Telluride 2007
THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY
I loved these films. They made my day:
Juno The BEST film in the festival.
It’s hard to believe something so refreshing was even in the festival since it isn’t depressing, dark or sinister. The audience laughed so much I plan to see it again so I can listen to ALL the lines. An unexpected, modestly bizarre story about a teen pregnancy. Directed by Jason Reitman (Thank You For Smoking) with a brilliant script by Diablo Cody (you are SURE to see her name again).The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Based on the book of the same name. Inventive and engrossing but hard to watch at times. Award-worthy cinematography. A 42 year old man with money, talent, love etc. is suddenly paralyzed from head to toe. He can only communicate by blinking one eye. Nevertheless, he “writes” about his experience. A true story.The Counterfeiters
The amazing – and true – story of a Russian Jew who based on his experience as a black market currency forger was put in charge of a Nazi counterfeit scheme inside a concentration camp. Award-worthy acting, stark and beautiful cinematography AND a thought-provoking message that will stay with you long after the credits roll.When Did You Last See Your Father?
Warning: You WILL cry at the conclusion of this film. Colin Firth is pure genius as a son who tries to understand, and maybe even repair, his shaky relationship with his father, Jim Broadbent.Persepolis
I was completely taken by this animated film based on the graphic novel about a young Iranian girl trying to find her way during the Shah’s and later the mullah’s reign. An eye-opening film.Redacted
Shattering. Powerful. Hard to watch, but you SHOULD see this film. A skillful, unique and absorbing docu-drama. Brian DePalma’s (Best Director Venice Film Festival) recreation of the true story of the rape and murder of an Iraqi family by U.S. soldiers, and the cover up that followed.Received positive “buzz” from people in line:
Rails and Ties
Kevin Bacon, Marcia Gay Harden. Alison Eastwood directed this emotional tale about a woman who commits suicide by parking her car in front of an oncoming train and the repercussions it has on the train engineer, his dying wife and the son the young mother abandoned.Into the Wild
By now the relentless publicity about this film by Sean Penn guarantees you already know everything about it. Based on John Krakauer’s book about a boy who vanishes into the wild.Brick Lane
Young girl grows up in Bangladesh, mother commits suicide, is sold to an older man, 16 years later she is in post-9/11 London and falls into an affair with an aspiring Muslim activist.While i liked these films, if you miss them, that’s probably ok:
The Band’s Visit
The Egyptian Police Orchestra, all 8 of them get lost in Israel. Charming and light. Gave a fascinating picture of life in the Israeli “countryside”.Jar City
I was mesmerized by the Icelandic landscape and people. A police thriller about a 30 year old crime that needs solving.Jellyfish
A slight, but engaging film with multiple story lines which – surprise – converge at the end. A young, down on her luck girl “finds” a child and then looses her; a Filipina domestic tends to an old woman; a bride brakes her ankle on her honeymoon. Won Camera d’Or at Cannes.Encounters at the End of the World
I was totally engrossed watching this film about life in the camps of Antarctica. Wow, what a place!totally benign … neither loved nor hated them:
Secret Sunshine
South Korea. Basically dull. Unimaginative. Boring. Best Actress at Cannes for the lead. Don’t understand this because it seemed to be a rather one dimensional performance.4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
Winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes this Romanian film is about a college student who needs to obtain a VERY illegal abortion. The filmmaking wasn’t anything to write home about but the topic and the peek into Romanian life under Ceauscscu (or any dictatorship for that matter) were spellbinding.“Oh my god, they spent money on THAT?”:
Margot at the WeddingI wanted to like this film, I really, really did. Nichole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jack Black. Directed by Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale). Depressing, poorly shot, characters who are caricatures. This was an icky couple of hours. Garden or golf or watch TV instead.
Some hated this film, some really liked it:
I’m Not ThereVery mixed reactions to this film, but most were negative, very negative. All, however, thought Cate Blanchett did a fantastic job portraying Bob Dylan. Christian Bale, Richard Gere, Ben Wishaw, Marcus Carol Franklin and Heath Leger also try their hand at portraying parts of Dylan’s life.
