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Thread: The 2008 MIami Festival's Comment Page

  1. #31
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    "Hinges on" is exactly what I meant.
    *Lyrics of the songs by a woman taking a bubble bath and anither sitting on a park bench are essential to the meaning of those scenes.
    *Mentioned that the vignettes are "linked" and that the couple walking their dog return in a bar scene but that's insufficient to convey that several characters are recurrent.
    *Skipping a second viewing of Andersson's film today because I don't want to miss something else playing at the same time and because I think picture will eventually be released here.
    *If you're interested (or anyone else of course) the dvd of Songs from a Second Floor, which I watched in a theater, has a full length commentary by Andersson (I plan to listen to it after the fest). It's supposed to be quite revealing and entertaining.
    *Great that Brit TV has shown Iron Ladies, now if only PBS would pick it up. Almost everything else you hear about Africa is so negative.
    Last edited by oscar jubis; 03-03-2008 at 12:06 PM.

  2. #32
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    Yes I Know about the songs I just don't remember if they were dubbed or subtitled or what now. Maybe subtitled, I'm not sure. I do remember getting the meaning of the song in the park, definitely.

    In some ways English film offerings are more interesting than here, and in London the NFT etc. are great. But as I said the Ethiopia movie was shown right here in Oakland last month too.
    Last edited by Chris Knipp; 03-03-2008 at 01:20 PM.

  3. #33
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    Of course you mean the American movie about Liberia playing in Oakland.
    I didn't understand your comment about English film offerings.

    SCRAMBLED BEER from Chile

  4. #34
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    I was referring to the BBC democracy film series in which the Liberia film was included. That was one place where it was shown. The other was in Oakland, right near me.

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  6. #36
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    Rotter's filmmaking is unblinkingly austere, never calling attention to itself.
    This is my main trouble with this review. Nothing calls more attention to itself than unblinking austerity. The film is either annoying or profound or both. But you might have been more convincing, to me anyway, if you'd anticipated and answered some objections to what sounds off-putting and was found to be distinctly so by other commentators online. As a p.o.v. study it might be interesting; but another comment says psychology is lacking throughout. Camus' Meusault was mentioned, also Laurent Cantet's Time Out. You flipflop yourself, starting out by calling this an "unassuming miniature" and then concluding it's "an engrossing and fascinating character study with a superb performance." I find those two descriptions inexplicably ill-matched. "Engrossing and fascinating" implies something more compelling than an "unassuming miniature" is likely to be.
    Hedging your bets a bit?

  7. #37
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    I don't see why an unassuming miniature can't be engrossing and fascinating. The film is very austere in presentation, without any arty flourishes. It's modest, and singularly concentrated on a single character. One watches attentively to every move, every gesture, considers every word. In fact, I think that austerity of presentation and singular focus is potentially more likely to make a film engrossing. There are no bravura shots, unusual angles, incidental music score or color-coordinated sets telling the audience they're watching a piece of cinematic art or making it impossible to forget there's a crew behind the actor.

    The review is my honest opinion of the film not a retort to somebody else's opinion or an analysis of the critical response. One can find something negative being said about any movie by bloggers, critics, etc. But I do acknowledge that: "Some will no doubt find the film a bit too cryptic and tight-lipped". I based that comment on the mixed audience reaction at the festival screening I attended not on anything I read.
    Last edited by oscar jubis; 03-05-2008 at 03:20 AM.

  8. #38
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    This Dutch documentary left me asking for more: IZALINE CALISTER: LADY SINGS THE TAMBU

  9. #39
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    The Other (Argentina)
    I don't see why an unassuming miniature can't be engrossing and fascinating.
    No, there's no reason why it can't. It's just that your review is so deadpan it does not prepare us for the fact that you liked the film. This is a matter of writing, not cinematic standards.
    In fact, I think that austerity of presentation and singular focus is potentially more likely to make a film engrossing.
    I don't think one can really make that generalization. It depends on the movie. A flashy style can be engrossing too, even though it tries to be doesn't mean it must fail.
    The review is my honest opinion of the film not a retort to somebody else's opinion or an analysis of the critical response. One can find something negative being said about any movie by bloggers, critics, etc. But I do acknowledge that: "Some will no doubt find the film a bit too cryptic and tight-lipped". I based that comment on the mixed audience reaction at the festival screening I attended not on anything I read.
    Here again you're saying two slightly opposed things--that you disregarded any outside reaction; that you took account of the "mixed" audience reaction when you saw the film. How important it is to note critical reactions or audience responses in writing a review depends very much on the particular film. If it's obviously likely to sound unappealing to readers, it's worthwhile to take note of that and deal with it as an issue--for readers of your review. Here again I have to remind you sometimes that you are writing for others, and this is not just your personal sort of film-viewing log written only for your own record but something to engage your readers and engage with them and anticipate their questions and responses.

  10. #40
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    IZALINE CALISTER: LADY SINGS THE TAMBU (NETHERLANDS)

    This documentary sounds like something of a misfire, in need of additions and re-editing.

    The Miami Festival blurb describes it as: "A portrait of Izaline Calister, a renowned performer of Curacao's tambu music. .." But since you note
    We watch her discussing her fascination with tambu with a veteran of the genre and Calister's musician father but her attempts to learn it indicate the highly improvisational tambu is not suited to her talents.
    --it seems that the Miami Film Festival publicity staff were deceived by the title. Too often especialy with the big festivals publicity is compiled without actually seeing the films written about. I think she's performed in Indonesia because of its Dutch links; Curacao is in the Dutch Antilles. On her website it says her father was active as a tambu singer. It also says voice problems currently have forced Izaline to cancel concerts, for now. She looks and sounds like a vibrant individual, well worthy of a good documentary that puts her in a fuller context.

    Her site links to a favorable review by Tom Orr on Roots World of one of her recent CDs. Orr gives an idea of Calister's range and appeal as a performer: "She's got a voice for all moods, from a soaring, melodic belt rather like Angelique Kidjo's to an imploring breathiness that gives a poetic shine to the Dutch, Iberian and African roots of the Papiamento language she sings in." Sounds great.

    I note with interest she was in New York last year and gave a series of performances at Joe's Pub, where Stew's Passing Strange got its start, then moved (Passing Strange did, that is) into a main auditorium of the adjoining Public Theater last summer (2007) and now is enjoying a successful run at the Belasco Theater on Broadway where it opened February 28, with excellent reviews. I keep plugging Passing Strange because I think it's really good, rivaling Spring Awakening as a musical that revolutionizes the genre on Broadway.

  11. #41
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    Thanks for the link to the review of Calister's disc. She is indeed worthy of an expanded, feature documentary. Rosalina's doc is good. It just feels incomplete. I discussed the film with the Dutch woman who brought the film to the attention of the programmers and she couldn't refute my contention that the title is deceitful. She invited me to a reception for Ms. Calister and Ms. Rosalina, who are in town, but I'd have to miss a screening or two tomorrow night. It seems like a good guess that the publicity person who wrote the program description of this doc hadn't seen it when he/she wrote it.

    I think my review of The Other is likely to sound appealing only to viewers who'd find the film appealing. The review is a good representation of the kind of film it is, an unadorned, austere single character study in which the behavior of the protagonist is offered without a hint of judgement, interpretation or explanation. It's the type of film festival juries like more than festival audiences hence the type of awards it has gotten and likely will continue to get.

  12. #42
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    This Chinese road movie is a mixed bag but it's anchored by a consistently winning performance: GETTING HOME

  13. #43
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    Delhi-set fable about what truly constitutes wealth:
    AMAL (Canada)
    Last edited by oscar jubis; 03-09-2008 at 12:23 AM.

  14. #44
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    I never saw Zhang Yang's Shower (2000). Somehow he doesn't sound like that good a director to me. As for Amal, I would go to see a movie with Seth and Shah in it, but I can't tell if I'd like the story. The ideas sound hacknied to me. When you say "plot developments" aren't incredulous you mean they aren't incredible. Incredulous can only be used for the attitude of a person not the info itself, which he might be incredulous toward. Incredulity is a state of mind.

  15. #45
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    Thanks buddy, correction made.
    Zhang Yang's Shower and Quitting are better films than Getting Home, which is guilty of overreaching for laughs and pathos. A rental of Shower is advisable.
    I have to report that both Getting Home and Amal seemed to please audiences more than they pleased me. It wouldn't surprise me if both get distribution, especially the Canadian film. Both certainly have reasons to recommend them, mostly performances by veteran actors, milieu, and good production values.

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