Film Festival thread

[Boner M]

Eh? Eh? A place to dump all the reviews, buzz, etc?

I'm gonna be at Rotterdam next week. The lineup's overwhelming, and I dunno how many of the films on my schedule (http://www.filmfestivalrotterdam.com/en/myiffr/agenda?key=x6jx8HP7k7aTbzxftRR 03dGUczKRQMfrUouLtyv8%2bjAwHbr hbxZ9tX0klhhE1ZmH&type=1) I'll stay awake through, but we'll see. I'll post reviews here before my blog, as a gift to y'all.

Raul Ruiz's first and last films, Ben Rivers' Two Years at Sea, a Jean Epstein doco + a restored short of his, 2x 6hr Lav Diaz epics (has anyone seen anything by this guy?), ton of avant-garde stuff including the new Nathaniel Dorsky and James Benning, restored print of the 5-hr Eight Deadly Shots, Alps & a new film by the Dogtooth writer, The Loneliest Planet, Damsels in Distress, some Brazilian exploitation stuff, an experimental thriller by James Franco

[TripZone]

Die.

[Boner M]

http://s1.favim.com/orig/11/die-diet-everyone-homer-simpsons-Favim.com-177908.jpg

[TripZone]

By last Ruiz do you mean that digital one he finished after Lisbon?

[Boner M]

By last Ruiz do you mean that digital one he finished after Lisbon?
Yeah. Well, one of his last ones at least.

[TripZone]

Yeah, die.

[Winston*]

an experimental thriller by James Franco
This sounds like the worst.

[Spinal]

Eh? Eh? A place to dump all the reviews, buzz, etc?


I tried this once and it didn't take. Maybe you'll have better success.

[Watashi]

I hear a certain festival in Utah is taking place right now. The new Campos film has gotten heaps of critical praise.

[Thirdmango]

Yesterday I saw The Law In These Parts A Hebrew Documentary. In the spoiler is my review/teaser of the movie with some small spoilers.

The Law In These Parts (originally titled Shilton Ha Chok) is an Israeli documentary done by Ra’anan Alexandrowicz. The movie chronicles Israel’s legal system in the Occupied Palestinian Territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip through the past 50 or so years.

I am someone who likes politics but I admittedly don’t know too much about certain topics, Israel being one of those topics so I went in knowing very little. The other thing is I for the most part don’t like the documentary format. I like documentary programs on the history channel or discovery channel but usually when it comes to documentaries they are so heavy handed and so biased that it’s hard for me to figure out if that’s really going on or not. But this documentary does something of which I have never encountered before. The entire film is done on a sound stage where a desk and chair have been set up with a green screen behind it. The documentarian is also the narrator and questioner and he asks a series of Israel Supreme Court Judges their takes on all of the legal issues that presented themselves in occupying a territory. He doesn’t pull any punches and he really digs deep into the legality of overtaking this group of people. While they are talking, old film reels and documentaries of the history of this area is shown on the green screen behind the judges.

But what really gets to me and made me love this film where in most documentaries I don’t, the filmmaker many times throughout the film stated and wanted to make it very clear that the information he was presenting was his own reality, done through the lens of how he understood it, that he was clearly biased towards one way or another and that he was clearly editing the interviews to best serve his own purposes. Having him be clear about that really put me at ease because I could take the information he was presenting and get enough of a basis to go out and study all of this stuff for myself afterwards as well. There was one particular part and this is a bit of a spoiler, where he was talking to one of the judges about a case where most of the actions in the case were kept private, those reasons were said to have been because the documents needed to be private for the protection and safety of the people. It was quite fishy, but then the film maker jumped in saying this interview he was having with this man was 3 hours long, and he himself is editing it down so that only the choices he chooses to show are being shown and the footage of the rest of the interview is not available to us as an audience.

The footage shown and the interviews held were very powerful and at the end it was hard to implicitly state which side is right and which is wrong in the entire argument. This movie is largely political but even so it is incredibly interesting and it never feels slow. The explanations he gives to not only the incidents but also to film making at the same time hold some interesting parallels and this movie is one I highly recommend if you can get out and see it. The movie is in Hebrew with English subtitles.

That's what I posted on the site I write for. I was going to go see a movie just now with my parents but we have had a wicked snow storm today and the canyon we had to drive up to get to the movie, the police were there and they were only letting people go up if they were in 4x4s or had snow chains. So we couldn't see the movie. :(

[Boner M]

The new Campos film has gotten heaps of critical praise.
Really? I'm hearing mixed things (but enticingly mixed). D'Angelo didn't like it, and he's virtually the only reason anyone bothered to see Afterschool.

[transmogrifier]

Really? I'm hearing mixed things (but enticingly mixed). D'Angelo didn't like it, and he's virtually the only reason anyone bothered to see Afterschool.

I hated Afterschool and what I have read about Simon Killer sounds even worse.

[Boner M]

btw, did anyone hear about the uproar at the Compliance premiere? (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/risky-business/sundance-2012-compliance-premiere-283782)

Sundance audiences are apparently the most irritable/zealous in the world. That or canny PR work. Film sounds intriguing, anyway.

[Pop Trash]

btw, did anyone hear about the uproar at the Compliance premiere? (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/risky-business/sundance-2012-compliance-premiere-283782)

Sundance audiences are apparently the most irritable/zealous in the world. That or canny PR work. Film sounds intriguing, anyway.

Holy shit. I can't believe they made a movie about that. I remember around 2007 or so, reading a neverending RT message board about that incident.

[Boner M]

Excellent.

ZufP3hPXvg0

[Watashi]

Holy shit. I can't believe they made a movie about that. I remember around 2007 or so, reading a neverending RT message board about that incident.
I remember that thread too. Good times.

[Watashi]

I remember that thread too. Good times.
Here it is: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/showthread.php?t=586454&highlight=mcdonalds

[EyesWideOpen]

Excellent.

ZufP3hPXvg0

Love it.

[Boner M]

In Rotterdam now; check my twitter for regular updates, also will have longer reviews at my blog. Latest one is for Anna.

[Winston*]

Excellent.

ZufP3hPXvg0

k8JheFD5h3w

Getting pretty excited about this film.

[Qrazy]

Holy shit. I can't believe they made a movie about that. I remember around 2007 or so, reading a neverending RT message board about that incident.

"The civil trial began September 10, 2007 and ended October 5, 2007 when a jury awarded to the victim $5 million in punitive damages and $1.1 million in compensatory damages and expenses. Summers was also awarded $1.1 million."

Not trying to minimize the victim's mistreatment or pain here but I'd probably perform oral sex on someone for 6 million dollars. Fuck Summers for getting anything at all.

[EyesWideOpen]

k8JheFD5h3w

Getting pretty excited about this film.

It's up on video on demand starting today. I'm gonna watch it tonight!

[Thirdmango]

I saw two movies yesterday. I'll post them in the 2012 thing at some point, but one was California Solo about a former britpunk band member living as a farmer in California. It was one of those movies where the entire movie is based on whether or not you like the acting of the main character. I did but a couple others I talked to in the theater didn't.

The other one I saw was the absolutely awful Lay The Favorite which just got distribution rights. It stars Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta Jones and a couple of others. There isn't a single likable character in the whole movie.

[Boner M]

Ben Rivers' Two Years at Sea is my favorite feature film so far, reviewed here (http://sydneyfilmhappenings.blogspot. com/2012/01/rotterdam-p2-two-years-at-sea-dir-ben.html). Can't believe it doesn't have an IMDb page, considering it's played at Venice, Toronto, London and others.

[Boner M]

Headsup to B-Side, Trip and all Ruiz fans: the aformentioned late project of his Ballet Aquatique is a 50-min tribute to Jean Painleve's science films, complete w/ deadpan faux-academic to-camera addresses from Ruiz, and it's totally hilarious and awesome and just makes his passing sting even more.

[Boner M]

Fest's over for me. Had a good time, regret that my first time in Europe was solely for the purpose of watching movies.

Will do a wrap-up blogpost later, top 5 things I saw (shorts/features/revivals) would probably be...

Two Years at Sea (Rivers, 2011)
The Return (Dorsky, 2011)
Eight Deadly Shots (Niskanen, 1972)
small roads (Benning, 2012)
Le tempestaire (Epstein, 1947)

[B-side]

Headsup to B-Side, Trip and all Ruiz fans: the aformentioned late project of his Ballet Aquatique is a 50-min tribute to Jean Painleve's science films, complete w/ deadpan faux-academic to-camera addresses from Ruiz, and it's totally hilarious and awesome and just makes his passing sting even more.

Heh, nice. I knew about it, but I didn't really know any details. I'm looking forward to it.

[Spinal]

Just bought tickets for a modest three films at the Portland International Film Festival:

Tales of the Night (from the director of Kirikou and the Sorceress)
The Turin Horse
Turn Me On, Dammit!

[Derek]

Turn Me On, Dammit!

This would've been on my Top 10 Names to Give My Film If I Want Spinal To See It list. ;)

[Spinal]

This would've been on my Top 10 Names to Give My Film If I Want Spinal To See It list. ;)


DIRECTOR: Jannicke Systad Jacobsen - NORWAY

Only a woman could tell this wry, astonishingly candid tale of a teenage girl with an unbridled sexual appetite. Fifteen-year-old Alma is consumed by her out-of-control hormones and fantasies that range from sweetly romantic images of Artur, the boyfriend she yearns for, to down-and-dirty daydreams about practically everybody she lays eyes on. Alma and her best friend Saralou live in an insufferably boring little town in the hinterlands of Norway. After Alma has a highly perplexing encounter with Artur, she makes the mistake of telling her incredulous friends, who ostracize her at school. At home, Alma’s mother is overwhelmed and embarrassed by her daughter’s extravagant phone sex bills and constant self-gratification. Throughout, Jacobsen renders the complexities of Alma’s burgeoning sexuality and loneliness with a compassion and frankness that ring true.

I mean, I don't have a choice really.

[Spinal]

But, hey, I'm doing the Bela Tarr too. Give me some credit.

[Derek]

I mean, I don't have a choice really.

:lol:

It sounds about as Spinal-y as you can get. I mean that in a good way - it's definitely on my radar now.


But, hey, I'm doing the Bela Tarr too. Give me some credit.

Sex and pre-apocalyptic potato-peeling...a winning combination!

[Boner M]

Wrapup of the fest + a brief review of James Benning's small roads posted at the blog. Should've mentioned the Q&A with Benning was on the best I've been to, deadpan humour, great anecdotes about the shoot, great film/HD ruminations, etc.

[Spinal]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/joel_harmon/C2A71ter.jpg

Michel Ocelot's Tales of the Night is solid, but it's probably not a film that is going to have appeal to those who haven't been already converted. It follows the exact same structure as Ocelot's 2000 film, Princes and Princesses, with a framing device in which three modern day writers talk about adapting fairy tales for contemporary sensibilities. There are six different tales, all of which are various degrees of engaging. However, the framing device begins to get a little wearisome as the back-and-forth structure gets a bit predictable. Still, the films retains what is most valuable about Ocelot's films: great storytelling in which the fairy tales are not 'fractured'. These are earnest, thoughtful tales that tackle provocative moral ground for children.

[Boner M]

There're fans of Miguel Gomes' Our Beloved Month of August 'round here, right? I remember it topping a few 2010 lists... anyway, his latest just premiered in Berlin and is already getting big buzz; being tipped to take the major prize.


Portuguese director Miguel Gomes spins out story webs that stretch from modern-day Lisbon to an un-named African colony of 50 years ago in the redolent black-and-white Tabu (a nod in part to Murnau whose 1931 film bore the same name and chapter headings). Inventive, appealing and idiosyncratic, Tabu’s flickering monochromatic images accompanied by a tinkling piano in even its opening preamble can’t help but call to mind The Artist and other recent film homages, but Miguel Gomes is very much his own artist, and Tabu a decidedly unusual film.

Excited that it's another singular/uncategorisable hybrid film ala OBMoA (and Gomes' shorts), annoyed that The Artist is becoming the default reference point for modern film homages. Lazy.

[Pop Trash]

Excited that it's another singular/uncategorisable hybrid film ala OBMoA (and Gomes' shorts), annoyed that The Artist is becoming the default reference point for modern film homages. Lazy.

It's inevitable Guy Maddin's future films will be accused of ripping off The Artist by somebody. And I will read it and be a grumpypants.

[elixir]

There're fans of Miguel Gomes' Our Beloved Month of August 'round here, right? I remember it topping a few 2010 lists... anyway, his latest just premiered in Berlin and is already getting big buzz; being tipped to take the major prize.



Excited that it's another singular/uncategorisable hybrid film ala OBMoA (and Gomes' shorts), annoyed that The Artist is becoming the default reference point for modern film homages. Lazy.

Yeah, I love that movie. His new one sounds great!

Thanks for reminding me that I need to see his shorts.

[Boner M]

Thanks for reminding me that I need to see his shorts.
The UK Second Run DVD of OBMoA (region-0, btw) has one called Cántico das criaturas, which is bafflingly awesome.

[Spinal]

I've long avoided Bela Tarr films (with the exception of Family Nest) in the hopes that I would have opportunities to see them on the big screen. Tonight, I get my first chance with Dat Tourin' Horse. I can't wait to see where his tour takes him.

I mean, it's gotta be better than the Spielberg movie.

[Boner M]

I can't wait to see where his tour takes him.
Punchline coming your way.

[Boner M]

Berlin winners:

Golden Bear (Best Film): "Caesar Must Die," Paolo and Vittorio Taviani
Jury Grand Prix: "Just the Wind," Benedek Fliegauf
Best Director: Christian Petzold, "Barbara"
Best Actor: Mikkel Følsgaard, "A Royal Affair"
Best Actress: Rachel Mwanza, "War Witch"
Best Screenplay: Nikolaj Arcel and Rasmus Heisterberg, "A Royal Affair"
Outstanding Artistic Contribution: Lutz Reitemeier (cinematography), "White Deer Plain"
Alfred Bauer Prize for a work of particular innovation: "Tabu," Miguel Gomes
Special Award (Silver Bear): "Sister," Ursula Meier

Other jury prizes:
FIPRESCI Prize (Competition): "Tabu," Miguel Gomes
FIPRESCI Prize (Panorama): "Atomic Age," Helena Klotz
FIPRESCI Prize (Forum): "Hemel," Sacha Polak
Teddy Award (Queer Cinema): "Keep the Lights On," Ira Sachs
Best First Feature: "Kauwboy," Boudewijn Koole
Special Mention (First Feature): "Beyond the Hill," Emin Alper
Ecumenical Jury Prize (Competition): "Caesar Must Die," Paolo and Vittorio Taviani
Ecumenical Jury Special Mention (Competition): "War Witch," Kim Nguyen
Ecumenical Jury Prize (Panorama): "The Wall," Julian Roman Polsler
Ecumenical Jury Special Mention (Panorama): "The Parade," Srdjan Dragojevic
Ecumenical Jury Prize (Forum): "The Delay," Rodrigo Pla
Crystal Bear (Generation Kplus): "Arcadia," Olivia Silver
Crystal Bear (Generation 14plus): "Night of Silence," Reis Celik
Golden Bear (Short Film): "Rafa," Joao Salaviza
Prize of the Guild of German Art House Cinemas (Competition): "Coming Home," Frederic Videau
Panorama Audience Award: "The Parade," Srdjan Dragojevic
Panorama Auience Award (Documentary): "Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present," Matthew Akers
Berliner Morgenpost Jury Award (Competition): "Barbara," Christian Petzold
Taggespiegel Jury Award (Forum): "The Delay," Rodrigo Pla
Amnesty International Award: "Just the Wind," Benedk Fliegauf
Honorary Golden Bear: Meryl Streep

[Spinal]

Punchline coming your way.

Hee hee.

Well, I tried. But, alas, Hungarian stasiscore is not for me. At least I feel like I definitely earned the Scandinavian sex movie I'm seeing tomorrow.

[B-side]

Try Almanac of Fall. Less static, and full of gorgeous colors.

[Boner M]

No reason to skip Werckmeister Harmonies either, which is about-stuff in a way that Turin isn't. The latter's practically a Reductio ad absurdum of Tarr's cinema anyway.

[Spinal]

No reason to skip Werckmeister Harmonies either, which is about-stuff in a way that Turin isn't. The latter's practically a Reductio ad absurdum of Tarr's cinema anyway.

Yes, I want to see that. But I think I need to wait for a cinema revival.

[Pop Trash]

I'm going to try and see a few films at SFIFF. Compliance is the main film (of the newbies) I'm curious about, but has anyone else here seen these? I'd be open to some recs:

http://festival.sffs.org/films/?section=&venue=&offset=0

[Pop Trash]

Oh and that Russian sci-fi movie Target. Anyone seen that?

[Boner M]

Neighbouring Sounds was one of the highlights of Rotterdam for me, and I've been dying to see it again since I saw it at the end of the fest when I was pretty tired and blear-eyed. One review likened it to 'Cache as directed by PT Anderson', and it has strong echoes of Do the Right Thing as well (one for the 'heat makin' everyone act irrationally' canon). It's quite flawed, but also one of the most promising debuts of recent years, and gratifyingly sits outside fest-film norms (ie, it's sexy and funny and moves along at a nice clip all while giving the feel of an uncompromised personal vision).

I assume you're seeing Alps as well.

[Boner M]

Would also recommend The Loneliest Planet, I Wish, Policeman, The Day He Arrives and Goodbye.

[NickGlass]

Neighbouring Sounds was one of the highlights of Rotterdam for me, and I've been dying to see it again since I saw it at the end of the fest when I was pretty tired and blear-eyed.

Argh, I was in L.A. when this screened in NYC last week, and I"m very disappointed I missed it. I only snagged a ticket for Twilight Portrait, which was the toast of a small enclave of friends in Toronto.

Oh, and Pop, you should check out The Loneliest Planet and Oslo: August, 31st if you get a chance.

[Pop Trash]

Loneliest Planet? OK I'll check er out. I do want to see Alps, being a big Dogtooth fan, but I've heard such disappointment about it, I might wait. FF tix are usually more expensive than normal theater prices, and I suspect a few of these (Alps included) will show on their own in the Bay Area in the near future.

[BuffaloWilder]

Dallas International Film Festival's coming up, and I'm providing coverage of it for The Moving Arts Film Journal - third year running as a standing critic, and the people at the Dallas Film Society finally remember me by name, this time :lol:. Yay for opening night gala pageantry. You'll all get to see the galfriend and I and the rest of the crew dressed to the nines and cavorting with the rich and the perpetually drunk. I'm excited.

Also, down at the Angelika, myself and the rest of the floor crew get to do away with our stuffy uniform shirts for the next three weeks and wear light, airy Film Festival shirts. Yay for that, too.

[Boner M]

Lotsa sites posting Cannes predix; Ioncinema (http://www.ioncinema.com/dev/film-commentary)'s seem the best to me as far as films I didn't know about. Albert Serra's Dracula movie, Peter Strickland's follow-up to the very fine debut Katalin Varga, Godard in 3D, a new Roy Andersson titled A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence, Ben's Rivers & Russell collaborating...

Hopefully less blah dudes in the comp, ala Ozon, Loach, Salles, et al.

[TripZone]

a new Roy Andersson titled A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence

:pritch:

[soitgoes...]

Amour.


Can't wait.

[Pop Trash]

Amour.


Can't wait.

I seriously hope the English title will simply be Love. Or even Haneke's Love.

[Pop Trash]

So it looks like for SFIFF in order of preference:

Newbies:
-Compliance
-Target
-Alps
-The Loneliest Planet
-Neighboring Sounds
-Summer Games
-Bernie

Revivals (if I can get in):
-Harlan County USA
-Quadrophenia
-Dead Again
-Buster Keaton/Tune-Yards
-Unforgiven

[Winston*]

Lotsa sites posting Cannes predix; Ioncinema (http://www.ioncinema.com/dev/film-commentary)'s seem the best to me as far as films I didn't know about. Albert Serra's Dracula movie, Peter Strickland's follow-up to the very fine debut Katalin Varga, Godard in 3D, a new Roy Andersson titled A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence, Ben's Rivers & Russell collaborating...

Hopefully less blah dudes in the comp, ala Ozon, Loach, Salles, et al.

Ken Loach is blah?

[Stay Puft]

Albert Serra's Dracula movie

WANT

[Ezee E]

So odds on Terrence Malick actually having another movie out within the year?

[Boner M]

Ken Loach is blah?
After Sweet Sixteen, very much so.

[Pop Trash]

After Sweet Sixteen, very much so.

Yeah he's veered a little too much into PC/middlebrow zone. A bit like John Sayles in that sense (still love Sayles though).

[Winston*]

After Sweet Sixteen, very much so.

To be fair I haven't seen anything he's done since Sweet Sixteen. Still, the man made one of the greatest movies ever in Kes.

[Boner M]

The Wind That Shakes the Barley is probably the worst Palme D'or winner I've seen.

[TripZone]

I like Sweet Sixteen.

[Izzy Black]

The Wind That Shakes the Barley is probably the worst Palme D'or winner I've seen.

Ouch. I love that film.

[Ivan Drago]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/joel_harmon/C2A71ter.jpg


That's such a cool image.

[NickGlass]

Tribeca is usually full of junk (cliché indie dramedies with B-list TV actors)--but this year I snagged tickets for screenings of the new Sarah Polley, Take this Waltz, and Ira Sachs, Keep the Lights On. Very much looking forward to them.

http://www.tribecafilm.com/filmguide

Is there anything else I should try not to miss?

[number8]

I can't believe 2 Days in Paris got a sequel.

[number8]

Anyway, I'm probably gonna try to see Headshot and Hysteria.

[Stay Puft]

Headshot is pretty cool, but then I enjoy everything Ratanaruang does.

And I don't know that I'd go out of my way to see it, but I'd be curious about Jack and Diane.

[Boner M]

Trailer (http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-stunning-first-french-language-trailer-for-jacques-audiards-rust-bone-starring-marion-cotillard-20120411) for Jacques Audiard's Rust & Bone, a surefire Cannes comp film. Very visually appealing, Cotillard's performance looks fantastic (and giggity @ 1:15). Hope it's not as mawkish as the premise suggests but Audiard's prior films give me hope (and he gets better with each one).

[Qrazy]

The Wind That Shakes the Barley is probably the worst Palme D'or winner I've seen.

The only Ken Loach film I've liked was Kes. Everything else is so horribly mundane and drab.

[Ezee E]

Trailer (http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-stunning-first-french-language-trailer-for-jacques-audiards-rust-bone-starring-marion-cotillard-20120411) for Jacques Audiard's Rust & Bone, a surefire Cannes comp film. Very visually appealing, Cotillard's performance looks fantastic (and giggity @ 1:15). Hope it's not as mawkish as the premise suggests but Audiard's prior films give me hope (and he gets better with each one).
Yeah. Awful, puke trailer. I hope there's more to it then that. Will see it regardless for Audiard and Cotillard screentime.

[Boner M]

So... who's at TIFF this year?

[Stay Puft]

Well I moved to Toronto last summer so yeah I'm there again (and will probably be a volunteer again, too).

Are you able to get accredited as press?

[Izzy Black]

The only Ken Loach film I've liked was Kes. Everything else is so horribly mundane and drab.

Fine, but I don't think The Wind that Shakes the Barley is mundane. I find that the subject matter and setting is very receptive to Loach's aesthetic and approach.

[Boner M]

Are you able to get accredited as press?
Hopefully, although I'm not covering it anywhere (yet).

[B-side]

My plan is to go to TIFF next year if things go accordingly. I would hope to see a few of you there.

[NickGlass]

Hopefully, although I'm not covering it anywhere (yet).

Gah, I hope you do. Hopefully I'll be going again in September.

[Boner M]

I can't wait to join you for the movies that you'll change your sig for.

[Pop Trash]

To those of you "in the know" (Boner, Nick Glass, etc.)...what's the best way to BS your way into getting a press pass for a film festival? I attempted to get into screenings for SFIFF, but it's kind of a madhouse with the rush lines and such.

[Boner M]

To those of you "in the know" (Boner, Nick Glass, etc.)...what's the best way to BS your way into getting a press pass for a film festival?
Dunno - the only times I've acquired one are when I've actually been doing coverage.

[Derek]

To those of you "in the know" (Boner, Nick Glass, etc.)...what's the best way to BS your way into getting a press pass for a film festival? I attempted to get into screenings for SFIFF, but it's kind of a madhouse with the rush lines and such.

If you have a web site or a blog with even a few reviews on it, that may be enough to get you a pass at a smaller fest if all they're looking for is a sample. Depends on how strict SFIFF. For AFI Fest, they asked for an assignment letter from your EIC, but when I went to CineVegas a couple times back in '05 and '06, I'm pretty sure you could've BS'd your way in with a standard blog.

[Ezee E]

All websites have a "press page" that you can submit to. If it's a smaller fest, they'll accept pretty much anyone.

[Raiders]

Just realized the Maryland Film Festival starts this Thursday. They always have last year's big festival films, which is nice to be able to see them in a proper theater.

Despite the new baby, my wife is being very gracious and allowed me three screenings. I have bought my tickets for:

This is Not a Film
The Turin Horse
Barbara Loden's Wanda, restored 35mm print presented by John Waters

The other ones I strongly considered were Oslo, August 31st, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia and horror omnibus V/H/S.

[B-side]

Despite the new baby

Oh, hey, congrats!

[Mysterious Dude]

I've seen fourteen movies in Minneapolis over the last three weeks. I don't think it's healthy to live like this.

[number8]

Probably gonna try to see a bunch of Rooftop Films this summer. Trying to decide if I want to ask for screeners or passes. Nick, are you going to any?

[Boner M]

Sydney Film Festival programme announced. (http://sff.org.au/public/films/program/)

A little light this year, but I'll be going to Melbourne & Toronto later and don't wanna be spoilt already. Most excited for: Bertolucci's The Spider's Stratagem in 35mm, Haneke's latest straight from Cannes, Nikkatsu sidebar of 4 films I haven't heard of (anyone seen any of these? (http://sff.org.au/public/films/program/nikkatsu-100/)), and then all the recent big guns (Tabu, Sokurov, Wiseman, Petzold, Whores' Glory...)

[B-side]

Most excited for: Bertolucci's The Spider's Stratagem in 35mm

:eek:

Hopefully this means a Blu is coming in the near future.

Brilliant film, btw.

[NickGlass]

Probably gonna try to see a bunch of Rooftop Films this summer. Trying to decide if I want to ask for screeners or passes. Nick, are you going to any?

No particular plans yet, as the festival schedule is sort of tentative; the program is quite overwhelming--and it doesn't help that half don't have scheduled dates yet. A few of the shorts interest me (do these just come in packages with particular films?); as for full-length films, I think I'm going to see Nancy, Please (http://rooftopfilms.com/2012/works/nancy-please-1/). I missed it at Tribeca, but heard good things. No scheduled date yet, though.

I'm tempted a bit by the Lauren Ambrose film, Think of Me (http://rooftopfilms.com/2012/works/think-of-me/), that's screening this Saturday--but the reasons are almost exclusively to see Lauren Ambrose tear it up. The film itself sounds a little like Sundance Miserablism™.

How about you? Anything particular in mind?

[number8]

Yeah, the shorts are bundled into shorts programs. Pretty typical.

I'm somewhat interested in these eight films (http://www.justpressplay.net/articles/9383-what-not-to-miss-in-the-2012-rooftop-films-summer-series.html), but I'm gonna look out for more, too.

My sentiments exactly on Think of Me.

[number8]

The thing about Fat Kid Rules the World is that the premise really leaves my eyes rolling, but I can't resist wanting to see how Shaggy is behind camera.

[NickGlass]

You're very right about An Oversimplification of Her Beauty; it sounds potentially wonderful. The same goes for This Ain't California.

Gayby has a premise that could easily be botched or become sitcom-simplistic, and I'm not looking forward to it. I'm mixed on Caveh Zahedi, and the concept of this film is less compelling to me than I Am a Sex Addict.

As for Fat Kid Rules the World, I really cannot get beyond the premise. If anything, I think Shaggy's direction will be underwhelming in a sweet-underdog/mentor-relationship way rather than actually be audacious. I'm going to wait on that one.

Also, apparently you can watch Walt Disney's Taxi Driver here (http://www.buzzfeed.com/txblacklabel/walt-disneys-taxi-driver-28m7).

[number8]

Yeah, it's less that I think it'll be good, it's more of a morbid curiosity in a "Wait, what? Matthew Lillard? Uhh, okay, let's see how this goes."

[NickGlass]

Also, there's a possibility that Zellers' Kid Thing (http://rooftopfilms.com/2012/works/kidthing/) will be mesmerizing, or a totally incomprehensible mess. It may be worth finding out.

[number8]

Yup, I requested a screener for that one too. And The Imposter, mainly because I heard some buzz at Sundance.

[Ezee E]

Also, apparently you can watch Walt Disney's Taxi Driver here (http://www.buzzfeed.com/txblacklabel/walt-disneys-taxi-driver-28m7).

Wats?

[NickGlass]

BAM is kicking off their annual CinemaFest. I like that a majority of the screenings are followed by a reception with free booze.

http://www.bam.org/view.aspx?pid=1193

I'm considering skipping most of the films with distribution (especially since Beasts and Compliance are coming out within the summer, anyway). My boyfriend and I can't pass up the opportunity to meet Ira Glass (no relation--especially since my last name isn't even Glass), so we'll probably see Sleepwalk With Me, if only for the "event." Oh, and I am definitely seeing The Unspeakable Act because it was made by, and stars, friends/acquaintances.