MIFF 2013: The Last Time I Saw Macao (2013)
byAs it is, Last Time might bore some people, but for those willing to invest some time, this is an at times intriguing look into the unique world of Macao.
Festivals
MIFF 2013: The Day of The Crows (2012)
byAt a time when animation has become increasingly digitised, franchised and gimmicky, it’s a relief to find the old-fashioned techniques still being used. While they certainly aren’t as time-efficient, the clear and original marks of artistry are there for all to recognise as opposed to the smooth artificial sheen we’ve become used to.
MIFF 2013: Coming Forth By Day (2012)
byComing Forth By Day is 24 hours in the life of Suad (Donia Maher) and her mother (Salma Al-Najjar). Suad spends almost all of her…
MIFF 2013: Outrage Beyond (2012)
byThe main flaw is that the film simply doesn’t bring anything really new to the proceedings, but fans of Kitano and his previous gangster films will no doubt find a lot to like here regardless.
MIFF 2013: Closed Curtain (2013)
byFollowing the documentary This Is Not A Film, Closed Curtain marks director Jafar Panahi’s second movie (co-directed by Kambuzia Partovi) since a six year home imprisonment sentence and twenty year ban on film making was imposed on him by the Iranian government.
MIFF 2013: A Hijacking (2012)
byDespite a slow start, this slow grinding thriller thrives on a claustrophobic atmosphere, becoming tenser with each minute and building to a gripping finale.
Russian Resurrection Film Festival: Love with an Accent (2012)
byLove With An Accent could be considered Russia’s answer to Love Actually, comprised of seven short stories, Georgian writer/director Rezo Gigineishvili provides an extremely positive, albeit at times a little implausible, perspective on love.
Russian Resurrection Film Festival: Soulless (2012)
byMax (Danila Kozlovskiy) is living the high life in Moscow. A senior bank manager, he is incredibly wealthy with all the material possessions anyone could ever want. He spends his days working in a building he calls ‘global corporate evil’ and his nights partying with countless women and drugs.
Russian Resurrection Film Festival: The Conductor (2012)
byOperatic in its entirety, at its core The Conductor has a heart, but it is surrounded by substantial implausibility that makes it hard to find. It might have grand theatrics, but ultimately falls flat.
Russian Resurrection Film Festival: The Snow Queen (2012)
byThe Snow Queen’s world is void of colour, juxtaposed against the colourful landscape of scenes reminiscent of life under the Tsar and the post-Cold War era. There are capitalist and Soviet themes throughout The Snow Queen, creating a journey through the history of an incredibly volatile country.