media_babe

Hello there, Media Babe here!

For those just coming to visit for the first time, welcome! My name is Mimi, but over the years I have garnered the nickname "Media Babe" for my savvy knowledge of movies, good taste, entertaining re-enactments of movie scenes, and colorful summations. For years I've been told that I should write reviews and that the reviews I write are really good, so here I am ... ummm, writing reviews! My 'credentials' are that I've loved movies of all kinds ever since I was child during the advent of the VCR, I've been working at Scarecrow Video (the coolest video store on the planet!!) for over ten years, and 2010 marks my eighth year working for the Seattle International Film Festival! Needless to say, I love movies and if you're here, then you probably do too!

My current website needs a DRAMATIC (insert hand to forehead here) makeover, so in the meanwhile I'm directing everyone here which is, quite honestly, where all the current stuff is going on anyways! Sadly I'm a little random in my review writing habits. I go totally crazy every year for SIFF and then I just lose my mojo or the impetus or the inspiration or something like that. But I keep on hoping to get better and write reviews for everything that I see both in the theater and on DVD! I try to keep my reviews as spoiler free as much as possible, though if there is something 'spoilerish' that I just MUST rant/rave about, I will put it behind a cut-tag so as not to ruin anything for you purists out there. :-) Please bear in mind that I try to write reviews as soon as possible after seeing a movie and I don't always catch little grammatical errors due to lack of sleep or lack of time. It's not that I don't care, it's just my brain being full of movie still, or the tap running a bit too fast and messy in my eagerness to get it out on the 'page' as it were. ;-) Feel free to point out any mistakes that I make, but please do so kindly. :-)

Thanks for visiting! I hope that you find my reviews helpful, informative and, most of all, enjoyable to read.

Happy movie watching to you all!!

EDIT: A few more movies have been added to the list, including Actresses, Castaway on the Moon, Cell 211, Milke of Sorrow, and Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls! Enjoy!

Here we go! The official selection of SIFF 2010 movies at Scarecrow Video! Per usual, they will likely be adding to this list as the month goes on. I'm in touch with the director of Wheedle's Groove, so I'm hoping to get a copy of that in the near future. ;)

Per usual, here are some terms you might need to know:

PAL = european format. In other words? Unless you have an all-code DVD player (which alters PAL into NTSC) you won't be able to watch this on your TV. You can, however, watch it on your computer, no problem.

Code 2 or 3 or some other #: This means it's an import DVD and unless you have an all-code DVD player, you won't be able to watch it. However, if you have something like VLC on your computer (a free download) you can watch it via that program on your computer. Or so I've been told. I have not yet been successful in this attempt.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1916)
25th Hour
Actresses (Code 3)
Agora (PAL Code 2)
Ahlaam
Air Doll (Code 3)
American History X
Army of Crime (PAL Code 2)
At the End of Daybreak
Bodyguards and Assassins (Blu-ray and Code 3)
Castaway on the Moon (Code 3)
Cell 211 (PAL Code 2)
City of Life and Death (PAL)
Diamond 13 (aka Diamant 13)
Drums Along the Mohawk
Eagle Hunter's Son (PAL Code 2)
Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno (PAL Code 2)
Fight Club
Grease
Head On
K-20: The Fiend with 20 Faces
Katalin Varga (PAL Code 2)
Like You Know it All (Code 3)
Little Big Soldier (Code 3 and standard)
Mediterranean Food (PAL Code 2)
Milk of Sorrow (PAL Code 2)
Mother Joan of the Angels
Mugabe and the White African (PAL Code 2)
My Year Without Sex (PAL Code 4)
Night Train
Nowhere Boy (PAL Code 2)
On the Town
On the Waterfront
Prince of Tears
Princess Lillifee
Riders of the Purple Sage
The River
Samson & Delilah (PAL Code 4)
Senso (VHS tape)
Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll (PAL Code 2)
A Spray of Plum Blossoms
Shadows
Survival of the Dead (PAL Code 2)
The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls
Twisted Roots (PAL Code 2)
The Triplets of Belleville
Upperdog (PAL Code 2)
Vengeance (Code 3 and Blu-ray)
V.O.S. (PAL Code 2)
West Side Story

For those who care about such things, starting this Friday...

Micmacs at the Egyptian!
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work at the Harvard Exit!
Ondine at the Harvard Exit!
Solitary Man at the Metro!
Splice continues to play at the Metro!

Well, it is the last day of SIFF. A day that is both a joyous one (thank God it's over!) and a sad one (whaaaa-aaaa, it's over!) for me.

I did manage to see three movies, bringing me to a total of 86 films this year. Not too bad, considering I was working 30 hours a week toward the end there!

Here are my final three reviews. I think this is the first year that I managed to write reviews for every single movie that I saw. Usually by the last day or so I just poop out and give up. ;)

Vengeance - True to Johnny To's inimitable style, this film is at once terribly brutal and violent, unexpectedly funny and wry, and filled with strange and impressive fire fights with spectacular numbers. A French chef comes to Macao in search of revenge for the brutal attack on his daughter and her family. Once a killer himself, he needs to find some native guides to help him through these unfamiliar streets and contacts. If being a stranger in a strange land wasn't difficult enough, an old injury is making his memory unstable and he's honestly not sure how much longer he'll be able to remember just why exactly he's here. The violence is at one moment abrupt and shocking in its realism and then turns around toward the almost absurdly impossible without so much as batting an eye or offering an apology. And that's just how we like it! It's a thoroughly enjoyable film about the need for revenge and the meaning of honor, and the terrible cost of both.

Thunder Soul- This is without a doubt one of the best films of the Festival. I have never experienced such an intense range of emotions while watching a film as I experienced while watching this one. From nearly the moment it began, I could feel tears leaking from the corners of my eyes, coursing down my cheeks. Tears of pleasure. Tears of joy. Tears of awe. Tears of sadness and hope and inspiration and sheer delight. I have never been moved by a film as I was moved by this one. It documents the rise and fall of an infamous High School Stage Band and their reunion 30 years later to honor their teacher. But it is about so much more than just that. It is a film about the power of one man, one teacher, to touch the lives of his students in ways that go beyond measure. It is a film about standing up in the face of all odds and coming out on top. It is a film about breaking standards, beliefs, and the norm, a film about being the best that you are, putting your heart and soul into what you are doing, and the magic that that sort of energy and power creates. It is a film that is uplifting, inspiring, amazing, exciting, and joyous. It is a film filled with incredible music, incredible people, and more love, courage, and soul than I have ever experienced in my life... until now.

The Wedding Cake - A posh wedding between two families of wealth and position is already darkened with a cloud of impending doom before the priest literally kicks the newlyweds and their entourage out of his church. Each family is full of misfits, discontents, and egotists, the in-laws already at odds with one another, slights and affronts flying left and right beneath the thin veneer of civility. And as the evening continues, doubts and uncertainty continue to rise as the bride and groom each begin to wonder about the other, other relationships falling apart in the background while an old relationship between the grandmother and the priest is rekindled after decades of being apart. Though most of the family is rich, spoiled, and unlikeable, there are a few who remain decent, loving, and good people. It's a romantic comedy that isn't always terribly romantic and in which the humor is often more bitter than sweet.

For those of you who just can't get enough, though, or who missed some really good movies, they've already announced some of the films that will be showing at The Best of SIFF! These will be showing at SIFF Cinema at McCall Hall, of course. ;) I've given them all starred ratings based on my experience of them, or at least of the ones I've seen. Anything in bold is a movie I'm planning to see. Anything in italics is a movie I'm thinking of seeing again!

Friday, June 18th:
2:00 - The Reverse *****
4:30 - Castaway on the Moon ****
7:00 - Hedgehog *****
9:30 - Leaves of Grass

Saturday, June 19th:
11:00 - The Topp Twins - Untouchable Girls ***
1:00 - Ginny Ruffner - A Not So Still Life ***
3:30 - Hipsters ****
6:30 - Nowhere Boy ***
9:00 - Cell 211 *****

Sunday, June 20th:
11:00 - Best of SIFF Shorts
1:00 - Waste Land
3:30 - The Concert ****
6:00 - Mao's Last Dancer ***
8:30 - Marwencol

ZOMG it's the penultimate day of SIFF! Sadly I had to work a lot today, so only one movie for me. *snifflesniff*

Ginny Ruffner: A Not So Still Life - It would be difficult not to be impressed and moved by this documentary. Not only is Ginny Ruffner a brilliantly talented and unique artist, creating innovative works of art in all kinds of media, but she also managed to survive a terrible accident that should have left her crippled and mute and came out walking and talking and still making art. I was unfamiliar with her work, but immediately fell in love with its quirky playfulness, clever inventiveness, and the simple fact that it is intriguingly unique, each piece a bit of a puzzle and a mystery to be solved. She is probably best known for her lamp worked glass pieces that she would then paint, but she is also a painter, draws, and does collaborative work creating designs in metal and glass that other artisans than create and finish for her. The fact that she is able to walk and talk after a tragic car accident left her in a coma for two months is quite a miracle. The fact that she has been able to recapture her career, creating art, is nothing short of amazing. Alas, her skills have been most likely damaged beyond repair. Her ability to create highly realistic paintings or create lamp work seems to be a thing of the past, her art more about her conceptual ideas that other artists then create or simpler works that she is still capable of creating herself.

Under the Mountain - Oh goodness, this movie is bad! It's clearly made for children, but even on that level it fails to work. The storyline is on the level of a grade school audience, but the villains and creepy-crawlies are pretty dang creepy and crawly, more on the level of teenagers, who would likely find the story rather childish. Twins with psychic abilities find themselves in the center of seven mountains and an alien plot to end the world as they discover that they are the only ones who can stop terrible invaders from another planet from destroying everything. And yeah, it's pretty much just as bad as it sounds. The actors for the most part try their best to make something good out of this mess, and sometimes they actually succeed. Sam Neill, the twin sister, and her cousin are in particular good. But the rest for the most part seem to just be muddling through their roles, by turns over and under acting. Weta Workshop ensures that the film's special effects are appropriately creepy and good, but at times the production values seem out of sync with each other. I wouldn't recommend this film unless you have a real fancy for the book the film is based on, or enjoy fantasy movies regardless of the quality.

Protektor - Stylish, intriguing, tragic, and unusual. An up-and-coming glamorous actress in Czechoslovakia finds her life and her career abruptly derailed by the allowed invasion of the Germans. Her husband, who struggled between obscurity and jealousy in the shadow of his beautiful and successful wife, does everything in his power to assure her safety, but gains in turn sudden notoriety and fame. In rebellion, she breaks curfew and spends her days and nights with a young, handsome projectionist while her husband enjoys the attentions of his new position whilst trying to keep his wife under lock and key. It is a fascinating look at how a marriage bends and twists under controlling personal and societal pressures. The playful interplay of stylishly cinematic film effects and scenes juxtaposes against the grim and thoughtful storyline in an unusual and striking way.

This Way of Life - This is a very peculiar sort of film. As a documentary, it really is quite terrible - biased, unfocused, and honestly poses far more questions than it answers. As a film about living a life in balance with nature, it is quite brilliant. A son and his family are forced out of the house that they live in and choose to live out in the wilds of New Zealand. We don't know what the exact issue is between the father and the son, the reason for the animosity between them that leads to this unhappy situation, and more importantly not only is this crucial information left out, but we only get one side of the story. All we understand is that suddenly the house is sold out from underneath the son and his family and in the wake thereof they are badgered and threatened to move out, their house finally burnt down, forcing them to leave. The film that follows, however, is far more interesting and well explored as a topic. We see this family - a husband, wife, and their six children - head out into the wilderness, living in conditions that would likely shock and appall most people, and yet they live fully, joyously, raising horses, riding through the glorious New Zealand landscape, taking only what they need to live and loving each other and their lives to the fullest. This is what makes this movie great. Sadly though the filmmakers' lack of experience shows again and again as more and more questions arise that have no explanation or answers.

Sadly virtually no films for me today save one. I got to see the press screening of Micmacs! Yay!

Micmacs - For Jeunet, the creator of Amelie and A Very Long Engagement, we get a new film that veers more toward the bizarre and the absurd than the previous two. Our hero is a man done terribly wrong by two different weapons companies. The result of their destructive products has placed Bazil in a precarious position in life with nowhere to turn and no place to call home. But when a misfit family of eccentric repairers of abandoned devices takes him in, he finds willing and uniquely talented collaborators in the pursuit of justice and the downfall of these two competitors. With cheerfully quirky circus-like music and the whimsical charm and peculiarities of his new-found family, we are taken on an inventive journey of wits, repurposed equipment, mistaken identities, clever distractions, ribald red herrings, and daring escapades. Although many of the characters remain little more than two-dimensional parts, they are all one-of-a-kind, peculiar, and delightful. There are also some very witty in-jokes to be found. Look for the self-referential billboards that sprout up constantly throughout the film. Though not quite as fantastical and awe-inspiring as the trailer makes it seem (the pace is a great deal more relaxed), this is nonetheless a delightful ride through a festive and exceptional carnival of a film.

Alas, work has been heavier and harder this year and as a result I have had to miss a lot of movies. Last year I managed to see 92 films. This year I'll probably only see about 85-87 I think. I will be going to whatever I haven't seen that plays at the Best of SIFF the weekend after and counting it into my final tally. I might even count in some of the rentals of stuff that Scarecrow has that I missed or chose to skip, knowing they had it already. I'll likely count those in my final tally so maybe, with all of that, I'll make it to 100. Anything is possible. Some would probably think that is cheating, but the way I see it, if I can count press screenings I saw before the festival started, I can count stuff I've seen just after the festival, so long as it's before or during the Best of SIFF thang. ;)

Day 20 was actually yesterday, but I'm doing catch up and am too lazy to change the date, or something...

Love in a Puff - This is a totally charming, funny, and romantic movie with some of the most brilliant moments sprinkled throughout it. The beginning and ending, in particular, are simply genius! It is a little sad that the film as a whole does not manage to keep up that same level of clever writing, playful wit, and whimsy, but I suppose that it would be difficult indeed to manage that sort of perfection throughout the length of a whole movie. Whether you're a smoker or not, you'll enjoy this story of a group of smokers whose affinity for cigarettes creates social connections and relationships that might not ordinary exist. They bond over smoking, stories, and jokes in small legal alcoves set aside for them. Two in particular, one recently single and the other in a long term relationship, find themselves inextricably drawn to each other, and their story is intermixed with those of their fellow smokers. The film is light and playful, with a documentary of said community being filmed and shown throughout the various stories of these crazy people. If you see this movie make sure that you stay through the credits! One of the best parts of the movie occurs about a minute or less into the credits and you definitely don't want to miss that! And if you continue to stay, there is more of the 'documentary' footage that runs all the way to the end of the credits. So stick around!

Today is a first for me. I saw SIX movies! Yow. It was not an easy thing either. There were very tight intervals between two of them where I literally was coming in just seconds before the movies were starting. Much cursing on the road at slow drivers and praying for good parking. If that hadn't been vexing enough, this morning I lost a whole bunch of reviews that I had been working on because my computer decide to lock up on me. Grrrrr! Most vexing!

Ah well, hopefully I can write something halfway decent, though I'm vexed, because I like what I wrote before. Grrr!

Crossing Hennessey - This film is what I call a charmer. It is sweet, entertaining, amusing and, well, charming! A man of 40 is still living "at home" with his aunt, helping out at the family appliance store. Though perfectly content to remain the way he is, he is beleagured by all for his apparent inability to grow up. His mother is obsessed with getting him married and settled and as such she decides to try to arrange a marriage to a nice girl whose parents own a shop across the street. Problem is, neither he nor said girl are interested in getting married to each other. He's discovered that his childhood sweetheart is once again available and she has a boyfriend who is about to be released from jail. So they agree to play along with their parents arrangements to molify them for the time being. Ironically, however, it turns out that they are unexpectedly well suited for one another, with similar interests, humor, and opinions. The most problematic part of this film is that at first it is exceedingly confusing. The conversation is fast and furious and the subtitles simply can't keep up, often disappearing before they can be read. In addition, there is a whole cavalcade of characters whose relationships to one another are not always clear. For a long time I thought his 'aunt' was his wife! Between these two factors, it takes awhile to establish just how everybody is related and connected to one another, let alone what the heck is going on. Once it all falls into place, though, the story is easy to follow and a pleasure to watch.

An Ordinary Execution - Hey, hey, it's my first walk-out of the festival! Whoooo! As you might have guessed, I hated this movie. But I'll admit that it may just be me. Many other people found it well made and fascinating. And I can't argue those points - at least not the well made part. The problem with this film is that it is an endless cavalcade of disaster and despair. Don't get me wrong. I am fully capable of enjoying films brimming over with gloom and doom. But I find that you need to have a variation on the theme at least occasionally, otherwise it starts to feel like a skipping record which after so many repetitions becomes tedious and annoying. A young Russian doctor, with a most unusual ability, finds herself to be the focus of the jealous, lecherous, and cruel attentions of those around her. Her only joy in life is her husband and their passionate love for one another, but even that is marred by their inability to conceive a child. Then, to make matters worse, Stalin learns of her miraculous abilities and makes her his personal physician and, in the course of doing so, deliberately and selfishly destroys her life in the service of his own. His constant regalement of all the horrible things he was doing to those that she loved, supposedly for her benefit, delivered in a voice mild and almost cheerful, was just an endless litany of pointless pain and suffering. I honestly began to wonder just how Russia remained as populated as it did during that time. If most lives were as miserable as hers, I'm surprised that they didn't all commit suicide. Eventually I came to realize that watching this film was its own kind of torture and as such I finally left.

Miss Nobody - This is one of those totally fluffy, cute, silly movies. Nothing more, but certainly nothing less. A young naive woman, hoping to make her way up the corporate ladder by means fair finds that the competition and manipulation of her superiors requires her to lean toward ways foul. After an accident leads to her advancement, she soon discovers that the way to the fast track is to be a determined and conniving as your co-workers, but her faith in St. George, and his supposed support of her efforts, convinces her that even when she's doing wrong, she's doing right. It's the perfect mindless summer movie, with wacky wicked hijinks and murder abounding. I was pleased by the ending though, which is both ironic and up to the audience's interpretation to decide what actually happens.

Little Big Soldier - For all of you who watched Jackie Chan back in the day, before he had been truly 'discovered' and was making great movies with amazing stunt work, this film is a refreshing return to the good old days of yore. Alas, Jackie is older now and as a result his ability to do stunts is greatly reduced from what it was. But as acting stunt director for the film, that doesn't mean that there aren't some great stunts in this film. More importantly, however, is the return to Jackie's trademark sense of humor in his movies. A Liang soldier survives a terrible battle and managed to capture the Gao general who is, unbeknownst to him, also the eldest son of the king. Hoping for a great reward of 5 acres, he drags his unwilling captive back to Liang. But their way is hampered by a brother who wants to succeed to the throne, soldiers, thieves, wild warriors, and, of course, his captive. Though an action film with humor, there is no small amount of thoughtful concepts and serious moments as well, some of them quite beautiful and uplifting. Not the best Jackie Chan, or Hong Kong film, by a long shot, but the best Jackie Chan film to come along in a loooooong time. It is a solidly fun, interesting, entertaining, and engaging movie. It was a real treat to see the old-school outtakes and accidents during the credits. Siiiiiiiigh! Makes me nostalgic for the good old days, watching Jackie in his prime at the Varsity.

Reverse - Though the meaning of the title utterly eludes me, this movie was simply fantastic. A strange sort of mystery, thriller, adventure family film about three women - mother, daughter, and grandmother - living in Poland during Stalin's reign. Shot is exquisitely expressive black & white, the lighting, shadows, and look of the film flirts outrageously with the film noir style. Our heroine harkens to a sweet and fragile Mia Farrow, but sans her rather annoying voice. Desperate for love, she works at a periodical publisher in the poetry department, dreaming of meeting a wonderful man but despairing of it. Her mother and grandmother fret over her impending spinster-hood and try to hook her up with men of good standing character, but to no avail. All seems lost till one night, when a tall, dark stranger rescues her from some would be muggers. Swept off her feet by his charm and good looks, she doesn't realize until too late the trap that she has been ensnared within. The film is a bit odd at times, flashing back and forth occasionally to the future, though the past dominates the storyline. It isn't until the ending that the future flashes finally make sense and become an integral part of the movie. But all in all, the film is just a delight. Visually wonderful, delightfully dark, with amazing performances that are a testimony to the strength, power, and wit of women. Definitely in the top ten of the festival.

The Two Horses of Genghis Khan - Made by the same director as The Story of the Weeping Camel this film is slightly more accessible as it follows a beautiful young Mongolian woman on her journey from Inner Mongolia to Outer Mongolia. Her quest is two fold - to have her grandmother's violin, dismantled during the Uprising, restored to its former glory and to track down the missing lyrics and song that was carved into the neck of her said instrument. But as she travels, visiting villages, cities, and yurts, she can only find people who have heard of this famous song, but know one who knows it. An accomplished singer herself, much of the film is filled with her beautiful voice, the perfect soundtrack for her search. It is a slow and patient film, reflecting in many ways the slow and patient world that these people live in. It is astoundingly beautiful on a multitude of levels - visually, musically, and emotionally. Urna's journey through places, her connection to the people around her, and her love and devotion to honoring her grandmother's last wishes are truly inspiring and heartwarming.