SIFF Report June 7

Many of the following will be screening during the last week of SIFF 2011. A grade of B- or better is worth seeing.

TO BE HEARD--------GRADE B+
Another in a long line of fine SIFF documentaries, this one focuses on three high school students in the Bronx who are gifted performers in the relatively new art of hip-hop poetry, which they hope will be their ticket out of the ghetto. The film is heartbreakingly candid as to what these kids face in their everyday world, and while a lot of hope is offered, the reality seems to be working against some of them. I was startled to hear their teachers using a lot of street vernacular and profanity in the classroom, and to see how emotionally close they become to their students, but hey--whatever works.

ABSENT-----------GRADE B
This is NOT a Hitchcockian thriller as the descriptions would have you believe. This suspense film from Argentina does create some tension (sexual and otherwise) as a teen age boy tries to insinuate himself into his male teacher's life by lying about his parents, friends and agenda, and creates emotional havoc in the well meaning teacher. Heavy handed during the first half, the film resists the temptation to make the teen (and the teacher) the "BAD GUY"---and ultimately becomes more interesting (and disturbing) by the end.

TABLOID-------GRADE B+
A new film by Errol Morris about a scandal in the early 1970's where an ex-beauty queen tracks down her missing fiance, kidnaps him out of his Morman missionary work, gets sent to prison, and then as the tabloids start digging, has her life splayed open to charges of prostitution and solicitation. One of those "truth is stranger than fiction" stories, this one is possibly the funniest and most entertaining documentary of SIFF this year.

BLACK FIELD------GRADE B-
Possibly the strangest plot twists since....THE CRYING GAME, this Greek film set in the 16th century, has a young novice nun with a big secret becoming fascinated by a wounded soldier taken in by the nunnery filled with nuns obsessed with ungodliness.
Yes, this one is loaded, but it is played out in all seriousness, and the photography and cinematography make it easy to look at. The final, bold controversial scene had jaws dropping all over the theatre, except for a few fleeing to the lobby.

KING OF DEVIL'S ISLAND--------GRADE B
Engrossing Norwegian film based on a true story set in 1915 on island prison for wayward boys run by a very stern governor (played by Stellan Skarsgard who seems to be channeling Max von Sydow at his most constipated)who fails to see abusive warning signs that may lead to mutiny. The facility is so cold that you can see the breath of the characters in the dormitories and dining room!

NORWEGIAN WOOD------------GRADE TBA!
The screening ended for all but a dozen Japanese speakers at the 10 minute mark (Looks good though) when it was discovered that there were no ENGLISH subtitles on this print. Call SIFF to verify English subtitles for screenings this weekend!!!!

LYS and ROMAN'S ARK--------GRADE D and B-
Two short films on the same program, the German film LYS is a POS (piece of ----) where the story is slow and predictable, and the camera work apparently done by an 11 years boy on Speed and lumpy roller skates--painful to watch--most of us took a little nap. ROMAN'S ARK was technically the better film, a low budget short story about trying to find life in the future after a nuclear attack. Familiar but intriguing to watch.

ALL YOUR DEAD ONES---------GRADE D
Boring absurdest drama about Colombian farmer who discovers a pile of dead bodies in his cornfield. Then, after that amazing set-up, NOTHING HAPPENS FOR THE NEXT HOUR as 6 characters stand around looking at each other while a cell phone goes off constantly on screen--sometimes answered, sometimes not. A MAJOR, disappointing BOMB.

THE LIFE OF FISH---------GRADE B
In this intriguing melancholic film from Chile, a 30 something man wanders around a house party, saying his (very very long)goodbyes to a number of friends he hasn't seen in nearly 10 years. They are all tied together by a previous tragedy. The film reeks of regret, of lost friendships, missed opportunities, and the desire to change or correct the past.

BOBBY FISCHER AGAINST THE WORLD------- GRADE B
Well made and informative documentary on the life and death of the very public, very crazy (towards the end) World Chess Champion. Did his genius drive him insane, or did his psychosis make him a genius? Verrrrry interesting!