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HyesMusings

Alright this is just a short posting to let you know that there is always “something to do” in Toronto… The weather will be nice, little humidity, so there is no excuse to stay home.

During this year’s Hot Docs Film Festival I had the opportunity to see the cool documentary Planet B-Boy. I am a child of the 80’s and I grew with music and dance; this included hip hop and of course, break dancing (not by yours truly). This documentary brings breaking to the masses.

Director/Producer/Editor and former B-Boy Benson Lee brings us to Germany for the annual Battle of the Year World Championship. We come to know crews from around the world, including the US, South Korea, Japan, France and Germany. The filmmakers selected some very key competitors to show the intensity of the dance and the culture in which it is found. Some of my favourite crews included one from South Korea and Japan. The crew members came from various socioeconomic backgrounds and simply wanted to have others appreciate the art of breaking. I liked how the audience was able to get to know more about these B-Boys. There is a true love of dancing regardless of culture and many of the crews leave home with little to no money just to have a chance at battling with other great crews in the Battle of the Year.

Both screenings at Hot Docs were well attended. I went to the midnight screening and noticed some audience members were B-Boys and B-girls, which of course, needed to represent. The film was well received. I found myself cheering for the South Korean crew that eventually took the championship. I must apologise for not remembering their name… They were outstanding. Their routine was animated, fluid, inventive, fun and their battle with the Japanese crew was a scene to be seen. Planet B-Boy was released May 30th. Benson Lee was recently interviewed on CIUT’s Take 5 show; to listen to the interview go here. Lastly, if you’re a B-Boy, B-Girl or are one at heart, you will definitely want to see this film.

The month of May brings the Inside Out film festival to the T-Dot. It is an opportunity to see films by and for the Lesbian, Gay, Trans community. I have seen some very interesting films at this festival… One of my surprise favourites was I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone (Hei yan quan) by Ming-liang Tsai at last year’s festival. I would not recommend it to everyone but if you enjoy minimal dialogue and can find art in it, perhaps you may like it.

Nonetheless, this year’s festival had a nice selection of films for anyone who is interested. My festival started with Savage Grace by Tom Kalin. It is the story of a descendant of the inventor of plastic. The cast includes Julianne Moore as the overbearing mother, Eddie Redmayne as the ever-pleasing son Tom, and Stephen Dillane as Brooks, the father. In the film critics circle, it has been getting mixed reviews. I can see why and how; not the best edited film and can be a bit tiring at times. Nonetheless, I have to say that Moore does a good job. I disliked her character, which is good. She is at times too self-absorbed, pathetic and scary; very well done. I think she made the movie for me.

I continued with Zero Chou’s Drifting Flowers; the same director as Spider Lillies. The film introduces to three female characters in three interrelated stories. It was a nice film in the sense that the stories managed to flow neatly into one another without making you feel discombobulated. The characters are developed enough for the audience to relate. A good Tuesday night film.

My next sampler was Razzle Dazzle: A Journey Into Dance, a parody of teen-dance competitions and the extent to which parents and dance teachers alike are willing to go in order to reach the finals. I had a great time watching this film. From the dance teacher who is trying to tackle socio-political issues through choreography to the stage mom who truly believes her daughter will reach world-class success, the film is a hoot. I am not sure if this has distribution yet but I highly recommend it and not just for laughs.

On the second-last day, I saw Save Me. A film about finding love for yourself and with someone else. What is interesting about this film is that it was set in a hospice for gay men looking to “cure” themselves from their homosexuality by using the scriptures from the Bible and finding God. The lead character Mark (played by Chad Allen) was believable and so was Gayle (Judith Light’s character), the woman who built this hospice. A bit slow in the middle but otherwise a decent film. The characters were believable and the story interestingly developed.

The last day included a sing and drag along screening of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. If you have seen the movie, then I do not have to re-tell you what it’s about. If you have not, rent it, it’s fun. A bit disappointing not to have a host for this one. Some audience members came in drag and ready to sing along… but I had expected more. I still enjoyed the film regardless.

The closing film was XXY, which also screened at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival. I was glad to have a chance to screen this film, since I missed it in September. It’s the story of an intersex fifteen year old named Alex, played byInés Efron. A film dealing with multiple topics like sex, parent-child relationships and gender identity. From a psychological perspective, it was a realistic depiction of what happens when a teenager becomes curious about his/her sexuality. In this particular case, a bigger dilemma given Alex’s circumstances. Alex’s parents have conflicting opinions about whether Alex should have surgery to “fix” the problem. Alex just wants to be who Alex is… When you include other people in this dilemma, it only gets messier (for lack of a better word). The film raises many questions and indeed is very thought provoking; especially with an ending that is really no end to the story. A good effort by Lucìa Puenzo from Argentina and a good way to end the festival.

This year’s documentary film festival, Hot Docs, has quite a selection of full-length and short films. With titles like THE RISE AND FALL OF THE GRUMPY BURGER; HOLD ME TIGHT, LET ME GO and STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE we are sure to have a full range of subjects and styles of documentary film making.

This is my fourth year attending Hot Docs and every time, I am impressed by the variety of styles, topics and depth the filmmakers bring us. Thus far, I have not seen many films this time around. However, my first stop was visiting Club Native last Friday, April 18th. It is another documentary by award-winning director Tracey Deer (who also brought us Mohawk Girls). In Club Native we get to know the stories of several Mohawk women from the Kahnawake community and their struggles to be part of said community and the choice of whom they marry. The choice to marry outside the Mohawk community means these women lose their legal Native status within the Mohawk Nation. Deer presents interviews with various women with footage from the Oka Crisis in 1990 as well as scenes from their day-to-day lives. The stories all resonate with the same message, one can be part of one’s culture regardless of whom one falls in love. Deeper than that, however, is the need to discuss such racist attitudes. It is a nice short summary of a topic not many of us are aware. The Q & A proved to be full of emotion and evoked questions as to how to change these attitudes. The filmmaker and some of the women featured in the film were keen to emphasize the need for dialogue. A good way to start the festival.

My second film on Sunday, April 20th was La Frontera Infinita or The Infinite Border by Juan Manuel Sepúlveda from Mexico. In this documentary we are presented with another version of the flight of many migrants from Central America through Mexico hoping to reach the US of A and maybe even Canada. If you are from one of several developing nations from down South, I think it is safe to assume you know or have heard of someone trying to go to the States for a “better life.” What I enjoyed about this film was that unlike many other documentaries about this issue, it introduces us to several characters – young and old – at a slow pace. In other films, we often see people chasing the cargo trains that will take them to the American-Mexican border. Sepúlveda structures the film so that you get an idea of how long the journey is for these people; he shows places in Nicaragua, Guatemala, Mexico and USA. The long waits for the train seem to last forever at times; then there is hunger, the elements, the possibility of train accidents and the homesickness that sets in. This is a story that many are well aware of but few like to discuss. This film at least shows more of the realities these migrants endure in a well composed cinematic essay.

Have you ever noticed the audience at movie theatres? I know I always do… I do a quick “scan” of the people in the theatre just to get a feel for the vibe. Of course, it will also depend on the kind of film you’re watching and where.

I attend several screenings at Cinematheque Ontario throughout the year. I also go to some of the University of Toronto’s Free Friday Night Films. Then, there are preview screenings for upcoming releases and other specialty screenings like those during a particular film festival. The audiences change from screening to screening. Let me elaborate on some of these…

Film Festivals: For a large festival like the Toronto International Film Festival, the audience is composed of true cinephiles among many who just want to be “seen” at a premiere & the red carpet. Then there are those who see films from a specific country because that may be the only time they see a film from that part of the world on the big led screens. In festivals like Hot Docs are also a little different. Hot Docs has grown as a festival and we, as an audience, are able to see award-winning and avant–garde documentaries. The audience at Hot Docs is composed of well-educated, sometimes activist-types; all of whom are in search of some kind of truthful depiction of reality in all parts of the world, in all contexts.

In smaller film festivals, like the Estonian film festival, the Serbian film festival, ReelWorld film festival, Human Rights Watch and yet many others, the audience is limited. The smaller festivals attract people of that culture (if from a specific country), those who are interested in the issues at hand or those who like to keep informed of various arts events in the city. These small festivals give us a chance to be with like-minded individuals but also, they give us a chance to experience and learn from other cultures. This can be style differences from mainstream films or by showing us life differences from places outside of our communities.

Specialty Screenings: These can include preview screenings for an upcoming release or membership-based. The preview screenings for upcoming, major releases draw in all types of people…so the audience is varied and feels more “authentic,” for lack of a better word. They will be contest winners, friends of those involved in promoting the film, those promoting the film and people like me, who by some fluke or through an acquaintance, got a pass and got to see the film (good or not). In membership-based screenings, the audience is less diverse; the fact that one has to pay to be part of this “club” deters some average folk from attending. At this screenings, I have found that most individuals attend for the sad reason they want to gloat… Yes, people want to gloat about having seen a certain film prior to its release or they gloat for being the only ones to have seen a film that may never be released in this part of the world. To me, they are not true film fans… these are the people who attend red carpet premieres not for autographs or because their favourite actor/director is part of the film… they just want to be seen. These individuals also ask the least intelligent questions during a Question & Answer period… it’s like they do not even pay attention to the film. Now, I have to admit, not all subscribers are like this. There are some people who join because they want to see films for pleasure.

Another type of specialty screening would be those at Cinematheque Ontario. I find myself surprised by the amount of people who are “regulars.” I must confess I do not always like the films at Cinematheque and I’d like to consider my taste in films rather diverse. But not everyone will love German Expressionist films, or films by the likes of Godard or Bergman for that matter. I am glad to see some young and new faces at Cinematheque here and there; especially, for the classic matinee screenings. I must put a plug in for the silent films with live piano accompaniment… the experience is truly enhanced by the live music.

So the point of all this is that no matter where, audiences do change. Keep that in mind when you go to your next screening. I just figured we go see films for a myriad of reasons… and that is why the movie experience varies depending on the people we watch movies with.

Scene from Brief Encounter

I have been following the “race” to the 2008 US Presidential elections. I am one who supports the Democrats. To me, the Republicans represent the “old school” and sometimes backward way of thinking. Thus, I am quite keen on seeing who will win the Democratic Party’s nomination: Obama or Clinton?

It is interesting to watch television or read the paper & internet about the latest political events. Seems like the world is not making an effort in improving the various situations it has gotten itself in. I find it awfully disturbing to know that many developing and developed nations are in political struggle.

The year 2007 was no exception in terms of bloody events. The recent murder of Pakistani Political Leader Benazir Bhutto prompted me to type this. I am no conspiracy theorist but I do not believe that her death was a last-minute plan to get rid of her. Her return to Pakistan after exile was thoroughly orchestrated by the Bush administration and Pakistani authorities (including Musharraf). Everyone following this story knew her presence in Pakistan would force changes in the political sphere of that country. Simply watching news reports one could see how much the Pakistani people want a change.

Bhutto’s death will certainly bring more chaos in the upcoming elections. It may in fact get more people to react and put more thought in what changes they want for their country. How she died will not be the main issue. Why was she killed and by whom will be the question on the minds of many. I am curious to follow the story and see the explanations the Pakistani, American and British governments will come up with. Bloody politics indeed!

I finally got to see the film Juno, which I had missed during this year’s TIFF. Somehow, things happen for a reason because a friend of mine gave me a pass for a screening last week. I had read the NYT’s review about two weeks ago and it stated it was a well-written film with lots of quirky, smart-funny lines. The review overall stated that Juno was a movie to be seen this year… A few friends had seen the film also and highly recommended it. Now Magazine, however, rated it as “average” or NNN.

If you are used to watching movies, you are also used to mixed reviews. I have learned to read these with an open-mind and just watch the movie with no expectations. (Sometimes it’s not so easy, if you like certain directors or actors but you get my point…) This was the case with Juno. I went with a friend who had heard almost nothing about the movie, which was even better for me. I must say that I was just truly enjoyed this movie; it could also have been because of the company. Nonetheless, I found the script (by Diablo Cody) smart, hilarious and just delicious. Ellen Page as Juno does a really good job in portraying a pregnant teenager with a good sense of humour but with a lot of growing up to do. The cast works well together and a special mention goes out to Jennifer Garner, who plays the adoptive mother-to-be. Garner convincingly plays the thirtysomething woman who yearns to be a mother; I even found her too well preparedness as annoying… but that’s the point. Jason Bateman is the adoptive father-to-be who just is not ready to grow up and act like an adult. We see the disconnect between these two characters early on and can possibly guess the end result but it’s still a delight to watch.

I will not go into too much detail about the storyline because I think it is up to you to see the film and enjoy the quirky lines and the just as quirky soundtrack, which incorporates a lot of indie music. My friend and I both agreed that we want a copy of the soundtrack… So do not be so easily persuaded by mixed reviews… expect to be surprised

I recently read an article on the NYT about perfectionism. It states the usual that most of us hear that reaching for the top is often a good thing. However, when the need to be perfect escalates to our home, work, personal and mental lives as well as our mental health it can be a risk rather than an asset.

So I remembered that in my late-teens I came across a card wih the title “I wouldn’t try to be so Perfect.” It piqued my interest so I looked closer and underneath the title was a subtitle: Written by a man who learned he was dying. I’m one of those people who buys cards without having an occasion because one never knows when there will be a need for a card. This one, though, I just had to buy because of its simple, yet truthful message. I am sharing it here with you (after having kept the card for over 10 years). It’s a reminder that living to be the greatest individual we can be rewarding but it is also good to learn from our “close or not-so-close successes” and continue to grow. This may also be a reminder to “live in the moment” and enjoy even the smaller things. I hope you get something out of it like I know I have…