CIFF 2010--The Robber

Here is another film I saw at the 2010 Chicago International Film Festival. It is from Austria. A convict leaves prison after serving time for bank robbery. His parole officer cautions him to value his freedom and not do it again. While in prison, Johann has done nothing but run. In fact, as soon as he leaves prison he wins a marathon, and robs a bank. This seems to be all he does, run and rob. Running comes in pretty hand to evade the law. He also meets a woman he knew when they were much younger, Erika. He of course hides his current crime activity from her.

CIFF 2010--The Hairdresser

Since the Chicago International Film Festival kicks off later this week, I thought I'd revisit some of the great films I saw last year.

The Hairdresser is a German dramedy about the plus-size hairdresser Kathi. Divorced Kathi has to deal with unemployment and then discrimination when she shows up for work at a salon in a mall. The salon owner tells her in bold terms that she just doesn't fit the look of a sleek and pretty salon. Kathi sees a closed business in the mall and decides to open up her own salon.

Happy Birthday, Walter Matthau!

The Taking of Pelham 123 is probably my favorite Matthau film. The role is SO Matthau, the film SO New York. It has humorous wisecracks, plenty of suspense and patient police work by Matthau's transit cop character as he chases baddie Robert Shaw who's holding a subway car full of hostages.  Many good, New Yorkish supporting actors too.

I can hear the theme music in my head right now...

Chicago International Film Festival 2011

The Chicago International Film Festival is beginning in a few days! My plan usually is to get the Passport and supplement it with $5 matinees and some free panels. 

Strategy for choosing films?
--Go through the catalogue and pick any that sound interesting.
--Look them up on IMDB or elsewhere for ratings and reviews.
--Circle them all on the calendar and see which ones work out to a manageable schedule.

I usually skip any English language ones from the U.S. or U.K., as those more often will return to the regular movie schedules later in the season or next year.  Foreign films starring legends like Catherine Deneuve will no doubt come around later here too so I usually will save those for another time.

There are always going to be a few I am interested in but just can't fit into the schedule; this time around its a few documentaries: Day Is Done reminds me of another doc I saw at the film fest several years ago, Ending Note: Death of a Japanese Salesman, L.A. Raeven: Beyond the Image. All four of these sound like they have some intruiging character studies, which interests me from an anthropological aspect, and not those pushing an agenda, which is not the type of doc that appeals to me.

I've left a few slots open for some last minute movies, it will be interesting to hear what gets the buzz.
See my list, after the jump!

Past seven days

Seven days=nine movies.

Detective Dee and the Phantom Flame
Hermano
Honeymoon
Jackie Brown
Nurse Betty
Soul Kitchen (liar!  I didn't get through this one, I tried twice but it's an awful film)
The Interrupters
The White Diamond
Tucker & Dale vs. Evil