Dubai Film Fest III (Dec 10-17, 2006)

[fizz]

And how can anyone forget the biggest news of the event, the Muhr awards!

Best full length feature film:

1 - Barakat
2 - Falafel
3 - Why O' Sea

Best Arab doc:

1 - VHS - Cahloucha
2 - Amina
3 - I am the one who brings flowers to her grave

Best short film:

1 - Make a wish
2 - The magic croc
3 - Be quiet

[shariqq]

My Top 5 were, in order of preference:

[ozzylogic]

Why don't I see Days Of Glory up there? I was gonna watch it...

[kaytee]

Why don't I see Days Of Glory up there? I was gonna watch it...

Coz these were much better.

[ozzylogic]

The only 2 movies I managed to catch were The Lives Of Others, and The Host, and I loved both. I was also really looking forward to Hana, Bobby, The Island and Days Of Glory. Seems like I didn't miss much.

[X.]

My favourites films at DIFF in order of pleasure:

It's Winter (Zemastan)
Fast Food Nation
Still Life (Sanxia haoren)
Lives of Others (Das Leben der Anderen)
Happy Feet

[sally]

Ive been reading about the dubai film festival. Its nice to see that you guys also like The Wind That Shakes The Barley. Its a wonderful movie

[ozzylogic]

Ive been reading about the dubai film festival. Its nice to see that you guys also like The Wind That Shakes The Barley. Its a wonderful movie

The Wind that Shakes the Barley[/u]
Where this movie went I had no idea. Everyone around me seemd to love this movie, while I got head nor tail of it. Not that I got confues - it's a simple story. But absolutely nothing in the movie affect me in any way.I think it's like Grilled Hamour - a lot of people tell me great things about it, but I just can't find anything tasty about it. So being true to my response to this movie without doubting the sanity of the judges at Cannes, I'll say this was an absolute waste for me.

My problems with the movie? Mainly, the narrative. The story is about someone, then something, then the same someone, then something else, then back to the same someone. And that someone (Cillian Murphy) acts wierd. Calculating enough to commit cold-blooded murder, and argue with the man who started his movement, yet stupid enough to not understand when to stop and compromise. Apaprently his character is supposed to go through a lot of development. But in fact, I felt he was the same at the end as he was in the beginning, but just spurting different lines. Is his performance to blame? I think t's more with the director and the script that I'll find fault.

The scene I hated the most - after first visiting the bunch of irish rebels ona bicycle, Julia goes away. But almost as an afterthough when Damien runs up to her, she gives him something she had for him. WTF?! Was she gonna go without giving it to him if he hadn't followed her? It's what I call bloody convenient - something that just does not work too well in a movie that's trying to be realistic. You can have convenient situations (The bullet hit the cross, and saved the priest!) and attribute it to God &/or Luck. But not characters acting as if they're Bruce Almighty. Possibly this scene that comes somewhere in the beginning 20 minutes just destroyed the whole movie for me.

Suit yourself, but I hated it. Rated 1/5

[shariqq]

AK, how about doing that vote we were talking of and rating the boardmember's top/bottom DIFF movies?

[X.]

The easiest way to do this would be for everyone to post their Best 5 and Worst 5 movies at DIFF.

Then all I do is collate the info and put up ONE list that reflects those results.

Since at least three of us have our Best 5, its a start. We need to finalise our Worst 5. Fizz needs to weigh in too.

Honestly, I don't know how useful the final list will be considering only 4 of us actually saw enough movies at DIFF to make lists. But, what the heck...

[shariqq]

Yeah, what the heck...

Here's my 5:

Best:
1 - El Custodio
2 - Lives of Others
3 - The Host
4 - It's Winter
5 - Paris, Je T'aime

Worst
1 - The Wind That Shakes The Barley
2 - Hana
3 - Bong Connection
4 - Iraq in Fragments
5 - Happy Feet

[shariqq]

**Edited : Moved all notes to respective movie threads**

My updates for the last two days of the Festival:

Friday, 15th Dec was for four movies:
Still Life
Hollywoodland
Namesake
The Host

Three movies on Saturday, 16th Dec:
Iraq in Fragments
Justified Cheating
Fast Food Nation

[X.]

Given the considerable effort you've put into each review, why not create separate threads in the Red Room & Sunset Blvd? You can still crosslink to the review as in the case of "Iraq in Fragments."

This thread -- beyond DIFF -- has run its course...

[ozzylogic]

Worst

5 - Happy Feet

I'd be comforted to know what you didn't like about it...'coz I haven't watched it. I know I shouldn't have judged it before I watched it...but somehow, I just don't feel like watching it, and skipped when I got the opportunity.

[shariqq]

Given the considerable effort you've put into each review, why not create separate threads in the Red Room & Sunset Blvd? You can still crosslink to the review as in the case of "Iraq in Fragments."

This thread -- beyond DIFF -- has run its course...

Okey dokey - will get to work right away.

Worst

5 - Happy Feet

I'd be comforted to know what you didn't like about it...'coz I haven't watched it. I know I shouldn't have judged it before I watched it...but somehow, I just don't feel like watching it, and skipped when I got the opportunity.

My views here.