Sunday, August 5, 2012

MIFF 2012: Day Two

Robot and Frank 11am @ the Forum

Kyle's review based on the title alone: Classic buddy film with a Sci-Fi twist. Robot is a wise-cracking cop who lives on the edge, while Frank is a hardline veteran cop, just five days away from retirement. 4/5 Melvin Gibsteins.

According to IMDB: "Set in the near future, an ex-jewel thief receives a gift from his son: a robot butler programmed to look after him. But soon the two companions try their luck as a heist team." 

What DeeDee thought: Kyle wasn't toooooo far off, I guess. This was a perfect 11am film, got me all chuffed & warmed up for the day. Frank Langella does grumpy old man well. Nice twist near the end. The robot stock footage sequence that played with the end credits was farking rad. 

Room 237 1:30pm @ Greater Union

Kyle's review based on the title alone: All the guests who have stayed in Room 237 over the years have died in mysterious & shocking ways. Writer Joan Cusack is eager to explore what mysteries lie in the room. Enjoyable, but I feel like I’ve seen it before. 2/5 boomboxes.

According to IMDB: "A subjective documentary that explores the numerous theories about the hidden meanings within Stanley Kubrick's film The Shining"

What DeeDee thought: This wasn't quite what myself (and I suspect, most of the crowd) were expecting. The interviewees were kooky & most of their theories were beyond a stretch, but there was the odd one that made me go "awww yeah, slightly plausible, I guess...". For the sheer 'nice try' factor, I liked the minotaur theory best. I like people being passionate about whatever it is they dig, so I liked this. Kooks are good.


Monsieur Lazhar 4pm @ Greater Union

Kyle's review based on the title alone: France’s answer to Jerry Seinfeld wanders around the streets of Paris commenting on what he sees. “Who ARE zeees people?”. 2/5 Newmans.

According to IMDB: "At a Montréal public grade school, an Algerian immigrant is hired to replace a popular teacher who committed suicide in her classroom. While helping his students deal with their grief, his own recent loss is revealed."

What DeeDee thought: Fuck. I don't know why it didn't click in my head properly that this was a 'troubled teacher & students learn non-academic life lessons from each other' movie when I booked this. Just not my bag. Every time the crowd laughed at some cutesy/sweet moment between the teacher and a kid, my cold, dead heart shuddered. I wish it had've been Kyle's movie instead.

Kyle's review based on the title alone: Serge Gainsbourg detailing all the women that he’s slept with, while Jane Birkin  sits next to him & shifts uncomfortably in her seat. A compelling portrait of a musical genius & renowned libertine. 5/5 Je T’aimes.

According to MIFF: "Constructed using footage and audio recorded by Gainsbourg himself, Gainsbourg by Gainsbourg is essentially a posthumous autobiography. It’s the story of a boy growing up in tumultuous times, his obsession with art and sex, and the power he finds in his own incredibly unique voice."

What DeeDee thought: Fairly unnecessary doco spliced together using clips you could find on youtube. The way it was constructed meant that you really needed some prior knowledge of Gainsbourg's life (which I thankfully have) to understand the context of what you were seeing at times. Screening before it was a 40 min film by Jane Birkin made using old home movies they made together. It was sweet, but Birkin's Play School presenter narration was really off-putting at times "Oh look, there's Charlotte...and there's Serge...isn't he beautiful?". What was interesting about the session was that both films presented completely different sides of Serge.


The Legend of Kaspar Hauser 9pm @ Greater Union

Kyle's review based on the title alone: A playful homage to everyone’s favourite friendly ghost & everyone’s favourite teenage doctor. Kaspar Hauser is a delight from start to finish. “There’s no law in here saying a teenage ghost can’t practice medicine!”. 3/5 plausible premises.

According to IMDB: "Arriving on a deserted beach in the Mediterranean sea, in a time and a place unspecified, Kaspar Hauser is forced to confront the evil of a Grand Duchess who feels threatened by the power she exercises over the community."

What DeeDee thought: Many walkouts during this one! The trailer had suckered me in weeks ago & I'd been looking forward to it muchly. Batshit crazy techno western awesomeness with a bitchin' soundtrack. Loved it. Favourite so far.
 
V/H/S 11:30pm @ Greater Union


Kyle's review based on the title alone: A Korean version of Be Kind Rewind. Korean Jack Black isn’t very funny. And also not fat enough. 1/5 Erins.

According to IMDB: "When a group of misfits is hired by an unknown third party to burglarize a desolate house and acquire a rare VHS tape, they discover more found footage than they bargained for."

What DeeDee thought: Kyle came to this one with me & was disappointed it wasn't Korean, but still had a good time. I was approaching that giggling, wide-eyed delirious stage of over-tiredness at this point, so I enjoyed this. Some dud segments, but you get that with anthology movies/tv shows. Rather women-hatin', as many people have noted on twitter.

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