|
As promised on Monday, VanRamblings will recommend 20+ of a total of 40 films (20+ more tomorrow) playing at 2012’s Vancouver International Film Festival — based on great reviews available on the web written by critics employed by industry trade magazines Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, as well as IndieWire, Screen Daily, and The Playlist, among other web sources, as well as on the recommendations of friends who’ve seen the films you’ll see covered in today’s post (say, at the recent Toronto or Venice film festivals, or earlier in the year at the Berlin, Los Angeles, Palm Springs, London, Seattle, Locarno or Cannes film festivals), or on the strong recommendation of friends who work within VIFF’s superstructure, in the programming department or elsewhere within the Festival.
Without further ado, then, here goes …
Sister: The buzziest of the buzz films at 2012’s VIFF, yet inexplicably off the radar for most festivalgoers — even given that the film stars the always radiant Léa Seydoux — the film, a winner of the Silver Bear award at the 2012 Berlin International Film Festival, Ursula Meier’s latest outing has been called a tough, tender and compelling Dardennes-style drama by Screen Daily critic Lee Marshall, IndieWire’s Eric Kohn gave the film an A-, and writes “Sister bears the mark of a filmmaker with supreme control over her material,” while The Hollywood Reporter’s Jordan Mintzer calls the film touching, and Variety’s Boyd van Hoeij suggests that “a gentle sprinkling of humor offsets the generally darker material.” Plays late in the Festival, on Thursday, October 11th at 9:15 pm, Empire Granville 2, and on the final day of the Festival, Friday, Oct 12th, at 10:30 am, again in the Granville 2.
Neighbouring Sounds: Vogue magazine and NPR critic John Powers writes, “Written and directed by Kleber Mendonca Filho, this isn’t merely the best new movie I’ve seen this year; it may well be the best Brazilian movie since the 1970s,” while Variety’s Jay Weissberg writes that the film is “superbly constructed, skillfully acted and beautifully lensed … it’s equally clear this exceptionally talented helmer understands exactly what he’s doing & why.” Trailer. Sep 27, 9pm, Gr 7; Oct 1, 3:15pm, Gr 2; Oct 3, 10:30am, Gr 7.
Bay of All Saints (Grade: A-): The winner of SXSW’s Audience Award for best documentary, Annie Eastman’s potent documentary paints an often tragic picture of life in a palafitas slum, just off the coast of Salvador, Brazil, yet manages somehow to offer a profound and moving expression of hope, through the fighting spirit and struggle of the film’s principles, who provide such strong rooting interests for the viewer that you’re just pulled right in (just wait to see how you feel when 9-year-old Rebeca goes missing). Outstanding. Humane. VanRamblings’ favourite documentary thus far. Screens on Friday, September 28th at 10:45am, Pacific Cinémathèque; October 8th at 9:15pm, Gr1; and, for a final time, Oct 9th, 3:30pm, Gr 6.
Amour: Won the Palme d’Or at Cannes this year, will likely emerge as the Oscar’s Best Foreign Film winner next February, has the critics raving (another A- from Indiewire’s Eric Kohn) and has Entertainment Weekly’s Owen Gleiberman calling Amour, “transfixing and extraordinarily touching, perhaps the most hauntingly honest movie about old age ever made.” Screens: Saturday, October 6th at 6:15pm, Vogue Theatre; Oct. 8th at 3pm, Vogue; and for a final time, Friday, Oct 12th, at 6:20pm, in the Gr3.
Continue reading VanRamblings Recommends 40+ VIFF Films, Part 1