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I'll see your MIFF and raise you
(Mark's MIFF 2002 Mini Pass)
Ah, let's MIFF again, like we did last winter. I love it. The
roar of the popcorn, the smell of the crowd... being excited beyond
measure by exciting cinema from around the world, and warmed by the
companionship of total strangers on trains who spy each other
reading a MIFF catalogue and immediately ask "What have you
seen? What's good?" It's glorious fun. If you've never been,
go. And if you can't make up your mind, by jingo, Heroic-Cinema is
here to help.
Last year I went mad trying to review everything I saw, so this
year Jonathan has kindly offered to help me with the reviews - so,
we'll go mad together. I figured we'd both write up our
Mini-Pass, and the idea was that Jonathan would take the more
visceral films and I'd take the more arty ones - or as I called it,
the Highbrow Mini-Pass and the Lowbrow Mini-Pass.
Well, Jonathan called me out with his opening paragraph, and
straight away I realised what an asinine editorial idea it was. No
film goer wants a diet of just one thing, and as the festival
tagline runs this year, there's "Something for everyone".
That and he'd taken all my top picks, so I had to nick them back.
The following are ten films I'm looking fwd to, plus my three
extra bonus sessions, and one I've already seen but you definitely
should. See you at the
moofies!
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1. MUSA: The Warrior (Korea)
Top of Jonathan's list and top of mine, just to make you think this
is a cut and paste error - I've been waiting for this for a long
time, and even considered going to Sydney to watch it without subs
(true). I've seen and loved the big Korean sword epic Bi-Chun-Mu on
DVD, so I'm along for the ride again for sure. Darcy Paquet writes "Undisputed, however, is the strength of Musa's visuals... those looking for a bit of widescreen, gory spectacle this fall are advised not to miss this film."
Screens Fri
26 July (9:00pm, Village Centre) and Sat
3 August (9:00pm, Forum Theatre)
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2. All About Lily Chou-Chou (Japan)
One of my favourite film reviewers and
programmers Grady Hendrix went mad for this film when he saw
it in New York. When Grady goes nuts, I take note, as he has
sent so many good things my way (like my MIFF favourite last
year Barking Dogs Never Bite). The rest of the H-C posse have fallen in - Deni
called it her best at BIFF, and Alison said it was the best at
HKIFF. It's about J-pop stars and internet adoration, or
something. I'm going. This'll be my last night of the festival,
and (I hope) the perfect ending.
Screens Fri
2 August (9:00pm, Forum Theatre) and Wed
7 August (9:00pm, Capitol Theatre)
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3. Dark Water (Japan)
Russell Edwards gave me the word from Berlin that this was one
creepy, spooky film... and I'd expect as much from Hideo Nakata,
director of the quietly bugfuck Ring, and the totally bugfuck
Ring 2
(but not, repeat, director of the not in the slightest bit bugfuck Ring
0). Japanese horror is the business -
twisted, warped, weird, and just plain bad to you. Skip the happy
gags and chirpy teenagers, Nakata means business. Seeing the Ring
double in 2000 was the moment when I realised "Oh my god, I
must attend this festival every year for the rest of my life", and here I
am again, all set once more to hide behind the chair.
- Trailer
at Mov3.com (for the Hong Kong release)
- Pics
at Mov3.com
Screens 2nd August (11:00pm, Capitol Theatre) and
8th August (7:00pm, Village Centre)
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4. One and a Two (Taiwan/Japan)
I've been reading about this film for a while now - a damn
long while, it screened at Cannes two years ago - but MIFF
have finally landed it. Edward Yang's film Yi Yi is
said to be a long and rewarding family saga. I'm taking this
one on faith, and James Hewison's simple suggestion:
"Take the time". So I will. Oh, that and it won the Prix de la Mise en Scene at the Festival de Cannes 2000;
I have no idea what that means, but it sounds clever, don't
it? It'll be my first film
of the festival and (I hope) the perfect beginning.
Screens Wed
24 July (8:45pm, Capitol Theatre) and Thu
1 August
(9:00pm, Village Centre)
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5. Address Unknown (Korea)
Kim Ki-Duk is the director in focus at MIFF this year. Completely
untrained in traditional film techniques (didn't see one until the
age of 33, didn't make one until a few years after) he films
directly from his turmoiled heart. His films are troubled visions of
modern Korea, divided by past wars and current class systems. If
you're nodding off over there, he is also incredibly violent, and
this film comes with what I call the Audition clause: "Caution:
Contains scenes which may offend some viewers" (code for
"Caution, weaklings will disturb your viewing as they bolt for
the nearest exit"). I saw his film The Isle at MIFF last year
and found it harsh and impenetrable, but since then I've re-assessed
it and it's a weird and hypnotic masterpiece; so this year I've chosen
Address Unknown, as here he is talking directly about the violence
engendered on future generations by the Korean War. Check the
poster. That's the howl of Kim Ki-Duk you're hearing.
Screens Sat
27 July (6:45pm, Capitol) and Sun
11 August (1:00pm, Capitol)
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6. Millenium Mambo (Taiwan)
I admit it: I have never seen a Hou Hsiao-hsien picture. He is
Taiwan's premiere arthouse director (I have to discount Ang
Lee - much as I love him but c'mon, the guy's currently
filming Eric Bana in the Incredible Hulk fer chrissakes).
His films normally seem to be long and slow historical pieces,
but this one is about raves and drugs and late nights (and not
a cheongsam in sight).
Screens Sat
27 July (9:00pm, Capitol) and Fri
9 August (9:00pm, Capitol)
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7. Sorum (Korea)
Another film I've been hearing about for a while, but when I thought
"But what do I know about it?" the answer was... apart
from the fact that it's horror, nothing. It's just a great title.
So, digging a little deeper, K-film expert Darcy Paquet writes
"the film was embraced by local critics and credited with
giving the industry one of its strongest works of the year".
Now this is the Korean film industry we're talking, which had a very
strong year in 2001 - so, I'm pleasantly surprised that my
intriguing title (Sorum. Sor um. Sorum.) sounds like it's offering a
spooky return.
Screens Wed
24 July (2:45pm, Capitol), Sun
28 July (9:30pm, Forum) & Sat
10 Aug (11:30pm, Capitol)
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8. Nabi: The Butterfly ( Korea)
A Korean science fiction film. I'm curious. The Japanese are
absolute masters of SF - to my mind, they exceed the Americans at
it. When the Hong Kong crew try SF the results are, well, a bit wesley.
So, will Korea cut it? Deni saw this at BIFF and said yes, so I'm
going along too.
Screens Fri
26 July (1:00pm, Capitol) and Fri
2 Aug (7:00pm, Forum)
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9. Ray Bang (Korea)
As you can see, I'm into my Korean run here. Festival director James
Hewison has once again curated a great selection of new Korean film
- if he can equal the mighty offerings at MIFF 2001 I'll be
delighted, and if he can top it, well, the shock may kill me. But if
you haven't caught the buzz, Korea is one of the world's most
exciting film industries right now - energetic film-makers powering
out films with investor confidence and local audience preference -
it's the takeback from Hollywood, so get in on it! This is a comedy
about taxis or something. Who cares? Like Red Devils and kimchee,
it's Korean.
Screens Sat
27 July (3:00pm, Forum) and Thu
30 July (3:00pm, Capitol)
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10. Looking for Bruce Lee (Korea)
Anyway, um, this is a Korean film with Bruce Lee in the
title. Yeah, I know, not much to go on, but we're at film #10
here, okay? It stars a Korean punkrock band called Crying Nut.
I mean, just look at that poster. Who wojldn't want to see
this movie? Don't think, feel.
- Info and stills at KR
Films (Chinese text)
In fact, huge thanks to Ryan Law &
team's great KR Films site, it's not in English but the
depth of info and pics is excellent. All of these fine
posters come from there.
Screens Fri
26 July, (3:00pm, Capitol) & Sat
3 Aug (3:00pm, Forum)
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Your MIFF Mini-Pass also gives you three extra sessions if you
take them on a weekday before 4pm - so I'll leave my three extra
slots for films that Jonathan has already admirably talked
up: Princess Blade (Japan) and Volcano High
(Korea), and one that I'm taking an outright punt on: Blue Spring
(Japan). I love a good highschool flick, especially where violence
against teachers is involved.
Finally, one film I'm not seeing at MIFF because I've seen it
many times already is You Shoot I Shoot. This
diabolically witty little hitman parody was the second best Hong
Kong film of 2001, and is a must see - and I've already
must seen it. Have you?. (Check Philippa Hawker's review at The
Age for more.)
There are also some great free panels at the Who Weekly Festival Club
at the Lower Melbourne Town Hall - it's my honour to join Li Cheuk-To
(Hong Kong International Film Festival), Michael Helms (Crimson
Celluloid) and Mark Savage (Sensitive New Age Killer) on the panel
"High Octane Asian Cinema" (Tuesday 28 July, 8:00pm). My
theory is that I was asked on to the panel to spare everyone the
indignity of hearing me yell from the floor like I did last year. Also
worth attending are "South Korean Film: Riding the Wave"
with Paul Yi and James Hewison (Sunday 28 July, 8:00pm), "Asian
Women Behind the Screen" with Clara Law, Christine Hakim,
Li Cheuk-to and Julie Rigg (Friday 2 August, 8:00pm) and "China
... New Frontier?" (Wednesday 7 August, 8:00pm).
There it is, a fistful of MIFF - I'm exhausted, and it hasn't
even started yet!
Preview by Mark Morrison
* Heroic-Cinema's guide to MIFF
2002
* Jonathan's Mini-Pass
* Mark's Mini-Pass
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H E R O I C * C I N E M A
http://www.heroic-cinema.com
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