MIFF 2018 - Day 12

Big Fish & Begonia

A beautifully animated Chinese fantasy film. I wonder if it's meant to serve as propaganda, warning children who go overseas to study to remember not to bring "destructive" ideas back with them. There's a lot of moralising about how bringing something from the outside world will destroy your life and your entire community. That aside though, it's a gorgeous and fun film.

Lu Over The Wall

A brilliant and weird mermaid tale. Animated in a way that reminded me of Mind Game, it covers similar ground to Ponyo, but in a far more interesting way. One of my favourites this festival. Also, I want a merdog.

1%

Well, this was a surprise. Viscerally filmed, this Aussie biker movie grabs your attention and holds it right the way through. It's grim and nasty, sometimes in ways that feel a bit cheap, but it's playing to its genre. The end I'm a little bit iffy on, but not enough to say I didn't like it. A solid ride.

Happy Sad Man

A great documentary exploring men's mental health. The different men speak to a range of issues and their families also speak on how they manage too. It's a great film to get people talking as well as increasing understanding.

Thoroughbreds

Another one for the genre of "stage plays turned into movies that feel like stage plays". The dialogue is cracking, and the ground it covers is really interesting. Does being a sociopath automatically make you a bad person? This says no, in a really engaging way. Great performances and witty dialogue make for a great night at the theatre.