2012 Melbourne International Film Festival

Melbourne International Film Festival: August 2 - 19, 2012.


Well its that time of the year again when MIFF rolls into town.  Below is the list of titles that I am seeing, which will be updated with a star rating and a brief review after I see each title.  At the end of the festival, I will follow it up with my top ten list from the festival. 

• HEADSHOT  (****)
• MOONRISE KINGDOM  (***)
• THE BEAUTY FROM NIVERNAIS  (****)
• The Three-Sided Mirror  (***1/2)
• THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER  (**1/2)
• 7 DAYS IN HAVANA  (***)
• [REC] 3: GENESIS  (***1/2)
• LOVERS ON THE BRIDGE  (***1/2)
• MAUVAIS SANG (BAD BLOOD)  (****)
• TABU  (***)
• V/H/S  (*)
• INTO THE ABYSS  [screening cancelled]
• SOUND OF MY VOICE  (****)
• WUTHERING HEIGHTS   (***1/2)
• MISS BALA  (***)
• SIDE BY SIDE  (***)
• DAMSELS IN DISTRESS  (***1/2)
• KILLER JOE  (****)
• JAYNE MANSFIELD'S CAR  (****)
• ACE ATTORNEY  (***)
• DARK HORSE  (***1/2)
• FAUST  (**)
• THE TASTE OF MONEY  (**1/2)
• 100 BLOODY ACRES  (****)
• ON THE ROAD  (***1/2)
• THE IMPOSTER  (**)
• ERRORS OF THE HUMAN BODY  (*1/2)
• BULLY  (****)
• BEYOND THE HILLS  (***1/2)
• VULGARIA  (***)
• BOY MEETS GIRL  (***1/2)
• THE REST OF THE WORLD  (***)
• AMOUR  (****)
• BERBERIAN SOUND STUDIO  (****)
• FACING MIRRORS  (****1/2)
• HOLY MOTORS  (***1/2)
• CARRE BLANC  (***1/2)
• NO  (****)
• THE LONELIEST PLANET  (**1/2)
• THE ANGELS' SHARE  (***1/2)
• MINE GAMES  (*1/2)
• IN THE FOG  (***)
• FOR LOVE'S SAKE  (****)
• MANIAC  (****)
• RUBY SPARKS  (**)
• POLA X  (**1/2)
• THE LION OF THE MOGULS  (***)
• HIMIZU  (****)
• THE HUNT  (****)
• ALPS  (**)

Well, that's it for MIFF 2012.  Overall, I thought that it was a pretty good festival with a lot of good movies (and as usual, some duds too), but if I had to choose, I still think that last year's festival was better.  Not by much, mind you, though.  I greatly appreciated the inclusion of some silent films at the festival this year, and I hope to see some more again at MIFF 2013.  I was also devastated by the cancellation of the new extended cut of Sergio Leone's "Once Upon A Time In America" just days before MIFF opened.  I was so looking forward to see it on the big screen, but it wasn't to be, I guess.  Well, I guess it is time for my top ten films at MIFF 2012, so here they are in reverse order:

10.  AMOUR
9.  SOUND OF MY VOICE
8.  MANIAC
7. FOR LOVE'S SAKE
6.  BULLY
5.  JAYNE MANSFIELD'S CAR
4.  HIMIZU
3.  KILLER JOE
2.  THE HUNT
1.  FACING MIRRORS

So there you have it, for the second consecutive year, an Iranian film has been my favourite of the festival.  Unusual though, "Facing Mirrors" was the only film from Iran that I saw at this year's MIFF, but obviously its quality was so great that it still took my number one spot.