The count is my day three, its actually the fifth day, but no matter...
I'm just back from a triple feature and I'm exhausted. I have 9 more days of this. Tomorrow (Wednesday the 30th) is the last of the triple features, I don't know if that's good or bad.
On the plus side I met someone I'm trying to convince to write for Unseen, and hopefully he'll write up some stuff so you don't have to listen to me drone on. (Dave bare with me if you wrote me any emails or anything since noon I haven't seen it since I'm writing this up before I go on autopilot)
As always the Festival is a pleasure and after the first film I was gushing about it to a sweet woman who just wandered off the street. I basically told her its the best programmed festival in New York and that if a film interested her even remotely to try it because odds are she'd like it.
I'll be writing up the films today more fully but for now you may want to know a little something about them:
SOPHIE"S REVENGE
Soon to be remade romantic comedy about a comic book writer and illustrator Zhang Ziyi who's boyfriend has left her for the actress of the moment. She plots revenge which she acts on with a photographer who has a past with said actress. Wafer thin, utterly forgettable after an hour, this is a very funny wonderful film where Zhang Ziyi just goes for it. Give her points for allowing herself to do pee jokes. I loved this a great deal. Sure its gone from my mind but for the two hours of its running time it made me laugh and smile. (It made me kick out cash to Yes Asia)
8000 Miles and 8000 Miles 2:The Girl Rapppers
Inter-related rap films about the need to make music. I have tons of notes on these films. The first is a diamond in the rough film that seems to be a slice of life with static camera shots that seem to be recording life as it happens. The ending is, in retrospect, very haunting.
The follow up connects as our two heroes from the first film make a pilgrimage to the site of a legendary concert. There they set the fire under a group of women who once lived to rap and who have now reached their late 20's and are being smacked around by life. The women are the focus and the boys from the first film merely Greek Chorus and deus ex machina.
I need a very long post to do the films justice-together they are almost assuredly going on my best of year list or if not high on the find of the year list. Director Yu Irie has made two great little films that will haunt you. The post will be coming when I get the time to really do them justice, not before...they are too good and deserve more than a half assed review.
If you can see them together. (The second film only opened in Japan this weekend)
That's it now bed time for me. I'll be back tomorrow with my day four.
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