Minneapolis International Film Festival

Went to Minneapolis for the ACRL conference. We were quite happy to realize we had landed right in the middle of the Minneapolis International Film Festival. First night there, we didn’t know this yet, and we headed out to one of Minneapolis’ two Landmark theatres (sigh) to see Melinda and Melinda. I liked it a lot, thought it was one of the best Woody Allen movies of recent times, but the framing device in this one bugged me.

While there, we saw the promotional materials for the festival and were able to catch two of the festival films while we were in town. There were lots more we wanted to see but we’d either already missed them or they were slated for after our departure.

We saw Eros, which we really liked. I loved the Wong Kar Wai segment, even though it was certainly similar to some of his other works. I also thought the Steven Soderbergh piece was amusing. I didn’t think the Michaelangelo Antonioni piece was great, although I didn’t hate it like most critics seemed to. I didn’t get the myth angle, although the case made by my husband sold me on the interpretation (see his entry on Eros at his blog).

We also saw Seventh Heaven, which is an older film made by Benoit Jacquot. We didn’t realize it wasn’t a new one, but we’d never seen it. Jacquot was actually there, as he was the featured director of the festival. He introduced the film by saying he’d made 7 or 8 since then and he couldn’t really remember it clearly. He told an amusing, rambling anecdote about the lead actors marrying after making the movie, although they had since divorced. At the end, many people were waiting in their seats, apparently expecting him to comment or something. One of the organizers ran down the aisle to announce that Jacquot had already left to go back to his hotel to go to sleep (the showing began at 9:40, so maybe he was justified). This became even funnier when my husband mentioned he himself had been sleeping during most of the movie. It was not the most compelling of films. Very subtle. Too subtle, perhaps.

Overall, this looked like a very strong festival. May have to go back sometime for it. Made me also very nostalgic for the French Film Festival held at the Cable Car Theatre in Providence each year. Much happier out here in the west, but I do miss having access to a large number of international films.

Movies in March

Garden State – a lot of potential here, a little too much of the director/writer’s personality in this, but an interesting story.

Gorgeous– as the friend who loaned it to us described it, a romantic comedy disguised as a Jackie Chan action film; started slow, got better, but it was hard to buy Chan as the romantic interest. Tony Leung does quite a number as the flamboyant gay character; a very different portrayal of a gay man than his role in say,
Happy Together.

Hotel Rwanda – an important film which brought back memories for us, as we were acquainted with a woman from Rwanda at graduate school at the time of the genocide. For me, I can never forget the night the MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour accidentally showed live footage of a beheading; Lehrer was as shaken as the viewers. Don Cheadle proves his versatility in playing a more serious role, portraying a gentle man who wants to save people, be they Hutu or Tutsi.

Die Another Day – a Bond we hadn’t seen before, all the cheesiness of the Bond films is here, although Brosnan does quite a good job as 007.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil – holds up pretty well; interesting performances from Cusack and Spacey.

Anchorman – funny in parts but ruined by the bathroom humor and a stupid ending.

Sweet and Lowdown – one of our favorite Woody Allen films; what a performance from Samantha Morton.

Four Weddings and a Funeral – another re-run, holds up well, parts of it are just hysterical. Not a big Mr Bean fan, but Rowan Atkinson as the nervous novice performing the wedding continues to be a comic highlight.

The Cooler – Alec Baldwin does the creepy role quite well. Maybe liked this better the first time I saw it.

Chronicles of Riddick – enjoyable sci-fi. Pitch Black is a fave.

Angels in America – went on a bit long for me and got a little too politically preachy, but overall, quite good. Pacino as Roy Cohn – wow. Meryl Streep’s multiple roles were also quite astounding. The interplay between Streep as the ghost of Ethel Rosenberg and Cohn could have made the whole movie. Jeffrey Wright deserves so much more recognition than he gets. He also plays multiple roles with great dexterity.

Hollywood Ending – ah, Woody. This one was so much better than the few before it, but I’m left pining for the earlier works.

Immortal Beloved – hadn’t seen this in years, even better than I remembered. An excellent performance and a heartbreaking story.

Sweet and LowdownAlice et Martin – I liked this better this time, but still will never be one of my favorites.

Napoleon Dynamite – what a quirky film. Painfully brutal treatment of the characters, spent the movie alternately laughing and cringing. Loved the dance scene, though.

She Hate Me – the critics hated this one, but they missed the boat. This movie is hysterical.

Igby Goes Down – What a portrait of a dysfunctional family.

The Forgotten - Glad we didn’t see this one in the theatre. Cheesy! Hard not to laugh at the Monty Python-esque removal of people by the bad guys.

Place Vendome – Catherine Denueve plays an alcoholic who gets her life together after her husband dies and she discovers his secrets.

The Matrix – I love this movie. I continue to argue that it is a complete film and that the sequels were a travesty.

Diabolique – We know this one so well we can quote the dialogue along the way. One of my favorite noir thrillers.

Ray – glad to see this finally. I think Jamie Foxx just may have deserved his Oscar. The musical performances were kick-ass.

Silence of the Lambs – remains one of the creepiest movies ever made. The suspense of the door knocking scene in the final sequence gets me every time.

Alfie – ironically, this Netflix selection arrived the same day that the Boondocks cartoon mentioned the movie. When asked if they should buy the film, a character responds “only if it comes with a refund and an apology” or something to that effect. Well, we watched it anyway, and since we didn’t specifically pay for it, we’ll pass on the refund, but we’re still waiting for the apology.

Wizards – had trouble keeping my attention up during this one; very odd Ralph Bakshi sci fi feature where a future world is threatened by neo-Nazis.

Facing Windows – an interesting story of an unhappy woman who, along with a neighbor, ends up taking care of an older man with amnesia.