BFI London Film Festival 2012 – Day 2
Well, that was a much more successful enterprise than much of the past few days LFF activities, two solid three-to-four star films at the BFI with the surprise guest appearance of the director for the second film, better than the advert for the festival which I think is horrible;
Urgh, who thought that concept up? I can see who it ties in with the groupings of strands this year but really….
The first dish was Takashi Miike’s violent romantic comedy delinquent musical film, if anyone needs an award for genre bending this year then this is the man. Terrifically funny, amusingly violent and deliriously made, this is up there with the top half-dozen LFF films I’ve seen so far. In fact, the Asian films are of a consistently high standard this year now that I think of it…..
The second film was Helter Skelter, an effective and startlingly filmed satire on the contemporary Tokyo fashion and celebrity scene, it was far too long at over two hours but superbly crafted, and director Mika Ninagawa popped up on stage after the screening for an illuminating Q&A afterward. Now, can someone please explain to me the mindset of the two selfish idiots who decided to talk through the first forty-five minutes of the film, sitting next to me, when everyone else was silent? Why do you feel the need to discuss everything that is happening on-screen with your friend? Are you stupid? Blind? So lacking in self-awareness that what with a capacity sold-out crowd filling the rest of the auditorium it didn’t strike you as being a little rude to the people who had also brought tickets and wanted to enjoy the film in silence? I had to intervene as they were right next to me, it was an embarrassing moment for everyone, but it had to be done…..
Anyway, I’d best crack on with my full reviews – speaking of which a new tranche of material has just been uploaded here – alas due to circumstances beyond my control I’ve had to skip both Wajida and Rust & Bone, but I have got tickets to that on the 23rd which is a week before it gets its full UK release. Just one movie tomorrow and a special event on Sunday, before we get back into it with another full day of screenings and a press conference on Monday, should be fun to see Rainman in the flesh…
Minty's Menagerie 
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