The Founding of a Republic

The Founding of a Republic (Jian guo da ye)

The People’s Republic of China turns the big six oh this October 1st and to celebrate they’ve made a little movie titled, The Founding of a Republic. Opening last month (September 17th – at exactly 2pm) in China, the extravaganza was all set to go by the title of The Great Cause of China’s Foundation – which clearly wouldn’t have suited the subtle tone filmmakers were going for. Just look at that poster.

According to wiki, the film “features [a] large cast of 176 of China’s and Hong Kong’s most renowned actors”. Actors like these people:

Jackie Chan

Zhang Ziyi

Donnie Yen

Tony Leung

Chow Yun-Fat

Stephen Chow

Andy Lau

Jet Li

Leon Lai

It of course also features an appearance by Eva Huang (above right) as the most photogenic cadre you’ll ever see.

Gigantic

Gigantic Still

Mattress salesman Brian Weathersby (Paul Dano) is in the process of adopting a Chinese baby. This specific mission has been a goal of his for “pretty much all his life. Zooey Deschanel also stars as Harriet (Happy) Lolly, the object of Brian’s affections. She’s winning as always, but it’s Dano’s understated charm that really takes you by surprise.

The Spirit

Hero cop Denny Colt (Gabriel Macht) returns from the beyond to watch over Central City. While combating the usual forces of evil “The Spirit”, as he likes people to call him, also has to duke it out with his arch-nemesis (every superhero’s gotta have one), The Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson). With a God complex in tow The Octopus is your typical mad scientist villain hell bent on world domination.

Taking its visual cues from Frank Miller’s earlier work, Sin City, The Spirit unfortunately doesn’t match the former’s style – or substance. [More]

Spanish Film… Festival!

Seven Billiard Tables

It’s not as big or as glamourous as the French Film Festival that just rolled out of town, but the annual Spanish Film Fest is pretty damn alluring too. Into its 11th year, the 2008 program offers film lovers a fun week of cinematic diversion, kicking off with the acclaimed Seven Billiard Tables (Siete mesas de billar francés).

Running throughout May in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane and Perth, the line-up varies slightly from city to city, but the organisers have put together a fairly substantial portfolio that covers a lot of genres – and tastes.

The prospect of venturing into Leichhardt isn’t terribly palatable to anybody, but there just might enough incentive to make the trek on May 17. Youth favourite Y tu mamá también is due to screen at the unfortunately situated Palace Norton Street at noon sharp.

Y tu mamá también

Confounding session times aside, this looks to be two or so weeks of good times.

The Mu-Meson Archives

Tony Richardson’s The Loved One (1965)

The Mu-Meson Archives play host to another month of “psychotronic, cinema, film, music, culture, OVNI, UFO, conspiracy, [and] exploitation”.

Anybody going by the monikers Jay Katz and Miss Death are either going to be the coolest people you ever come across or the biggest asses you’ll ever wish ill upon.

The Mu-Meson guys definitely fall into the former. Check out their current program here: http://www.mumeson.org/

Timid souls might give The Loved One screening a go. With an early, evening kick-off and a $10 charge that covers supper, the May 21st screening is a good way to dip your toes into the glorious Mu-Meson pool.

While the whole May program is choc-full of too-cool goodness, who can go past a title like Flesh Eating Mothers? Can you think of a better way to celebrate that hallowed of holidays: Mother’s Day?

Get thee on down to Annandale.

Down in the Valley

“Where are you going?”
“Nowhere.”
“Can I come?”

These are the first words the audience hears. That’s the film – a picture of loneliness and longing. Tobe Sommers (Evan Rachel Wood) and her little brother Lonnie (Rory Culkin) exist in the world without living. Each longs for something better, but behind their expressive eyes, and everyday motions, there’s a resignation. For them, this is… life. Watching the Sommers go about their daily lives is like watching a sort of slow death. We know where they’re heading – or not. Tobe’s feisty nature doesn’t open doors of optimism but rather offers glimpses of the loss about to follow. Like the opening lines of the movie, the characters are going nowhere, and their every action to rebel against this moves them closer towards tragedy.

The Five Obstructions

No matter how haughty your cinematic tastes may be, this 90-minute effort from director Lars von Trier will not fail to infuriate.

In 1967, Danish documentary film-maker Jorgen Leth made The Perfect Human, a 12-minute short detailing the daily activities of a man and woman. Celebrated film-maker Lars von Trier once proclaimed Leth’s effort as perfect, and now takes an opportunity to imprint his own stamp on cinematic history.