2013 Sydney Underground Film Festival Diary Days 1 & 2

Thursday September 5

Fighting off a wave of tiredness brought on by the day job, I made my way to the Factory Theatre in Marrickville on Thursday for the opening night of the 2013 Sydney Underground Film Festival. This setting is perfect for a festival such as this. With a wealth of weird, wild indie features and controversial documentaries, I embraced this challenge and set out to take full advantage of the opportunity to catch some of the talk-of-the-town films that screened recently in Melbourne. Drinks and pizza were supplied and consumed and we made our way into Cinema 1, the largest, for Alejandro Jodorowsky’s The Dance of Reality.

 

REVIEW: The Dance of Reality

As you watch a film like El Topo, one of the many questions you ask yourself is: what sort of person could have made this film? Well, in The Dance of Reality, the expectedly bonkers return of veteran Chilean auteur Alejandro Jodorowsky to the screen for the first time since 1990, we are privileged to an autobiographical insight (with many an imaginative, mythological twist) into his childhood and family. While the crazy genius has remained a mystery for some time, I wonder how much we really learn about him in this film, and how much has been augmented to keep up the grand illusion of his life. In the realm of Jodorowsky, responsible for some of the most searing cinematic images I have ever seen – his films are an example of gluttonous surrealism, indulgent but calculated – this is actually pretty accessible. Having said that, he doesn’t skimp on the strange stuff.

Continue reading this review, and check out reviews from Day 2 (Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction and Magic Magic) at Graffiti With Punctuation. 

Review: Drinking Buddies (Joe Swanberg, 2013)

Olivia Wilde and Jake Johnson (perfectly cast) star as Kate and Luke, inseparable friends and co-workers who could be more. Their respective personal lives – Luke is discussing marriage with his long-time girlfriend, while Kate is in the midst of another relationship that looks set to fail – and their many a shared beer, complicate matters, however. Joe Swanberg’s observant, funny, relatable and quite brilliant comedy/drama intricately examines male-female friendships, the everyday behaviour of likeable white middle class individuals and the emotional strain that stems from their various relationships.

I believe that Drinking Buddies is the first film from the prolific writer/director, who has made cameo appearances in several films this year, to screen here in Australia. A big shout out to the team at the Possible Worlds Festival of Canadian and American Cinema for bringing the film to the 2013 program. I hope it receives a cinema release so more people can see this exceptional film. If you enjoyed Lynn Shelton’s Your Sister’s Sister, which stars Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt and Rosemarie DeWitt, I feel you will adore Drinking Buddies.

Continue reading at Graffiti With Punctuation. 

Trailer: Patrick (In Cinemas October 24)

A new trailer for the Australian psychological thriller, Patrick, a remake of the 1970's cult classic starring Charles Dance, Rachel Griffith, Sharni Vinson, has been released online.

The film will release in Australian cinemas nationally on 24 October 2013.

After the mysterious disappearance of a nurse at a remote private clinic, Kathy (Sharni Vinson) takes up the vacant role at the mysterious ‘Roget Clinic’, a private hospital for the clinically comatose in a remote seaside town. Kathy is placed under the imperious watch of Matron Cassidy (Rachel Griffiths) and Dr. Sebastian Roget (Charles Dance) a renegade neurologist operating at the fringes of medical society.

Despite her strong sense of foreboding and the dismal working conditions, Kathy is desperate to take up the post and overlooks the eeriness of the ward and the disturbing patients that reside there. She is soon assigned to care for a mysterious coma patient, who is simply known to staff as Patrick. Before long it becomes apparent that Patrick’s affections for Kathy turn into a deadly and bloody obsession.

Monthly Round-Up: August Viewing

In August I watched a total 38 films.

New to me (In Order of Preference)

Eyes Wide Shut (Stanley Kubrick, 1999) - Perhaps my favourite 'new' film this year. I had watched it previously - in the vicinity of 10 years earlier - so treated it as a fresh view. Amazing big screen experience. Intriguing, beautiful and unnerving, it has been haunting my dreams ever since.

Naked (Mike Leigh, 1993) - Raw, disturbing and exhilarating character-driven portrait of social alienation and erratic non-conformity. Thewlis won Best Actor and Leigh Best Director at Cannes - as if they were ever in doubt - and the score is amazing.

Drugstore Cowboy (Gus Van Sant, 1989) - My new favourite from Van Sant. Stylish, honest and inspiring redemption tale from routine crime/drug addiction. Matt Dillon great.

Hannah and Her Sisters (Woody Allen, 1986) - Fantastic. I wasn't sure for a while whether the Woody segments were necessary, but it all came together beautifully.

The Purple Rose of Cairo (Woody Allen, 1985) - Fun. The circumstantial leap of a screen character to manifested romantic reality created thorough investment. Farrow adorable.

Broadway Danny Rose (Woody Allen, 1984) - Loved it! One of my favourite of Woody's personal creations so far, and great to see Mia Farrow in a very different role.

Drinking Buddies (Joe Swanberg, 2013) - Olivia Wilde and Jake Johnson (perfect) are friends who could be more. Their own complex personal lives complicate matters. Brilliant and relatable.

The Best Offer (Guiseppe Tornatore, 2013)

Zelig (Woody Allen, 1983) - An amusingly authentic, technically brilliant mockumentary - a fascinating study of bizarre psychological malady, social conformity and celebrity. Some parts weren't as engaging as others, but Woody continues to surprise.

Beyond the Hills (Christian Mungiu, 2012)

La Playa D.C (Juan Andres Arango Garcia, 2012)

--------- Essential Viewing ---------

August Mini Reviews Part 2 - Pain and Gain, Upstream Color, Red 2 and Paranoia.

Pain and Gain (August 8) - If idiotic American Dream-blinded gym junkies murdered and ripped off millionaires and were given an excessive amount of cash to recreate it through a film and tell the events entirely how they wanted, then this would be the film. That is Bay's idea I guess, but this vile, ridiculous and criminally overlong film soon becomes very grating. But, in the scheme of things, it might still rank as one of Bay's better films. The many montages are effective at times and some of the harebrained behaviour is so stupid that it is hard not to laugh at these admittedly well-developed boof-heads and at Bay's decisions. Dwayne Johnson, who stars as born-again recovering drug addict who quotes Christian dogma and at one point shows off his skills with a barbecue, is excellent.

Many an audience member will be alienated from the get-go as Mark Wahlberg's Daniel Lugo, a buff motormouth South Beach personal trainer who wants his taste of the American Dream - the one he doesn't earn, but steals from other scumbags - takes on the mantra of a sneering self-help guru. He vows to become a 'doer' instead of a 'don'ter'. I wish someone was advising Bay on what 'not' to do. Lugo enlists two of his steroided gym pals - Johnson and Anthony Mackie - to help him rip off one of his clients, a businessman who isn't shy about mouthing off about his wealth. They kidnap him, hold him hostage and torture him until he signs away his possessions. Then they try and kill him. That fails, and though he survives and lives to tell the tale no one believes such an outrageous story. Who would right? Hmm.

As the rampant indulgence increases, both within the film and in the nature of Bay's pummeling visual style, so does the abhorrent, immoral behaviour. The disposal of a pair of victims to the trio's greedy recurring scheme, which becomes necessary after they squander their first haul on things like drugs and an operation to repair the effects of drug-indulgence, is nasty and in complete opposition to the accompanying attempts at humour. I don't think any scene involving Rebel Wilson (who becomes the unlikely wife of Mackie's character) was required at all, either. Even though Bay has satirised his own mode of filmmaking - one loses count of the amount of shots designed to capture the actors' hulking figures from below to make them look bigger - this doesn't help me accept this brash hedonism. Bay has been making serious money for years because he followed a similar mantra. There's an audience for it, but I have given up. ★1/2

Upstream Color (August 22) - An extraordinary film I know I will have to watch again (and again, perhaps) to fully appreciate. Though it is more accessible and easier to decipher than Shane Carruth’s 2005 mind bender, Primer, this still took a lot of effort to remain attentive amidst SFF fatigue. At once a science fiction dealing with complex biological and existential themes, questioning the connection of all organisms within the universe, and a mysterious, ill-fated romance, this is a dense, layered story that probes into the depths of the mind like few other films this year. Carruth is repeatedly credited for Upstream Color – he writes, directs, stars, edits, scores and markets the film – which is a work of grand scale indie filmmaking, bringing an idea to an audience solely and uniquely. Beautifully shot, scored, edited and performed it is the sensory trip that makes it a worthy experience, while the mind-melting but emotionally stirring narrative arcs will have you craving an immediate re-watch. ★★★★

Red 2 (August 29) - While it is clear that the cast of likable veterans are having a lot of fun - except for Willis, who could not have cared less - this understandable but unnecessary sequel to the surprise hit Red (2010) is a mediocre globe-hopping action affair. When a nuclear device from a past CIA op falls into the wrong hands, this band of jaded retirees are called into action. Full of location tags, establishment shots, and visits to some of the world's prime secret service hotspots (every visit to Moscow has to involve an infiltration of the Kremlin, the prime spot to hide a nuclear weapon, apparently), this lackadaisical plot offers a few surprises - shifting allegiances et al. - but lacks any inventiveness. Mirren, Malkovich and Hopkins have some of the best lines, but they are few and far between. The humour is awkwardly absent for large portions of the run time, the relationship dynamic between Willis and Parker didn't ignite any laughs, and the gun-crazy methods of Lee Byung-Hun's 'world's best' contract killer were peculiar. In Red there was something about the ridiculous antics of these veterans that made for a moderately pleasurable experience. Here, similar ground is covered but it all felt somewhat bland. ★★

Paranoia (September 5) - What more can be said about Paranoia. Its bomb at the U.S Box Office has been in the media and despite the attractive cast of both youngsters (Liam Hemsworth, Amber Heard) and veterans (Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman), there are few qualities to praise here. It is simply a bad film. It is not an offensively bad one, but as I watched this bafflingly clumsy, cliche-ridden, often implausible corporate espionage thriller I couldn't help but feel sorry for it. With the exception of the rival companies trying to outweigh one another with a new brand of smart phone, this film adds absolutely nothing new to the genre, and isn't particularly clever nor entertaining on any level.

There is a sequence near the beginning when the lead character, Adam Cassidy (Hemsworth), and his friend (Lucas Till) try and get into a high end bar/night club. Not dressed appropriately, they aren't let in. The bouncer declares that he doesn't let in 'hipsters' or 'virgins'. THIS, for these smug mid-20-somethings, is the absolute end of the world. A sign that they are never ever going to make it. A reality check that their entry-level position at their company (which probably still pays handsomely) is unsatisfying. Adam lives with his father (Richard Dreyfuss) who is ill, but he can't afford to contribute to his hospital bills. Adam presents his team's latest invention to the board but their director (Oldman) throws it back in his face before firing his whole team, for no reason. Adam decides to takes this final opportunity to rack up a multi-thousand dollar bill on the corporate credit card - not by helping his father - but to get into that club and get drunk with his friends. His life is over, he might as well get a taste of the 'high life'. But, it is this incredible insolence that in-turn prompts his director to poach him for the undercover espionage mission to steal a rival prototype. Then things just get silly.  

Paranoia doesn't ever engage, the characters are thinly drawn, the performances are either blank and uncharismatic or outrageously overblown, just about every sequence feels like it has been recycled - falling for the girl when you're working undercover for the rival company, hacking her PC while she is in the shower for key intel, getting invited out to a lavish  private party after your first day and schmoozing in the office of the big boss (Ford) - and every heavy-handed plot turn can be predicted. ★

Revisiting the 2013 Blockbuster Season

I am going to start the Blockbuster Season - a term that's hard to define, but I am going with April-August 'Wide Release' - with Oblivion (April 11) and end it with Red 2 (August 29). Still upcoming we have White House Down, a couple of animated films - Turbo and Planes - and Thor: The Dark World so there are big-budget studio productions and family-oriented films screening all year round.

Excellent (4-4.5) - Oblivion, Iron Man 3, Pacific Rim, This is the End, The Conjuring and The World's End.

Decent (3-3.5) - Star Trek Into Darkness, The Internship, World War Z, Despicable Me 2, Monster's University, Epic, Now You See Me and We're the Millers.

Eh (2-2.5) - Snitch, The Great Gatsby, Man Of Steel, The Lone Ranger, The Heat, The Wolverine, Elysium, Red 2.

Ugly (0.5-1.5) - Olympus Has Fallen, The Hangover Part III, Pain and Gain, Kick-Ass 2.

My main challenge here was determining what constituted a 'Blockbuster'. I tossed up whether to include The World's End, which actually takes top honors here, but the Twitter community seemed to be the consensus in claiming that it was. At the beginning of the season, around the time when Iron Man 3 was released, it seemed like there was a larger-than-normal lineup of blockbusters. But, emerging on the other side, I'm not sure it can be called a strong blockbuster period.

As I listed above, I was a fan of Pacific Rim, Oblivion and Iron Man 3. Pacific Rim was so much fun. Guillermo Del Toro knew what he was doing, managing to build characters we cared about, and infusing this gargantuan struggle with an odd brand of humour. I caught it a second time in IMAX. Oblivion was a big surprise. I was engrossed by the story, despite the derivatives, and loved the cinematic landscape (the striking design and cinematography, the M83 score). Iron Man 3 was just as good as Iron Man for me. Tony Stark without the suit, RDJ in top comic form and the fact that it was more of an espionage thriller than a superhero film. For comedies, The World's End is perhaps the funniest film (but so much more) of the year, but I also laughed a lot during the Rogen/BaruchelFranco/Hill/Robinson/McBride Apocalyptic collaboration, This Is the End. James Wan's The Conjuring made a heap of money here, and it is a more than decent horror film. Very well directed, even some of the generic malevolent elements felt fresh here, and the performances are strong.

I did admire the visual spectacle of J. J Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness but admittedly forgot about the film almost immediately. I am not a Trekkie and for all of the great character work in Abrams' films the stories aren't so great. I also enjoyed the intensity of World War Z. Zombies on an epic global scale, which made for some terrifying sequences. A bold change of pace to the finale was also a decision I admired. Chatting with director Marc Forster at a press junket was a rewarding experience too. Monster's University and Despicable Me 2 were released on the same day - and I enjoyed both. Not surprisingly, Despicable Me 2 has made a LOT of money worldwide. As for the poorly-received The Internship, Now You See Me and We're The Millers, I had a good enough time in the cinema to give them a pass. While not great films, the comedies provided ample laughs, Now You See Me a tricky, energetic plot.

The biggest disappointments were The Great Gatsby, Man of Steel and Elysium. Man of Steel angered me especially. What a disaster. The Lone Ranger, despite an entertaining final chase sequence, was a tonal mess, and The Wolverine might just be the blandest of all of this year's crop. I want to forget all about Olympus Has Fallen - the worst film of the year so far - and the abominable final installment of The Hangover trilogy. Kick Ass 2 makes a strong case for one of the year's most sickening films.

How did you find this year's blockbuster period? What were your favourites?

My 2013 Sydney Underground Film Festival Lineup

The 2013 Sydney Underground Film festival is set to take place September 5-8 at the Factory Theatre, Marrickville and tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at www.suff.com.au

Celebrating the very best of underground, alternate and cult film the festival will feature an eclectic line up of over 30 local and international films. The festival loves pushing the boundaries of convention and is dedicated to advancing the alternate film culture through the promotion of independent, experimental and sometimes controversial films. 

Opening the festival, and accompanied by pizza & drinks is The Dance of Reality, directed by the legendary Alejandro Jodorowsky (El Topo, The Holy Mountain). It his first feature film in over two decades, fresh from it’s rousing world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.The closing night film is The Canyons, directed by Paul Schrader, written by Bret Easton Ellis and featuring a comeback by Lindsay Lohan that has been drawing a lot of recent attention. The program.

Keep an eye out for my diary coverage of SUFF this year at Graffiti With Punctuation, which will feature short reviews of as many films I can muster and any notable experiences along the way. Here is my proposed schedule:

Thursday 5 September

7.30pm - Opening Night Film + Party - The Dance of Reality 

Friday 6 September 

6.30pm - Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction

8.30pm - Magic Magic

Saturday 7 September

4.30pm - Unhung Hero

6.30pm - Adjust Your Tracking: Untold Story of the VHS Collector

8.30pm - BEST WORST MOVIE BINGO! Birdemic: Shock and Terror

Sunday 8 September

1.00pm - A Band Called Death

3.00pm - Unlawful Killing

5.00pm - The Final Member

7.30pm - Closing Night Film + Party - The Canyons

Trailer: Tim Winton's The Turning

From 26 September 2013, TIM WINTON'S THE TURNING will release as a unique cinematic event starring Cate Blanchett, Rose Byrne, Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto, Brenna Harding, Richard Roxburgh, Callan Mulvey, Dan Wyllie and numerous others.

Seventeen talented Australian directors from diverse artistic disciplines each create a chapter of the hauntingly beautiful novel by multi award-winning author Tim Winton. Under the guidance of curator Robert Connolly (Balibo), first time filmmakers Mia Wasikowska and David Wenham make their directorial debut amongst acclaimed directors such as Warwick Thornton and Justin Kurzel.

Here is the trailer: