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Dangles
Balmey Army
Joined: 14 May 2015
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| David wrote: | | Dangles wrote: | | @David: You'll have to tell us what your favourite films at MIFF were when it finishes. Sadly I only ended up getting to one film even though I'd bought tickets for two. |
Here you go: 
1. The Forbidden Room
2. Cemetery of Splendour
3. Heaven Knows What
4. Corn Island
5. Hill of Freedom
6. In the Shadow of Women
7. The Look of Silence
8. Love
9. Under Electric Clouds
10. The Smell of Us
Hopefully a few of those will get regular cinema releases in the months to come! |
Thanks for the recommendations. |
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David 
to wish impossible things
Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Location: the edge of the deep green sea
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Good to see Susie O'Brien of the Herald Sun enjoyed the festival too.
https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:G3ujvdyNr0QJ:www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/melbourne-international-film-festival-move-on-nothing-to-see-here/story-fni0fhie-1227493727179+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au
| Quote: | THE Melbourne International Film Festival was a roll call of some of the most depressing, obscure, God-awful movies ever made.
The festival, which has just ended, featured a huge range of movies about criminals, crazies, death and depression — just the sort of thing you’d choose for a fun Saturday night out with friends.
Not.
You, my friend, helped to pay for screening of movies such as The Assassin, which was set in ninth-century China and featured a 10-year-old trained killer stolen from her father. |
Yeah, and I bet they don't even speak English!
| Quote: | And there was Body, which featured a widowed coroner and his bulimic daughter. One reviewer called it a “darkly comic rumination on what it means to be alive … an almost cubist fruitcake comedy”. Yes, really.
There was also Cartel Land; billed as a “chilling cross-border exploration of vigilantes trying to fight a drug war their governments can’t win on their own”. |
Bo-ring! What right does this film have to appear on our screens once or twice when the fifth Mission Impossible sequel only gets played eight times a day at every Multiplex cinema in the country?
| Quote: | | And Only the Brave, which was a Russian post-apocalyptic epic that featured a post-war migrant and his terminally ill fiancee on a desperate search for meaningful truth. (OK. Actually, I made that last one up, just to show you how ridiculous these films were.) |
That's really clever, Susie. You should definitely be a screenwriter.
| Quote: | There’s also other feel-good romps guaranteeing fun times such as Cemetery of Splendour, Chronic, The Coffin in the Mountain, 3½ minutes, Ten Bullets and Only the Dead.
Frankly, most of these movies would be considered unwatchable by anyone other than 25-year-old female ceramicists from Brunswick. |
You know this because you've seen them, or...?
| Quote: | But it hasn’t stopped MIFF (as it’s known) billing itself as the most “significant screen event” in Australia. Indeed, it had over 370 films, 28 world premieres and 164 Australian premieres.
So what? I’ll bet the only reason for the high number of premieres is that no one else wanted to show the movies. And it doesn’t mean they will ever be shown anywhere else again. |
A gold star for knowing exactly how film festivals operate.
| Quote: | | Yes, it’s true that 200 of the 517 sessions were sold out. But did the cinema-goers enjoy them or just endure them? Was it pure art or just pure agony? |
The latter, clearly. Nobody could possibly enjoy something that Susie O'Brien would find boring. I'm presuming here that she's actually seen the films she's talking about, of course...
| Quote: | | Even the official advertisers’ guide admits the main reason people come to the festival is to “socialise and ensure they remain ‘in the know’ amongst their peer group” (note that watching enjoyable, fun movies isn’t mentioned). |
The trouble with promoters is that, at some point, they have to try to justify how artistic/cultural events earn their place in a pure free market economy (which, of course, they rarely do). If they can't figure it out, they have to come up with rubbish like this. Susie would understand.
| Quote: | In the past five years around $10 million in public funds has been spent on this festival of joylessness, primarily through the Premiere Fund. Sometimes this fund gets it right, previously supporting films such as Paper Planes, which was a feel-good, popular movie.
Sadly, they don’t seem in any hurry to repeat this success.
This year the fund has put money into films such as Looking for Grace by Sue Brooks, which was a critical success with terrific actors that no one actually saw.
And there was Downriver, described as “a dour but intensely quiet rumination of redemption” about a man who served time for drowning someone as a child.
The fund also helped pay for Early Winter, which is about a janitor in a retirement home whose “job is a daily reminder of an existence that he’s slowly tumbling towards and the yet unburied ghosts of his own past”.
Seen any of them? Heard any of them? Nope. Didn’t think so. |
If that's addressed to the typical Herald Sun reader, then, no, I don't think so either. Of course there are many complex questions regarding the Australian Film Industry and why it so often produces commercial flops (is it quality, exposure or both?), but there's also the slight problem that none of them have started their commercial cinema runs yet.
| Quote: | | Just reading the summaries makes me want to stab myself in the eye with the pointy end of a chocolate-top Cornetto, so I can’t imagine what the actual movies are like. |
She hasn't even seen any of them.
| Quote: | Roy Morgan Research, which incidentally is one of the sponsors, says that in 2014 the film festival delivered more than $9.8 million to the local economy. Well, it would say that, wouldn’t it?
Given that most of the festival attendees were privileged young people from the centre of Melbourne, I am pretty sure most of that money would be spent anyway. |
The stupidity. It hurts.
| Quote: | Indeed, figures on the MIFF website give the best insight into just who this event is for.
Let me give you the big tip: it’s almost certainly not you. |
Yeah, probably not.
| Quote: | | Half of the audience is aged between 18 and 35 and lives within 5km of the CBD (that means they’re probably half your age but can afford to pay twice as much as you in rent). Sixty per cent are female, and three-quarters have an undergrad degree (arts, I’ll bet). |
Females? Uni students? Young people? What business do they have attending film festivals?
| Quote: | | Now, I am not a total intellectual philistine. |
I'm just going to let that one sit here.
| Quote: | I do understand that some films about our culture and history need public funding in order to be told.
I am quite fascinated by some of the films involving Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil and I think they’re stories well worth telling. Sure, they’re depressing stories, but at least they’re our stories — unlike half these movies from Romania and Czechoslovakia. |
Ummm ... not to nitpick, but Czechoslovakia hasn't been a country for over 20 years. But carry on.
| Quote: | The fact that most of these movies have absolutely zero popular appeal shouldn’t be a badge of honour, it should be cause for concern.
I want to know why we don’t have a film festival full of movies that are inspiring, uplifting and make people feel good about themselves. In other words, why not have a film festival full of movies that people actually want to go and see? |
Yeah, that'd be a great idea! A film festival made up of the exact same films that are shown at multiplexes all year around! Who wouldn't go to that?
Okay, perhaps it would work. Perhaps people would be happy to go and pay another couple of dollars for the exact same new Adam Sandler movie that they could see anywhere else, at any other time, because it's a "film festival". Maybe Susie's event would actually be a financial success – perhaps nearly half the sessions would sell out, and as much as, I dunno, nearly ten million might be added to the local economy? But let's face it, no amount of money is needed to justify sticking it to all of those elitists who keep on paying to see films that they secretly hate, and that Susie O'Brien hates too. Or would, if she cared to actually watch any.
_________________
"Every time we witness an injustice and do not act, we train our character to be passive in its presence." – Julian Assange |
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John Wren 
"Look after the game. It means so much to so many."
Joined: 15 Jul 2007
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| Dark Beanie wrote: | Has anyone seen any new mainstream releases?
Man from UNCLE
Last cab to Darwin
Have some Gold Class tickets to use and interested to know what people would recommend. |
watched last cab the other night and have it pencilled in to see the man from uncle. a few friends of mine have suggested man from uncle is good for a laugh.
last cab was good. there was the odd occasion when a scene felt it was incongruent to the rest of the story but overall a good story. it makes you realise or reminds you how big australia is.
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Purveyor of sanctimonious twaddle. |
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Dark Beanie 
Joined: 06 Feb 2004
Location: A galaxy far, far away.
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Thanks JW.
Reviews of Man from UNCLE haven't been good, maybe one to watch on DVD. Last Cab sounded interesting.
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If you are foolish enough to be contented, don't show it, but just grumble with the rest. - Jerome K Jerome |
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John Wren
"Look after the game. It means so much to so many."
Joined: 15 Jul 2007
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last cab is reasonably thought provoking. nice mix of light hearted moments. some good acting by caton. there is also quite a few familiar faces. bt has a cameo and shouldn't give up his day job based on what i saw.
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Purveyor of sanctimonious twaddle. |
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King Monkey
Joined: 15 Apr 2009
Location: On a journey to seek the scriptures of enlightenment....
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Frankly, most of these movies would be considered unwatchable by anyone other than 25-year-old female ceramicists from Brunswick. |
This statement is soooo close.
You moved to Hampton didn't you David??
_________________
"I am a great sage, equal of heaven.
Grow stick, grow.
Fly cloud, fly.
Oh you are a dee-mon, I love to fiiight." |
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think positive
Side By Side
Joined: 30 Jun 2005
Location: somewhere
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| King Monkey wrote: |
| Quote: |
Frankly, most of these movies would be considered unwatchable by anyone other than 25-year-old female ceramicists from Brunswick. |
This statement is soooo close.
You moved to Hampton didn't you David?? |
Zing!
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You cant fix stupid, turns out you cant quarantine it either! |
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David
to wish impossible things
Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Location: the edge of the deep green sea
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It's complete nonsense, and not even a particularly clever or accurate stereotype. The best estimate of the total audience would be somewhere between 200,000 and 300,000. The average attendee is as likely to be a 60-year-old retiree as a 25-year-old hipster (and yes, some crowds do seem like they're collectively auditioning for an episode of Last of the Summer Wine). Many people also fly in from all over the country to attend.
Actually, it's not just young filmgoers that she stereotypes. Did anyone catch this?
| Quote: | | Half of the audience is aged between 18 and 35 and lives within 5km of the CBD (that means they’re probably half your age but can afford to pay twice as much as you in rent) |
Interesting.
_________________
"Every time we witness an injustice and do not act, we train our character to be passive in its presence." – Julian Assange |
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Pies4shaw 
pies4shaw
Joined: 08 Oct 2007
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Yes, people with money shouldn't be allowed to spend it on cinema of their choice. They should be forced to watch re-runs of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.
A little exchange in the episode of Endeavour I was watching last night (set in 1964) sums up people like Susie O'Brien:
Morse: "I have two tickets for the new Bergman film."
Answer: "Oh, yes - I loved her in Casablanca". 
I wonder what brand of haute-moccasin she prefers. |
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King Monkey
Joined: 15 Apr 2009
Location: On a journey to seek the scriptures of enlightenment....
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Lol.
Can't take a bit of a poke in the ribs?????
I think she was basically trying to be funny and embracing her inner bogan at the same time.
No need to be so sensitive.
_________________
"I am a great sage, equal of heaven.
Grow stick, grow.
Fly cloud, fly.
Oh you are a dee-mon, I love to fiiight." |
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HAL
Please don't shout at me - I can't help it.
Joined: 17 Mar 2003
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| Oops. Too much data. |
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Wokko 
Come and take it.
Joined: 04 Oct 2005
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Susie O'Brien hits the nail on the head as far as I'm concerned and I don't say that about her often. I was actually somewhat interested in seeing her Russian post apocalyptic tale, sounded a bit like The Road, was kind of disappointed it wasn't real
It's just like, my opinion man, but I firmly believe that 'cinema as art' is 99% pure wankery. Those 1% of 'art' films that hit it out of the park though, oh boy do I get the love of art cinema in those moments. They just pop up so rarely among all the self important bullshit that it's like finding a gold nugget when you step in a dog turd, and I'm not squishing my toes through 100 turds to find it. |
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David
to wish impossible things
Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Location: the edge of the deep green sea
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| King Monkey wrote: | Lol.
Can't take a bit of a poke in the ribs?????
I think she was basically trying to be funny and embracing her inner bogan at the same time.
No need to be so sensitive. |
Not sure if that post is directed at P4S or me, but I wasn't offended at all by her article - I just thought it was very funny in its clueless, "peak Herald Sun" way. Of course, if her opinions actually had any influence on government policy (like, say, cutting the festival's funding) then I'd probably be less amused.
_________________
"Every time we witness an injustice and do not act, we train our character to be passive in its presence." – Julian Assange |
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David
to wish impossible things
Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Location: the edge of the deep green sea
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| Wokko wrote: | Susie O'Brien hits the nail on the head as far as I'm concerned and I don't say that about her often. I was actually somewhat interested in seeing her Russian post apocalyptic tale, sounded a bit like The Road, was kind of disappointed it wasn't real
It's just like, my opinion man, but I firmly believe that 'cinema as art' is 99% pure wankery. Those 1% of 'art' films that hit it out of the park though, oh boy do I get the love of art cinema in those moments. They just pop up so rarely among all the self important bullshit that it's like finding a gold nugget when you step in a dog turd, and I'm not squishing my toes through 100 turds to find it. |
Well, you know, each to their own. That kind of cinema (well, at least a great deal of it) has always excited me in a way that I just don't get with most mainstream American films. When I'm watching a Hollywood movie, I often just feel frustrated or bored by the formulaic plots, over-the-top soundtracks or (in my mind) bad dialogue. If that was all there was to cinema, then I don't think I'd even be casually interested in movies. I'd probably be into comic books, or something.
Anyway, I've never judged or disparaged people for liking what they like. I'm not about to go and tell Susie O'Brien that she needs to watch more art films. Art is, basically, entertainment. If you don't enjoy a certain form or style of art or entertainment, you should pursue one that's more to your liking. That's what I did, and I've never asked for any special favours for it or used it as a platform to look down on ordinary moviegoers. It's a passion, basically, and that passion is the reason that I - and many tens of thousands of other Australian cinephiles - are so thankful for the two short weeks of the year when the film festival is on.
_________________
"Every time we witness an injustice and do not act, we train our character to be passive in its presence." – Julian Assange |
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Wokko
Come and take it.
Joined: 04 Oct 2005
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| Are you sure you didn't miss your calling with the Young Liberals David? Ever the consummate politician, you could've added some much needed civility to Parliament, arts minister in the next Coalition government after the loons are cleaned out in 4-5 years time |
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