Saturday, July 29, 2006
My Journey Through Auckland International Film Festival '06
When I first heard of the Auckland International Film Festival this year, I immediately leafed through the booklet, bookmarked the films I was remotely interested in, narrowed it down again and again until I finally had 4 choices: Water, Twelve and Holding, Keane, and Three Times.
Water was amazing... It was the type of movie that actually made you stop and think about the oppression of women. Not only back then in 1938, not only in colonial India, but in every time and place. Shot in stunning simplicity, it moved the audience to tears... yet there was a sense of tragic beauty and painful triumph as well.
Twelve and Holding was another fantastic film. It sent shivers down my spine, and shocked me to the core with its gripping plotline. It was sad, funny, sweet, tragic and much, much more. The idea of what happens when children are forced to grow up too quickly is so eerily possible and believable... it just blows you away. I love Leonard's determination, Malee's courage and scared by Jacob's hatred. It not only shows you how capable and strong children can be, but also how their lives can be affected by a simple phrase by an adult.
Keane was a very bitter disappointment. I left the cinema feeling confused and awfully unsatisfied. The blurb on the booklet sounded so interesting that everyone was fooled. Sure shows you the art of deception, doesn't it? The film was much too mundane, and I know that's probably to show the dullness of the title character, Keane's life... but I almost fell asleep! I do like the little girl in the movie, though. Abigail Breslin, I think the young actress's name was. I reckon she has the best acting in the whole film. Keane was just too alienating that I can't relate to him or sympathise him at all. So basically, what I'm saying is this movie sucked!
Three Times was the last and most recent film I watched for the film fest. It started rather slowly at first, speeding up as it progressed through the 3 different time periods in the movie: 1966, 1911 and 2005. I really like the first one, 'A Time For Love'. Probably my favourite amongst the 3 separate parts of the film, it was so amazingly sweet, it made me smiled. 'A Time For Freedom' was rather sad, and it left me aching. The last, 'A Time For Youth' was so fast-paced, it really epitomised the modern life of young people in the 21st Century. It was filled with sex, angst, grief, pain and intensity... so much so that I felt overwhelmed as I left the cinema. Each of the 3 parts, as I predicted, had parallels. People from different circumstances in life, falling in love, their lives changed by the presence of a letter (or in the case of 'A Time For Youth', a typed letter on the computer). I thought the 3 parts would be quite the same, with the characters living happily ever after, if you will, at the end.. only in different time periods. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the 3 parts were not carbon copies of one another. Instead, I found myself enjoying the movie, although there were some rather tragic and shocking scenes.
All in all, the International Film Fest was a great experience! I can't wait till next year! :D
Water was amazing... It was the type of movie that actually made you stop and think about the oppression of women. Not only back then in 1938, not only in colonial India, but in every time and place. Shot in stunning simplicity, it moved the audience to tears... yet there was a sense of tragic beauty and painful triumph as well.
Twelve and Holding was another fantastic film. It sent shivers down my spine, and shocked me to the core with its gripping plotline. It was sad, funny, sweet, tragic and much, much more. The idea of what happens when children are forced to grow up too quickly is so eerily possible and believable... it just blows you away. I love Leonard's determination, Malee's courage and scared by Jacob's hatred. It not only shows you how capable and strong children can be, but also how their lives can be affected by a simple phrase by an adult.
Keane was a very bitter disappointment. I left the cinema feeling confused and awfully unsatisfied. The blurb on the booklet sounded so interesting that everyone was fooled. Sure shows you the art of deception, doesn't it? The film was much too mundane, and I know that's probably to show the dullness of the title character, Keane's life... but I almost fell asleep! I do like the little girl in the movie, though. Abigail Breslin, I think the young actress's name was. I reckon she has the best acting in the whole film. Keane was just too alienating that I can't relate to him or sympathise him at all. So basically, what I'm saying is this movie sucked!
Three Times was the last and most recent film I watched for the film fest. It started rather slowly at first, speeding up as it progressed through the 3 different time periods in the movie: 1966, 1911 and 2005. I really like the first one, 'A Time For Love'. Probably my favourite amongst the 3 separate parts of the film, it was so amazingly sweet, it made me smiled. 'A Time For Freedom' was rather sad, and it left me aching. The last, 'A Time For Youth' was so fast-paced, it really epitomised the modern life of young people in the 21st Century. It was filled with sex, angst, grief, pain and intensity... so much so that I felt overwhelmed as I left the cinema. Each of the 3 parts, as I predicted, had parallels. People from different circumstances in life, falling in love, their lives changed by the presence of a letter (or in the case of 'A Time For Youth', a typed letter on the computer). I thought the 3 parts would be quite the same, with the characters living happily ever after, if you will, at the end.. only in different time periods. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the 3 parts were not carbon copies of one another. Instead, I found myself enjoying the movie, although there were some rather tragic and shocking scenes.
All in all, the International Film Fest was a great experience! I can't wait till next year! :D
i know that i have loved you ... at 11:28 PM
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