Feature
The List: Best of the Fest
Becky Bartlett lets you know what's worth watching.
Monsters Director: Gareth Edwards Release date: unknown Filmed in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, Monsters has been described as a “latin District 9”, but is far more original than the comparison suggests. Following a man and woman trying to get from Mexico's infected zone into America several years after a NASA space shuttle accidentally released new creatures on Earth, Edwards utilised the hurricane's real destruction, with some additional CGI work, to stretch his meagre budget far beyond expectations. The result is a haunting, atmospheric, post-apocalyptic road trip movie, with giant space octopi, and proof once again that a film can be far more effective without constant explosions or cliches.
The Extra Man Directors: Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini Release date: unknown The Extra Man sees indie kid Paul Dano play Louis Ives, a quiet young gentleman with a penchant for women's underwear, befriend an elderly educated male escort (Kevin Kline), who lives in eccentric poverty, while wooing ninety-year-old millionaire ladies. It's a simple tale of friendship and trying to find one's place in the world, made special with a quiet quirkiness and Kline's quick wit and excellent timing. Keep an eye out for John C Reilly, lighting up the screen with a highly entertaining cameo.
HIGH School Director: John Stalberg Release date: unknown On paper, HIGH School is a typical American stoner flick, but in reality it is far smarter than the recent wave of teen gross out films that just happen to have a few joints in the mix. After smoking one spliff with his old waster friend, straight-A student Henry (Matt Bush) discovers his principal has decided to enforce mandatory drug testing in school. The only solution? Steal a crazy drug dealer's extra potent weed crystals and spike the school's bake sale. Featuring a surprisingly high-brow cast, including Colin Hanks and Adrian Brody, Stalberg's film is original, entertaining, well acted and damn funny.
My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? Director: Werner Herzog Release date: unknown Here at LIFM, we are unashamedly biased towards Herzog. His documentaries are fascinating, his films are bizarre and he treads that fine line between genius and lunatic. Following the critically acclaimed Bad Lieutenant, he switches his attention to the criminal mind, telling the story of Brad (an excellent Michael Shannon), who is hiding in his house with hostages after murdering his mother. Produced by David Lynch, the influence is obvious in the film's pace, style, visuals and actors – Lynch regular Grace Zabriskie plays the deceased mother. Far more bizarre than Bad Lieutenant, this outing probably doesn't deserve the same acclaim, but it's strange, very strange, and hard to forget. Oh, and Herzog has moved on from reptiles, to ostriches.
The Oath Director: Laura Poitras Release date: unknown Winner of EIFF's Best Feature Documentary Award, The Oath definitely benefits from a fascinating subject matter – Osama Bin Laden's bodyguard. By combining interviews with Salim Hamdan, the man in question, with the (then ongoing) American trial of Hamdan's brother-in-law, Bin Laden's former driver and now accused of terrorism in Guantanamo Bay, Poitras paints a disturbing picture of the inequality and inefficiency of the American legal system. Bin Laden is still a hot topic, but it seems baffling that his bodyguard should evade Guantanamo while his driver is incarcerated, and Poitras' documentary successfully poses many interesting questions without appearing judgemental or aggressive.
Becky Bartlett
