the ensuing who-controls-who love game tormenting both heroes. Bad guy almost never speaks in the movie (a recurring theme in all Duk’s films, placing emphasis on photography and the picture itself), adding more weight to a brilliant performance of a fantastic character. But even more so, it the way things evolve in the movie and how they are presented. Wonderful camera eyes and photography produce a simple yet intense set of emotional canvases that makes dialogue unnecessary in many scenes.

But in fact it was that Frozen Land that was the 1^st movie for me at the 2005 AIFF. Finish director Ako Luhimies brings the worst out of his characters, where survival is probably the only remaining instinct in their detached and soon to crash lives, with abuse being ever present in the movie. A real kick in the balls movie, and a promising start for my 2005 festival experience. This good form was continued with Japanese Izo. Splatter catharsis at it’s best and the best guitarist-narrator ever to appear in a movie (if you ever get your hands around it and you see it, you will know what I mean…). Portuguese Odete by Joao Pedro Rodrigues, was my 4^th; refreshing and I bet it would make Almodovar blush with an amazing heroine. Unbelievable script and a very good black comedy. My first real splatter reward (yes I like splatter a lot, I will explain myself in another post hopefully) came with Haute Tension. Everything a good self-resepctingthriller should have, i.e. lots of blood, intelligent killings, lots of screams, high pace and a intelligent but convincing twist. Sweet J.

On Sunday (18/9/2005) I bagged two American productions. The now well acclaimed Crash and Dark Water. Not much to be said about the first, just that is a very good example of where American productions should move on. Dark Water on the other hand could have had the ingredients to become a classic (terribly claustrophobic, scary at times, child ghost always making for a good thriller, and an uncompromising end), yet I was not convinced and so was the general feeling with every one else. Not bad, not good. As suspected, I just found out that it was a remake of a recent japanese film by the creators of Ringu. Figures...

Monday was a mixed night; watched In My Father’s Den, a story that would have been best experienced as a novel perhaps (I think the movie was based on one actually, not sure…), but nonetheless a very decent if not good New Zealand film. Not great impressions probably because it was screen at five thirty in the evening (too early for me!).

Then came The Approaching of the Hour by Graciella Kanelou, a documentary about the promising greek pop band Raining Pleasure. To make a long story short, a welcome effort in an uncharted area for greek cinematography, a thoroughly subjective non-intrusive and rather shallow approach of the band (why is everyone trying to forget their first 2 albums I will never understand) and a rather unfair take on the rest of the greek english-speaking pop-rock bands (Closer, Last Drive, Film and Wide were not even mentioned, Bokomolech’s importance was neglected), as well as the ever lasting nagging arguments over the english-speaking rock-pop scene (έλεος.....). Still this kind of documentaries are very much needed by the music scene in Greece.

Finally Top Spot (Tracy Emin) and Phantom Limb, 2 short but blunt documentaries that kept you in full attention and wandering how things can get fucked up really bad at times.

Thursday came around as well as my 2^nd Duk film, Wild Animals, one of his early works. Again great characters (faulty as they can ever get, but also fragile as we can all be), great directing and an excellent result only to be caped by his later works. To my dismay the next film, Gigi 12X5 was definitely the worst I watched at the festival; mod girl ends relationship, explores her relationship capacity and her sexuality, dull dialogues, supposed to be funny and snappy, was stupid and dry, Gigi ends up with her old boyfriend at the end, how inspiring! Thankfully the night ended gracefully…. Jeff Buckley: Amazing Grace was screened in a jam packed Apollon cinemax with a warm intro by Spilios Lambropoulos. In contrast to aforementioned The Coming of the Hour, this docu-tribute was much more coherent, honest and respectful. Made me appreciate the depth of Buckley’s music even more.

On Wednesday I received my 3^rd Duk treat in the form of Coast Guard, a very grim insight into personal and collective madness. As in his other movies, Duk handles his characters with care and devotion as he delivers them not only into a series of breakdowns and tragedies but also in a desolate landscape, a reflection of their own solitude. Ron Howard’s Cinderella Man was the next movie I watched (all 3 at the Attikon that night), claiming my personal best American movie award for the festival. Great story-telling that goes on for more than 2 hours but never bores you, not even for a minute, and Giamatti being great as ever. Finally came the Great Yokai War by Takashi Miike. I don’t have enough space to even start describing the movie or Miike’s work (which I am still discovering). To be succinct, lovely and wonderful in it’s genre (which is hillarious fantasy movies directed my Miike!!!).

Next day, L’ Annulaire was my favorite leaving me with a strong impression. A beautiful story about memories and getting rid of them, fetish love and Beth Gibbons soundtracking an elegant French movie that left me with a feeling of awe at the power of cinema and how it can combine feelings, stories and senses all in one composition. The same can be said about the Piano Tuner of Earthquakes, although I have to admit I did feel lost at times watching this dark yet innocent in a bizarre fashion brothers Quay work. The night ended with Le Temps Qui Reste, a very good and emotional French flick about a final stage cancer photographer, with a strong performance by Melvil Poupaud.

Friday the 23^rd was my bussiest night as far as I can remember. I can now estimate that I probably consumed 6 or 7 espressos at Danaos bar going through 4 movies, all great in their own way. First was Something Like Hapiness from the Czech Republic. Let me be straight; I have never seen a better relationship film in years. Something Like Happiness was far from what the title promised in many stages of the film (if not most of them) but was also emotionally rewarding in others. I think truthful and mature best describe this movie which leaves you bitter but wiser. Definitely the pamphlet-surprise for me for that year (pamphlet-surprise is a movie which I do not expect it to be very good given the description in the mini pamphlet schedule of the festival, but turns out to be great). The film after that was my last Duk movie for the festival, but probably the best, 3-Iron. I think for the moment, it is best not to say much about it, apart from the fact that silently screaming, beautiful and an eye-delight are probably understatements. The film was followed by Q&A with the director himself (I always hate this stuff, it is a competition of who will suck up most to the guy being honored) which was rather entertaining thanks to the interpreters good spirits! The 3^rd film of the night, was the highest paced, and most upbeat documentary I have ever seen, Rize, an insight into the unknown (in Europe) dance movement of krumping that is happening now in the east US; amazingly fresh in content and lively in every respect. Finally came what I like to think as a reward for my devoted participation in the festival; Kung Fu Hustle. Chicago mafia, HK Kung Fu, spaghetti western, a touch of superman, and loads of comedy salt, all mixed in one gives us Kung Fu Hustle. A great laugh!

The day before the last, was devoted to 1 movie only; The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The most memorable moment for me in the festival (being comepltely unaware of the whole props and late night audience participation thing), laughing in tears all the times, and almost getting up and dancing myself. And to think that I hate musicals!

The final day was concluded for me at Danaos with mixed feelings. First came Barney’s Drawing Restraint 9. Although some parts of the movie (or better film study for that matter or even film art) I could follow, I felt out my league as well as sleepy…Howl’s Moving Castle thankfully came to uplift me a lot. Don’t even dare to think that it’s a cartoon. It is a gratefully conceived animation, better, a fairy tale for everyone to enjoy. It felt like sugar candy! Finally the curtain was drawn with Cidabe Baixa. Brazilian love triangle in-between prostitution, drugs and a long lasting friendship. Powerful and sensual, strong in delivery, leaves you wandering how many different ways a life can take.

Oufff!!! That was about it. The only movie I haven’t mentioned is Three…extremes a brilliant showcase collection of 3 short horror stories from Japan, Korean and Hong-Kong which I can’t remember when exactly I saw it. I think I saw it when Haute Tension was supposed to be screening (which was cancelled due to lack of sound or something like that) and it was eventually screened some other day, or something like that. Also, during one of the festival days I saw Λίστα Γάμου (Marriage List), a surprisingly good Greek movie, well produced, well cast and well directed.

I feel I should mention Screaming Masterpiece, The Bow, The Isle, Transamerica, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…and Spring, Crying Fist and Broken Flowers, all movies I intended to see, but never managed to during the festival.

Well, as promised, my critical faculties are worse than a 3-day MacBacon leftover. I also come to realize that my posts are becoming extremely large….hopefully lack of time will restrain me in the future! Next (tomorrow?), I will explain my strategies in picking which movies to watch without knowing a single thing about them!