Showing posts with label films. Show all posts
Showing posts with label films. Show all posts

Thursday, November 4, 2010

AFI Fest 2010


Although the American Film Institute has been involved with providing a film festival since 1971 under various names and in different formats and locations, it was as AFI Film Fest that I first started attending the festival. The last time I went to the festival when it was AFI Film Fest was in June/July 1994 where, over fifteen days, it was held at Laemmle’s Monica 4-Plex in Santa Monica, California. During the festival I saw fourteen films, five sets of short films, and attended one seminar titled “Special Effects Seminar: The Creative Process”. Although the ticket price was $7.50, I bought a booklet of twenty vouchers for $100, which I exchanged for tickets; thus the tickets actually cost me $5 - a savings of 33%. Among the films I saw that year were: “Mannen På Balkongen” (“The Man On The Balcony”), “Après L’amour” (Love After Love), “The Wedding Gift”, “Der Gudene Er Døde” (“Where Gods Are Dead”), and “It’ll Have Blinking Eyes And A Moving Mouth”.

Fast forward ten years to 2004 and, sometime in the intervening years, the film festival has become simply AFI Fest. The American Film Institute has partnered with the American Film Market and the festival is now presented in November and the location of 2004’s eleven days of film is the ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood, California. Attending the festival for the first time in a decade, I see five films and the ticket price is $11. Those five films are: “Matia Apo Nichta” (“Eyes Of Night”), “Tell Them Who You Are”, “Duck Season”, “Crimen Ferpecto” (“Ferpect Crime”), and “Erbsen Auf Halb 6” (Peas At 5:30”).

Now it is 2010 and the AFI Fest begins today primarily at the Mann’s Chinese Theatres (other venues – Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, Egyptian Theatre, and the Roosevelt Hotel) in Hollywood, California and goes through Thursday 11 November. I will see five films over the eight-day run and the tickets are free! The five films are:

The Human Resources Manager

Pulsar

Boy

Submarino

Pink Saris

This is the second year that AFI Fest has been free and located at Mann’s Chinese Theatres. I definitely enjoy the free tickets part, though I could do without the crowds and craziness of Hollywood Boulevard. Although the festival may never return further West again, I’m sure I’ll venture out to experience it as long as I’m in the neighborhood.


Image is of the AFI Fest 2010 e-mail banner

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Los Angeles Film Festival


The Los Angeles Film Festival has been around in one version or another since 1971. Its current version began sixteen years ago in 1995. My first attendance at the current festival was its tenth year in 2004 where among the seven films I saw were – “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead”, “Feux Rouges” (“Red Lights”), and “Confidences Trop Intimes” (“Intimate Stangers”) and all three of them at the Directors Guild. Prior to 2010, the last time I went to the festival was in 2008, its fourteenth year. I saw ten films that year and among them were “Encounters At The End Of The World” at the Majestic Crest, “La France” at the AMC Avco, and “The Poker House” at the Majestic Crest.

I am only attending the 2010 LA FilmFest today and seeing two films. They are:

Mahler Auf Der Couch” (“Mahler On The Couch”)

Freakonomics

Part of the reason that I’m only seeing two films this year, is that the festival has moved from its recent Westwood location (more convenient for me) to Downtown Los Angeles. And as I didn’t purchase tickets in advance, it’s the Rush line for me and standing outside the Regal Cinemas until almost the films’ start times before being able to buy tickets. I hope the festival returns to Westwood, but I’m afraid that is unlikely. No matter, it is a good festival for seeing international films.


Image is of the Los Angeles Film Festival e-mail banner

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

City Of Lights, City Of Angels








The City of Lights, City of Angels: A Week Of French Film Premiers In Hollywood is in its fourteenth year this April 2010. I have been attending this festival since its seventh year in 2003 when I saw just two films – “Se Souvenir des Belles Choses” and “Aime Ton Père” – at the Directors Guild of America. Yes it can be admitted, I am a Francophile and any chance to see French films is one I try to take; which is why, beginning today, I am seeing seven French films this week. The films are:

"Une Exécution Ordinaire" ("An Ordinary Execution")

"Ma Vie En L’air" ("Love Is In The Air")

"Deux De La Vague" ("Two In The Wave")

"La Petite Voleuse" ("The Little Thief")

"Mères Et Filles" ("Hidden Diary")

"Perrot Le Fou"

"Gardiens De L’ordre" ("Sphinx")

In addition to feature films, ColCoa offers Happy Hour Talks, wine and cheese receptions, Morning Reruns, French shorts and trailers. And if you are fortunate, you might meet a native French speaker with whom you can practice La Belle Langue. It’s a little slice of French culture to tide you over until that next trip to France.



Images:
Left: Front cover of the ColCoa 2010 program guide
Center: Directors Guild Of America from the website colcoa.org
Right: Back cover of the ColCoa 2010 program guide

Friday, March 5, 2010

Spirit Awards Viewing Party 2010







Best Feature

I voted for: Precious
Winner: PRECIOUS

Best First Feature

I voted for: Easier With Practice
Winner: CRAZY HEART

John Cassavetes Award

I voted for: Treeless Mountain
Winner: HUMPDAY

Best Director

I voted for: Lee Daniels – Precious
Winner: LEE DANIELS - PRECIOUS

Best Screenplay

I voted for: Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman – The Messenger
Winner: SCOTT NEUSTADER, MICHAEL H. WEBER - (500) DAYS OF SUMMER

Best First Screenplay

I voted for: Scott Cooper – Crazy Heart
Winner: GEOFFREY FLETCHER - PRECIOUS

Best Female Lead

I voted for: Nisreeen Faqur – Amreeka
Winner: GABOUREY SIDIBE - PRECIOUS

Best Male Lead

I voted for: Jeff Bridges – Crazy Heart
Winner: JEFF BRIDGES - CRAZY HEART

Best Supporting Female

I voted for: Mo’nique – Precious
Winner: MO'NIQUE - PRECIOUS

Best Supporting Male

I voted for: Woody Harrelson – The Messenger
Winner: WOODY HARRELSON - THE MESSENGER

Best Cinematography

I voted for: Roger Deakins – A Serious Man
Winner: ROGER DEAKINS - A SERIOUS MAN

Best Documentary

I voted for: Food Inc.
Winner: ANVIL: THE STORY OF ANVIL

Best Foreign Film

I voted for: An Education
Winner: AN EDUCATION

Someone To Watch Award

Winner: KYLE PATRICK ALVAREZ - EASIER WITH PRACTICE

Producers Award

Winner: KARIN CHIEN - SANTA MESA - THE EXPANING GIRL

Truer Than Fiction Award

Winner: 45365 - BILL ROSS IV - TURNER ROSS

Robert Altman Award

Winner: A SERIOUS MAN



The Official Spirit Awards Viewing Party was held tonight at The Standard in downtown Los Angeles. Arrived about a half hour before the stated party start time, but of course there were a number of people already at the hotel. Having come through the hotel’s front door, I had missed the check-in table, which was located near the parking garage exit (that’s what happens when you take the bus). After receiving my wristband and a Jameson drink ticket, I proceeded up the escalator for the second time within five minutes. As the main viewing area was practically full, I ended up in a separate room where the event gift bags were being assembled. There were only two other viewers when I entered, so I went to the front where the not-terribly-large television was and sat in one of the white leather chairs in the first row. As there was a bartender in the room, I decided to obtain my Jameson drink right away. Had the whiskey with ginger ale on the rocks. During the time (about an hour) before the live telecast of the Spirit Awards at 8:00 p.m., I drank the whiskey and wrote and watched excerpts from previous Spirit Awards ceremonies. Of course more people discovered the room and it filled up rather quickly. One disadvantage in being in this room was that no servers were coming with hors d’oeuvres. So I went in search of food, but was unsuccessful. During the Awards broadcast servers did arrive, but I only had a bit of quiche and a cupcake. My location near the television and not the door was the reason I (and others) were being deprived. Anyway, I was busy keeping track of the winners and enjoying the ceremony. Over the course of the broadcast, people began leaving, but I stayed to the end. Of the thirteen categories in which I voted, I was correct in seven of them or about 54%. That’s fine, I voted for who I wanted to win, not for who I thought would win. Collected my gift bag, left by the front door, and caught the bus home.

Images:
Left: LA Film Fest T-Shirt – gift bag item
Center: Invitation to the Spirit Awards Viewing Party
Right: Scented Candle – gift bag item