IFFB: scenes from day 4

SECRECY.
Post-screening Q&A with director Rob Moss.

An eye-opening investigation into the process, reasons, and apparent results, intentional and unintentional, of government secrecy and classification and how they are used to wield and keep power and control.

BALLAST.
Post-screening Q&A with director Lance Hammer.

A pretty, super-sad, somber film. Any random 2 minutes of this movie would make me feel lonely. I got into the theater after the film had started and the room was packed. I ended up standing up at the back of the room for the duration of the screening. Reminded me in mood and atmosphere of a previous year's IFFB offering, IN BETWEEN DAYS.

Can you spot the talented and beautiful actress...?

Okay... here's a hint...

Director Chris Eigeman and star Famke Janssen take questions after TURN THE RIVER. Drawing another comparison to past IFFB flicks, for me, resonated with HALF NELSON. Kailee is a career card and pool shark attempting to build a stake big enough to enable her to start a new life with her son Gully. One problem, her ex-husband (and his family) have legal custody of the boy, prohibiting her from seeing him, much less raising him. Famke delivers a magnificent performance as the flawed, loving, tough-as-nails hustler and mother.

Hafta remember to look up the band/musicians who scored the film as I really dug the unexpected but very fitting music. I think the director called them a subset of the band, The Nationals. In response to a question resembling, "What did the ending mean?" he said that the finish was ambiguous, but intended as added, or extra, "meat on the bone." I won't go into the details of that, but will say that the idea of it is *JUST* the kind of thing I love and often want to see in movies that don't think of or use it.

Yeah, okay. That last note is not gonna make sense to anyone but me. =)

Something to remember: The woman sitting behind me presented a very sharp analysis of the character and story and owned up to always wanting to see a story where the woman "gets away with something."

TRIANGLE.

Caught the midnight show. A ton of seedy HK underbelly fun, delivered by the triple threat directorial combo of Tsui Hark, Ringo Lam, and Johnnie To. An unlikely heist, three down-on-their-luck average guys, one bad bad cop, some wacky turns and connections, absurd coincidence, and just a hint of the supernatural. Altogether make for a damn entertaining ride. =)

Keep on keepin on~