MIFF Day 7

An Island Calling

Documentary about the murder of John Scott, director of the Fijian Red Cross. He was instrumental in caring for the hostages in George Speight's abortive coup. What would initially seem to be a politically motivated crime turns into a disturbing look into homosexual culture in Fiji. The murderer was one of many younger men who had sex with John and his partner. But mix in fundamentalist religion and mental agitation and it was explosive. Ultimately an uncomfortable experience, as the lines blur and the good and bad in everyone involved is explored against a backdrop of political, religious and racial tension in Fiji.

A Complete History of my Sexual Failures

Sometimes honesty is more an excuse for self-indulgence it seems. Or self-flagellation. An incredibly funny look at one slacker filmmaker who has been dumped by every girl he's ever dated. And he never bothered to question why until now. The answers reveal a self-involved loser who is always late and never gives any consideration to other people. Which probably explains why he'd make a film about himself like this. That said, it's hysterically funny and a great manual on how not to treat people you claim to love.

Wendy and Lucy

A quiet story about Wendy and her dog Lucy, trying to get to Alaska because the word is that there's work going up there. But her car breaks down, she gets arrested for shoplifting and Lucy goes missing while she's at the police station. So she tries to find Lucy again. A film of moments, gentle human interactions that display a deep love for a failed humanity.

MIFF Day 6

I Think We're Alone Now

Two stalkers, both obsessed with 80s pop star Tiffany, get their stories told. And they're very sad, unhappy stories of delusion and hope. Both of them think Tiffany is the answer to their misery, the solution to all their problems. And it's awful to watch. The pain that one of them goes through because she knows Tiffany is married, but believes she can be happy once she and Tiffany are together. And the other stalker is just scary, a man who believes Tiffany has the ability to time travel and uses psychotronic apparatus to stay in psychic contact with her. The film also paints a sad picture of Tiffany herself, now doing gigs in Vegas in what seem to be the seedier venues, and going to conventions of porn stars and models to sign copies of her Playboy centrefolds. Overall, it's a very bleak view of humanity, with a decided ethical question as it becomes clear that the filmmakers are manipulating their subjects to get a good performance out of them. Their prodding reveals how closely held their delusions are, but what purpose does it serve when it's already blindingly obvious? A troubling film on many levels.

MIFF Day 5

The English Surgeon

A great documentary about an English brain surgeon who also works in the Ukraine, helping one of his counterparts there to advance the state of neurosurgery there. An understated character study of a man who is incredibly gifted, but has to wrestle with the fact that he makes life and death decisions for people on a daily basis.

Anvil! The Story of Anvil

I'm still waiting for someone to jump out and say it's all a hoax. But apparently it's not. But this story of a metal band who almost made it, didn't, and kept on going for 30 years anyhow feels like a scam. I mean, the drummer's name is Robb Reiner, how much of a coincidence is that? Still, it doesn't matter, the film is great and a wonderful testament to the never-say-die attitude of the vast majority of artists who never make a cent from their art, but do it anyway because if they didn't, they would stop being who they are. A good film about the cost of following your dreams.

The Night James Brown Saved Boston

VH1 doco about the night after Martin Luther King was assassinated. Riots were destroying huge sections of major cities, and Boston looked to be in for the same. Then they televised James Brown in concert, and everyone stayed home to watch him. It launched him into a political arena he'd avoided, but he rose to the challenge. It's not the most well-made of documentaries, its focus is a bit diffuse, trying to say too many things at once without enough structure to support all the different voices. But it's a good record of something that proved pivotal in turning away the violence that broke out on the streets following Dr King's murder.

MIFF Day 4

Animation (With Dogs)

A great collection of short animations, a few turds in the bunch but overall great.

Katyn

A thoroughly depressing film about a Soviet war crime in Poland, where 12,000 officers of the Polish Army were murdered and buried in mass graves. The USSR refused to acknowledge the crime and blamed the Germans after the war. The film tells the pain of a people forced to live a lie or face brutal repercussions. Brilliant filmmaking, but almost numbing in the horror of how a terrible crime against a people can continue to be perpetrated day after day after day.

Not Quite Hollywood

About bloody time! Finally a documentary that tells the tale of all those brilliant, bawdy and bloody Aussie films that nobody really talks about. Things like The Man from Hong Kong, Turkey Shoot, Patrick and the gazillion others that are out there. It's great to see a film that finally pays tribute to the other face of Australian cinema. You know, the one where the film is actually fun to watch...

MIFF Day 3

Trumbo

An insightful portrait of a most impressive man. I knew he was one of the Hollywood Ten, blacklisted for refusing to say if he was or was not a communist. I knew he wrote Johnny Got His Gun, which is a pretty amazing piece of literature. But I didn't know so much, and this film, based on a stage play written by his son, tells so much of the horrors of that time in history. Prison, living in Mexico, the torments suffered by his family and friends. That he remained such a big personality through things that are designed to crush a man is inspiring.

Ploy

A couple wrestle with the possibility that they are no longer in love with each other, or possibly just that they can't admit to it for reasons they find too hard to explain. A dreamlike film of love, lies and the horror of living your life inside your own head.

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired

A film that tells the most complete version of the notorious trial of Roman Polanski for child molestation. A well balanced film that shows up the tactics of some of the people defending Polanski to be nothing more than victim-blaming, while also showing the abuse Polanski himself suffered at the hands of a star-struck Judge who loved the spotlight more than he loved the law. It depicts a complex situation, but never ignores the fact that a crime was been committed.

Johnny Mad Dog

A harsh depiction of life as a child soldier in Africa. Worse for the fact that it shows that such tactics can succeed, and the lies that are told to keep these things going. Starring former child soldiers in the roles, it's a disturbing film about things going on right now. If you're not upset by it, you're not really paying attention.

Hold me tight, Let me go

A documentary about a boarding school for emotionally troubled youngsters. The kids in the film are aged between 7 and 9, and they're kids that have never learned how to behave in a normal way. 108 staff to 40 kids gives an indication of how difficult and violent these kids are. It's an amazingly encouraging film, to see people who refuse to give up on kids despite their best efforts to hurt everyone around them. Though I find myself wishing the same tactics they use were acceptable management techniques in the workplace...

Dawn of the Dead

Romero's classic. I've never seen it before. Big screen was a good way to start. It deserves its status.

MIFF so far...

Kate Bush: Under Review

Bad bad bad. Or maybe just disappointing. They grabbed nobody with any real connection to her, or insight into her music. Except for one of the original session musicians, and they didn't let him talk much. Ordinary.

Son of Rambow

Excellent. A great coming-of-age story about two kids in school growing up through acting out their imaginations. Really heartfelt and beautiful.

Idiots and Angels

Bill Plympton being a little less despairing of people than usual, by being more brutal than usual. A story about a man who grows wings that force him to do good, even though he's such an ugly person that he really doesn't want to. A cool story about the battle between love and hate that rages inside.

Ben X

Emotionally intense story of an autistic schoolboy brutalised by the other kids at school and the escape he finds in online games. But when the bullying moves online too, it just becomes even more intense. A surprising film, it wrongfoots you in some of the most wonderful ways.

Cargo 200

Just depressing. Based on real events, it just leaves you horrified that people can be so awful to each other. Russia in the 80s wasn't a pretty place if this story is anything to go by.

Diary of the Dead

George Romero has fun with zombies, and manages a fair amount of commentary of bloggers, citizen journalism and the signal to noise ratio of such endeavours, as well as the usual sad reality of the descent of people in extremis. Awesome zombie deaths too.