Movies and moving

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Hey! Well it's been an interesting few weeks. Besides all the cool stuff I've done, I've been sick - and I spent most of last week in bed!!! But I'm on the mend (hurrah) and while I am still confined to home at night, I no longer need a nap in the afternoon (although, I was starting to get used to it...and enjoyed it too!). So enough of my complaining, and to some movie reviews!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the past few weeks saw Wellington host its annual film festival! YAY! While quite a few of the movies are apparently avaiable at a random video store in town, there is nothing quite like the atmosphere of a film festival. Plus, as the lovely Johanna pointed out, you're more likely to see a film at the film festival because you have to book in advance. I ended up seeing 4 films.

The first was a lovely little Iranian number about a group of girls who try to sneak into a soccer match, called Offside. Apparently it's not exactly illegal for girls to go to soccer matches, they still aren't allowed. I quite liked it. It was a nice, in-the-moment piece and while it did have opportunities to delve deeply into issues, mainly women's rights in Iran, it didn't go too deep. It was entertaining more than meaningful in a serious way, but I liked it. It was fun and the realness of it was delightful. This is where I also bumped into my supervisor, which made the whole evening rather hilarious.

The second was an Aussie film called Jindabyne, which I saw with Jobbo. I thought it was ok. The scenary was nice and some of the acting was pretty good (notably John Howard and Deborah Lee Furness), but it was a drama that wasn't in depth enough. Too many subplots meant there was never enough time to explore the stories and the issues (the role of women, black/white relations etc) appropriately. Serial killer also wasn't creepy enough. Moral of the story: of you're going to touch lightly on important issues, make it more fun, less serious film; label your film a psychological drama and you better work hard!

The third was a Romanian film called The Death of Mr Lazarescu. I thought it was fantastic. It was a black comedy of sorts revolved around an old man being shipped from hospital to hospital trying to get medical treatment. Unfortunately for him, he drinks, so is labelled a drunk, and while lazy and imcompetent medical staff just keep stuffing him around, he keeps getting sicker and sicker. Another real-time film, it really appealed to me and was kind of related to what I'm studying here! Funny, challenging, and in a language other than English - it was everything a film festival flick should be! 😊

Finally, and favouritely (:P), was a Michel Gondry film (Eternal Sunshine director) starring Gael Garcia Bernal, called the Science of Sleep. I was in stitches! The entire cinema was. This film was hilarious. The loveable Stephane (Bernal) moves back to Paris where his mother lives, after his father dies in Mexico. This is a love story of a very different kind, especially since his dreams and reality seem almost one and the same. I adored this film. YOU MUST SEE IT! 😊

Ok, enough of this impersonal reviewer stuff. Learning how to write in genres in high school English has really affected my ability to be a normal person.

Anyway, I move this Friday (pre-emptive thanks to my mum for helping). It will be good and fairly easy. I am so excited - somewhere to dry my laundry properly!!! :P I'll actually post pics of my new place, since I forgot to do that with this place and it seems kinda silly to do that now.

I'll be back in August to visit, so if you want to see me, I'm already being booked... ok, by my mum, but still! :P

Keep it real,

Sarah

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