MIFF 2010, so many films, so little time

The MIFF (Melbourne International Film Festival) proceedings begins today. Even for non-members, all sessions are now open to purchase tickets for as screenings commence the 22^nd and conclude August 8^th. I thought it a prudent time to post my viewings (OK not all of them but the highlights) and talk a little about the great line-up this year, which has turned out to be very diverse and a tiny bit disappointing.

Last years program included 'Love Exposure' which at the time I was desperate to see, so it was a relief that it was included and turned out to be the festivals best film, if not, dare I say the best film ever, and also a relief that brilliant distributors Third Window Films released on DVD soon after.

This year my must-see movie is Nakashima's school revenge tale 'Confessions' which was not on the program, nor was the Cannes winner 'Uncle Boonmee who can recall his past lives' which was definitely odd as the Sydney Film Festival had just finished screening it.

The disappointment ends there however as the strong line-up does include some great films. From Australia the faux-western 'Red Hill', a 3D documentary about 'Cane Toads: The Conquest', spooky deserted island horror 'The Uninhabited', an alternate take on loss and mourning with 'The Tree', premedidated murder gone wrong in 'Blame' and MIFF's opener the darkly comic 'The Wedding Party' shot entirely in our great city.

From Korea we have Sang-soo Im's 'Housemaid' and the original by Ki-Young Kim, the touted next Mother 'Poetry', mockumentary (they should really make mockumentary an official word as it is coming up as misspelled on here, but I digress) 'The Actresses', mystery thriller 'Paju' and Sang-soo Hong's insipid 'Hahaha'.

Some gems from Japan, although no Kitano's 'Outrage' which is an outrage! Koreeda's 'Air Doll', about a sex doll that comes to life which is a lot sadder than it sounds, Sabu's new film 'Kanikosen', Wakamatsu's 'Caterpillar', and Matsumoto's 'Symbol' which defies description, 'Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo' which is a brilliantly shot doco about insects and Japanese society. For this year however Japan's offerings in the animation scene include Studio 4c's 'First Squad: the moment of Truth', 'Summer Wars' and 'Mai Mai Miracle'.

From the west we have Oizo's tyre odyssey 'Rubber', Polanski's political thriller 'The Ghost Writer', 'The Disappearance of Alice Creed', the anti-social psychosexual 'Leap Year', Noe's mind-screw 'Enter the Void', Chris Morris's suicide bomber black comedy 'Four Lions', the Cronenberg-esque 'Splice', the American Psycho-esque 'The Killer Inside Me' and the commercial but fun 'Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World'.

Everything else at the top of my head is Honky slasher 'Dream Home', the steamy sensual Vietnamese 'Adrift', Ian Durey biopic 'Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll', an in-depth look at Phillipino exploitation films with 'Machete Maidens Unleashed!', Godard's surely last 'Film Socialisme', Croatian war-time horror 'The Blacks', Solondz's 'Life During Wartime', Canadian Rushmore 'The Trotsky', Coppola's 'Tetro', 319 minute 'Carlos' the jackal biopic and over 300 films that I have barely touched upon!

As the tagline goes for this year 'it's a matter of taste' and this cannot be any truer than the brilliant previously used 'everyone's a critic'.

With this said, I would love to hear from any Melbourne-ites who are attending and would love to hear your personal highlights, as I have missed many great films!

I hope to review everything I see and as always appreciate your insights.

Happy viewing everyone, below are just some of the great trailers.