OK, SxSW…

OK, SXSW…I’m really interested in going. But what to make of those incredible hotel prices? One night is as expensive as the whole conference fee (that is, if you register early…). Does anyone who’s been there before know of any cheaper, safe hotels that are not too far away? I’d like to start all my planning right now. It’s bad enough that I’ll have to convert my Canadian dollars into American half-dollars (practically!). Any suggestions?

More Films To Report

More films to report:

  • City Loop – This was a debut from former journalist Melinda Chayko. It’s a story of six individuals who work at a fast food restaurant and what happens on one long night. It’s composed of individual segments told from each character’s perspective and the narrative folds back on itself in some really clever ways. Good performances from a cast of unknowns, also. I’d give it 7/10
  • Angels of the Universe – This is my favourite film so far. A beautifully shot and told story of one man’s struggle with schizophrenia, based on a book by the director’s best friend about his brother. Achingly sad and yet life affirming. It’s a shame no one will probably see it outside of Scandinavia. My second Icelandic film of the festival (who knew??). This is easily a 9/10.
  • Chasing Sleep – Starring Jeff Daniels as a man whose wife doesn’t return home from work one day. He spends the days and nights getting progressively more freaked out and unable to sleep. It’s been compared to Roman Polanski’s Repulsion, but I think it doesn’t quite achieve what it wants to. Still interesting and of course a bravura performance from Daniels. 7/10
  • Signs and Wonders – [there were still tickets available for this film this morning, so Brooke and I decided to add it to our schedule] Great cast including Stellen Skarsgard, Deborah Kara Unger, and Charlotte Rampling, (Skarsgard and Rampling were at the screening, and Brooke got both their autographs) about a man who leaves his wife for another woman and then changes his mind. It starts off as a film about infidelity but veers into cheesy thriller territory. Also notable for being completely shot with digital video cameras. It felt like an American film trying to be an European film. 6/10

Also, today was my first day of jury duty. I reported to the pool of potential jurors and sat in on two different trials. The first was a civil trial and I didn’t get called up. The second was a criminal trial, with four defendants facing a total of 40 charges. Jury selection went on for the whole day, and I was chosen as juror number 8. We finished the day with only 10 jurors, out of a total pool of almost 90 people, all of whom were rejected by counsel. I’ll be on this jury for the next two weeks. I’m kind of looking forward to seeing how the whole process works, and listening to both sides in the case.

In God We Trust

I almost forgot. Before Chopper last night, they screened a short film called In God We Trust, directed by a young director named Jason Reitman (son of Ivan Reitman, as it turns out). It stars that guy from the IBM commercial, the one where the guy is walking around a supermarket, apparently shoplifting stuff, and then the security guard stops him on his way out to give him his receipt. It’s a brilliant piece of comedy, compressed into a perfect length (16 minutes). 9/10. Keep your ears open, this guy’s going places…

Two Films Last Night

I saw two films last night. 101 Reykjavik was a comedy, mostly. 30 year old slacker still lives at home with his mother in a tiny house (their bathtub has a lid that turns it into bench seating for their kitchen table!). His mother brings home her Spanish friend and over New Year’s, he has a fling with her. Then his mother confesses to him that she is a lesbian and that her friend and she are lovers. Much confusion ensues, but this ends up a story about a guy who finally gets a life. Music by Damon Albarn of Blur. Not sure if this will get US distribution, the director said that’s why they’re in Toronto. I’d give it 7/10.

Chopper was another first feature, and features one of Australia’s best known standup comedians in the role of Mark “Chopper” Read, one of Australia’s most notorious criminals. This guy got his nickname from having someone slice his ears off in prison. Sound gruesome? The movie has lots more nastiness in store. Excellent acting from Eric Bana and innovative cinematography from director Andrew Dominik. Although violent, the film does leave us wondering about the relationship between criminal behaviour and fame. The real Chopper Read is out of prison now and has written 9 best-selling books based on his life and crimes. I’d give this one 8/10.

I also bought a new cellphone today (Sanyo SCP-4000) and some music:

  • Elastica-The Menace
  • Aimee Mann-I’m With Stupid (CDN$9.99)
  • The Police-Regatta de Blanc (CDN$9.99)
  • Beastie Boys-Paul’s Boutique (CDN$9.99)
  • Chemical Brothers-Dig Your Own Hole (CDN$9.99)

I love getting deals like that. I’m off to another Australian film tonight, I’ll try to report on that tomorrow.