The thrill of 200 plus international films over the span of a couple weeks right in my backyard will never dull. Despite its humble mid-western stature, the Minneapolis/St Paul International Film Festival, year after year, never ceases to amazing one of the toughest cinephilic customers in town: moi. This year's huge selection is no different. I've seen approximately 20 of the films going into the fest, but there are also plenty I am looking forward to seeing theatrically in the bustling atmosphere of this once a year event. How to navigate? Head first! Here are my recommendations and anticipations. (Follow linky-dinkies on dates and times to MSPIFF schedule, and on titles for my mini Strib reviews when available.)
Highly Recommended
Kill List (Ben Wheatley) UK
Sa Apr 21 10:00pm, Tu Apr 24 9:45pm
Enter at your own risk! This divisive horror film has teeth and brains. Fascinating an infuriating stuff.
Attenberg (Athina Rachel Tsangari) Greece
Sa Apr 14 9:30pm, Su Apr 15 6:30pm
Forget Dogtooth and forget ALPS - Attenberg is the Greek hero in this group.
Bestiaire (Denis Côté) Canada
Sa Apr 14 9:30pm, Su Apr 15 6:30pm
Forget Dogtooth and forget ALPS - Attenberg is the Greek hero in this group.
Bestiaire (Denis Côté) Canada
M Apr 30 5:00pm, Tu May 1 9:30pm
Bestiaire is not for everyone. Some will try and make it into an animal rights doc, but Côté's concerns are for more formal, both on an aesthetic level and a philosophical level.
Dreileben x3 (Christoph Hochhäusler, Christian Petzold, Dominik Graf) Germany
Bestiaire is not for everyone. Some will try and make it into an animal rights doc, but Côté's concerns are for more formal, both on an aesthetic level and a philosophical level.
The Day He Arrives (Hong Sang-soo) South Korea
M Apr 16 9:45pm, W Apr 18 9:10pm
Hong Sang-soo is one of the most under-appreciated directors in the world, and The Day He Arrives is a perfect example of his satirical humor and somber drama.
Elena (Andrei Zvyagintsev) Russia
M Apr 16 9:45pm, W Apr 18 9:10pm
Hong Sang-soo is one of the most under-appreciated directors in the world, and The Day He Arrives is a perfect example of his satirical humor and somber drama.
Elena (Andrei Zvyagintsev) Russia
Su Apr15 8:45pm, Th Apr19 7:15pm
Third feature is certainly a charm for this Russian director. Brilliantly paced and beautifully shot. (Read my review of Elena on Twitch.)
Grey Matter (Kivu Ruhorahoza) Rwanda
W Apr 18 9:00pm, Su Apr 22 6:00pm
Third feature is certainly a charm for this Russian director. Brilliantly paced and beautifully shot. (Read my review of Elena on Twitch.)
Grey Matter (Kivu Ruhorahoza) Rwanda
A recent viewing that knocked my socks off. Some of the most inovative filmmaking come from the most unassuming places.
Headshot (Pen-Ek Ratanaruan) Thailand
M Apr 30 9:45pm, W May 2 9:45pm
Headshot (Pen-Ek Ratanaruan) Thailand
A genre film with more subtlety and more darkness - literally. Plot points of A, B and C are nothing new in this Thai crime drama, but the devil's in the details what's in between makes it unique. (Read my review of Headshot on Twitch.)
Effective drama that makes better use of the space of a car than Kiarostami.
Child actors reign supreme in this somewhat minor film. Sumptuous use of cloudy coast atmosphere and a sparse and interesting soundtrack.
Plays on expectation and assumptions and temps cliche and irony. I'm hoping to check this film out again. This film is dangling out there without US distribution, so see it while you can!
Ann Hui does what she does best (makes beautiful and heartfelt films) with the aid of superstar Andy Lau. (Hui's 2008 The Way We Are is one of the best films in the past 20 years.)
Worth a Look
Dreileben x3 (Christoph Hochhäusler, Christian Petzold, Dominik Graf) Germany
Highly Anticipated (I don't care what people say...)
Faust (Alexander Sokurov) Russia
Faust (Alexander Sokurov) Russia
Su Apr 15 3:30pm, Tu Apr 17 7:00pm Both at the Heights! DCP!
Whores' Glory (Michael Glowagger) Germany/Austria/Thailand
Whores' Glory (Michael Glowagger) Germany/Austria/Thailand
Have fun! See you at the Fest!
1 comment:
Apparently we have a fest down here too but I've never been able to partake and probably won't until kiddos are not needing me. For all the bibliophiles, please report back on Wuthering Heights. It won't be true to the book unless you hate them all by the end.
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