.

.

Friday Night…

Tonight is the first full night of DIFF and I’m still trying to get over the creeping crud that attacked my Thursday morning. With my sickness, I wasn’t able to make any event so far, so no press party. I’m looking forward to catching films and catching up on what is happening at the Fest.

Both films tonight were at the Magnolia, a theater that has the worst parking EVER. It is a major struggle to find a place to leave the car and then one has to struggle to get around all the beautiful people who stand around, blocking the sidewalks and acting if just being there makes them a part of the privileged class.

First up is Lucky, the film presented by Ann-Margret. The story is of Ben Keller (Colin Hanks) a down on his luck kind of guy who wins 36 million. His newfound wealth changes his world, giving him confidence to pursue Lucy St Martin (Ari Graynor). Little does the little gold digger Lucy know that Ben is a serial killer. As Lucy discovers all the truths about her new husband, the body count rises. It is the blackest of black comedy that had the audience in stitches up until the end. After the screening Ari Graymor and her director Gil Cates Jr. received a tremendous amount of applause.

The second feature tonight was Rainbows End, and is a documentary that runs like a farce. The film is of a group of men who make a trek to California. This traveling band of brothers include a rock band that has pieces of the Challenger as a drum kit, a cock trainer, a twirling sidekick and an opening ‘one man band’ opening act. The story is their trip to the sun drenched coast. Along the way the guys have to deal with a broken down bus, chicken feathers and the stress of being caught in close quarters. It also was widely praised by the audience and looks to be a shoo in for the Texas Competition at the Fest.

.

Sunday Night…

After a Saturday night of motorcycle races and a day of computer catch-up, I was ready to hit the 3rd night of the fest at the Angelika, one of the best theaters in Dallas. First up, the documentary short contest. There were six different entrees in competition and they carried a wide range of styles and languages.

Rating them starting with my favorite: Just About Famous was about the celebrity impersonation business and national convention. It was lighthearted and funny, with these near celebrities giving it their all. The cast list included such nearly famous people as many former presidents, Dr Phil, and even Dame Edna.

Grandpa’s Wet Dream is an Asian import about a sweet little old man who takes on a very adult career late in life. It is just a bit shocking but has an endearing heart.

Fussilago is a German film about a woman accused of terrorist acts. The visual style of the work is the single most impressive aspect of the film. It uses every trick in the visual handbook to tell the tale.

The High Level Bridge is about a filmmaker throwing his camera off a bridge known for suicides. Before he does, we get a taste of the bridge and its dubious history.

Closed for the Storm: Six Flags in New Orleans concerns its lens with an abandoned amusement part. It is more of a visual montage without narration.

The strangest little bird is 39A about an artist making his first artistic statement, shooting a family movie about visiting NASA back in the 1970’s.

.

After a stern warning about the film I was going to see, I decided to take the advice of a fellow critic and caught Apart. This is a brilliant little work, that is part love story and part mental disorder. Saying anything more would give away the joy of discovery. The film forces one to pay attention as it slips to different parts of the lives of the two characters.

A major find of Apart is young Olesyi Rulin, the girl who haunts our hero’s dreams. She gives a wide-eyed innocence in some scenes and a hard edge in others. This is a young performer to watch for.

Opening the show was an animated short. Though the name escapes me, it was a music video style production that just stunned the audience. After it played, there were chants from the audience to ‘Play it Again”, high praise from the film-weary crowd.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 
•