The Congress

Somehow my reviews of the last days of Fantastic Fest 2013 weren't saved here.  I even recall going through my notes, determining they had all been posted, and consciously throwing them away.  C'est la vie.  This is from memory.

Anyway, The Congress started with a solid, sci-fi-worthy human dilemma.  Faced with her own aging body and marketability as an actress, Robin Wright (as a fiction version of herself) is offered one last role of a "lifetime".  She'll be digitally scanned - physically, mentally, emotionally - and "Robin Wright" the actress would officially become a separately-owned property from Robin Wright the person.  It's a dilemma to decide if one's identity, one's external "worth", should be sold at any cost, and one I thought the film would take much of its run time to explore.

Instead, faced with a sick child, Robin makes the decision relatively quickly.  Then the film devolves into an animated world, one where everyone takes pills to see the world as cartoon.  Twenty years later, as "her" star power peaks, she's invited to The Congress, a New World gathering, as a celebrity of sorts.  Not everyone desires such new world order, and the gathering devolves into anarchy and chaos.  Robin escapes, but is hurt and in a coma.

Much later, she wakes, this time to a cartoon world entirely whimsical, where everyone is whoever they want to be.  Her goal, though, is to find her son, and for that she must pierce the veil and see the world for the run-down ghettos it may actually be, and find a way to cycle around again.

As the film dove more and more into the surreal, it got harder and harder to follow.  I can picture the director of the film trying to explain his vision to a studio for funding, and everyone in the room gets so confused that they decide it must be brilliant.  I just thought it was confusing.

The Congress
2013, 122 minutes, directed by Ari Folman 

King of Pigs

Children have limited filters for emotion, and while at their peaks they are angelic, at their depths their brutality is sickening.  This Korean animated film starts by sticking a knife in your gut, and then just keeps twisting for two hours.  Kyung-min, seemingly calm after an unexplained opening scene, contacts old friend Jong-suk.  It's been 15 years - since middle school - since they've talked, and it's time to catch up on old times.  Prepare to be depressed.

King of Pigs
2011, 97 minutes, directed by Sang-ho Yeon

Frankenweenie 3D

There's little need to run through the plot Frankenweenie.  It is what you expect it to be, a feature-length rewrite of one of Tim Burton's early shorts.  That's not why the film is awesome.  It's awesome because of the attention to detail in creating a vast 3D, claymation world, and framing that world in the confines and freedoms of black and white film.  It's awesome because of Tim Burton's macabre sense of humor and how readily it can be conveyed through puppets.  Forget your kids (seriously, don't bring them under 8 years old or so); this film packs plenty of emotional punch for adults.

Frankenweenie 3D
2012, 87 minutes, directed by Tim Burton

In the spirit of the film, the Alamo sponsored a Monster Ball for patrons and their (under 20 pounds) dogs in costume.  And as part of the multi-cast world premiere, one of the theaters allowed pets - but fortunately not my theater.

Planet 51

This computer-animated film portrays a typical children's humans-are-the-aliens story.  What surprised me, though, was the high level of violence in this PG film.  No, no one dies, except a seemingly sentient bug which is squished under a rock, and two solders who are shown dead and lobotomized (but turn out to survive without their brains later).

I guess "modern" kids have seen worse in their online games and afternoon TV, but really it just seemed excessive.  I'd rate this PG-13.

Planet 51
2009, 91 minutes, directed by Jorge Blanco, Javier Abad, and Marcos Martinez

Cool World

I think I saw part of this film in the early 90s.  That said, I certainly didn't remember it being so raunchy.  Honestly there were few redeeming qualities at all: bad acting, bad dialog, weak plot, poor stitching of life acting and animation.

Cool World
1992, 102 minutes, directed by Ralph Bakshi

Metropia

This film is an existential journey across dystopian Europe crafted with intriguing photo-animation. I loved the feel of the destitute world, and the resignation of most inhabitants to their fate. This was a fantastic film and I'm happy to have the privilege to see it on a theater screen.

Metropia
2009, 86 minutes, directed by Tarik Saleh

Первый отряд (First Squad)

The blend of survivor interviews, historian and "psychoanalyst" commentary, and kickass Japanese animation make this Russian adventure a dynamic success.

Первый отряд (First Squad)
2009, 73 minutes, directed by Yoshiharu Ashino

9

I'm really disappointed. The film starts with far too little time spent introducing the audience to the environment - the newly formed lead character intrinsically knows too much too quickly, and the action commences before the characters have context. Going back later and filling in the history with movie reels is no excuse for writing a poor exposition. This really just ruins the film.

It's billed as an adventure for adults and children, but I think anyone over 8 will be disappointed by the clumsily advanced plot, and anyone under 8 will be scared by the imagery. The saddest part is that, since the film is SO short, they could have had plenty of time to create a good story with proper pacing. Did they run out of money? I expected better.

9
2009, 79 minutes, directed by Shane Acker

The Incredibles

Incredibly, I've never seen this before, but I watched it with my father Thanksgiving evening on TV. Wow, they put a lot of commercials in shows now. You'd think they're asking the few without a DVR to go buy one.

This was a good film. A little dark, sure - I was surprised to see death in a "children's" film, but the plot was solid, the pacing great, and the dialog entertaining. Where's the sequel?

The Incredibles
2004, 115 minutes, directed by Brad Bird

Terra

First Sunday screening. This one was preceded with two near-finished clips of Disney's Bolt. It looks great and is going to be another hit for the whole family. Terra, on the other hand, is too violent for kids, but it's an epic adventure in it's own right. There's plenty of political overtones and anti- war themes, but that's appropriate these days. And it was a really pretty story; one to cherish. I'd happily watch this again, preferably with my wife and (adult) friends.

Terra
2007, 85 minutes, directed by Aristomenis Tsirbas

Aachi and Ssipak

This is a delightful romp through the vulgar and obscene. Leave your brain at the door and just enjoy stupid and crass humor in its raw form. The action flows well and the humor is nonstop.

Aachi and Ssipak
2006, 90 minutes, directed by Jo Beom-Jim

Persepolis

I won't call this a story of Iran. It is a story of life. Every society places controls on its members. Without them, it wouldn't be a society. Yet all too often we go too far. Those in charge of enforcing the controls become abusive, drunk on their power. I don't think the cycle will end.

Go see this film.

Persepolis
2007, 95 minutes, directed by Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi

Girl Who Leapt Through Time

The stereotypical look and feel of anime turns off many people, often including me. There's too much slapstick, and too much time spent with unrealistically-large mouths open for crying or gasping in disbelief. And yet, if you look past that, there are truly fantastic stories being told through the genre. Girl Who Leapt Through Time, seen on September 22, tells a story of choice and consequent. It beautifully balances comedy, tragedy, and introspective. If you can see past the anime to see the story, I highly recommend this one.

Girl Who Leapt Through Time
2007, 98 minutes, directed by Mamoru Hosoda