Viewed at SIFF 18-21 May.
A
THE COLOR OF POMEGRANATES (1969)--Armenia--Exotic avant-garde mixture of music, poetry, art, textures and color tableaus is fascinating. (It felt like art film maker Mathew Barney decided to remake this as CREMASTER 3 (2002)--sort of a Busby Berkley version. ) Totally unique, engrossing, startlingly creative. Usually I snooze off if I'm not engaged, but this was wide awake time for me, even though it was my 5th film of the day.
A-
3 1/2 MINUTES, TEN BULLETS --USA documentary about the trial of a middle aged white man who opens fire on a car of four black teens because their rap music is too loud, killing one of them. Vivid testimony, dramatic surprises, emotionally and intellectually moving. Coming to HBO.
THE OLD DARK HOUSE (1932)--USA--Intelligent direction by James Whale (FRANKENSTEIN 1931, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN 1935, SHOW BOAT 1936) who was the subject of GODS AND MONSTERS (1998) made this creepy house consistently entertaining, in this lost film found and restored. The picture, sound and actors were all excellent, especially an unrecognizable Boris Karloff as the "butler."
B
VILLA TOUMA---Israel--When a teen ages out of her orphanage, she goes to live with her three eccentric aunts, who seek to marry her off ASAP because she upsets the old fashioned harmony of their daily routine. Quirky black humor and a few twists in character makes this film satisfying.
SHREW'S NEST---Spanish Gothic horror film, which during the first hour reminded me of the Bette Davis/Olivia deHavilland/Joan Crawford films from the 1960's. Things pick up considerably in this well made film when the blood letting begins.
UNEXPECTED--Modest but sweet USA film has teacher and a student both pregnant at the same time. Teacher tries to help student get into college, but may be overstepping her boundaries.
SHORT SKIN-- Breezy Italian comedy drama of teen anxious to have sex but he can't due to painful phimosis issue. Themes are handled in mature, natural manner, and the sunny film is quite frank at times about sexual activity.
SUGARCANE SHADOWS--Mauritius film about exploited workers already living in poverty trying to carry on when sugar plant closes. Symbolic film has touching themes of death, loneliness, helplessness, but remains optimistic in the end.
CARTEL LAND--US documentary about vigilante border patrols in Arizona and contrasts that with vigilante organization of a citizens group in the corrupted state of Michoacan, Mexico, who are fighting to win back their cities from the violent drug cartels. There are some shocking, disturbing, frustrating scenes and disturbing statistics, but ultimately both stories feel contradictory and get short shifted by the end. It might have been better to stick with one or the other.
B-
VINCENT--From France comes this wistful, magical realism story of a modest man with a superpower that he tries to keep hidden. When he falls for a girl he dreams of settling down, but one day his power is discovered, and his life becomes very dangerous. Strange but fascinating little film.
C+
PAPER TIGERS--US documentary about an alternative high school in Walla Walla, Washington peopled by students with major behavioral issues. The school starts a new program to change behavior, to mostly positive results. Hand held camera is heavy going at times.
SENSA NESSUNA PIETA--Italian drama about "simple" gangster who tries to make a break from his life style when he "saves" a prostitute from being abused. Good actors and characters and suspenseful plot are RUINED by aggressive hand held camera work, which makes watching this tense drama painful.
C
SUMMER OF SANGAILE--From France and Lithuania comes drama about two teen girls falling in love. Not much happens plot wise (yawn) except for pretty clothes, watching stunt planes do somersaults in the sky, and lots of exposed naked skin, but at least this film LOOKS great, with every shot feeling like a picture postcard.
DREAMS REWIRED---Austria---Black and white vintage film clips trace anxieties about technology becoming intrusive and modern. I appreciated the subject, but this avant garde film narrated in a droning manner by Tilda Swinton put me and most of the audience to sleep, several times. Compellingly dull.
D+
MEETING DR. SUN---Comic Chinese film that left me stony faced and bored, especially since every plot point and (supposed) joke is stretched out for 5 minutes for more. You can only wince for so long. To be fair, some of the Chinese audience members seemed to enjoy this simple, unlikely plot occasionally, but I couldn't wait for the end.
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"short shrift" is a noun
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