FIRST WEEKEND AT SIFF!!!! Highlights included SET FIRE TO THE STARS, TAB HUNTER: CONFIDENTIAL (including Tab in person!), CHARLIE'S COUNTRY, and BEST OF ENEMIES.......

A-

BEST OF ENEMIES--US documentary about the political debates held in 1968 during the Democratic and Republican conventions where liberal Gore Vidal and conservative Wm. F. Buckley Jr. are supposed to be dissecting the conventions, but instead the debate becomes very personal attacks on their life-styles and hatred for each other.    Witty, fascinating, and very disturbing, as these type of confrontations have now become common place, instead of what should be healthy discussions of topics and political issues.

B+

SET FIRE TO THE STARS--UK film based on time when Dylan Thomas toured  American universities by reading his poetry and that of others. The stylish black and white  photography and a jazzy music score capture 1950, and the actors Elijah Wood as the star struck poetry professor and Celyn Jones as the drunken, troubled Dylan Thomas create a moody, fascinating film.

TAB HUNTER CONFIDENTIAL--US documentary about life of Hollywood golden boy Hunter, his many popular films, dozens of top 10 hit records, rabid female teen fans who haunted his every move, his conflicts with the restricted studio contracts, and his homosexuality, which didn't seem to bother him as much as it bothered the studio bosses.  He tells his own story, based on the novel, and the film is packed with lots of interviews from his friends, co-stars and others, and includes songs, clips and stories.  As good as a celebrity documentary can be.  He is a charming (in person) laid back man who seems to be very happy with his life, his long time partner/producer and his favorite horse, and he does not miss the trappings of movie star life that he has happily retired from.

CHARLIE'S COUNTRY--Australian character study preformed movingly by Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil, who also helped write the script.  Charlie lives in poverty, is persecuted by the police with whom he has a love/hate relationship, and finally sets out to live away from the restrictions imposed on his life by heading into the bush.  The film really shows the imprisoning poverty, alcoholism, despair and hypocrisy that many poor people must live with every day.

B

THOSE PEOPLE--A first film (actually a winning PhD. thesis project from the director/writer) that looks very good and expensive, but the budget was nominal.   The story of a friendship between two men, Charlie is deeply in (unrequited) love, but Sebastian, who is very rich, and has a father in prison for monetary scams,  is not interested in a sexual relationship at all.  When Charlie falls for another more receptive man, their friendship is at stake.  The dialogue is interesting, if not overly witty, as is wont in such "rich" boy stories, and the friends and family that float in and out of the film are nicely under played.  The film reminded me of  the films of Whit Stillman  (METROPOLITAN 1990, and BARCELONA 1994).   I look forward to this director's next film.

PARIS OF THE NORTH--Iceland.  Usually films from Iceland have heavy themes and scenes of drinking and deal with alcoholism.  Here is a film that is actually centered on the lead trying to stay sober.  Many scenes are set at AA meetings, although much of it is handled with humor and hypocrisy.  The film is grim in many aspects:  his girlfriend has broken with him at the film's start, his only friend true friend seems to be one of his young students, and his overbearing father has arrived to live with him indefinitely.  The film may not be likable, but it feels very true.

B-

SLOW WEST--New Zealand/UK---Deadpan humor, violence and quirky characters populate this odd ball western of young man trying to find his girlfriend in the old west.  He hooks up, somewhat against his will, with an older gunslinger.  There are clever action scenes and the film is easy enough to appreciate, although the plot might be rather simple at times.  I think the body count was 17.

THE FAREWELL PARTY--Israel/Germany--Light hearted comedy/drama about a senior in a retirement home who creates a death machine that allows a suffering or dying person to inject deadly serum into their own bodies.  The machine becomes very sought after, and the group that has promoted this project deal with guilt and fear of being arrested.  OY!

MARGARITA WITH A STRAW--India---My main problem is that the lead character who has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair  and is very interested in having a sexual relationship, which does eventually happen, is played by a young woman who seems too beautiful and self possessed to be convincing.  It took me a good half hour to let that issue go, but otherwise, the film is interesting in her exploration of her sexuality, and the surrounding characters are quite effective.  Many people LOVED this film, and some HATED it.

C+

HANDMADE WITH LOVE IN FRANCE--Documentary about pleats, beads, ribbons, and other accessories used to embellish high fashion run way shows.  Only 75 minutes long, but with hand-held camera it feels longer.

C-

THE CONNECTION--French side of the story of THE FRENCH CONNECTION.  Major hand held jerky camera work annoyed my from start to finish.  The lead actors Jean Dujardin and Gilles Lellouche are both young, tall, dark and handsome, and I had difficulty distinguishing them from scene to scene.  It also feels like the film was originally 6 hours long and was cut down to 2 1/4 hour since characters seem to disappear until the very end of the bloody shoot out.  Disappointing.

THE VILLAGE--Georgia--Murky drama about outsiders visiting small village.  Unclear motivations plague the characters, and a brutal rape scene "highlights" the film.  Ugh.