Romeos (Germany) - B+
A twist-and-turn love story between a transgendered man and a playboy type. Heartfelt, honest, eye-opening about a sensitive subject without being preachy or exploitive.
Me with "Romeos" director Sabine Bernardi
Hot Coffee (USA) (Docu) - A-
The McDonalds coffee lawsuit is only a small part of this must-see documentary, which digs deep into what I think is the biggest struggle in today's America: corporation vs individual interests. The film rightfully addresses it as a civil rights issue, making a convincing case for the need for change. Director Susan Saladoff's 25-year experience as a civil justice lawyer comes through strongly and plays to great benefit: With its sound structure, brisk pacing and layered presentation, "Hot Coffee" carries the intensity and emotionality of a good courtroom drama.
Me with "Hot Coffee" associate producer Erin Crumpacker, Washington native
Sound of Noise (Sweden) - A-
A group of music rebels conduct a heist of percussion. Highly innovative and entertaining! Must see to be believed!
Spud (South Africa) - B+
Despite an abundance of stereotypes and cliches, this coming-of-age story succeeds on the strength of winning performances by two young stars. John Cleese impresses in a supporting role. Now if only the theme of bullying was not presented in such simplistic light...
Revenge of the Electric Car (USA) (Docu) - B+
Presented with the flare of a Hollywood thriller, this entertaining documentary tells the fascinating stories of several key players in the electric vehicle movement. Apparently, it does take big personalities to make big moves.
Life in a Day (UK) - B
This was an ambitious project for sure: People around the world sent in video footage of their lives on July 24th, 2010; selected entries were edited into a feature-length film. I wasn't sure how it would turn out - A brilliant masterpiece, or a chaotic mess? Now that I've seen the result, it's somewhere in between. I would say, it is much more engaging and effective than I feared it might be. The montage sequences and the featured stories work together to create a cohesive experience that leaves plenty of impressions. Unfortunately, the strongest impressions are limited to bits and pieces. With only a thin thread of a theme connecting everything, the film is akin to a crowded party, where I mingle with lots of people without really getting to know anyone. At the end, it's hard not to see this as a novelty concept, an experiment - albeit a well-executed one - rather than a new avenue for filmmaking.
"Life in a Day" editor Joe Walker at SIFF Closing Party
Attractive piece of information, I had come to know about your blog from my friend arjun, ahmedabad,i have read at least eleven posts of yours by now, and let me tell you, your website gives the best and the most interesting information. This is just the kind of information that i had been looking for, I’m already your rss reader now and I would regularly watch out for the new posts, once again hats off to you! Thanks a lot once again, Regards,
ReplyDeleteSunny Jism 2 Movie review