# Off-topic Rants

This is a film that explores the life of Marnie, a young lady who has just recently graduated from college, parties most nights, is looking for a good job and a boyfriend. It’s a film about someone who is stumbling and drifting into adulthood. She’s a slacker, keeps a notebook of self-improvement initiatives (such as “go to museum” and “learn chess”), and is struggling with love. This film looks ultra-low-budget, with long single grainy shots, poor sound quality and slow and natural dialog. It almost feels as if it’s more of an unscripted documentary than a drama. However, despite its film student look, the characters really start to grow on you and you become part of their world. Although nothing really exciting happens, you just go along for the ride (although it’s more like a scenic railway). It has some really funny moments, although it’s hardly a barrel of laughs – more just a look into someone’s life. I really loved this film and fell in love with the character of Marnie.

These are funny little Japanese 3D computer animations about a cute girl and her two crazy pets. Although I’m not a fan of this kind of thing, it was quite refreshing to see something funny after watching a couple of emotionally draining films.

This is a really fantastic and insightful documentary about the Danish filmmaker Nicholas Winding Refn’s struggle to pay off his debts after the box-office flop of his latest film, Fear X, despite the fact that his debut film, Pusher, was a huge success. He decides the only way to get out of debt is to make some more movies, and starts work on Pusher II and III. I guess the reason I loved this film so much is because I really admire people who attempt to make movies. It’s a constant uphill battle. I can personally relate to a lot of what Nicholas was going through, especially the writer’s block and cleaning up the house, only so you don’t have to think about the movie you’re supposed to be writing! Technically speaking, this movie was nothing special – it had very generic documentary qualities. However, the content was fantastic and truly interesting. It’s kind of sad, but human beings seem to get a kick out of watching other people hit rock bottom. I just loved the determination and nativity of the people in this film. For a person studying film and television – this is a great educational documentary to watch.

This is a really funny short animation about an enthusiastic but unqualified dog that answers an advertisement for a guide dog position, but finds the task slightly more challenging than he could ever imagine. Nothing seems to go right for this poor dog! Again, this film shows that if you hurt a cute character, you are assured instant laughs!

This is a really magnificent observational documentary that explores the close relationship between two brothers. It crosses all cultural boundaries, capturing a loving relationship full of humour, wit and positive energy, whilst examining social issues, and Indigenous families. Although it has a very low-budget documentary feel to it, the people and content within the film is so attention-grabbing and fascinating, that you don’t even notice. This is a short film that will make you laugh, and even bring a tear to your eye. But at the end of it, you leave with a smile.

This is a really great, yet very creepy New Zealand short film about a man who murders a young girl in a rain forest, and is later haunted by her in the most frightening of ways. Basically, nature fights back! This is one of the most professionally looking short films I’ve ever seen. Watching it at ACMI, the picture quality was absolutely amazing. I’m fairly sure it was shot on 35mm, as the resolution was perfect. The audio quality was also really, really impressive. The musical score was also very nice. To top it all off, the screenplay was great. Spine-chilling, but great none the less! I really like the whole concept of the film. Obviously a lot of money has been put into this short, as all departments were producing results that easily matched the quality of high budget Hollywood movies. Also, the credits did roll on for quite some time. As you can see, I was really impressed with this film. It makes me wonder if I should move to New Zealand and work with all the amazing filmmakers that seem to be there!

This is a fantastic moving and revealing glimpse into history, as an 83-year-old World War II pilot views 16mm film footage of his 1943 Spitfire crash for the first time. I especially loved the introduction to this film, as the director explains how the whole story came about, with the help of animation/motion effects. This was a really high quality production, and really inspired me to make a good documentary this year.

This film follows the life of tobacco industry lobbyist Nick Naylor, as he promotes and defends cigarette smoking in a time when the health hazards have become too plain to ignore. Nick, a master of manipulation, who has the skill and flair to convince anyone of anything, can talk his way out of any situation. Nick’s son Joey needs to understand and respect his fathers philosophy, and Nick works hard to respond to that need without compromising his lack of values. When a beautiful news reporter betrays Nick’s sexually-achieved trust, his world seems in danger of collapsing. But with the help of the MOD Squad (Merchants of Death – his equivalents in the firearms and alcohol industries), Nick takes on the big guns. This is a seriously funny film with truly amazing and side splitting dialog. Nick is such as loveable character despite the fact he’s working for an organisation that kills people to make a profit. It’s stylish, slick and fast paced, but best of all, every single line of dialog is perfection. I really loved this film.

This is a cute film about two people who reflect on their betel-chewing, teeth-lacquering and their displaced past while creating future memories for their grandchildren. Although it offered an interesting insight into another culture from my own, I found the story rather boring, although there were some funny moments (such as when one of the ladies was getting high of chewing betel).

A really strange and distinctive erotic fantasy of growing pains, imagined fetishes and ravished rabbits. This is truly a weird and wonderful animation that really makes you laugh and wonder what the hell you are doing watching it!