i am currently reading this book (i mean currently, present tense, as in when i am sending this to harry) called "the altering eye," a book spanning international cinema and its struggle with and against the hollywood system. i am right now reading about neo-realism and the french new wave, and it just seems so fitting that i now get to write about this film, little shots of happiness.
a color film shot in 16mm in the tradition of godard and other french new wavians. not because this is an avante garde film, instead it is basic filmmaking used to tell a great story. this film does not need the glossiness or 35mm, nor does it need a good audio track because it has the actors and story to carry it a long way. it is shot as basic as basic could be, while still keeping the audience intrigues, entertained, and emotional.
the subject helps carry the film too. but since i saw this film without knowing much at all about it, i think that may have just added to the pleasantness of my surprise. this was another one of those films that a smile cracked on my face, and i said to myself "wow! and who made this? and who are these actors? and who wrote this? this is great, phenomenal" another shocking surprise given to me by sxsw. thank you. and this film also has to squeeze in there on my top 5 list, which is about to burst at the seems (the thing is, top 10 does not say as much, usually in a case like this, the bottom few are not as great as the top few, but i could honestly say that the films that are in my imaginery top 5 are all equal, and are all great films, once again this is my opinion and may not be anybody elses).
the next film was a surprise in a different sense, well in two senses, one good one bad (don't worry, not bad as in a bad film, just a surprise, like i said). i was going into the long way home not knowing what it was or what it was about. the thing was, i was set on not seeing any documentaries today. i actually really love documentaries, but today and a few other days this week, i have just not been in the mood for one.
