Rugby and Movies

Yeah I'm now at work having decided going back to bed for an hour wasn't really worth it. The game: a lot of forward work and generally our pack looked good. Too much dropped ball, particuarly close to the line, meant the scoreline didn't blow out as much as the possession stakes suggested it should have. Good defensive performance to keep the Scots scoreless, but overall 'could do better'.
Best bits: Tony Woodcocks attempt at a delicate sidestep; Sione Leuaki's runs up the middle.

Movies in the weekend:
Exiled, a Hong Kong gangster flick that was also at the filmfest this year. The cinematography in this is great. Sadly the movie drags, badly. Very stylish fight scenes, and the storyline seemed reasonable, but the overly wanky use of slow pans around the place got tiresome. I got the same vibe from this as Hero, looks stunning, but ultimately style over substance. I won't go so far as to say it was as boring as a Robert Besson donkey movie or a Eastern European/Chinese movie about 'technology coming to remote village', but it was certainly challenging them... Plot revolves around a bunch of gangsters getting back together and doing a hit on a boss. As I said, it looks great. Not sure how it ended as we got seriously bored, and gave up an hour into it.
Drink: Chimay red.

Fistful of Dollars. I decided I wanted to rewatch the trilogy, so started with Fistfull. Obviously. Great movie for it's nice twisted ambiguous characters, but also the worst of the three. Sure Clint is fantastic and the grittiness is wonderful, but at this stage Leone makes the rest of the characters make up for Clint's reticience. So everyone elses gabbers too much - later movies he seemed to have figured out the camera can tell a fair amount of story - and that helps things. Characteristic eye shots aplenty, and really I can't recommend this one too highly. Also worth watching are the doco's on the bonus disk (presuming you have that version).

The Abandoned. Marky Mark suggested this, and since it was sitting around we decided to watch it. Looking at the storyline you'd guess 'cliched ghost story' and largely, yup, you'd be right. But its brilliantly done. Who-ever was dressing the sets deserves a medal, they are superb. Atmosphere, frights, twists - all there. Wonderful touches with the torch (when shes in the parents bedroom). The director and screenwriter, Nacho Cerda, is someone you should keep an eye out for - as this was something special. It's been awhile since I watched a thriller/horror and didn't laugh. Sure there are plot holes, but the vibe carries it. Plot is basically: adopted woman goes back to house she's inherited from her murdered mother. Scary ghostly badness ensues. Definitely worth watching.

Then the SA v Tonga came on, so I watched that too. But I would like to say I only had one (750ml) bottle of beer all night.

Right, since I'm here at work and I've procrastinated for awhile I should do something. But never fear, I think some more bloggage (probably geeky) will turn up later.

Love, B

FilmFest#9: Severance

A horror comedy? But of course I'm going to see it. Severance, is very funny movie about a bunch of office workers off in Hungary for a team-building exercise. There's the usual bunch off office misfits who should never hang out together, led with considerable ineptitude by Tim McInnery (of Blackadder fame). Think the Office, but funny - and gruesome. They begin to die after spotting some people watching them... We laughed and we laughed as the team geek's foot got caught in a bear trap and the team kept opening it, only to let it snap shut on him again. Oh hilarity!

Really enjoyed this flick, funny, black humour, great flow, excellent acting and violence. Ahhh happy times.

The highlight: tricky, but the rocket launcher scene had us hoarse...

b x

FilmFest#8: Scott Walker 30th century man

I'm a big fan of the music doco's, and yesterday it was a close run thing between heading to the Joe Strummer doco, or going to the Scott Walker doco. I thought the Strummer might be more likely to come back so headed to Walker. I'm glad I did. I've been aware of Walker for years, but have never really checked him out, aside from the Walker brothers tracks that pop up occasionally on the radio (Make it easy on yourself; In my room; Sun ain't gonna shine etc). Apparently none of the people in the band were actually called 'Walker'. Scott left and went solo near the end of the 60s and released four albums, titled (creatively) Scott 1,2,3 and 4. Scott 4 is the album i'd been meaning to check out for some time as it gets name checked by a lot of people I like.

So what happened then? Well Scott 4 was ignored by a record buying public and Scott kinda gave up until a brief reunion with the Walker Brothers led to another record contract. Since then he's been releasing avant-garde experimental stuff which on first hearing sounded like a mix between David Bowie (the Nathan Adler/Earthling era) and Tom Waits. So yeah, I'll be buying some. The doco was based loosely on interviews with Walker while he was recording his 2006 album, and traced his music, life and inspirations. For someone whose lyrics are so dark he came across as a pretty relaxed wee munchkin. Interviews with various people including Bowie (who was also exec producer), Damon Albarn, Jarvis Cocker (of course!), Lulu (who came across better than normal), Brian Eno and various others. Strong links between the French composer Jaques Brel and Scott's early solo works were drawn, which is where I'd heard of him. Was it Nick Cave who covered some Brel? Or was it a review of Waits?

His current stuff sounds fantastic - particularly if you've been primed on Waits (Black Rider, Bone Machine maybe?) - the early stuff although it's lush with strings and could easily pass as pop - is saved from saccharine David Cassidy territory by the biting lyrics and imagery. Complaints? Well I got a bit pissed off by the directors insistence in putting some kind of screensaver type graphics up whenever a song was playing - the latter ones were fine, the earlier Walker songs were boring animation.

Other than that, I'm really glad I went. It was a fascinating doco of an artist who is going to cost me money soon. Which I guess is a good sign that I liked it! On the plus side he's not prolific, since the late 70s, it's been an album every 10 years..
It's on a couple more times, and I reckon any of you who like music (yeah 'like' in the same way that I 'like' Marillion) should go.

B.
Steel mill has gone heavier in the second half: marduk and darkthrone have been the highlights.

FilmFest#7: Brand upon the brain!

For those of you wondering, FF#6 is Leonard Cohen in July, I decided to include it since it is at the FilmFest...

I caught Guy Maddins earlier work, The Saddest Music in the World a couple of years ago and loved it. Very slow, but beautiful and elegiac, both in storyline and photography. Guy sort of styles his movies in the 20s and 30s and shoots in a style reminiscient of the era - and the actors wear makeup similar to movies of that era.
So Brand upon the Brain!, loosely the story involves Guy Maddin returning to his childhood home before his mother dies. The rest of the story is set in his childhood where young Guy who lives in a lighthouse with orphans, falls in love with a beautiful teenage detective who turns up to investigate strange goings on. Guys mother is a control freak and keeps track of Guy, his sister and the orphans via inventions (aerophone). The detective that Guy fell in love with decides it would be easier to investigate the mystery as a boy and dresses up as her brother. So Sis falls for him/her. This explains the lesbian aspect in the filmfest description. Guy's father dies, is reborn, and tries to make Guys mother young again. Yep it all makes sense...

The story is filled in by voiceover by Isabella Rossellini, and cue cards splashed on the screen. The photography is again wonderful, interesting and mesmerising. The storyline held together more than other movies of his and the pacing seemed quicker. For all that, it's not fast movie - more of a melt into it and enjoy the beauty and surrealism. Gloves of kissing and gloves of Chastity? Yeah might pass on those.

For those of you who like movies which are different, definitely check Maddin out - and Brand upon the Brain! is a good place to start.

Me x

PS: this has been written while watching the Steel Milll; so far we've had Motorhead, Samson, Bruce Dickinson (killing floor); machinehead and err someone else, good episode!

FilmFest#5: Taxidermia

I was really looking forward to this movie as I'm a big fan of the director György Pálfi having enjoyed his earlier film Hukkle. This new movie, Taxidermia, concerns a family of physical mutants, and the escapades various generations get up to. A word of warning, if internal body parts, vomiting, forced eating, body manipulation and fornication are likely to disturb you - then you may want to get back to Bambi.

Right it's not worth trying to describe the plot, particular highlights included the world eating champion marrying the female world eating champing and having offspring. Their comment on him at birth 'well he's rather small' - junior became a taxidermist much to the disgust of his father. The parents separate and Jnr looks after dad who tries to breed large eating cats. Who then eat him, or at least dismember his huge body. An art installation competes with taxidermy - reminded me slightly of Anatomie (with the plastication process).

So a review? Well I liked it alot, interesting, graphic, amusing scenes and a refreshing take on storytelling. The quality of the print we had wasn't great in places. One thing that did strike me was the music, rather than the Hollywood OTT soundtrack, this one was delicate. In particular during tense moments the director and composer realised music wasn't essential, the story could carry the emotion. Now thats a refreshing change.

Definitely recommend this movie to those of you who like something different, refreshing and interesting.

Me x

FilmFest#4: Build a Ship, Sail to Sadness

S and I wandered along to this on Saturday night. I was keen to go as it seemed a bit odd, but wasn't in the Incredible section - so I could legitimately say I was branching out.
If I mentioned 'highlands' most people would think of: hills, cattle, heather, snow and possibly Bob Dylan. Not discos.

I'm thinking this movie may make end up being my favourite of the festival. You know when you wander along to something and then get blown away by how good it actually is? This movie did that for me, it's sweet, innocent, sad, funny and poignant. The plot concerns a dreamer who (post epiphany after nearly getting run over by a train) wants to bring the farflung community together. His plan? Organise a mobile disco as people are 'lonely'. The music was composed by the main actor (and writer) and resembles the more quirky Belle and Sebastian tracks (think Lord Anthony style), but possibly darker. It's a lovely wee quirky movie with a lot of very funny black humour in it. There is a significant number of shots of the lead riding his moped through the highlands either drunk, or sniffing petrol. I could see how some people would find that boring, but I felt it added to the impression of isolation and themes of loneliness. The hi-8 grainy shot could also have detracted from the movie, but somehow it worked - kinda impressionist meets cheap doco style.
It's a shame more people won't get to see this movie, and being stuck in the Film Archive it wasn't the best viewing anyway (damm those chairs are uncomfortable), but if you get the chance - go see it.

love, B

FilmFest#3: Head

No. Not that type. This was a surreal mind*bother* with the Monkey's - the heyhey we're the Monkey's - after their TV series was cancelled. Apparently they, and Jack Nicholson, took some substances. And then some more substances. And then decided that writing a movie was a good plan, and in a strange and odd way it was a good plan. This is certainly a strange movie with a very weak plot, it's more a series of sketches linked by the fact the Monkeys are meandering through the set. I liked it. The cameo by Frank Zappa (and his cow) was great, or at least refreshing. I'm not sure. It was truely wonderful weirdness, and quite watchable. In places its very very funny, and the pop culture references are great.

For those of you who missed it at the the 'fest, it is available at AroVideo.

Love, B x

FilmFest#2: The Lost

Sigh and already I'm behind.

The nice thing about just rocking along to stuff with only a vague idea what they are about is that you often strike gold. Ant had emailed around his 24hr MM kiddiwinks to say turn up for this one as the director would be there. So since it was in the Incredible section, used the word horror, and had the director I wandered along.

I loved it.

It was more of a thriller than a horror (the director described it as such too), although parts of it were graphic - it was nothing over the top. Sure there were some small continuity issues, and a couple of bits of rough dialogue, but all in all it was great. The lead actor was captivating as a kind of halfway elvis/emo kid. The movie starts off with a murder then quickly fastforwards to 4 years afterwards and explores the effect that action had on the characters. Really interesting movie, good use of graphic violence, some very funny scenes, and definitely recommended.
Sadly being an indie movie you might have trouble tracking it down.

B

FilmFest #1: Tales from EarthSea

I'm not the biggest fan of anime. There are some great ones out there: Vampire hunter D; Ghost in the Shell; My neighbour tortoro; Howl's moving castle spring to mind.
However my problems with anime are:
* the faces are largely expressionless, there's no excuse for that, it's not kabuki...
* the large eyes and small mouths don't look right
* all of the characters whenever they see something always make a small 'ahhhoo' noise
* there is no moral ambiguity in the characters, they are either bad, good or kinda middling but ending up good.

If you've ever sat through an episode Japanese animation (DragonballZ is a good example) you'll understand. Those programs are doubly annoying as the voiceovers are shocking.

I think it's the lack of ambiguity that really gets to me, the examples I listed earlier have far more character development (except for MNT which is just cute and lovely) making them a story rather than George Lucus characiture.

Tales from EarthSea was an adaptation of a Ursula la Guin story. From my more knowledable movie mates, a very loose adaptation. Character development was poor, pacing was pretty dire (it could have lost 30-45mins), no moral ambiguity, plot holes aplenty.
As positives, the background paintings were gorgeous.

So, not the best start to my festival this year, but it did make Gary happy that he missed it. I wouldn't even recommend it to take kids to either, since it is 2 hours long and drags. And I'm still not entirely sure how the dragons fit into things.

Me. xx

FilmFest#6: Leonard Cohen - I'm Your Man

This movie is at the Wgtn FF in a couple of weeks, but the Wgtn Public Library also has it on DVD (Region 1). So after S mentioned that it was on and I couldn't find a quick torrent to download, I tried the library - woohoo!

I was wondering how to start this review, and have decided a quick overview of how I came to find Leonard Cohen (LC) would probably be the easiest way. I hated Aaron Neville's version of Bird on a Wire, had vague memories of First We Take Manhattan from the 1980's. Things took off more when I got into Tom Waits and various friends suggested some LC would be right up my alley, and then the stunning version of Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley led me back to LC. And from there it's been a voyage of love and happiness.

The movie details a concert at the 2006 Sydney Arts Festival where a collection of performers cover LC songs. Not your usual collection of pop singers as we have Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright, the McGarrigal sisters, Martha Wainwright, Antony, Teddy Thompson, Jarvis Cocker, Handsome Family, Perla Batella, U2+LC. The performances are interspersed with interviews with LC detailing his song writing process, his childhood, influences etc etc. It is, without doubt, one of the most moving music doco's I've ever seen. I don't think it quite tops the Townes Van Zandt doco I saw a couple of years ago, but it's definitely up there.

Performances are generally superb. Nick Cave is incredible, but for me the standout performances were Rufus Wainwright's take on Everybody Knows (he plays it as a cabaret number) and the Teddy Thompson track. Aside from the McGarrigal sisters performance, which left me cold, the covers sent shivers down my spine - and with LC poetry there were a few emo moments. As anyone who has heard the Shrek soundtrack knows that Rufus does a great version of Hallelujah, and his version with Martha on backing vocals was divine (except for the other singer who wasn't in the Wainwright's class). I still have trouble listening to Hallelujah (any version), given it always cut me up before France died it certainly isn't any easier to listen to now. And Rufus' voice is pretty ethereal, and I'm starting to wonder if I prefer his version to Buckley's. Something I never thought I'd say!
It was great to see the Handsome Family there too, although Rennie wasn't singing, but Brett was - and it was good. Ahhh. Certainly one of my finds from last year, and probably my favourite concert.

So where am I going with this review? Just go and see it if you are a LC fan, and if you're not - go see it anyway, you will be converted. These are excellent versions of his songs, and will give you an insight into his incredible song writing ability.

NZ FF Link
Movie Link
Soundtrack link

Love, B.