Schedule | Reviews | Fell Between The Cracks
Welcome to my Cinefest 2009 wrap-up page. Despite a bumpy start as TLA and PFS came to terms with their break-up, the festival went well. My reviews first appeared on Twitter and then showed up here on a daily basis; it’s turning out to be a good way to cover festivals, although I still miss B-Side’s community/social media features. The festival site has been slow to deliver equivalent functionality but I keep hoping!
The festival is over! Maybe I’ll rent a few of the missed movies from my “Fell Between the Cracks” list.
Reviews (My Rating System)
| Excellent (5/5) | 3 | Total: | 30 | ||
| Very Good (4/5) | 5 | Average: | 3.03 | ||
| Good (3/5) | 13 | Median: | Good | ||
| Fair (2/5) | 8 | ||||
| Poor (1/5) | 1 |
Excellent (5/5)
Goodbye Solo – Intense character piece with an emotionally draining last 20 minutes. Sorry I missed director Q&A at earlier show.
Landscape #2 – Hapless rogue stumbles into No Country for Old War Criminals. Tight. Dark. Tragic. Amazing for a 1st fest film.
Surveillance - With Lynch DNA all over this murder spree crime scene, “not the most original” but extremely fun to watch unfold.
Very Good (4/5)
The Answer Man – Charming local romcom that I’m giving points shamelessly for gratuitous Philly scenes. Perfect end note for day. In the kinder-gentler category started by Saved. All characters get dimension, real affection. No cheap shots. ALSO: Patrick Stoner’s hair, frighteningly white. Writer/director’s last name, don’t fear the hard vowel. Jeff Daniels, still cute. ALSO writer/director John Hindman: Adorable. Must move to Philly. Despite xmas-related next film, worth following–maybe stalking.
Food, Inc. – Big Food expose hits the Power Points–slick but derivative look. Like Wikipedia, jumping-off point but not an end. ALSO: It really did feel like they used the same documentary equivalent of a PowerPoint with the graphics and music. I’m not sure something original would have been better, but that’s the difference between a 4 and a 5.
I’d Rather Be Shellfish – Poignant tale of good people, bad things with stunning cinematography but occasionally overbearing score.
Jury Duty – Solid crime drama gets the boost from Good to VeryGood because of the oh-so-French ending.
The Tour – Despite some missteps and score issues, delivers powerful moments among the funny/sad scenes. Geek Note: Bab5/Delenn. ALSO: Surprise gravitas moment when fledgling actress delivers life-saving scene.
Good (3/5)
American Violet – Good true-story film competently told that could have been excellent in more experienced or experimental hands.
Art & Copy – Starts out MadMen backstory, turns into my TV childhood, but ends in syrupy sentiment. Sadly never goes Dark Side.
Dioses – Privilege rampages through Peru’s mansions, beaches, parties. Comic, creepy moments. Good pacing for Latin film.
Eldorado - Inconsistent buddy road flick with Belgian John Goodman and a 70s US road behemoth. Some Coen moments eek out a Good.
God’s Forgotten Town – Spanish ghost story is pleasant enough, too insubstantial to be very bad–or very good. Mostly harmless.
The Hurt Locker – Despite great elements, classic soldier story set in 2004 Iraq falls flat compared to likes of BlackhawkDown.
I Sell The Dead – Reanimator Lite with EastEnderish cast has a few extremely funny moments & 1 adorable grave robber.
Loose Rope – Almost a 4 despite rough translation: likeable characters, solid fundamentals. Then, Mad Cow attack bordered on camp.
Marcello, Marchello - Mostly harmless courtly love quest in 50s Italian seaside village. Bumped up by evoking much-better Chocolat.
Moon – Adequate scifi fare. A bit slow, derivative, and plot-holish. Look for nods to The Clapper, Flow-bee, and of course Hal9K. BTW, the robot has a cup-holder. Take that, Caprica 6!
My Dear Enemy – Crawling pace detracts from good story Likeable rogue but needed to know more of the why to like female lead.
Playing Columbine – Tackles complex issue of Free Speech in Interactive Age; film & subject both have heart but lack experience.
Sun Dogs – Old school indie with rough edges; earns points for quirky characters & moments. Crossing fingers for next effort.
Fair (2/5)
The Chaser – So much potential squandered in maddeningly uneven film. Flat characters and plot chasms swallow up exciting moments.
Chef’s Special – A real stumble for Spanish farce; felt exploitive, meaner than what I’ve come to expect. Was this gay for pay?
Hunger – Character apathy undercut a well-made if brutal, graphic film. Lead’s real-life deterioration for the film is startling.
Is Anybody There? – Well-meaning snoozy Spring/Winter buddy flick could use some Geritol. NOT The Prestige. Michael Caine looks OLD.
Of Time and the City – Works: Britted up Buddy Love comments. Fails: Quotes, crawling musical montages, lack of context.
Revanche – Glacial caper-gone-bad has moments with LONG periods between. Hoping fest theme isn’t Crime & Cunnilingus.
20th Century Boys – Disjoint, exposition-heavy 2nd half kills this manga adaptation. Not enough wow or strange to warrant part 2.
White Night Wedding – Good Northern Exposure supporting characters couldn’t bail out the weak leads and choppy tone changes.
Poor (1/5)
GS Wonderland – Poor period piece / Less saki’d-up Spinal Tap / More mop head mope fest.
Movies That Fell Between The Cracks
Before The Fall – Traded in Mexican Disaster Film for Marathon Disaster Brunch
Left Bank – victim of insufficient time to get from Ritz to Prince
The Magic Hour – Got the start time wrong, bus I grabbed “because it was right there” took 30 minutes from 15th to 2nd.
Mortadelo and Filemon: MSP – Horrible audience ratings convinced me to steer clear.
Phantom Punch – Scheduling conflict
Sita Sings The Blues – Missed screening (nap)
The Equation of Love and Death – Scheduling conflict
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