I should probably start with an explanation of my grade system.
A+: Among my all-time favorites (rare)
A: Superb, go see it for sure!
A-: Great, highly recommend
B+: Very good, definitely worth seeing
B: Good, recommended if you like the genre
B-: Flawed, but still OK
C+: Bad, with perhaps a few redeeming qualities
C: Spend the time on something else
D: Big mistake!
F: Scarred me for life (rare)
My general goal is to see films that are B or above, and minimize C-level or lower selections. Today, my first day at SIFF 2011 (I didn't go to opening night), didn't hit the bar but wasn't a total loss. Since I had evening plans, I caught the three daytime shows at Pacific Place.
Happy, Happy (Norway) - B-
I call this love-rectangle film "perfectly adequate and nothing more." In dealing with the age old topic of love and marriage, it didn't offer anything new or insightful. There are some things I find peculiar about the movie: The parents' relationship (or the lack of) with the kids, the plausibility of some plot points, and of course those songs... Overall though, it's nicely put together, and an OK distraction.
Ex (Hong Kong) - C
Hong Kong cinema has a knack for producing quirky, clever romantic stories. This, unfortunately, is not one of them. Everything looks good in this film, which successfully utilizes set design and cinematography to distinguish the numerous flashback scenes. The problem is that there is nothing underneath - no motivation, characterization or character development to speak of. By the end of it, I didn't know any of the characters better than I did at the beginning, nor did I have any revelation or resonance around the central theme of past relationships.
Interestingly, at this screening I ran into my friend Kathy Hsieh, writer and star of the popular Asian-American-romantic-comedy-episodic-play "Sex In Seattle." Kathy and I are in a writers' group together and, while waiting for this movie, I was working on character backstories for the play I am writing. After seeing the movie, Kathy and I agreed that it played as if the characters had no backstories whatsoever.
Venice (Poland) - B-
It's war time. People die. Children are forced to grow up fast despite their need for joy and fantasy. "Venice" features gorgeous, gorgeous cinematography and tight production, and it's easy to feel for these characters. That said, I once again felt somewhat detached from the story, which seemed like a common theme today. Was it me, or was it the movies? Also, I totally didn't understand the last scene. Even scarier, I didn't really care to understand it.
That was it for today. In the evening, I performed in a flash mob (whoo-hoo!!), then called it an early night so I can gear up for a full weekend ahead.
I think I agree with Nancy McCann's review of Venice: (paraphrasing) "beautifully filmed, everyone dies, the end". An actress, Agnieszka Grochowska, that I learned of from going to the Polish film festival, was in this film. I was hoping to tell people to take this opportunity to check her out, but all she was given to do was look mournful and hug people.
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