F E A T U R E :: A R T I C L E S
The 2000 Sydney Film Festival
Yes folks, two weeks of cinephilia with the expected highs and lows these sort of cultural events always deliver. One determined boy travels deep into the heart of Sydney's premier collection of odds and sods and comes back with a report both damning and drunkenly charming. Gasp at the Max Ophuls Retrospective! Shudder at New Waterford Girl! Write angry letters if the urge takes you! It's just one click away.
1st Sydney Asia Pacific Film Festival
The inaugural SAPFF ran from March30th to April 2nd, screening 10 Asian features and 12 Asian-Australian short films. Each film was selected on the basis of critical and box-office success in their country of origin.
The 1999 Hong Kong Film FestivalNine of the best films made in Hong Kong during 1998-1999, toured Australian capital cities in November. We tell you what was worth seeing, how film festivals like this work, and examine Hong Kong's contribution to world cinema.Wild Things, or How I Learnt to Love the Erotic Thriller
The erotic thriller is an orphan too tame for adults, too strange for six-pack Seagal's and too everything for discerning art audiences, the message is clear, whether it comes from the mouth of mormons or performance artists: we don't want your type around here. Why then does a Neve Campbell vehicle like Wild Things work so well? Rivett does some soul-searching.IMAX: its bigger but is it better?
Is this cinema?...Where television stars go to die...over-priced t-shirts, screaming children, comfortable chairs...The God Bless America Symphony...The escape in silence, the plummeting dollar...From Morgan Freeman to you...Toto scampers up the IMAX trail.Tsai Ming Liang: Love, Life and Lies.
To coincide with the screening of his latest film the Hole at the 46th Sydney Film Festival, toto takes a look at another one of its patron saints - Taiwanese filmmaker Tsai Ming Liang. What are his films about and how do they fit into the New Taiwanese Cinema?Who is Wong Kar-Wai? Few in the west are familiar with him or his work, and those who are, often praise him for the wrong reasons. Toto examines the inspiring work of this cantonese director, in the context of Hong Kong's history and culture.Independent American director Hal Hartley is one of the shining lights of nineties cinema. To mark the Australian premiere of his sixth feature Henry Fool, Toto takes a look at his work-to-date, focusing on his formalist treatment of performance and mise en scene.Where to begin with a movie about Hasidic numerology, science-fiction, mathematics, corporate conspiracy, pre-millenium tension and the fine line between genius and insanity? Huan-tzin Goh performs an autopsy on Pi the movie, excavating its debt to literary sci-fi and the history of ideas.The Boys is a landmark Australian films. Reens explains why, in an exclusive interview with director Rowan Woods.Eugs converses with director Harry Sinclair, about his successful debut film Topless Women Talk About Their Lives, thoughts on cinema, New Zealand, and plans for the future.A Clockwork Orange: the Cream and the Crock
The midnight special in Sydney for God knows how long, is Kubrick's 'masterpiece' a cult classic or overrated hackery? Adam Rivett carries out a post-mortem on one of cinema's sacred cows.Toto is a product of Australia's multicultural society, which gives us the opportunity to attend many foreign films festivals and revel in non-American cinema. To date, toto has covered the 1998 and 1999 Sydney Film Festivals, the 1998 French Film Festival and 1998 Hongkong Film Festival, interviewing visiting actors and directors, recording 'meet the filmmaker' sessions and industry forums, and reporting on the culture and meaning of film festivals themselves. There is a wealth of exclusive and insightful material behind these links, so be brave and click on, friend!
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