MFF 21, 02: Fernando Meirelles to get Excellence in Cinema Award "My deepest thanks to MAMI and the Mumbai Film Festival for this honour. As a director who makes his home on the opposite side of the world from where this festival takes place, I am humbly reminded that cinema is the perfect conduit for people to recognise and celebrate our shared humanity. I have strived to convey in my films an understanding between people who do not seem to have anything in common. To show that we have...

For a sampling of the narrative features not already mentioned, I offer the following: While the premise of Another Earth suggests that it is a science-fiction film, it is really more of a character study with a sci-fi MacGuffin.  Lead actress/writer Brit Marling, as Rhoda, is in virtually every shot, and yet is silent for roughly the first twenty minutes.  Her ability to keep the audience engaged through facial expression and body language sets the tone for the gently unfolding plot.  Alo...

The seventh annual Independent Film Festival Boston kicked off on Wednesday night with Rian Johnson’s The Brothers Bloom, a romance tucked inside a comedy couched within a confidence scheme (a rom-com-con?).  The romance, predictably, grows between a mark and one of the con men.  The comedy is unexpected and liberally sprinkled throughout.  While not integral to the plot, the humor is always welcome, never off mark and adds appreciably to the appeal of the film.  The cons begin when the ...

Santa Barbara International Film Festival Day One : Opening Night Film: Definitely, Maybe “I like to be manipulated.” I heard one of my male film-going companions state this when talking about why he liked Definitely, Maybe. I don’t think he’s getting in touch with his feminine side as much as he is commenting on his film-going personality. After all, this is why we go see films oftentimes: to be manipulated. To have our tears jerked, to feel something, to follow along on the trials, tri...