3rd Week Report from SIFF 2012

Here are some new screenings that are coming to SIFF 2012.

Wes Anderson's new film is very much like his other quirky, funny films.  Called MOONRISE KINGDOM, it is set on a New England island that is used mostly for campers and  in this case, scouts and their masters.   When one young scout "resigns" from his post and runs away with the daughter of the island lawyers, they become the hunted as the whole island turns out to find them.  As in the earlier films which include ROYAL TENENBAUMS (2001), FANTASTIC MR. FOX (2009) and LIFE AQUATIC w/STEVE ZISSOU (2004), music plays a key role, and the dead pan actors are all excellent--they include Frances McDormand, Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton and Tilda Swinton.  A unique, odd world is created, with much offbeat humor, pratfalls and heartfelt passion.  You've never seen anything like this society in the movies before.  It is a triumph of direction,  style and humor.          GRADE------A

The triumphant directorial return to form of Australian Fred Schepisi is quite evident in the new melodrama THE EYE OF THE STORM, based on a novel by Patrick White.  Charlotte Rampling is the dying matriarch who summons her difficult adult children (Geoffrey Rush and Judy Davis) to her side--she is manipulative and, as illuminated in flashback, rather heartless.  Rush and Davis struggle to escape from her hold.  The film is flush with witty asides and terrific one liners, and the photography is lush, the music and editing all first rate.  But it is the story that really holds us--a seemingly stereotyped situation becomes a microcosm for all of modern societies struggles.  Over 30 years ago, Schepisi films were eagerly awaited for their intelligent and unique take on society.  They include THE DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND (1976), CHANT OF JIMMIE BLACKSMITH (1978), PLENTY (1985),  A CRY IN THE DARK (1988) and in my opinion, his last really provocative film, SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION (1993).  He's back BIG TIME with this very intelligent, funny, entertaining melodrama.              GRADE--------A

Director, actor, and writer Josh Radnor really scores with  LIBERAL ARTS--his story of a 35 years old grad who returns to his Alma-mater and becomes infatuated with a young student.  The charming actors, which include Elizabeth Olsen, Richard Jenkins, Allison Janney and Zac Efron, score big points in likability and subtlety--the film becomes a moving meditation on friendship, responsibility and the difficulty of "moving on."        GRADE-------A-

Interesting French/Italian "adult" film about an older writer with a block, who quickly marries a younger bisexual woman and gets involved with her family and friends.  The title UNFORGIVABLE refers to, I think, the fact that he is quite jealous--at one point he has her followed, and it could also refer to the wife's inability to really trust in her loving capabilities.  It may also refer to his runaway daughter's actions, as well as the actions of many other characters. There's a lot of nuance and undercurrent that sometimes gets resolved.. Venice is an intriguing back drop, and the characters are complex, dramatic, and the film kept me off guard through out its running time.     GRADE-------B       

A well meaning, touching drama based on a true story,  ANY DAY NOW has a closeted gay couple in the early 1970's trying to care for a neglected young teen with Down Syndrome.  Alan Cumming gets to sing (he's the more flamboyant, artistic one of the couple) and the setting is effective.  Now if we can just get that camera to stop flitting about.......   GRADE--------B

THE IMPOSTOR plays like a longer version of the CBS show 48 HOURS MYSTERY---here the mystery story is everything.  Four years after a young boy has disappeared, a stranger in Spain claims to be the the now teen aged boy, in spite of the fact that his eyes are brown and his hair is dark, unlike the blue eyed, blond haired boy that went missing.  Everyone, even his family, believes this lie.  Entertaining, but hardly earth shattering documentary, it will be fine to watch on TV, and A&E network actually produced this film.       GRADE--------B

HEMEL uses sex as a weapon, as therapy and as gratification, in this modern looking film from Netherlands.  At times it was confusing to distinguish some of the supporting characters, and the busy camera work doesn't help, but the film is propelled by the dynamic (but pathetic) lead.      GRADE---------B-

If you cut out all the swear words that started with F in this extremely profane urban film called GIMME THE LOOT , the 80 minute running time would have been cut down to less than 30 minutes, which is about how long it should be.  Two teens obsessed with  graffiti writing try to raise money for a big (defacing) job, mostly by stealing from others.   I admired the inner-city spunk that is captured here, but the film ends abruptly and rather subtly.      GRADE-------C+

The South African film HOW TO STEAL 2 MILLION ends up looking like a dark lens was placed over the camera, I think in an effort to look noirish, but it just made me squint a lot.  The characters are all attitude--the men especially do a lot of macho posturing, and the film is slow until the plot/blood-letting starts to kick in after the first hour.  By then I didn't really care.      GRADE------C

The Spanish film YEAR OF GRACE had a consistently wiggly camera (trying to be edgy or annoying????) and the characters actions and comments were tedious and boring.  A young college aged student moves to Barcelona, boarding with a lonely older woman, but I didn't believe their early hostility or their eventual friendship, and there is nothing of interest featured in this Barcelona---supposedly one of Spain's most beautiful cities.  What a waste!!      GRADE-------C

The potential is wasted in STEP UP TO THE PLATE, a documentary from France---a father is turning over the reins of his haute cuisine restaurant to his son, but numerous scenes include father jogging, and son jogging, and many shots of the sun rise throughout the year, and of father/son pawing through vegetable bins, and pointless ruminations on the sadness and uncertainty of the transfer.  Only a few shots of actual recipes being created are of much interest.  Mostly quite dull.   TOP CHEF this is not.       GRADE--------C-

HAIL from Australia, has characters that speak such poor, accented English, that it was easier to try to read the Italian subtitles that were distracting displayed on screen.  Add to that an AGGRESSIVELY hand held camera that couldn't hold still, and couldn't stay in focus, so I ran from the theater after 30 minutes, behind a dozen that beat me to the door.   There was a steady stream of walk outs---about half the audience escaped before the final credits.  Those that came out looked shell-shocked and disgusted that they'd stayed.    GRADE on first 30 minutes------D-