Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Inside Out, seen so far

I don't have time to post full reviews, but I'll at least let y'all/yousuns/you know what is coming as I struggle to catch up on both sleep and blogging. [UPDATED: Friday 2015-05-29; bolded titles will appear in Frameline 39, except "54" which appeared in the SFIFF.]

Seen so far:
  • Grandma [Lily Tomlin!]
  • Mixed Shorts: Teenage Dream
  • Jess & James
  • Those People
  • Tab Hunter Confidential
  • Lesbian Shorts: She Loves Me
  • Hidden Away
  • Eisenstein in Guanajuato [had to choose between this one or "Fresno," but I hope to see it at Frameline next month]
  • That's Not Us
  • (skipped My Life in Pink / Ma vie en rose, but it's wonderful; you should see it if you haven't)
  • Gay Shorts: One Night Only
  • Coming In [Marco Kreuzpaintner and Kostja Ullman and Hanno Koffler; (swoon!)]
  • What We Have
  • In the Grayscale
  • Everlasting Love (Amor eterno) plus a short
  • Gay Shorts: Secrets & Guys
  • How to Win at Checkers (Every Time)
  • Don't Accept Dreams from Strangers
  • Fourth Man Out [Chord Overstreet!]
  • The Amina Profile
  • Guidance
  • She's Beautiful when She's Angry
  • Butterfly
  • Margarita, with a Straw
Coming up:
  • A Sinner in Mecca
  • Gay Shorts: A Hard Man is Good to Find
  • Liz in September
  • Gay Shorts: Drama Queens
  • To Russia with Love [Johnny Weir!!]
  • [skipping the dinner movies, but I saw the new director's fabulously successful overhaul recut of "54," last month at the San Francisco IFF, and will see former Frameline staffer Jenni Olson's "The Royal Road" with a hometown audience in San Francisco at Frameline next month.]
  • Portrait of a Serial Monogamist [again in the Rush line, but I am determined!]
Films I'm missing at Inside Out 25 that will also be at Frameline 39 in San Francisco in June:
  • Stories of Our Lives
  • Fresno
  • While You Weren't Looking
  • Naz & Maalik
  • Seed Money: the Chuck Holmes Story
  • Seashore
  • Two 4 One [sorry I'm missing seeing it in Toronto, though!]
  • Welcome to this House

I've been taking notes on the films I see, but I've been so overwhelmed by the process of trying (so far unsuccessfully!) to turn my WiFi paperweight back into a smartphone, and thus haven't had time to type them up, add piccies and links, and all that jazz. Thus, I will have to try to sustain the momentum to post the reviews after the close of the festival. I've certainly seen some fabulous films, and the worst of the whole list so far at Inside Out's 25th anniversary festival, was only "meh," not "ptui!" let alone "Harper me gently with a chainsaw!" [Canadian political humor, but haven't been able to find a link to it]. I saw an incredibly rare feat: a program of five short films where I rated all five 5/5, and the venue (TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto) was literally designed to host film festivals, plus it's walking distance to the downtown GO station. No shuttling from the Roxie to the Castro and back, just occasionally switching from Theatre 1 to Theatre 2 or 3. Guest WiFi throughout the building. I used to fantasise about building a multi-screen cinema to host festivals, but Toronto went and actually did it.

If you see a fiftyish man at Inside Out this weekend (2015-05-30 and -31), about 186cm/6'1", wearing the vest of many pocketses and a necklace of bells over a Frameline t-shirt, that's probably moi, so say hi.

Monday, May 25, 2015

San Francisco festival fan at Inside Out

I am in Toronto, Canada, for the Inside Out LGBT film festival's 25th anniversary, and having a wonderful time. I'm hoping in the next few days (while I have my afternoons free!) to catch up with reviewing the nine programs I've seen so far. That means I'll have previews of several titles that will be in the Frameline 39 festival in San Francisco next month. If you happen to be at Inside Out this week, you'll recognise me by the necklace of bells and the vest of many pocketses. I'll be here all week.