Friday, October 12, 2012

VIFF 2012 - Day 15

Museum Hours
directed by Jem Cohen
AustriaAustria
Using the old world city of Vienna and its famed Kunsthistorisches museum as the backdrop. The film makes an intriguing blend of documentary and fiction that quietly and thoughtfully explores and reminds us of the presence of art in life and vice versa. Told loosely through the perceptive observations of an Austrian museum guard, and a Canadian tourist who crosses his path.
Into the Gyre
directed by Scott Elliott
USAUSA
A documentary with a fascinating premise, but provides little information that we don't already know, and only mild speculation for the rest. Technically sound, but its length, content, and format would play better on cable tv than the cinema.
Come As You Are (Hasta la vista)
directed by Geoffrey Enthoven
BelgiumBelgium
A highly enjoyable, and hilariously politically incorrect dramatic comedy that follows three young disabled Flemish men who take a road trip to a Spanish brothel that caters to their type. It plays out predictably, is melodramatic at times, and some of the localized humour may escape those reading subtitles, but it's still a very well crafted film with great characters and it received a good round of applause at the end.

Full Review
The World Before Her
directed by Nisha Pahuja
Canada Canada
A chilling documentary that follows two small town Indian girls unknown to each other and who live what appear to be completely different lives. One raised as an extreme Hindu, and the other a beauty contestant from a progressive family. What makes this so compelling is the haunting way the director demonstrates the terrible irony of just how simillar their lives and futures really are despite outward appearances.
The End of Time
directed by Peter Mettler
CanadaCanada
A wild and ambitious rumination on the perception of time with some visually mind blowing imagery and soul shaking sound. Feels like a collaboration between Chris Marker and Terrence Malick, with a touch of Gaspar Noe. A tad pretentious at times, but still an utterly absorbing film experience.

1 comment:

d_4 said...

Now see, right off the bat I already feel like watching The World Before Her. Irony, differences, it might not be the best of the lot, but it's of the few that I think I know I'll enjoy.

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