Film Briefs is our way of giving our opinion on films we might not necessarily have the time to review in full. This is a column where we sum up our feelings about the last few movies we saw and throw ‘em up just to give you an idea of what’s out there.
Follow the jump to see briefs for The Cabin In The Woods, The Avengers, and Sound of My Voice Read More…
Even someone as immersed in the festival as myself needs to take a breather every now and then. So, today, instead of sticking to my original plan of seeing 4 movies I opted to see only half that and spend the rest of my time with my better half who also goes by the name Kristiana. For the record my day with her was easily worth 
.
However, my star ratings for the movies I saw were… Read More…
I saw two movies today. One of them I saw in a crowded theatre filled with uncomfortable laughter and impatient sighs, and the other was in a screening room with a very uncomfortable headset which led to even more impatient sighs. Lets get started with the reviews.
Being that another writer for this site, Nick, already wrote a capsule review for this film (click here to read his capsule review) I won’t waste too much time in adding my two cents. In his review he wrote that “it ignores convention and delivers a thoughtful entertaining viewing experience.” I couldn’t agree with him more, but would like to add the reason as to why I gave one less star than he did.
It’s hard to judge a director’s movie without comparing to it to something else the director has done. Myself, recognizing that I am indeed guilty of this comparing crime must say that the impact of Lanthamos’ story structure and style hit me less hard than it did upon seeing his previous film, Dogtooth. With that being said it’s still a great movie. Read More…
Before the film started director Julia Loktev told the audience to keep in mind what it feels like to be in nature while watching the film. I did my best.
The Loneliest Planet is the story of a young couple (Hani Furstenberg, Gael García Bernal), and their guide, embarking on a backpacking trip across the Georgian wilderness. The film wonderfully captures what it feels like to be on a hiking trip and in fact made me a bit nostalgic for the outdoors. That being said, while I do love the outdoors it doesn’t in any way mean I enjoy watching other people enjoying/not enjoying the outdoors. Imagine a hike you took where there were some ups and downs, now imagine other people took that hike and it was put onto film. If that sounds like something you want to watch for two hours you should see The Loneliest Planet. I appreciated what the film did but I don’t know if I would watch it again. Read More…
A switch of venues today. Moving from Japan Town to the Castro District I was on my way to see Francis Ford Coppola‘s latest movie, Twixt, but first I had some time to kill.
What better way to kill time than at the library? The Movie doesn’t start until 7:30pm, and my watch, I mean cellphone – who wears a watch anymore? – read 5:00pm. Going to the Library, which is located just a few blocks away from the theatre and is in a supposed non-violent and peaceful neighborhood, was an interesting experience on its own. Peaceful at this library means people arguing in their outside mountaintop voices, sticky stuff on the keyboard resembling the ectoplasm from Ghostbusters, and 3 consecutive minutes of a blaring car horn as a result of somebody’s roidrage. As soon as a little boy and his mother decided to sit next to me and start whining and bickering over how he didn’t want to read the book she picked out for him I was done. Not wanting to stay in this “sanctuary” that is the public library anymore I made way to one of my real sanctuaries, the DVD store, particularly, Streetlight.
After talking to my buddy Art, who works at the store, about various cinematic topics including his love for Andrezej Zulawski films I made my way to The Castro Theatre. Art, sorry I didn’t buy anything today. I’m on a budget, and besides, you didn’t seem to have a copy of Francis Ford Coppola‘s Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which for some reason I was in the mood to buy. Having killed enough time – my watch now read 6:30pm – I finally made my way to The Castro Theatre to grab my ticket for FFC’s latest stab at the Vampire genre. Read More…
Having missed two days of the festival due to a sudden bout with the flu, after sweating out a fever I thought I was 100%, I was back in the theatres. It didn’t take long, however, to realize that my fight with the flu wasn’t completely over. Now, the sensible thing to do would have been to stay home, but who has time to be sensible when there are movies to watch? For the record, as I write this I’m at home with a feverish sweat and a painfully sore throat. With that being said, I hope that my account of the evening turns out to be a coherent one. Click the jump to find out.
The rom-com Hysteria is based on the true story of 19th century inventor Mortimer Granville and his invention of the vibrator. Originally designed as a medical cure for female hysteria, what we now call being a bored housewife, the vibrator quickly became more of a recreational device.
Much of the film’s charm comes from Maggie Gyllenhaal whose character is fighting for women’s equality and therefore is obviously deemed hysterical. Humor in the film comes from word play and the juxtaposition of sexual situations in an extremely prudish era. The film is funny and smart, albeit fairly predictable, and I have no problem recommending it to everyone who enjoys light comedies.
The film’s R rating is laughable and just goes to prove how many people are still scared of women’s sexuality. I would say this film is more of a PG-13, although it might be extremely awkward for family viewing. Read More…
I have a habit of seeking out films from specific cultures. Poland’s films are always instantly snatched up, as well as Russia, Iran, and South Korea. This year I decided to take a stab at a culture whose films I have seen less than I feel I should have, and I have seen less that I was enormously impressed with than I feel this country has the potential to put out (although I do have a good deal of fondness for Ushpizin). Israel’s culture is one of the most complicated and precarious in the modern world, and as such, interesting and varied art can only follow.
And how correct I was. This year’s selection is sure to pique the interest of a dynamic taste. Read More…
