The TOPP TWINS, plus SIFF Report May 16-19

One of the joys of SIFF 2010 was the delightful discovery of THE TOPP TWINS; Untouchable Girls, New Zealand born, country-singing, yodeling, comedians, and political activist--and lesbians!--the twins have been entertaining audiences since they were young teen agers growing up on the farm. The documentary films them in intimate concert, interviews friends and family, and cuts to many film clips showing their development into one of New Zealand's greatest iconic National Treasures. There is a lot of comedy and music on this journey, and if you've never heard of them, you'll want to get to know them more after watching this. Showing in limited engagements around the country this week and next. In Seattle at the Grand Illusion. GRADE----------A-


SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL---opens tonight--here are more films I saw this week May 16-19 at press screenings.....


TOUCH--------GRADE B
This low budget film starts out tritely and predictable, but it becomes more complex once the sexy plot kicks in--a young manicurist helps to jump start a male clients waning marriage with some tittalating "hands on" advice, and the cast is very charming and attractive.

MAN AT BATH--------GRADE---D+
There were many many walkouts during this short (73minute) film, not necessarily because of the full frontal male nudity and brief, explicit sex scenes. But rather because this was obviously filmed with just one cameraman working a very busy, giggly hand held camera, and working with out a script or story to tell. A chaotic mess which reminded me of early Andy Warhol films--however, they were more coherent, barely. In the middle, two men and a woman are in bed together singing, rather sweetly, Kate Bush's The Man With the Child In His Eyes. Go figure. Or better yet, go buy a Kate Bush CD. A big disappointment for everyone.

AN AFRICAN ELECTION--------C
Only those truly interested in Africian (particularilly Ghana) politics will find anything to keep them awake in this dry, dull political documentary.

ON TOUR---------B-
Altmanesque dialogue and rambling story line is at times engaging, at times annoying. Some actors (professional and non) are better than others. The story finds a disfunctional manager (Mathieu Amalric) dragging around his burlesque troop all over France. His character seemed especially cliched, but the cast is otherwise game and the glimpses of stage acts were often amusing.

PERFECT SENSE---------B+
Chef Ewan McGregor and scientist Eva Green discover each other just as a strange epidemic starts sweeping the world--one where the senses, one by one, start failing, and the emotional devastation starts to take it's toll. An intelligent, thoughtful, haunting science-fiction thriller.

PAPER BIRDS-----------B+
Spanish film set in the Franco era, this sentimental melodrama grows considerable dramatic and emotional strength by the (tearful) ending. Because of the war, two men and a young boy bond to become a "family" while trying to entertain in vaudeville during the depression of post-Civil War Spain.

NOBODY-------------C+
A retelling of Romeo and Juliet--instead of sword fighting, the young men participate in drag racing along some astonishingly deserted Greek highways. At times this plays like THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS in Greek and Russian and Bulgarian, but we know where this is headed and we've seen it done before, better.

HIT SO HARD----------B
I wasn't looking forward to this documentary of Courtney Love drummer Patty Schemel's battle with drugs, but there's some telling footage and interviews with Love, Kurt Cobain and other rock band members, and film fascinated me.

ON THE ICE----------B-
Filmed in Barrow Alaska, the setting is impressively opressive, and the cast (including some locals) is not bad. A tragic accident tears apart the small, close knit community, and lies tend to snowball (no pun intended) out of control.

SAIGON ELECTRIC----------B
At times simplistic and predictable, this entertaining, commercial Vietnamese (!) film about break/rap dancers is sensitively and enthusiastically acted by the youthful and attractive cast.

EVERY SONG IS ABOUT ME----------D+
Boring Spanish film, a minor attempt at a Woody Allen type of relationship comedy/drama, but nothing interesting or funny occurs or is spoken. Dull young man can't decide what he wants from any relationship. Sit at home and stare at your navel for 10 minutes instead, and you'll get an idea of what watching this film is like.

THE WHISTLEBLOWER------------A
A compelling and riviting thriller/true story about an American cop (Rachel Weisz) who takes a job as peace-keeper in Bosnia, only to discover a human trafficking ring that has corrupted the highest reaches of United Nations involvement. A whopper of a story, and the best movie of this past week.