Father Geek here with Ms Moon Yun Choi and the 1st of her reports from the MAUI Film Fest for 2003... Its opening night and the stars are out in more ways than just on stage... Here's the lovely Moon Yun...
Moon Yun here corresponding from the 4th annual Maui Film Festival where this year’s festival held from June 11 -15 are supercharged with celebrities.
Rob Reiner opened the five-day festival on June 11 with the screening of his soon to be released “Alex & Emma.” The romantic comedy, directed and co-written by Reiner, and starring Kate Hudson and Luke Wilson, couldn’t have been shown at a more perfect venue. About 2,300 people watched the movie under the stars at the wonderful outdoor Tommy Bahama Celestial Cinema at the beautiful resort town of Wailea.
“Alex & Emma” was a witty, funny and delightful romantic comedy, although it was not at the level of Reiner’s previous hit, the classic “When Harry Met Sally…” It was a fun movie to watch and an OK date film, but nothing spectacular. While I like Kate Hudson, the part she played of the stenographer could’ve been an “anybody” role. She has yet to capture a role that made her shine like in “Almost Famous.” Wilson was good as the writer struggling to overcome his writer’s block so he can finish his novel within thirty days or the loan sharks “offs” him. However, to me, he seemed too good looking and in too good shape to look like a distressed, down and out writer but he fit well as the romantic suitor. The loan sharks burn his laptop as a warning of what’s going to happen to him if he doesn’t come up with the money so he hires a stenographer (Hudson).
I was delighted to see a movie with the French actress Sophie Marceau. I loved her as the soft, yet strong and dignified princess in “Braveheart.” In this movie, she takes a different turn as a flighty woman only interested in marrying for money. The most interesting part of the movie was how it takes you into the writing process and even revealed the process Reiner goes through.
Reiner was also on Maui to accept the MFF’s inaugural “Lights! Camera! Passion! Award. He received the award the following day on June 12 for his heartfelt commitment to make films that matter and for a personal life that has embodied a long-standing commitment to work for social justice and the triumph of the human spirit.
The opening night film was followed by John Malkovich’s “The Dancer Upstairs.” For Malkovich’s directorial debut, the police drama was a cinematic marvel. Bravo to him for making an excellent and brilliant piece of work. I didn’t feel that way at the beginning of the film, and I saw some people walk out. It may have been because by the time the film got rolling, I was freezing my beezees off. I felt the film was long and slow and wasn’t going anywhere. I couldn’t wait for the movie to end. But as you got more into the story of the cop played by Spanish actor Javier Bardem, his pursuit of a terrorist and his relationship with a mysterious ballet dancer, you start to get really intrigued by the movie. I think it was his developing relationship with the dancer that made the film multi-dimensional.
The violence in the movie was shocking. There was a scene that was particularly disturbing. There we! re school girls in uniform wearing white shirt and short plaid skirt. They started flirting with government officials as a way to distract them. Then they pulled out their guns and shot them in cold blood. Some of the girls got shot themselves. The Bardem character traces one of the girls to her house. She’s injured, in bed and completely covered in blood. Her face has been shot off. He tries to comfort her by saying that help will be on the way soon but she swipes the blood from her face and flings it at him. That’s how all the other followers of the elusive terrorist are. They’re like brain-washed, Manson-like followers of a crazy person.
Other stars on hand included Geena Davis, who came to accept the festival’s “Stella Award,” given to the still beautiful star for advancing the status of women throughout the film industry by breathing life into characters that empower, enlighten and entertain. She didn’t have a film to promote. She was taken a break and came along with her 14-month-old baby and gorgeous husband.
Tonight, June 13, Anthony Hopkins will be receiving a Silversword Award in honor of his Creative Contributions to the Art and Soul of Filmmaking. I also got to talk to and take pictures of Bai Ling, Kelly Hu, Adrien Brody, as well as Reiner and Davis. When I get back to Oahu, I’ll have the pictorials made. Greg Kinnear will also be receiving an award tomorrow.
More to come from this exciting film festival thanks to Barry Rivers, MFF Founder and Director, who was instrumental in making all this happen once again.
Moon Yun Choi signing out till next time...
