Life after SIFF

06/18/09

SIFF ended on Sunday, and TVOR, after spending almost a month reveling in an excessive number of films, is coming down from her cinematic high. Apparently movies have continued to be released while she was in film festival land, and she has some catching up to do. But in the meantime, here a few films she's seen and can recommend:

Moon
Directed by Duncan Jones

This nicely done science fiction film is all about character and ideas, and not about technology. If you want intergalactic battles, you can go elsewhere. Sam Rockwell plays a corporate employee finishing up a three-year stint operating mines on the moon. It's a one-man operation, and his only companion is a computer with the voice of Kevin Spacey. Interesting stuff happens, but TVOR doesn't want to reveal much because it's fun watching it unfold.

Summer Hours
Written and directed by Olivier Assayas

TVOR wrote a bit about this in earlier posts. She won't rehash things, but it's a wonderful film and you should go see it.

Departures
Directed by Yojira Takita

This year's foreign film Oscar winner is a sweet story, guaranteed to please crowds. TVOR has talked about this one previously as well, and recommends it.

Food, Inc.
Directed by Robert Kenner

This comprehensive documentary explores the many ways that multinational corporations determine what we eat. It just ain't pretty, and it's mighty scary. If you're fairly well informed, there won't be much new in it, but it's a well-presented summary that'll get your dander up, if not more.


And for those of us in Seattle, SIFF is having a series of screenings this weekend called "The Best of SIFF '09". The best? Depends on your point of view. But the weekend is full of movies that people enjoyed and/or responded to. Here's TVOR's take on the ones she's seen:

Humpday
Directed by Lynn Shelton
A hoot, definitely one to see. Old friends decide to enter an amateur porn contest. And no, they're not that kind of friends.

Black Dynamite
Directed by Scott Sanders
This year's Golden Space Needle award-winner for best film, voted on by the audience. It's an hilarious parody of '70's blaxploitation films.

OSS 117: Lost in Rio
Directed by Michel Hazanavicius
And speaking of parodies, here's a French take on the spy parody genre, set in the '60. Maxwell Smart and Austin Powers' Gallic counterpart is just plain stupid and appalling in every way, but the movie is pretty darn funny.

Morris: A Life With Bells On
Directed by Lucy Akhurst
OK, here's an original concept--a mockumentary about Morris dancing. TVOR was only dimly aware of actual Morris dancing, and she's not too sure how different the real thing is from the mock thing. In spite of her lack of background knowledge, she had a good time watching this movie. It's also fun to watch wonderful English actors participate in a film of supreme silliness, and do it well.

tallhotblond
Directed by Barbara Schroeder Sherman
This true crime documentary about cyber-romance gone bad is fascinating, sad, and a little bit creepy. Who knew people lied about themselves on the internet? (FYI, TVOR, a past winner of both the MacArthur genius grant and the Nobel Peace Prize, is stunningly beautiful and sings opera at La Scala in her spare time.)

Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle
Directed by David Russo
TVOR won't even try to describe the plot of this one, but it's pretty wild and pretty interesting. There's a little animation thrown in (although it's not an animated film), and it's fun to look at and listen to. The soundtrack is by "Awesome", TVOR's favorite Seattle band.

The Cove
Directed by Louie Psihoyos
This documentary on the dolphin trade in Japan is very tough to watch (TVOR had to avert her eyes) but powerful and well put together.

There are more films playing at SIFF this weekend--TVOR is planning to catch the Georgian (the country, not the state) jury prize winner The Other Bank and Peter Greenaway's Rembrandt's J'accuse. And of course, she's very intrigued by Swimsuit Issue. Who can resist a Swedish film about a male synchronized swimming team?